When I took my COMPASS Test for Nursing school, I failed to meet the required points for Mathematics to get into nursing program (which of course I believe 99.9 % of world's population despise Math). I felt to discouraged but my husband's bullying had pushed me to my extreme of studying and collecting all my rusty knowledge back from my younger school days. Needless to say, I re-take that Math portion and passed it with flying colors. So now, yours truly is now in the Practical Nursing Program. A 16-month rigid course for aspiring nurses.
I was so thrilled when I first stepped-in for school registration. I've met few nice friends which until now we're building friendships together. Moreover, when I went for our first day of classes, everything just like a strong lighting volt that struck me, telling me, "This is it Cathy! There's no turning back!"
Education System
The very first appealing feeling I have felt was the difference of the Education System between my foreign country and the United States. I don't want to pry on Philippines standard of education but it just made sense to me why United States has the best education system in whole mankind.
When I was in my college days, I must admit that I didn't do my very best to absorb everything what my instructor was trying to teach me, though you have your textbooks, you have all your friends whom can help you out finishing a term paper in no time because hey, you can just copy their work by maneuvering the words, right? Pronto! you have your term paper. But, still there is a factor lacking between the instructor's way of teaching and the dedication of the students to actually learn and be as much competitive as they can be. Now that I am actually going to college and most specially here in the United States, I am starting to feel the toughness of the obstacles I have to jump through just to get to the finish line. Kudos though to every student who had finished college in my country! You guys did great!
Pell Grant- a money received by the students that they don't need to pay back the government.
Financial Aid- may come in a form of loans that the Federal government lends to the student to go to school but has to be paid back once out of school and already working.
In the Philippines...
WE DON'T HAVE PELL GRANT OR FINANCIAL AID. The government can't afford to give out free money to every student who are less fortunate than the others. Because if the government can, it would have been nice to see no teenagers begging in the streets of Manila for their food of the day. If you want to go to school, the parents has to spend for your education, if they can't afford it anymore, either you stop going to school or work to finish it. Good side: Students doesn't need to worry paying back loans. They just need to study.
Bad side: Most of the students doesn't work hard to get the highest average they can have because there is no government minimum average involvement required to keep up so that the students would continuously receive financial aid from the government itself for the next semesters to come.
INSTRUCTORS ARE MORE APPROACHABLE. In college, you and the instructor can have that friendly relationship that might and might not affect the ability of the student to perform the task that was given to him/her. You can approach them anytime you desire, consult them about certain topics.
They are there every step of the way if you allow them to. And every subject has an instructor who is physically present in the classroom.
In the United States...
THERE IS PELL GRANT / FINANCIAL AID. Most of the students who qualify can receive an aid for their education until they are out of school. Having the opportunity to receive Pell grant or financial aid, you have to diligently and religiously study to maintain a GPA ( Gradel Point Average) or else the government will take away your aid and you'll not going to be able to finish school unless your parents can afford your tuition fees.Good side: Students are motivated to study hard to keep up with the government's requirement to receive aid.
Bad side: You don't get to fool around and you have to pin yourself down for studying.. Others take Pell Grant for granted by going to school then once they receive the money they will stop going to school.
INSTRUCTORS ARE VIRTUALLY PRESENT. I have one subject which is the Allied Science, that only time I will see her is that when I'm ready and need to take an exam that only her can activate the test in the computer. Yes! we take our test online.
We work on our own pace. We study whenever we want in the website that was provided to us. It's like one big plate of food that was given to us and its up to you how long it will take you to eat it all. You might have friends but the way I see it here, school is purely school, work on your own, its a good way of competition though. But outside of that box, they are willing to assist you if you missed a class. Instructor can only be reached most of the time through email, you hardly can see them after your class with them.
I can't blame some fellows who decided to be contented of what they are. Because I can say going to school here in the United States is not an easy ride. If you don't have the stamina to get through late night notes reading, listening and watching 71 pages of course ware in the computer that may take you up to 4 hours to complete until its very last page, then you need truck load of motivation to finish school.
To see the comparison from my country's education system and United States is undesirable and painful. But believe it or not, I feel like I have all the drive I need to get through my schooling here. Every student should feel the need of finishing school knowing that you're working so hard to maintain the average, without letting other outside factors intervene your performance. Every student here in the United States should feel so fortunate for having all the help available, because there are some people from other countries wherein going to school is as much hard as it sounds due to some seen factors. In the contrary, to every student who is not as much blessed, its important to study hard to finish school, and make a difference!
With all the state of the hard technology which is available for me that will soon be introduce to my class in the next coming months, I am more than excited to be able to be a part of health care field.
