Argentina, Chile and Mexico

The student's academic schedule in these countries fluctuates between lectures, tutorials (small group sessions), laboratory work, seminars, and library study.  For your class grade you may be expected to concentrate your academic efforts in library research and writing, and it is very uncommon to have a large percentage of your grade based upon only 1 to 2 exams.  The tutorials may require you to prepare materials, present a paper, read articles, or participate in group discussion.  Students generally concentrate on their major in the first year since there is not a "general education" requirement like most US four year institutions, and therefore introductory subjects may be more difficult than at AU.  In general, you should be prepared for some differences between the overseas and the US academic systems and be aware that you may experience a period of adjustment.

Costa Rica

The student’s academic schedule in Costa Rica fluctuates between lectures, tutorials (small group sessions), laboratory work, seminars, and library study.  For your class grade you may be expected to concentrate your academic efforts in library research and writing, and it is not uncommon to have a large percentage of your grade based upon only 1 to 2 exams.  The tutorials may require you to prepare materials, present a paper, read articles, or participate in group discussion.

The system of higher education in Costa Rica is more specialized than the U.S. liberal arts curriculum, which means that Tico students enter university with some background in the subjects they wish to study. Therefore, local students take most of, if not all, their courses in one faculty and receive a degree in one field. In the U.S. system, students take a little of everything and don't specialize until a couple of years into their studies.

Additionally, you might notice that your Tico classmates know each other very well. This is because students enroll in "carreras" rather than majors. Carreras are similar to majors in the United States but with a more structured program of study and fewer elective courses. Students from the same "carrera" enroll in the same courses together during their entire undergraduate career.

In general, you should be prepared for some differences between the overseas and the US academic systems and be aware that you may experience a period of adjustment.