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University Education

The decentralized philosophy of learning extends into higher education.

Firstly, students are encouraged to explore a multitude of major classes before settling on a major. Often called the "liberal arts core" or "area distribution requirements," students take a set number of classes in fields beyond their anticipated major. Indeed, a physics student might be required to take courses in anthropology, art history, biology, composition, and women's studies ​to graduate.

Secondly, students students are generally free to switch between majors without much difficulty at all. The American system is predicated on an adaptive, evolve-as-you-go approach that champions students to take risks and explore unknowns. For example, students are encouraged to participate in undergraduate research opportunity programs where high achieving students are often rewarded with permanent research assistantships funded by the U.S. federal government's National Science Foundation.  In short, very seldom is an education pathway predicated on the results of a single test

Lastly, despite the immense flexibility of the system, American college education is renowned for some of the most rigorous major preparation programs in the world. Students often remark the single hardest year of their entire education to be freshman year. The difficulty often stems from the uniquely American emphasis on critical analysis: the ability to read, think, and write critically. From art to math to economics, students are thought to constantly question sources and theories, synthesize evidence, and articulate their reasoning.

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