Anyone been to Tuebingen, Germany?
Sep 10th, 2008, 08:17 AM
#21
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
High Wall - is the stereotype we have in the States of German students true?
that they take years to finish and basically do little and party a lot?
Maybe a great university is more demanding but that's the stereotype - that a student life is great in Germany and let it last as long as you can?
that they take years to finish and basically do little and party a lot?
Maybe a great university is more demanding but that's the stereotype - that a student life is great in Germany and let it last as long as you can?
Sep 10th, 2008, 08:25 AM
#22
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>> So if you were spending one semester at one of the Baden-Wurttemberg universities what would be your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice?<<
All three are fine.
What I would do: I would apply at all three universities and if I were accepted at all three then I would base my decision on these grounds:
- How do I like the study programme?
- What kind of accomodation is available?
- What services do they offer to foreign students?
She should look thoroughly at the information which is provided on the web, including topics of seminars, focuses, research fields etc.
I terms of academic reputation, all three are fine. In terms of living, it is a matter of taste. Maybe Tübingen would land on the last rank.
Freiburg is tempting because it is so close to Basel, Zürich, Colmar, Strasbourg. And it has a good mix of student's life and a life of its own. Polls among Germans rate it as the most desirable place to live in Germany.
Heidelberg is more touristy (and more famous among Americans).
All three are fine.
What I would do: I would apply at all three universities and if I were accepted at all three then I would base my decision on these grounds:
- How do I like the study programme?
- What kind of accomodation is available?
- What services do they offer to foreign students?
She should look thoroughly at the information which is provided on the web, including topics of seminars, focuses, research fields etc.
I terms of academic reputation, all three are fine. In terms of living, it is a matter of taste. Maybe Tübingen would land on the last rank.
Freiburg is tempting because it is so close to Basel, Zürich, Colmar, Strasbourg. And it has a good mix of student's life and a life of its own. Polls among Germans rate it as the most desirable place to live in Germany.
Heidelberg is more touristy (and more famous among Americans).
Sep 10th, 2008, 08:47 AM
#23
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OK thanks so much Altamiro and Traveller for additional info.
PalenQ- those are interesting observations that I haven't heard although I have noted Europe's declining birthrate and the German students my daughter met recently were all only children with parents who seemed willing to go to any length for them- but this is also very true for many American kids.
Since Germans graduate from HS at an older age and then take a yr off before college they do seem to get a very late start.
PalenQ- those are interesting observations that I haven't heard although I have noted Europe's declining birthrate and the German students my daughter met recently were all only children with parents who seemed willing to go to any length for them- but this is also very true for many American kids.
Since Germans graduate from HS at an older age and then take a yr off before college they do seem to get a very late start.
Sep 11th, 2008, 04:04 AM
#25
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>High Wall - is the stereotype we have in the States of German students true?
that they take years to finish and basically do little and party a lot?
"Years to finish" - at least longer than Americans - is true, not least because an intermediate degree like bachelor didnīt exist until very shortly. It is still not really worth anything except for changing directions of study.
Also, many universities make a "post-selection" of the students instead of preselection - everybody with nominal qualification gets in and then the weeding (via examination etc.) starts. It takes longer but IMO slightly more fair to the students than entrance exams.
>Maybe a great university is more demanding but that's the stereotype - that a student life is great in Germany and let it last as long as you can?
The "great student life" is the stereotype that the german students have about American universities. Funny to hear that it is mutual. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
that they take years to finish and basically do little and party a lot?
"Years to finish" - at least longer than Americans - is true, not least because an intermediate degree like bachelor didnīt exist until very shortly. It is still not really worth anything except for changing directions of study.
Also, many universities make a "post-selection" of the students instead of preselection - everybody with nominal qualification gets in and then the weeding (via examination etc.) starts. It takes longer but IMO slightly more fair to the students than entrance exams.
>Maybe a great university is more demanding but that's the stereotype - that a student life is great in Germany and let it last as long as you can?
The "great student life" is the stereotype that the german students have about American universities. Funny to hear that it is mutual. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
