Tag: Korea

Finals in Korea

Published on by stefaniepaikLeave a comment

The Stress

While being in Korea, I have realized that you do not have the comfort of constantly seeing your grade as the classes are happening. So I could not check my grade online after every assignment, test, or project. This was incredibly stressful because I am unable to know how well I was doing in the class until I receive the transcript from Korea University, which is sent 2-4 months after the semester is over. There was also lots of stress when studying because I don’t know how I’m doing in the class as well.

To add to the stressful Korean school system, most professors will grade ambiguously. There will be no clear rubrics. The grading in Korea is a lot more strict. If you were to meet all the expectations and do what you needed to do on an assignment, test, or project, then that is considered a C grade because C is meeting the bare minimum; which is poor because you must go beyond expectations to receive an A. In all my classes, every student was struggling because the grading expectations were never clear.

Here is one of my professors explaining how he grades:

How to Prepare

While it is a must for you to explore and have fun while studying abroad, it is important to keep in mind that you are still attending school. For Korea University, the grade you receive in your classes is the grade that transfers to DU; Korea University is not a pass/fail school. If you finish a class with a B, then a B will be transferred to your DU transcript. Another thing is to not skip class. It is a bad habit to fall into, especially when at Korea University because it will cause you to automatically fail a class. At Korea University, I had a professor who would take attendance in every class, if you were absent then you would lose points which really adds up.

At the beginning of school, create good study habits and find the best place for you to study. Around Korea University, there are many cafes that are open late. There are also various libraries and designated study spaces all around Korea University’s campus.

Remember! School in Korea is way more intensive and serious in Korea. In Korean culture, education is super important not only ones’ oneself but to your family, because Korea is a collectivist society, and therefore a child’s education also represents their family.

You Aren’t Your Grade

At the end of the day, as long as you try your best, and learn from the University then you have made the most out of your study abroad. If you do not mature and grow as a person at the end of your study abroad then I believe that you did not make the most out of your time there. Study abroad is the best time to connect and learn from a culture that differs from your own.

Funny American Things in Korea

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Korea is well-versed in deep history and culture. On the other hand, Korea has grown into a very diverse country that offers global companies that are localized to Korean society. So to commemorate all of the strange American things I have experienced, I created a list of my favorite places.

Costco

The wholesale company, based in Washington state, has various locations all around Korea. In the greater Seoul area 6 Costco’s. The layout of the Costco is the same as the ones in the US, the only big difference is that the Costco here are multi-storied. Korean Costco will have parking on the basement floors, and then there will be a 1 and 2 floor for merchandise. Merchandise is localized to Korean taste. The best part of Korean Costco’s experience is the food court. The most popular item is the bulgogi pizza. It was fairly good, but I found the cheese on the pizza to be a little strange.

Ikea

While Ikea is Swedish and not American, I enjoyed going to Ikea for fun back home. So Ikea here is generally the same. All the merchandise is the same, still a long labyrinth of furniture. At the Korean Ikea, the menu is similar to the US menu. One thing I noticed is the large amount of vegan options. It’s interesting because vegan options are not super extensive in Korea, but it is growing among the population. The food was pretty good; thought it was a little bland. Also, the garlic bread was sweet, so I didn’t like it.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s has locations all around Korea. Recently, Korea has been doing more localized menu options such as the Jindo green onion burger. In my personal opinion, I don’t like Korean McDonald’s. The fries don’t have that signature American saltiness. Also, McDonald’s does not allow customization so I don’t want to order any burger cause I hate tomatoes. It is a fun experience to try but don’t expect it to taste the same as America.