Saturday, August 8, 2009

Internatioanl educational project

  • A group of students from the Xavier Institute of Development Action and Studies in Jabalpur, India, and Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida, will cooperate on a common project during the Fall semester 2009. The professors supervising the common project will be Dr. Namrata Vasudeo and Dr. Athena Smith.

  • Specifically, the students from both countries have to write a descriptive essay on the strengths and weaknesses of their tertiary educational systems and post them in this blog. The students may adopt a pseudonym -with their real identity known to their professor- (in which case they have to open a blogger's account) or post them using their own name, in which case they can opt for the "Name/URL" option under posting.

    After the essays have been posted the students from one group start posing questions to the other group to understand better the system of the other group. They are also expected to connect through SKYPE or a similar system and interview one another. Then, they are expected to write a second essay on suggesting ways to improve their own educational systems by incorporating ideas infused through the exchange.

    The Objectives of the Local Educational systems Project are:

  • Understand the tertiary educational systems of another country.
  • Investigate possible strengths and weaknesses and expand on the inter-cultural understanding.
  • Contact the students from another country and establish a network of exchange of knowledge.
  • Write a paper contrasting and assessing two tertiary educational systems and offer suggestions for improving their own educational systems.
  • Investigate the possibility of further contact either online or through an exchange visit.
  • Publish the results.

103 comments:

Gel Ortiz said...

Each educational system, whether it is a community college or university, has its own strengths and weaknesses. I currently attend Hillsborough Community College (HCC) in Brandon, Florida. HCC has many advantages as well as disadvantages. First of all, a few strengths of attending a community college are cheaper classes, smaller learning environments, and a convenient location. Community College is never “cheap”, but compared to a university, it saves quite a few hundred dollars in tuition and books. A smaller learning environment, such as 20 students in one class, assists students with the capability to interact with the professor one-on-one; versus a university with 300 students in one class, there is a less opportunity for one-on-one conversations with the professor. A convenient location saves time and gas. There are students that attend University of South Florida (USF) and drain their gas tank by driving two hours just to get to school, and at HCC most people live 10-30 minutes away from one of the campuses. There are also multiple campuses to choose from. There are a total of six different campuses to choose from in diverse locations.
On the other hand, there are a few weaknesses for attending Hillsborough Community College. Of course community colleges are much smaller than universities; therefore, we don’t get to experience the “full” college experience. Such as, rushing for sororities or fraternities, attending immense football games, or having the advantage of learning hands on with numerous hospitals right there on campus. USF has multiple hospitals on campus, helping the students with real hands on learning. Excluding the entertaining weaknesses, there are also educational weaknesses, such as having to adjust from learning in a small classroom to an enormous auditorium style environment.
You may be wondering how we pay for all these expenses, including tuition and expensive textbooks. Well, luckily there are many scholarships and grants available for many different people and special situations. For example, achieving good grades is the number one way to earn scholarships and tons of money. Certain ethnicities qualify for different scholarships as well. Excelling in a certain sport can also earn scholarships. We have an extremely popular scholarship known as Bright Futures. This is an academic scholarship, and while maintaining a certain grade point average, they pay for 75%-100% of tuition. This saves many students a tremendous amount of money. As you can see, there are various ways to earn scholarships and grants to help pay for an education.
With all the tedious days of going to class, and all the long hours put into studying and homework, in the end, it is all worth it. Finishing college and earning that degree, whether it is an associate’s degree (AA), bachelor’s degree (BA), or master’s degree, will defiantly make a difference when trying to get a real job after college. Besides earning that degree, one will gain plenty of knowledge that will help for the future. An (AA) degree enables one to transfer to the third year of a four year college or university. Also, an AA degree that is not transferable can be a terminal degree in an occupational area useful to a local industry.
In essence, all colleges and universities have all kinds of advantages and disadvantages, whether it involves the learning environment, money, scholarships and grants, or enjoyable activities, there is no such thing as a perfect school. All of them will have their ups and downs and these are a few examples of strengths and weaknesses of the community college I attend. Thank you for reading my response, and if you are interested or have any questions, feel free to comment back to me!

Ronnie Cox said...

To begin, there are many different ways to look at the tertiary educational system, of which I am a part. Whether the good outweighs the bad often comes down to who is observing and what they want to see. I am currently attending Hillsborough Community College (HCC) with the intent to transfer to a four-year university upon completion. The ability to have access to local and relatively inexpensive higher education is a large benefit. It enables one to complete half of his/her education within close proximity to home and family. Another positive connected with a community college is that by breaking it up into an associate’s degree (a 2 year), one can use that associate’s degree to earn a better living while striving for a bachelor’s degree (a four-year). Another benefit of the educational system is its ease of acceptance that makes it nearly impossible to be rejected. By taking an entrance exam, (HCC) refers to this as a CPT or college proficiency test, one can be assessed. Even if one scores below college level they are not rejected, he/she is merely asked to take remedial classes at the college to “catch up”. Also, there are learning centers at every campus that are free and offer assistance and tutoring in areas that one may be struggling in or merely wishes to improve on. College can be very expensive but with the help of financial aid and scholarships/grants many people actually receive money to go to school. However, many students finish college heavily in debt from student loans. A clear benefit is simply the “money factor”, the average American that has no college education is 27k while a college graduate’s is 51k. (http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/004214.html) Freedom of thought is a great aspect of education where each individual is encouraged to think his/her own way about things. This incorporation of the self into the learning process makes it interesting. That being said, enough of the pleasantries and on to the negatives of the educational system, of which there are many. First, there is a lack of direction offered to students here. The information about financial aid and scholarships is not readily available to many. Students are often confused about what they are required to do in order to efficiently acquire their degrees. College here is a figure it out yourself experience, where the lucky do and the confused fall through the cracks. Also, the education being offered is not up-to-par with many other nations. Memorization is not stressed in many classes and mastering of subjects is often not necessary. The system encourages students to seek degrees for money rather than necessity. America desperately needs science and math majors. Yet, the most popular major in the U.S. is business. There are other aspects as well, like the fact that many high schools leave children unprepared for college (especially in poorer areas). The benefit of the intimately small class sizes in community college is a double-edged sword because it does not prepare many for the stadium-sized classes they will see at the university level. An overall lack of preparation for what is to come would be a proper summarization of the weaknesses in my tertiary educational system. In closing, the education being offered is not perfect or in many instances competitive. However, it does enable one to greatly increase his/her career, financial status, and stability upon completion.

Angela Fernandez said...

Having never attended a unversity, I can't really compare a community college such as the one I attend, to one(a university), but I can say a few things about the college I attend. I am currently in my third semester at Hillsborough Community College, and so far my experince has been exceptional. Being that for most of my life I have been schooled in private academies and homeschooled at times, I can say that the transistion was very comfortable. All of the teachers and faculty members are all extremely helpful and supportive! Being used to recieving one on one attention when needed, I admit I was somewhat worried about entering a community college where I knew was jam packed with people, but to my surprise, each of my classes felt just as personable as a little private school classroom! The teachers were surprisingly knowledgable ( I must admit I figured, well, it's a communtity college, it'll probably just have "lower class teachers", I know I'm horrible) and interesting. Many if not all of my teachers make efforts to make lectures more interesting by incoporationg real-life stories and situations into our lectures, and some even add a little humor which is always nice. Those "dragger classes" when you watch the clock more than the teacher, are few to none.
Now speaking of technicalities, anyone can get into our college, there are even numerous scholarships and grants as well as financial aid that anyone can apply for and recieve if they qualify. Now once you have attained the means to attend, maintaining your grades and academic attitude is key. All the staff at HCC hold the students success in high regard, and you can plainly see that just by visiting out campuses. There are "success centers" in every campus and provide capable teachers and students that act as tutors for most any subject, and are readily available for the major hours of the day for any student to use whenever they please. This feature of our college is extremely appealing to me and reasuring, as I'm sure it is to everyone. The professors are also all very eager to help the students learn to the fullest and most efficient degree, which everyone can plainly see from they're eager attitudes and how they make themsleves available to each student. My family is very supportive and interactive with my education, but were they not, I wouldn't be deprived because of all the help and support of the HCC faculty and their drive for their students to suceed.

Ariel Lopez said...

During my senior year in high school, I applied to many colleges and universities. One of the Universities I got accepted to was the University of Tampa. I was planning on attending until I heard of their outrageous price of 10,000 dollars. Since I was not going to attend the University, my next choice was to attend HCC which was only 300 dollars per credit without a scholarship. Both HCC and the university have strengths and weaknesses. Because I attend HCC, my drive is only about 30 minutes with traffic. If I was to attend the university, my drive would have been at least an hour or more. The strengths that a community college such as HCC has are the various campuses which all accommodate to the location in which students reside. The weakness that a university has is that it is all located in one location. That is why they have dorms on campus which is another weakness because it just adds on to the price of attending the school.
To attend a university, there are many requirements to get accepted. The requirements may include, high SAT and ACT scores, and a high GPA of about a 3.5 or higher in most cases. Many people who take the ACT and SAT may not have good test taking skills and as a result do not get accepted because of their low scores. In the end it is all up to the scores. You can have a high GPA and low scores and still get denied. The good thing is that there are community colleges such as HCC which do not have any requirements besides placement tests for your classes. They give a chance to everyone to attend college and better their careers.
Once you get accepted into a college or university, there are many ways you can pay for it. Personally, I don’t pay for college. This is because I have a scholarship called Bright futures. This scholarship has many benefits to it. All you need is a 3.5 GPA and a high ACT or SAT score. This college has 3 different scholarships with different qualifications. There’s a vocational scholarship which is for those who attended a vocational program in high school. The other two are the gold seal and the medallion. For the gold seal scholarship students can have 100 percent of your college tuition paid for with exceedingly high scores. The medallion scholarship will pay 100 percent of tuition for a community college and 75 percent for a university or private institution. All community colleges and universities accept Bright futures. Private universities only accept a fraction of the scholarship. If students don’t qualify for Bright futures they have other options such as other scholarships (Hispanic), loans and financial aid. Though loans aren’t “free money”, it still gives you enough time to save money to pay off the loan as soon as you are done with school. There are also many students who have financial aid. Financial aid is when the government pays for those who don’t make enough money to go to school and buy books.
As you can see, there are many differences between a community college and a university. Though some may be good and some may be bad, in the end, it depends on the person it is who attends the school. Personally, for my first two years, I think I will succeed better in a community college because of its cheap price, small campus and small class size. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to message me on Skype (ariel.lopez17). I would love to learn about college life in a different country in comparison to the United States.

Stephan Badertscher said...

College, like all things, has its good and bad parts or its strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately in America we have a pretty good education system where the pros outweigh the cons. College is easily available to everyone on any budget on any schedule. If someone has a high school diploma or a GED they are almost already accepted to most community colleges. All they would have left to do is take a college placement test so they can be given the appropriate classes for their intelligence level. Also college is affordable to just about everybody. If you join the military they will pay for your schooling in exchange for at least four years of service. There are also scholarships available for anyone because there is a scholarship for everything from wearing duct tape prom outfits to having green eyes. Another great strength of the American college education system is that you can attend class at anytime with the invention of online class and electronic submission of completed work. If a person has to work during the day there are usually night classes available at most community colleges. Also if a person graduates from a community college their credit hours are transferred to the university they applied to within the state. The acceptance of community college graduates is much higher than the acceptance of high school kids. Our colleges have two kinds of associates degrees: Associates of Science and Associate of Art. The AS degree provides a quick and highly specific job while the AA degree demands more schooling which is a positive because it creates smarter citizens.
But the weaknesses of our school system are rather sizeable. Once someone is in school its hard to stay there. A letter grade of “C” or lower is failing. Doing all the homework is incredibly time consuming and the classes require strict dedication and commitment. Another very common weakness is the teachers themselves. Some teachers should not have any involvement in the American educational system. Everyone has had one before, the teacher who was old and didn’t care about her job but still needs a paycheck. It’s teacher like this that produce uneducated graduates. But despite these minor flaws the United States education system is pretty good.

Thomas Zizlavsky said...

The American College system is a world class but not perfect; it is designed to help people be well rounded and succeed in life. College education is accessible to anyone who seeks it, but you must meet several requirements before you will get accepted. First, you must get your High school diploma or GED, and also you must obtain the appropriate score on the SAT or CPT tests. If you don’t meet the tests requirements, then you will be placed into preparatory classes before you can take college level classes. As you can see the system is well designed. Some Universities can be pricy, but there are many different opportunities that can help you finance your school expenses. For example, there are many scholarship opportunities or you can join the military, and study for free. Also you can receive financial aid from our government if you qualify. For those who don’t receive any scholarships or don’t want to join the military they can attend community college, which is much more affordable than Universities. In addition, Colleges support hundreds of different majors and certificates.
Another great strength of the American college system is that you can take classes on your own schedule, or online if you wish. Colleges offer many programs that will help you in classes that you struggle in. Also you can receive additional help during Office Hours, where student meets with the professor for additional help. On top of this you have free access to school’s library to do research for your papers or you can simply use it for studying.
As you know nothing is perfect in the world, not even our college system. The biggest weakness that I can mention is the professors. The professor sets the difficulty of the class. So, by getting bad a professor you are going to experience hard times through the semester. Also students need to get a letter grade of C or above in order to pass the class. Most of the classes are time consuming, and that’s why you have to dedicate your self to it. The last weakness that I can mention is the attendance. Community Colleges still mark the absences, and when you miss a certain amount of days they have the right to lower your overall grade.

Namrata said...

What are the placements opportunities avaliable after the course?

Namrata said...

What courses at taught in Community College ? What are the admissions criteria ?

Athena Smith said...

Goodmorning to everyone in Jabalpur!

The admissions criteria are a Standard High School diploma or GED. The community college is a two year or a four year institution of tertiary education. The degrees conferred are AA (Associates of Arts), AS (Associate of Science) and a four year Bachelor's degree in many community colleges for certain sectors in demand in the local community (a Bachelor's in Nursing or Education).



Through a state agreement, HCC offers an Associate's of Arts degree that guarantees graduates admission as a junior (third year student) to one of Florida's 11 state universities, and a number of private colleges.


The Associate of Science degree is a terminal degree and prepares students for certain jobs in demand in the local community. A list of these degrees can be seen here.

Why would a student go first to a community college and not enroll directly to a state 4-year university? First of all tuition differences. Secondly, many students don't feel comfortable in a university setting if they have been away from school for many years. This is why the average age in community colleges is 28-29. Also if they get rejected by a local university an AA almost guarantees their final acceptance as a junior upon completion of the AA degree. Finally the fact that a community college is usually huge (HCC has 6 campuses), students may co-assess the transportation time.

Here I must emphasize that a person may return to college anytime he wishes, there are no age criteria and the doors always remain open for those who mature later in life.


The placements opportunities after graduation are many and there is an office that facilitates the process. Among the 43,000 student body of HCC, 94% remain in the area and contribute $1.6 billion to the local economy.

Namrata said...

What is course content. How many subjects are taught in one semester? What is the grading system. Number of students per class?

Athena Smith said...

First an article on the mission of the community colleges in the US can be found in the latest edition of Newsweek

I'll post the answers to Namrata's questions later!!

38kamala said...

In the United States, college is not an automatic step after high school. Some students go straight into college, others go into the military or vocational schools, and some choose to go straight to work. Some colleges are very difficult to get into and they only accept students with very high grades and very high scores on the standardized tests such as the SAT and the ACT. Community colleges are generally easier to get into and accept students with a wider range of grades and test scores.

If you get a scholarship or qualify for some government programs, then college is free; however, most people pay for it themselves. Hillsborough Community College tuition for people who live in Florida is about $2,000 a year, plus books and other supplies; for people who live in other states or countries, it is close to $7,500 each year. Some private four-year universities can cost $40,000 or $50,000 per year, but the average annual price for a four-year private school is around $25,000 and a public four-year program is only $6,500 per year. The United States government pays for my education because I served in the armed forces, but other people have their parents help them, save money before, or take out loans to fund their education.

I am enrolled at a community college, which only offers Associates (two year) Degrees but is affiliated with the state universities in Florida. This means that after I complete my two-year degree at my community college, I can transfer to a state university and complete my bachelor’s degree there. The relationship between Hillsborough Community College and the state universities such as University of Florida, Florida State University, and University of South Florida allows all of my credits to transfer and count as credits there. After completing an AS, you can go straight into some professions, such as a teacher’s aide or some computer and electronic jobs. However, it is better for your career to have a four-year degree, because most jobs that pay well require at least a bachelor’s degree.

Classes are interesting when they apply to something that I can use in my life or when they are about a topic that I find compelling. I find classes less interesting when they do not apply to my life, like some types of advanced math that I will never use again, or when the information is taught in a very boring way. I would rather be in classes that are more interactive and that make me think about what we are learning than in ones that only have lectures, readings, and tests.

Athena Smith said...

The content has to satisfy the objectives. They include development of critical thinking, written assignments, understanding and analysis of key points.

A student may take 1-5 courses per semester. The number of courses taught per semester is difficult to estimate, as the subject areas are more than 200 and each area may include a number of courses. Our catalogue can be seen here. For example under SYG (General Sociology) we offer Introduction, Sociology of the family, Social problems, Age, dying and death, Selected topics in Sociology, and Honors courses. As we speak I have applied for the introduction of a new course "Introduction to Globalization."
Furthermore there are multiple offerings of the same course. For example the introduction to sociology is offered under 70 different sections (classes).

Each class has a maximum of 35 students. If it is distance learning with required orientation the maximum number is 28.

The grading system is A (4 points),B (3), C(2) (passing grades). D(1) is passing but usually not transferable. F is failure.
Usually 90% and more is A, 80% or more is B and so on.

Satyendra Pandey said...

What are the research prospects available in the field of humanities such as OB and HR?

Athena Smith said...

Satyendra

I am not sure of the answer but I will check with my campus president on Tuesday and I will let you know! :))

In the meantime my students are anxious and eager to learn about your institution, the admissions criteria, ways of delivering content, job prospects, etc...

Ronnie Cox said...

I wanted to let anyone know that I would love to answer any questions that one may have about my educational system. I am not sure if my email is visible. It is abujunayd@gmail.com. I look forward to our correspondence.

Unknown said...

What are entrepreneurial opportunities with respect to the above project?

Athena Smith said...

Satyendra
Until I get back with an accurate answer, this article sheds some light.

Athena Smith said...

ronak rathor
I presume you are referring to the opportunities out of the HR or OB program... (which falls under Business, not Humanities).The opportunities are plenty and are described at here

If you notice this is an AS degree and those degrees are tailored to the need of the local communities. The local industries in other words communicate their current and future needs in technical capabilities, new sectors of employment (not just new openings in old sectors) and community colleges especially through their AS programs respond immediately to provide the right personnel. This is why in areas that have well known medical centers and have an advantage in medical technology like Tampa, the local community colleges are heavily investing in nursing programs, radiology, sonography etc (see here.

Also the local demands focus on electronics and hospitality management (we have DISNEY WORLD nearby you see) and accordingly there is a plethora of programs.

Entrepreneurial opportunities exist in tourism, restaurant businesses, electronics, finance, sports,...difficult to mention all because often someone with an idea, gets some financing and starts a business in sectors that may be new or old. At times they succeed, at times they fail (see our construction entrepreneurs and the dismal state they are in..)



Occupational statistics for the area are found here

Katie Beasley said...

Our educational system, like everybody else has both strengths and weaknesses in its own way of operating. Entry requirements to attend any university or community college are different. The requirements to get accepted to a Community College or University in the United States depend completely upon the College or University itself. To get accepted into a university could be considered "harder" to get into than a community college, basically meaning they require more of you or expect higher grades than just the average. Everyone however is available to attend college you just have to meet certain requirements and either be able to pay for tuition and books or me eligible to earn scholarships, financial aid, or take out student loans. Some requirements that are the same for most community colleges or universities are taking a placement test, whether it is a standardized test like the SAT or ACT or a college proficiency test (CPT). These tests are used to predict how well you’ll do in your next years of school. The difference is a university looks at the SAT and ACT scores and decides if your scores are high enough to be accepted to that university. Different colleges require higher or lower scores depending on how high the population is at the school. The higher the population, the more competitive it is to get accepted therefore high scores on these placement test would be an advantage. Community colleges however take ACT or SAT scores but do not require them. You can simply take a CPT to place you in the classes you’ll succeed higher in. A low CPT score does not mean a rejection from a community college but gives you the opportunity to take ‘prep’ classes to get you where you need to be to succeed in regular college level classes. A high school diploma or a GED is also required to attend a university or community college. Just like the test scores, a highly competitive university will look closely at the students with high grade point averages (GPA) in their high school transcripts, whereas community colleges will accept anybody with a high school diploma or a GED. Highly competitive universities also look at things students to outside of school for instance, sports, clubs their involved in, community service, and even job’s they’ve held. To sum up the higher your test scores, the higher you’re GPA, and the more things you’re involved in the greater chance you have of getting accepted to the University of your Choice. While stating all this makes it seem harder to get into universities than it is to get into community college is true, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best option. Some advantages and disadvantages of universities compared to community colleges are cost, learning experience, location, and career opportunities, for instance, a university may be more expensive than a community college but a community college offers a smaller learning experience with more one on one contact professors and they help they can offer you. The location of a community college maybe more convenient with more campuses around you but universities offer on campus housing for you to live in to. The career opportunities differ too depending on the degree you want to earn. Some community colleges offer technical schools that focus on a particular field that could help get you training you can’t get anywhere else for the job you want. Universities offer a variety of majors to major in to get the education and degree you need to get the job you want also. After all is said and done, neither a community college nor a university is a ‘better ‘option. Just like no educational system is perfect or ‘better’ than one another. It all depends on the individual and what will make them most successful in what they want to achieve and the easiest way for them to get it done. Let me know if you have any questions! I’d love to hear about how education works in other countries! Thanks for your time.

Ronnie Cox said...

Satyendra- Organizational behavior and human resources are specializations within our systems college of business. Most Universities at the 3rd and 4th year levels break apart into specialized institutions within a whole. For instance, I want to go to the University of Florida for business administration. So I will specifically be attending the University Of Florida College Of Business, which is called The Warrington College of Business Administration. Once in the specialized college of the subject area one desires one may decide what facet he/she desires. Modern research in the fields of human resources and business administration is exciting here. There are new degree programs coming out in these fields on a monthly basis. For the first time in a long time having a new modern degree is better than having years of experience within these fields. The modern business and its needs are a completely new machine that older educations cannot have prepared one for. A majority of jobs that exist in this sector did not exist just five years prior. Schools that are heading research in these fields are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Sloan School of Business and Harvard School of Business. (http://mitsloan.mit.edu/) MIT even has cross programs in Bangalore. In this integrated global economy an advanced and up to date degree that incorporates modern research in high demand fields such as OB/HR is absolutely necessary. To sum up the response there are ample opportunities to do research in our educational system. On a cautionary note, very specialized degrees may be a bad thing. In America as elsewhere, needs and demands change. Hence, if one was to get a degree specifically in HR rather than in a more general field such as business administration it could lead to a lack of marketability. If there is no demand for HR degree holders it may be difficult to find a job with an HR specific degree. Whereas if one has a business administration degree, one is qualified to work in HR but if the demand changes his degree may be applied elsewhere. I truly hope this answered your question. If there is any need of clarification please post or email me at abujunayd@gmail.com.

Cullen Pez said...

Growing up all your life where classes are usually picked for you and then advancing to the college life is quite a big jump. Where one might find it difficult, another may find it easy. I attend Hillsborough Community College-Brandon and so far I have found it rather nice. Currently this is my 2nd year in college and compared to my last year at Florida Atlantic University it is somewhat similar but vastly different. First of all a community college is much more relaxed and a lot easier to get into. If you have a high school diploma or a GED you are eligible to enroll. This differs from a university because not only do you need your diploma but you also need a descent GPA and you must take the SAT or ACT. At community colleges, you are only required to take the placement exam to see where your strengths and weaknesses are in certain areas and that helps the school place you in the appropriate beginning classes.
A community college is also much cheaper than a university which is why a lot of people prefer it. Since your first year or two in college are spent doing prerequisites it makes sense to go to a community college where tuition is less expensive to get the same education. Bright Futures and the Florida Pre Paid Plan are also excellent for college students. If your GPA was pretty good in high school then you might be eligible for bright futures, which basically pays for your college as long as you keep your GPA up throughout the years. Florida pre paid is kind of like a savings account. It starts when you are younger so by the time you reach college level your tuition is paid for making it much easier on you. If you don’t have either of these then you can still apply for financial aid and the government will help with your college expenses.
Universities and community colleges work great together as well. Once one has reached their 60 credit hours they may transfer to any university of their choosing and all of their credit hours will be transferred to that university. The only downside in going to a community college first instead of a big university is that there isn’t as many classes to choose from that reflect you’re major. I myself am majoring in Mechanical Engineering but they don’t really offer that many great engineering classes so I must wait until I can reach the university in order to take the engineering classes that are required for my major. All in all though it is very nice because not only do I get to get all of my basic classes out of the way at a cheaper price, but the classrooms have much less students making it easier to learn and understand the material better so when the time comes to upgrade to a university I will be better off than most.

Madhavesh Kumar said...

what are the opportunities for entrepreneurship after doing this project.

Madhavesh Kumar said...

what are the benefits of this project? what are the main objectives of this project?how it help me in my education (pgdm)

tanu singh said...

r u online?

satyendra kumar said...

study with complete concentration

satyendra kumar said...

study with complete concentration

Unknown said...

xavier institute provides a professional atmosphere to the students.It enables student to groom themselves and learn in's and out's of the corporate world.

sourav sharma said...

yes,we can post comment on Indian education,and can ask them about their grading system.

Unknown said...

in the recession time ,in what sector u will like to go after completion of ur mba ?

Unknown said...

hi.what is this all about?what all we need to do?

Anonymous said...

what is your course structure for rural management

Rajiv Sharma said...

what is benefits of this course?
how this will help us in our course
(pgdm)

Unknown said...

what would be the benefit from knowledge mgt.after being a student of PGDM

Unknown said...

How is your University?What are the courses offered there and how is your placement criteria?
What are the extra-curicullar activities there?

Athena Smith said...

Entrepreneural opportunities after completing this online project you mean?
Please read the objectives on the main page

Th objectives are academic but you could always put them to work afterwards. That is entirely up to your innovation and imagination! :))

The US students would like to know in detail some things about the tertiary educatiopnal system in INdia and then arrange to skype with you so you can ask each other more questions.

We look forward to seeing some essays on your system:
What are the enrollment criteria?
do you have electives in your system?
Grading system?
Are there placement offices?
How do you guys speak so well English?
Are there fees?
What are the strengths and weaknesess of your system?

Thank you!

Athena Smith said...

Rajiv and Amita

The benefits to any management student is the study and comprehension of a different academic system that follows a different structural development and different philosophy at times. That will offer the opportunity to both groups of students to make recommendations for improvement in both countries through a joint publication.
PLease read the objectives on the main page.

Athena Smith said...

Nisha
The community college offers the first two years of college only. For the third and fourth, the strudent transfers to a four-year institution.
The degree the student gets is called Associate of Arts or Associate of Science.

The reason why the US came up with the idea of community colleges was twofold:
First it is believed that the doors to tertiary education should always remain open, even if you did bad in your highschool. The criteria are lax, they give the applicants placement tests, they detect weaknesses and they make them take preparatory courses in the areas they need to before they become degree-seeking students.

Second the tuition is much lower than a four year institution and thus many low income students would rather do the frst two years with us and then transfer for the third year to another institution. There is an agreement with state universities according to which this transfer is guaranteed if you achieve the necessary grade point average.

In one of my previous comments I gave a link to the course catalogue. For more info on the majors offered and the extra-curriculum activities, please see here

Upendra Verma said...

what are the special features of your university ?

A Beautiful Life said...

hello what is the placement prospects in ur university

A Beautiful Life said...

hello what is the placement prospects in ur university

A Beautiful Life said...

Hi i am Sitakant, perusing PGDM at XIDAS. My topic of specialization are Development n Human resource. I have already completed master in social communication.my liking subjects are Research n Advertising & public relation. So i would like to know more information regarding these subjects.

Thank you,
Sitakant

Unknown said...

hello Anthena,
As you want to know more about our eduction system. I had tried to brief you a bit what I think about the Indian education system. Here in India there are number of Universities and all these universities has their own selection procedure.In India you can find both Government as well as private universities and there are deemed universities also. Government and private colleges are also there which are affiliated to these universities. There are some Government bodies which regulate the education system in India(higher Education), such as, UGC, AICTE etc. Indians usually give a lot of weightage to education. As a result now in India technical, management and other colleges for higher studies are mushrooming. You can find colleges of all grades here, getting into top-end colleges here in India is very difficult. The top-end colleges for MBA like IIMs, Xaviers etc and other universities select students through Qualifying exams like CAT, XAT etc which is followed by GD and PI. Some colleges also prefer some some other rounds for selection along with GD/PI like Psychometric tests business games etc.
The fee structure also vary from college to college and university to university. Normally fee is less in Government colleges and universities as compared to private one. Every good college and university normally give campus placements. Every good college and university usually has their own placement cell which work for student's placement. Here the pattern of studies is english, I think that is the reason why Indians are good in english?
In India the study pattern is more theory oriented rather than practical. We used to study a number of subjects which is sometime unnecessary. But it also helps a student to know something more than other and they also become conceptually strong. So I would say this is both weakness as well as strength of Indian education system.
Thank You
KITZ.

Unknown said...

hello everybody, I am a student of Xavier Institute of Development Action and Studies. I am Pursuing PGDM 3rd Semester with marketing and finance as my specialization. If anybody can give me some more insight in these areas I will be grateful.
Thank you,
KITZ.

Satyendra Pandey said...

If we look at the tertiary education system in India it is third largest in the world just next to US and China.
Enrolment criteria here varies depending upon institutes and universities which come under different purview such as UGC, Distance Education Council (DEC), AICTE and various other sectoral or domain specific boards such as Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India, etc.
More particularly the tertiary education system in the field of management and business studies is governed by AITCE. Autonomous institutes under the aegis of Government of India, such as Indian Institutes of Management are producing the brightest intellectual talent in the country. The system of education at the tertiary level is vast and full of contrasts, making it a highly complex system for the outsider to come to grips with. The number of institutions operating in the country grows unabated year after year as the system strives to meet burgeoning demand.
In the tertiary education system of the country electives are there from the stipulated curriculum module a student is allowed to study the electives as per his/her area of interest.
Addressing to Athena's question here: How we people are good in English?
The main reason for a good command on English is that, here in India the medium of instruction for scientific, technical and professional education is English.
Summarizing the whole thing it can be concluded that Quality standards have undoubtedly gone up as result of growth of competition in India’s higher education system. With more advancement and by overcoming the bottlenecks it can be more polished.
Thank you for reading my remarks.
Feel free to respond either by post or writing to me at link2satyendra@gmail.com
With Regards
Satyendra
PGDM Sem III, Xavier Institute- XIDAS

Kirti Amlan said...

hello everybody,
These are some of the facts and figures of Indian tertiary education.

India's higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the United States. The main governing body at the tertiary level is the University Grants Commission (India), which enforces its standards, advises the government, and helps coordinate between the centre and the state. Accreditation for higher learning is overseen by 12 autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission.
As of 2009, India has 20 central universities, 215 state universities, 100 deemed universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the State Act, and 13 institutes which are of national importance. Other institutions include 16000 colleges, including 1800 exclusive women's colleges, functioning under these universities and institutions. The emphasis in the tertiary level of education lies on science and technology. Distance learning is also a feature of the Indian higher education system.
Some institutions of India, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), have been globally acclaimed for their standard of education. The IITs enroll about 4000 students annually and the alumni have contributed to both the growth of the private sector and the public sectors of India.
Besides top rated universities which provide highly competitive world class education to their pupil, India is also home to many universities which have been founded with the sole objective of making easy money. Regulatory authorities like UGC and AICTE have been trying very hard to extirpate the menace of private universities which are running courses without any affiliation or recognition. Students from rural and semi urban background often fall prey to these institutes and colleges.
Thank you and feel free to reach me at kirtiamlan@gmail.com.
With Regards
KITZ...

Ronnie Cox said...

What percentage of Indians are able to attend college? Is it available to everyone who wants to go? Upon completion of education are there ample opportunities within the Indian job market or do many degree holders go abroad?

Unknown said...

Hello Everyone..
I would like to ask about IT industries.. What are the opportunities there in the field of IT?

shelbey bowers said...

Does India serve any specific scholarships for that country like Florida does? Are students able to retrieve financial aid?

Unknown said...

hello ronnie,
In India 220 million(20 crore) students go to school. Out of which only 12.4 percent of students enroll for college. Now it's very low in comparison to developed countries but our Government is giving a lot of input to increase it to 35 percent by 2020. Government is motivating the students under the Right to Education Act,by introducing public-private partnership in education sector.

There is no barriers for the students who want to go to college as such, rather the students have to fulfill the requirement of the college.

There are ample of job opportunities in Indian job market. Some people do go abroad, but India has the potential to cater the job needs.
Hope to some extent I answered you.
Thank you,
Regards,
KITZ..

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

hello Shelbey,
There are various scholarships available in India. These fellowships in India and abroad may be offered at various levels of study like graduate level, postgraduate level, doctorate level or post doctorate level in various streams of study.

Most of these doctoral fellowships, postdoctoral fellowships and other scholarships in India are meant for the needy and meritorious students so that financial constrains do not become a reason for discontinuing education.

But some of these scholarships are meant to encourage students to pursue research and some fellowships are meant to promote cultural interaction among students from different countries.

These fellowships in India may be provided by both the government and the private organizations.

While most of the scholarships in India are meant for Indian students, some institutes also offer fellowships to foreign scholars.

Thank you,
Regards,
KITZ...

Anonymous said...

Like the other student's have said before, some can't compare to a communtiy college and a university. I have been to two different community colleges within the last year. Unfortunately, I have yet gone to a university, but I can say some things about community colleges vs. a university. Well community colleges are not specifically just for transfer (AA) student's, but for Associate of Science (AS) degrees as well. Associates of Arts (AA), is for continuing eduation to a 4 year university. As for the AS degree, that is just for 2 years of school, then one is able to start that career that one has a degree in.

Another advantage for a community college is that everyone gets accepted as long as one has a High School diploma, or if a student wishes to do Dual Enrollment while still in high school. I did dual enrollment in high school which gave me the chance to take college courses for free, and gave me college credits after I applied to other schools.
Another advantage is that most schools are very diverse. As for the two community college I attended, It was extremely diverse. But thats what makes a community!
Honestly, I can't find any disadvantages of a school that accepts everyone into their school, and that is so accepting of everyone. Ofcourse not all schools are the exact same as the ones that I was fortunate enough to attend to, but thats some research that the prospective student must do. Other than that, our school systems are pretty good here. I can truely say I can't see any disadvantages about the school systems here besides the lousy parking at Hillsborough Community College (HCC) ;)

Athena Smith said...

The Tampa Bay area has some advantages in IT and medical field jobs (and of course tourism). For the former, according to "AllBusiness" there are 1,058 companies in Computing & Information Technology with annual sales of $1,684,123,966 and they employ close to 19,000 people.
The sector that has really taken a hit is real estate and construction and all related jobs. The numbers in these sectors are dramatic.

akhir said...

Like most students in High School, I felt the need to go straight into college once graduation time came. Throughout all my years of schooling I had it planned out that I would be attending a University, living on campus, and joining a sorority but things didn’t turn out like that. Since I procrastinated like usual, I missed the due date to submit all the documents to the University I was applying for and ended up having to go to a community college. Once enrolled into Hillsborough Community College I was amazed at how different it was from my idea of how a college should be. It reminded me more like high school than anything. The classes were small, there only one location that provides dorm rooms and most of the teachers treated and spoke down to you as if you were still a young teenager in a high school setting. From the stories I heard from friends that attended universities, community college was very different.
Since I came in with a very negative attitude about attending this school, I ended up not completing any of the courses I signed up for. Thankfully our system in the states allows those who didn’t go straight into college or those like myself ,that didn’t stick with it after signing up, to come back anytime. Reenrolling was a fairly easy process. All I needed to do was apply for financial assistance to pay for my classes and take a placement test known as the CPT since my SAT scores “expired”. Another benefit to going to school in the states is that those who cannot afford to pay tuition on their own; they can apply for all sorts of grants, scholarships, and even take out student loans to cover it. In my case I ended up receiving a grant that covers 100% of my tuition and books. All I really need to do is keep my GPA above a 2.0 and meet the income guidelines to receive full “coverage”.
Students that attend community college in the states have the option of transferring to a four year college once they receive their A. A. That is what I plan on doing. As you can see my college experience is rather limited so I was only able to speak on what I know and have experienced up to now.

Daitri said...

Hi Athena!!
I'm looking forward to doing my PhD in Management or Business Doctorate from the States after my masters. Can you please give me some knowledge about the procedure and the funding the students receive from the universities of Florida?

In India, we have common entrance exams for fellowships and research degrees but it may take as long as 8 years, where as it takes a little more than 2 years in the States after Masters.

Also, those who are interested in doing their graduation from HCC, or any other community college there, after their schooling in India, can they apply with their SAT scores?

Unknown said...

hi,i want to add somthing in education system of india, in india many of the institutions focus on theoratical studies.there were exams based on theoratical knowledge but slowly it is changing according to demand of market and some institutes focuses on practical as well as theoratical part of organisation.

Unknown said...

In my point of view theory is important but the implimentation of this theories is most important thing.

Athena Smith said...

Daitri
The requirements and possible assistance options for the University of South Florida can be found here

You will need to take the GMAT test first.

Your best option to gain financial assistance is to gain a graduate assitanship (which is easier than you think). So if I were you I would start writing to the prospective professors and advisors for more information!

Athena Smith said...

Daitri
Sorry, I did not respond to the second part of your question. If after "schooling in India" you mean high school then for some programs that are selective with limited enrollment, there are requirements such as SAT or ACT scores. Selective programs are primarily found in these fields:

Nursing
Allied health
Law enforcement
Engineering technology
Computer technology

In othe rprograms, no, SAT is not required.

Unknown said...

For development, what's your course structure?

Anonymous said...

Education system of every country has its own positive side as well as negative side.In India ,the education system is based on the old conventional system of learning from books with more focus on theoretical mugging rather than focusing on the practical applicability of knowledge.
So ,each and every student has to go through the same conventional system of learning . Our institute XIDAS is the first to implement a system of education with more focus on practicality the benefits of which may unfold in the years to come.From our side we hope it to be
more fruitful than the existing systems followed in our country.

bittu said...

dear friend i want to know the teachhng method of this univesity.in india their is a concept in all student to muggup from book and dependent on noes and slides.even teacher provde to student notes and slide.

bittu said...

which types of courses available in ur university on postgraduate level

Unknown said...

for recent economic condition, which type of development course your university adopt.

Angela Fernandez said...

Hey Bittu, this is Angela. I read your question and as opposed to alot of the other questions your fellow students questions, I am fully capable of giving you a sure answer. :) Our professors here at HCC use the same basic teaching methods generally speaking, as your do. ie: importance of slide shows, notes and reading of our textbooks. Most of our progessors as well post study guides online for us to practice so we can better understand the material as well. Also, I;ve noticed now that I am in my 3rd semester, some professors even take their own personal time or office hours to hold tutorials for their students, which is extrememely helpful. All the teachers have office hours as well and are easy to reach by e-mail in case any of us have any questions. It's really very helpful. Now, I have a question that I am extremely curious about. If one of your classes takes a test and the majority doesn't do that great on the test, do your professors ever grade on curves? (Curves, in case you don't know, are for example if the highest grade in the class is a B, then the teacher raises everyone's grade up a letter, making the B grades and A and so on.)

vidha said...

What are the research prospects available in the area of
finance??? which field is best suited for the people having the specialisation of marketing & finance.

Athena Smith said...

Vidha
The grant process can be seen here

The grants usually awarded can be see here

Athena Smith said...

Vidha

As for the fields best suited, marketing and finance are in demand in almost all industries. Medical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, education, banking, real estate, retails, imports

Athena Smith said...

Vivek
In the US, when we have recession enrollment rises dramatically in community colleges as young people return to school to acquire more skills.

Asjah said...

I currently attend Hillsborough Community College which most refer to it as HCC. I decided to attend a community college versus a university for various reasons and although it has its pros and cons, I feel as if the pros outweigh the cons by a lot.
First I am 21 years old and I am in my second year at HCC. I am working towards an AA in Pharmacy. Since I do have a job, and I am a mother attending HCC makes it really easy to juggle all three without being crunched for time. At HCC there are morning noon and evening classes to choose from which makes choosing your classes really easy. It is also really easy to get into a community college there aren’t really any major requirements compared to a university.
At a community college, tuition compared to a university’s is really cheaper although HCC’s tuition is still quite expensive. For example if you attend HCC full time which is at least 12 credit hours tuition would run you around 1200 dollars. Books maybe no more than 500-600 dollars depending upon which classes you are taking and whether or not a book is required or optional. Our country is experiencing what our government has termed a recession where Americans are running low on cash, and since this has been into effect HCC has gotten to be really crowded compared to last year when I first began at HCC. For example the wait time to be seen at our Financial Aid office or the student Services desk was well over 3-4 hours. During the same time last year wait time was maybe an hour at the most. So now, most people are flocking to community colleges due to our country’s financial turmoil.
At HCC you are able to obtain scholarships for various things. For example like your race, being a parent, academics, child of a military veteran, or a particular major and many other things as well. A popular scholarship is Bright Futures Scholarship. I am a recipient of this particular scholarship. You are awarded this scholarship upon graduation form high school if you meet the requirements. Which that mainly depends on your GPA (grade point average).The best thing about this scholarship is that it pays 100% of tuition of you attend a community college. If I would have attended a University it would have only paid 75% of my tuition.
Another good thing about HCC is that you are not limited to attend classes at only one campus. You are able to take classes at any of the 6 campus sites simultaneously if you would like. This is good because if you are a commuter like me one campus may be easier to get to at a certain time of day or week then trying to schedule all classes at your home campus.
At community colleges it is easier to interact with your professor since most classes only consist of 20-35 people. It is easier to have a one on discussion with your professor of you are having a problem area in your class versus being at a university with hundreds of students, a one on one is nearly impossible.
I think attending community college there is a benefit job-wise for when you graduate. For example you receive a degree after completion of a 2 year university and that puts you a step ahead of others attending a university after 2 years and don’t obtain an AA degree. You are likely to get a higher paying job due to the degree you will receive upon completion. So at the end of four years you will receive 2 degrees versus one at a university who will only obtain one.
Finally the cons of HCC to more are quite small and are not majorly important compared to the pros of attending a community college instead of a university.

Asjah said...

(cont'd)

HCC doesn’t have a whole lot of spirit like at a university. University has major sports teams and a major game which creates more activities to do that involves your school. There aren’t any major sororities or fraternities to join. There aren’t any dorms on campus so there are less people to interact with. This creates a smaller opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Most people at HCC are in and out no one really hangs around which adds to the fact that making friends is hard. Also less attend than a university so it feels like high school sometimes because you tend to see the same people all the time, which is not bad but fresh faces, is always exciting too. Basically you miss out on the college experience while attending a community college, being accepted to a university is like an accomplishment since the requirements aren’t easy and not everyone who applies is accepted. You don’t get to experience the “I’m Special” factor. This is good to have sometimes.

Court said...

The Tertiary level of school is very different from that of a secondary or primary school. This is my first year in college, and attending a community school was not my first option, but rather where I ended up. I had always wanted to attend a university to experience the "dorm life." The problem I faced with a university was that I was simply too far from home. Many of the universites require you to travel miles and miles to get there. Whereas the community colleges are meant to be close and convenient. One thing that is definitly different between a university and community college is the money. It was much harder for me to try to get financial aid through a university unlike HCC, where it took a mere two days. The community colege really does feel more like a "community," to me. It has a closer tie with its students. As many have mentioned the smaller learning enviorment is also a plus. It helps with concentration, hands-on activities, and one-on-one help if needed.

These campuses can also be similar in the fact that they each provide a rigorous schedule. One class will take up usually two days of time, which becomes hard with work. Also, universities and community colleges, help teens grow as adults, you no onger have that teacher making sure your homework is done, you either do it or you dont.

Overall a community college is for someone who wants to stay close to home, needs a little more attention in the classroom, or is not financially stable. If you are more independent, or love a new enviorment far from home choose a university. Either way your most likely going to get a great education if you put your mind to it.

Mike said...

I'm just curious but is it a requirement for students in India to learn the English language? You all seem to speak it very fluently.

Mike wilson said...

Is anyone pursuing a career in law enforcement? If so what is the criminal justice program like in India?

Anonymous said...

In response to Satyendra Pandey,

Can you tell us names of some of the classes you are taking?

Mike Wilson said...

Bittu, to answer your question about the teaching methods here, it sounds as though our university's are very similar. Some professors will provide you with outlines of notes for the lecture they are giving that day. Others will provide slides, like you said, for you to take notes from and allow you to copy down what you feel is important. While others still will simply lecture and expect you to take the notes from them while they speak, which is the toughest of all three in my opinion. Overall the teaching methods vary largely on the professor and generally are however he or she feels is the best way to teach his or her students.

Gary D. Bell said...

When considering what are the pros and cons of an educational system, we as individuals must consider what it is that we are looking at, what type of school is in question. I currently attend a community college, and it is the first type of school since completion of high school that I have attended. The school I attend is the Brandon Hillsborough Community College (BHCC); this specific college will be the one that I will be weighing the pros and cons of (strengths and weaknesses). I will compare BHCC to that of other colleges that I have attained knowledge on and shed some light on why some of the populace attends this type of college and not other type of colleges or universities. Topics I will discuss: include educational assistance programs and tuition fees such as in or out of state. When considering the two topics, readers should keep in mind what applies to the students attending BHCC does not mean it applies to other community colleges, universities, or private schools. Each school system will have their own set of rules and regulations pertaining to these specific topics.
Educational assistance programs (EAP) that BHCC provides to all of its students are a convenient tool for all to utilize. The EAP are broken down in specific parts so as not to cause confusion for students seeking assistance for classes they are experiencing difficulty with. Primarily the EAP were designed to help students that were in prep classes, such as Prep reading, writing, and math; the main and over all center is called the Academic Success Center (ASC), it assists students with other programs such as college level courses: chemistry, biology, accounting, etc. These services are free and are provided for all students attending BHCC; just about any subject that is provided at the school will have a tutor to assist students with their studies. As great as it sounds to know that BHCC has services that are provided for students to ensure they pass the class and obtain better grades, there are some negative points to bring up as well. Just like a professor, the tutor is just one person, sometimes helping a large group of students and in some cases cannot help some students due to time restraints. In some cases however, a student from time to time may require assistance with a specific class; if there has not been a demand to have a tutor cover that specific subject, students may very well find out they have nobody to turn to in regards to the class they are having difficulty with. In some cases, the student finds out that they have to travel to one of Hillsborough Community College’s sister campuses in order to get help with a specific subject, and at times it is not convenient for the student.

Gary D. Bell said...

Continued from previous

Tuition fees are broken down specifically in two categories for those attending any HCC campus; both types of fees are either in-state or out-state. Why should a student consider attending a school such as BHCC? Well, it is cheaper than your typical university or privately owned school. So which fee applies to which person and why? In-state fees are for the individuals that are residents of the state and have proof of residency for more than one or two years. Out-state fees are for those that are not residence of the state, which includes foreign students that have been accepted into the college. Fees change regardless of where you reside, so it is best that an individual choosing to continue his or her education take this into consideration. In-state fees will be fairly cheap and reasonable for most students, while out-state fees will be approximately three times the amount of in-state fees. Both type of fees for a community college like BHCC will be much cheaper that those attending a university or private school. Let us look at an example of two students. If student-A is an in-state student and student-B is an out-state student, and they both want to take 6 credits for the semester, then how much do they pay? If a credit hour is about $80.00 for in-state students and three times the amount for out-state students, the total tuition fee will be $480.00 for in-state students and $1,440.00 for out-state students. There is a big difference in regards to what is paid, yet it is very affordable than if both students A and B were to go to a university; both students would have to pay even more money and perhaps three times as much if they chose to go to a private school. The only negative point to bring up is that because the fees are cheaper at community colleges like BHCC, there are many individuals seeking to attend colleges just like BHCC which in some cases limits individuals from taking certain classes or even preventing them from attending at all as there are limits to how many students can take certain classes.
Individuals should and ask themselves, why do I want to attend this school? Some students in the end may be choosing simply to attend the school because of the reputation, some may be following in the footsteps of someone they admire, while others attend because that is where they were told to attend and may not have a choice. Some students may have been given scholarships or grants to specific schools, some may have the money or resources to pay the tuition on their own or because of their status and living conditions, they are given assistance and encouraged to attend school in order to improve their way of life. Personally I chose to attend BHCC because I wanted to save money and be in an area that convenient for travel, yet small where I am certain to get the needed assistance for any classes I am taking. There are many reasons as to why or why not attend a specific school like BHCC; perhaps a community college like BHCC is the right choice or then again, perhaps not. The only thing to do is give it a chance by researching the school or visiting the school itself. Regardless of what type of education system an individual chooses to attend school at, it is recommended that all individuals look and weigh the pros and cons before they make their final choice.

Athena Smith said...

Court
Please let me know of your full name! :))

sommer hinson said...

As a student attending Hillsborough Community College in the state of Florida, I view the institution as a successful, respectable, reliable, and home-like college. I believe that HCC is a brilliant school with fantastic teachers and a great educational system. I have huge respect for the guidance and student services office. Hillsborough Community College has a great way of helping its students in need, through student services and by counseling each individual student with certain problems and concerns. Hillsborough Community College stands among many of the best and has been around for many years as well. HCC is where my dad received his Associates Degree too. There are as many as seven different campuses around Hillsborough County. HCC is also filled with professors that possess a friendly, admirable and willing to help demeanor. The professors are there for the students and assist them with classes and graduation preparation. I personally feel very comfortable and at ease with everything Hillsborough Community college has to offer.
The student services assistance that is available here at Hillsborough Community College is an experienced and helpful free tool for an HCC student to use and take advantage of. Student services is there to assist the student when they have difficulties deciding on a major, and are reliable when counseling or giving advice about what’s in the students best educational interest. With HCC being a smaller community college, instead of a large university, the chance to meet and discuss your academic goals and plans for a degree is greater. I personally have a favorite guidance counselor in the student services office, which I am comfortable going to when I need professional, friendly assistance scheduling for classes or just getting good advice. I have developed a great friendship with my counselor and putting my trust in her guidance for me and my future.
Hillsborough Community College not only has great guidance but has an all around, pleasant and knowledgeable staff members and professors. Here at HCC the staff and professors are very nice and social with their students. Most of the professors want to build a friendly, educational relationship to assure that the students succeed. The students are able to meet with each professor that offers office hours to come and sit down and chat about class, grades or just socially talk. They make every possible attempt to make sure if the student has a problem, they can discuss it. The professors really care about their students doing well and want them to pass and not fail. The better the students do in the different professor’s classes reflects on how well the professors are teaching the information. I have had many desirable professors at HCC that have helped me to succeed in college.
Hillsborough Community College is a wonderful school that is filled with many different strengths and positive qualities, such as helpful student services guidance counselors that are willing to reach out and make sure the HCC student is on the right track to success, and positive, influencing professors that want their students to be successful. I truly enjoy being a Hillsborough Community College student because I know I am getting taken great care of.

Ronnie Cox said...

Vidha-
Research in the field of finance takes place within our system's college of business. Degrees offered within the area of finance are typically geared towards accounting not marketing. Finance and marketing are separate majors within our college of business. Marketing is a major unto itself. In marketing one may stay within the general parameters of a marketing degree or further specialize. Florida State University has a good web page that illustrates how the different specializations branch out.(http://cob.fsu.edu/undergrad/). I am unaware of any institution that offers a dual degree in finance and marketing. It is more of a finance or marketing. An interesting online discussion between people struggling to decide which of the two majors to choose may be found here (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081021182059AAwrUFt). In summary, one must be at least to some degree sure of which specialization he/she will be pursuing. Classes at this level will be major specific and will not apply to other majors even under the business umbrella. Marketing is a challenging major that deals with marketing products home and abroad. Marketing deals with society and studying and meeting trends in the market. On the other hand, Finance is more of a number pushing major. Both have pros and cons. Within our system there are thousands of specialized degrees offered in both finance and marketing. Research opportunities are near endless. If there are any further questions please email me at abujunayd@gmail.com.

Athena Smith said...

To the students in India


A group of us would like to have a phone conversation with you on October 23, Friday, 7:30 pm your time.
Can we skype on that day and time? If not, on another Friday?
Thank you!

Unknown said...

my full name is vivek kumar

Justin Lane said...

I am currently enrolled at Hillsborough Community College. There are several benefits to our education system. Just to start off we are a college that is very limited on the number of students in a classroom unlike a university, so we get a lot of time with the teacher, which is great when you have questions or need to get into contact with a teacher. Not only that, but our education system is set up so that people are geared for success. For instance just so that we can go to classes we have several financial aid opportunities not only offered at school but by organizations in the area as well. Another way that the school helps us to succeed is by offering tutoring at almost any time that we need it which comes in handy when you are stuck on a certain topic and need a quick fix. The last great feature about our system is or online services. We are able to find information, talk to our teacher and students, keep track of our assignments and grades; this is a valuable tool at least for me. If you guys have any questions you can post on here or you can always email me at jlane13@hawkmail.hcclf.edu and I will return as soon as possible.

Namrata said...

Dear XIDAS Students,

On October 23, 2009 at 5.30 p.m. students interested to talk with the students of Florida College on skype, please come to my chamber was a very interactive session.

Ellie Cole said...

Thus far in my college experience, I’ve found very little that I dislike about HCC. All I have to complain about is some of the teachers and their lack of enthusiasm. Other than that, the staff in the advisors office has been very helpful with my questions and concerns and I’ve had some truly outstanding, inspiring instructors. Best of all, the system as a whole is not at all complex, obviously designed for easy interpretation.
Hillsborough Community College (HCC) is a public, comprehensive institution of higher education and is available to all if the requirements for admission are met. The general requirements include: a standard high school diploma, completion of a home education program or a GED (General Equivalency Diploma).
Students are allowed three attempts for each class. If a grade of C is achieved, the student must accept it and is not eligible to repeat the class again. If the student has attempted a class more than three times with an end result of an unsatisfactory grade each time, a fourth try may be granted after consulting the dean, but this is rare. Students on final academic probation who fail to attain a term GPA of 2.0 or better will be placed on academic suspension. Lack of progress after a one-term suspension will result in dismissal from the college altogether. After being dismissed from the college, the student still has a chance to be readmitted after three terms have passed.
Paying tuition can be done in various ways in the state of Florida. There are scholarship programs, Florida Prepaid College and those who are eligible can receive financial aid. One benefit of attending HCC, concerning finances, is that one can take all the same general requirements as provided at 4-year universities and for a cheaper rate.
An interesting class is one consisting of an instructor who is passionate about what he or she teaches. It is important that the instructor leaves the lecture open for student involvement. Also, a subject pertaining to the field of humanities or English is my personal favorite type of class. And it doesn’t hurt to be surrounded by nice, educated people who know when it’s the right time to have a personal discussion amongst themselves and when it is inappropriate.
On the flipside, an unpleasant class is, again, tied to its instructor. Being in class isn’t exactly a choice way of spending time, so a lively teacher that makes the subject fun and interesting is ideal. Monotonous, by-the-book instructors can rely on the certainty that they will never have the same students twice.

Unknown said...

Hi Athena mam
I want to know about the teaching pattern of your institute. Is different from the Indian Educational pattern.

Athena Smith said...

Hi Vivek

The teaching in all American colleges is sugjected to academic freedom and therefore every instructor operates according to his wishes. Accordingly you may have 5 professors teaching the same course, with different styles and different types of exams.
So I can tell you only about mine.
I use power point presentations with many links from sources like WHO, Justice department, US census bureau in order to have the latest info. I incorporate recent youtube videos to demponstrte theories and to break the monotony of my lecture.: )There is lots of discussions in which I try not to express personal views. We also have four group presentations. The students pick a piece of current news and analyze it through a sociological perspective.

We have four exams, one for every 4 chapters and they are open notes. I allow them to use their notes as long as they are hand written. My philosophy is that when you write you learn. Of course the questions are critical thinking questions under such format.
Also there is a research paper.

I back up all my courses online in order for the students to retrieve my lecture power points, study guides and relevant articles without my having to make photocopies. PLus if I am absent, I can shift my class online.

I also teach online courses. In my online courses I have more exams but they are open book and limited time. When the exams are timed, you don't have much time to look up the question. Either you know it or you don't. We also have a vibrant discussion board in which I participate frequently.

That's all! :))

Question
In India do you have open book exams?

bittu said...

hi friend
how we indian student can take addmission in your university.there is any entrance exam for that or we can directly apply.which types of courses available graduation and post graduation level.

akhir said...

Is there anyone over in India pursuing a career in Nursing? If so, what are the requirements to begin that career?

Athena Smith said...

Bittu

A student needs a high school diploma or equivalent to enroll. If however the program you apply to is very competitive (like nursing) one needs some more exams and satisfactory scores on those exams.
A community college offers two year degrees, so after that you can transfer to the third year in a state university.
The graduate programs after graduating from a state university are plenty. Social sciences, medicine, health sciences, engineering, humanities, law, business, economics, education, tourism....

Anonymous said...

Each school system is different. Whether it is from community college or university. Each schools have different criterias for certain programs. Some are more difficult to get in to, others are rather easy.

Depending on the program, some students could be admitted into the program without a problem, others may need to compete for the spots left in the program. It just depends on whether your competing for a spot in a certain program at a competitive school thats known for that program.

Later, when you have received a certification form the program that you have completed, there can be a wide range in job opportunites depending on what you got your degree in. & if someone has a higher degree against someone else who doesnt hold the same degree title, the higher degree will be chosen over the other. It all depends, on where you deceided to attend and graduate from, which school you school, and most importantly, which program you choose to do.

Comment back!

Rajnikant George said...

How many courses offer for distance learning and how many online classes conduct within 1 month?

Athena Smith said...

Rajnikant George
Distance learning is becoming very pooular in the US. Even PhDs can be earned from very reputable universities while Bachelors and Masters are common. A very interesting blog from Harvard university dealing with online ed can be see here

In Florida we have a consortium of DL courses. You can see it here
If you scroll through you will see hundereds of courses... maybe more.

A class lasts one semster, which is 16 weeks. If they are asynchronous, a certain amount of work has to be carried out per week. However, now that we have bought the technology for virtual classrooms, we will have the opportunity to virtually meet, probably twice a week.

I myself teach three online classes. They progress at the same rate as my traditional classes.

Rachel Baker said...

There are many different advantages to attending a community college as opposed to a university. I am currently attending Hillsborough Community College in Brandon Florida. I have experienced many strengths and weaknesses of community college. The first area of strengths is money. Community college is significantly cheaper to attend than a university.The majority of classes at HCC are no different from that at a university. For instance, all general education classes will transfer to a university. Therefore, you may receive an associate’s degree (AA) and continue your education at a university of your choice. There one is able to maintain a bachelor’s degree (BA), masters, and so forth. Another advantage of community college is a smaller learning environment. As opposed to a university with lecture halls of 300 students, HCC offers smaller classes with about 25 students. This gives the advantage of one on one attention from professors. The campuses are very comfortable and easy to follow. Students do not have to run from one campus to the next trying to get to class on time. Parking is also a lot easier; one will not have to deal with garages and parking a mile away from campus. Along with strengths there come weaknesses, one of which is students may not get the “college experience.” There are no dorms associated with HCC, very little athletic opportunities, and no social groups such as sororities and fraternities. However, one may find these are a small price to pay because people go to school for the education, and these things can be distracting.
Despite the differences between community and university, they have one thing in common, tuition. There are many ways to pay for college. Ones that are available to all students who take advantage of them. For instances one may pay in payments, Florida pre-paid, scholarships, or financial aid. The most popular scholarship is the Florida Bright Future. This is based on high school performance and two test scores. If one qualifies, it may pay from 75% to 100% of your tuition. Financial aid is based on household income. One can qualify for up to more than the cost of tuition and books. This aid will pay for both a community college and a university. These various methods of payments make college accessible to anyone who seeks it.
While there are many differences between community college verses a university; neither one is said to better than the other. As long as one completes a higher education they will better themselves and provide a stronger future.

Court said...

In response to Bittu....

The criteria goes as follows..

1. The SAT saves you from all testing when entering tertiary schooling if you do well enough. If not many have an entrance exam that places you in certain classes. My opinion, take the SAT, and do well. :)

Court said...

To any students in India....

I need to get together with someone and skipe. I have many questions so let me know!

Thanks

Rajnikant George said...

thank u for good information about D L

Court said...

I need one student from india to skipe with me this week. please let me know if your interested. Thanks!

Mike said...

I am also in need of a skype partner if anyone would like to please let me know. thnaks! you can contact me at firebird1477@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Dear court I will be available to skype with you.Kindly specify the date and time.

Court said...

In reply to Imran...

either thursday 5pm-11pm Eastern time

friday 8am-4pm

my email is hulett_courtney@hotmail.com

Just let me know what times are good for you also! Thanks!