{"id":19391,"date":"2021-07-15T09:39:02","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T09:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.slamstox.com\/slamstox-news-english\/universiteiten-in-amerika\/"},"modified":"2021-07-15T10:37:33","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T10:37:33","slug":"universiteiten-in-amerika","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slamstox.com\/en\/insights-fun-more-english\/universiteiten-in-amerika\/","title":{"rendered":"Universities in America"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About 70 different universities can be found in the Netherlands, which sometimes makes it difficult to make a choice. But can you imagine studying in a country where more than 5000 universities can be found?! Then it becomes even more difficult to choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a student-athlete in America, you have to make that choice. Because which of those 5000 different universities suits you best? Don’t worry, we’ll help you with that. But first this article that tells more about America’s different universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The difference between Dutch and American universities<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

One of the most important questions, because what makes American universities so different from Dutch universities? There’s a lot, but the biggest differences are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The size
Big, bigger, biggest! That’s what America is known for, the burgers, the soda drinks, the parking garages: everything has to be big. That also applies to universities. One is of course bigger than the other, but in general they are all huge. Universities with 50,000 students every year! Crazy right?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sports experience
That’s a bummer, because that’s the reason many student-athletes go to America, but it really makes a difference. As many student-athletes indicate, you are sometimes seen as ‘different’ from the rest while being a professional athlete in the Netherlands, but in America you have a ‘special status’ as an athlete. And that’s really cool! All student-athletes on campus give everything for their sport, that gives a nice feeling and that way you lift each other to a higher level. The facilities at a university are also designed in such a way that they can optimally provide for every student-athlete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The togetherness
As a student-athlete you represent the university and not a sports club. But at the same university you study, eat, do fun things and live with all your friends. You can imagine that a community is created in that way and it’s great to be a part of that. Hardworking athletes, diligent students and the most enthusiastic fans: everyone is part of the community and everyone supports each other in everything they do! Like in the photo below, where fans at Clemson University cheer on the student-athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Clemson University – Student-athlete fan base <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Of course there are even more differences to be discovered between universities in America and the Netherlands. For example, the weather brings changes and the American ‘cuisine’ is different than here. As an athlete, these differences are often also found in the sport you practice and in how the season is filled in for you. For example, check out this article about why college soccer is more fun than regular soccer<\/a>, or this article that talks about why college golf is more fun than regular golf<\/a>, or read more about the benefits of college field hockey.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The differences between ‘College’ and ‘University’ <\/h5>\n\n\n\n

You’ve probably heard the terms ‘College’ and ‘University’ before. For example, there are many colleges in America, such as the College of William and Mary in Virginia, but there are also many universities in America, such as the University of Florida. But, uh, what’s the difference between the two?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer: there is little difference. Both are almost identical. In terms of academic differences, it doesn’t matter, because the top 10 best universities in America are both ‘colleges’ and ‘universities’. The difference lies in the organization of the school. In general, colleges are somewhat smaller than universities, which is why colleges do not always offer master’s programmes. A university always offers bachelor’s and master’s programs and therefore often has a larger number of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Junior and Community colleges<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

You may have heard the names ‘junior and\/or community colleges’ before. There are also several of these in America and student-athletes often go here too. So worth an explanation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A junior or community college is often seen as a stepping stone to a bachelor’s degree, because here you can obtain an ‘associate degree’. This allows you to continue on to a bachelor’s or master’s degree. These are two-year programs in which the focus is mainly on practical learning, often the costs of such colleges are lower. Most junior or community colleges participate in the sports league called the NJCAA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NJCAA, NAIA, NCAA: The three biggest sports leagues in America. We can imagine that the differences are sometimes difficult to follow. The video below explains it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n