Destination USA

I believe you’ll agree that the most important thing after getting into the college of your dreams, is actually graduating from it.

In order to do this, you’ll have to fulfill several requirements, depending on the college and its type.

First of all, you should know that some colleges admit you directly in the major of your choice. Others will make you take a general curriculum as well as some required classes in order for you to apply (usually in the beginning or the end of the sophomore year) to get into the major.

But, no matter the case, you’ll always have the following:
- a required curriculum,
- a “required” amount/type of classes you should take

The first part, which is the core of your major, you must take and achieve the best grades you can in it, especially if you are to actually apply to that major, instead of being directly admitted to it as more specialized schools do.

The second part is just one which fulfills the credits you need for graduation. For undergrad studies, you’ll generally need about 120-130 credits. This one will however be quite customizable, especially for some more liberal majors.
If you are in an engineering college, you will usually be limited to quite technical courses, and usually just a couple of really “whatever” electives.
If you are in an Arts & Sciences college, you’ll usually have many more electives to choose, and all kinds of. But you’ll usually also have a required “randomness”. In other words, you’ll have requirements such as: “you should take at least one history course, at least one physical science course, at least one language course, at least 10 credits in …”. But as long as you comply with them, you’ll be able to take whatever you want.

The undergrad studies usually last 4 years, or 8 semesters. Sometimes, you can graduate earlier, or a bit later. This depends entirely upon your college system. Students will then usually take about 16-18 credits each semester. More than 18 credits is considered a heavy workload. More than 20 - a very heavy one. 12 credits will usually be the bare minimum for you to be considered as a full-time student. Less than this will usually lead to exclusion, except if there is some special program, or reason for it.

Many students will take summer courses in order to complete their studies faster, or to be able to double or dual major. Those courses might be taken at your college, or at another one, if this other one is recognized by yours, and the credits can be transferred. Watch out for two things here. First, make sure to first ask your college to authorize you to take courses at this other one. Second, most colleges have a limited amount of credits you can take at other places; past this amount, those will only be “extra” credits which will not serve for your graduation, but might just help you to double major, or to get a minor.

If you follow carefully your requirements, and make sure to take every class from your core, you should carelessly (apart from the work) graduate.

Trouver du vrai fromage est une tâche difficile aux Etats-Unis. Bien sûr, les rayons des hypermarchés sont remplis d’American Cheese (en tranches, parfait pour les Burgers) et de Cottage Cheese mais quid du camembert ou du brie ?

Heureusement, les Français sont à la rescousse ! Voilà ci-dessous des photos prises au Safeway du coin (chaîne de supermarchés). Parmi les best-sellers : La Vache Qui Rit et Président. Le bonheur a tout de même un prix : la barquette de Vache Qui Rit se vend à $6 (comparé à $3 pour de l’American Chesse). Je suis curieux de comparer avec les prix français : à combien d’euros se vend notre vâche préferée ?

In some countries, after the senior year, the students pass an examination one or more subjects. Sometimes it’s optional, sometimes it’s not. For instance, in France, le BAC is a requirement in order to continue on your studies. In the UK, students have the possibility of taking A-levels if they want to.

The thing is, it’d be quite annoying to take all those exams, go to the USA for your undergrads, and don’t have them recognized for anything… Fortunately, many colleges will have a policy regarding those and other international standard tests and granting you credits. Read the rest of this entry »

Le pourboire (tipping) aux Etats-Unis est un concept totalement différent de celui que l’on peut trouver en France. En effet, dans les restaurants ou les bars par exemple, les serveurs et barmen américains sont nettement sous-payés. Ils sont censés compenser par les pourboires qu’ils reçoivent. Certaines soirées seront (très) payantes - j’ai une amie bartender qui arrive des fois à $1,000 de pourboire - d’autres beaucoup moins.

Ce système n’est pas uniquement valable pour les serveurs. En fait, vous êtes censés donner un pourboire aux bartenders, chauffeurs de taxi, coiffeurs, … Généralement, lorsque vous payez à la fin d’un service, un pourboire est attendu : le barman sert d’abord votre verre et seulement ensuite vous le payez, vous payez le chauffeur lorsque vous êtes arrivés à destination, vous payez le coiffeur lorsqu’il a terminé, … Ainsi, un pourboire n’est pas requis à un fast-food par exemple.

Je suis toujours étonné de la réaction de bon nombre de mes amis français (certains même expatriés) qui refusent de donner un pourboire à un barman : Comment ça un pourboire ? Il m’a simplement ouvert une bière ! Peut-être. Mais il est sous-payé à ouvrir cette bière.

Combien ?

Restaurants : si vous êtes servis à table, 15%. 20% si le service et/ou la cuisine ont été remarquables. Attention, si vous êtes nombreux (6 ou plus), le pourboire sera généralement inclus dans la note. Vous pouvez cependant changer ce montant. Il m’est arrivé à San Francisco de réduire de 18% à 15% le pourboire, le service ayant été particulièrement mauvais. N’hésitez pas à le faire savoir lorsque vous êtes mécontents. Les américains accordent beaucoup d’importance au feedback. Attention ! Ne confondez pas meal taxes et pourboires. Les taxes sont ceux de l’état (généralement autour de 5-8%). Le pourboire se dit gratuity.

En cas de buffet, les serveurs s’occupent moins de votre table mais s’assurent que le buffet est propre et ne manque de rien. Un pourboire de 10-15% est donc recommandé.

Chauffeur de taxi : 10-15%.

Barman : $1 par verre. 15-20% pour une note plus importante.

Portier : $1-$2 par baggage.

Coiffeur, masseur, manicure : 10-20%.

Pour plus de détails sur d’autres situations (vols charters, casino, …), lisez The Original Tipping Page.

Food in the USA is “good-looking”, but often not that “good-tasting”, except probably for the so-called “junk food”. That’s probably the reason why many Europeans people quickly gain weight here once they come overseas. I personally know many who’ve come just for three months for an internship, or a summer work, who’ve never had weight problems, and who come back with a few, (or more) extra pounds (kilograms). How can you save yourself all of this? Read the rest of this entry »