Interview: Amerikaanse college student

Who are you?

Hi! My name is Emma. I am a 22 year old college student with a major in Criminal Justice. I am currently a senior at SFSU.

Can you explain a little bit more about the American college system?

The American college system is a four year program for students to obtain a bachelor’s degree. There are no levels in the American college system like there are in the Dutch school system, but some schools are perceived as more prestigious.

Why did you choose to go to San Francisco State University?

I chose to go to San Francisco State because it has a good program for my major and I wanted to experience living in a big city.

How is your study structured?

For my specific major there are required courses I need to take in order to graduate and elective courses I get to choose from that are more specific to my study.

How many classes do you follow and how would you describe the course load?

I take around 12 to 15 units each semester, the course load depends on the class you’re taking. Most classes are worth 3 credits. So I take at least 4 classes. If you take a higher credit class, 4 credits, there’s a lot more course work.

What’s the most interesting or fun course you’ve followed so far?

My favorite course so far was crime and data analysis, as it allowed me to learn more about how crimes are being solved and the analytical side of it.

How would you describe American college life?

American College life is different at every school. Some schools have a big Greek Life, which means there are a lot of sororities and fraternities that throw parties. Other schools have more of a college life in terms of college bars in the cities, students go to. At San Francisco State especially there isn't too much Greek Life as it’s more of a commuter school, but if you go into the city it’s a lot more fun. There are a few college bars that are pretty popular. Still we have dorm parties and frat parties.

Would you say actual college life in the US is the same as in the movies we’ve seen about American college life?

I would say actual college life in the US isn’t very similar to the movies you’ve seen about American college life. It highly depends on the school you study at but at San Francisco State there isn’t big Greek life, as you might see in the movies.

What does life look like after you graduate, what options do you have?

Some of the options you have after you graduate could be looking for a job or going on to get your masters degree.

Do you have a tip for Dutch students who would like to study in the US one day?

A tip I would give for any Dutch students who would like to study in the US would be to be completely open with your experience, and say yes to things you normally wouldn’t. You never know when you’ll be back so try to experience as many new things as you can.