Poland vs. America: University Style

The Polish higher education system is fundamentally different than American universities.

Education is free.  ( With caveats: Under 26, if you pass the matura with a high score, etc)

My college degree is estimated to be worth around $80,000, the sum of my scholarship from CMU.  In comparison, the average Pole makes about $12,500 a year and average American makes about $50,054.  This led me to explaining that the true meaning of "poor college student" is taking out thousands of dollars in loans every year. 

If education is so much more expensive in the U.S., why would a Polish student WANT to go abroad and what should they expect during the experience?  During education week, I went to various high schools around Gdansk and talked with students about some of the positive aspects of American universities.

My experiences studying at the Warsaw School of Economics, teaching at University of Gdansk, and talking with students from many different universities informed some major comparisons I made during the talks.   This is just what I've been exposed to though, so I could be way off the mark.

First, I started with the campus situation and explaining that most students live on or near campus and away from their families. 

With a map of CMU

Polish students tend to go to universities near their homes and even commute one or two hours for their classes.  One of my Fulbright peers said she has students that take a train four hours one way to classes for their Masters!  Commuter schools exist in the U.S. but are far from the norm.  Most students live on campus for at least one year of college.

I also told them how close everything is at my university.  At Central, it takes about 20 minutes to walk from anywhere on campus to anywhere else.  University of Gdansk is located across eight or nine different neighborhoods in two different cities!

Next up, the pursuit of individuality.  Americans have a knack for encouraging dissenting opinions, giving voices to the minority, and protecting that freedom without end.  It goes to reason, that our education system would help perpetuate these ideals.

Now, I'm not knocking the Polish protection of freedom of speech, but merely pointing out that students in high schools and universities aren't generally encouraged to ask questions of their professors.  A friend at the medical university in Gdansk said that professors hate teaching in the English section because the students there (Americans, Germans, Arabians) ask significantly more probing questions about WHY something is so.

Dr. Phame Camarena and Judy Idema

 At CMU, I built relationships with my professors, called some by their first name, and occasionally got into spirited arguments when I thought they were flat out wrong.  Whereas, in Poland, this kind of behavior would generally be considered disrespectful and greatly frowned upon. 

 On the subject of professors, it seemed inconceivable to many of my students that I thought professors and deans could be great friendly and helpful people.  In my experience, professors are invested in the success of their students.  Without the careful encouragement of Phame, the Honors Director at my university, I wouldn't even BE in Poland because he pushed me to apply for the Fulbright.  There are a few other professors at CMU that had a direct and powerful impact on my intellectual capabilities and career goals.

Another area of individual attention that is generally lacking in my experience with Polish universities is class selection.  Yes, registration in the U.S. is a pain in the butt especially on the low end of the totem pole, but Americans take our vast array of classes for granted.  In many Polish universities (not all!), students are dictated their entire class schedule...there's not room for choosing between different class times or professors or classes.

Try explaining the way American universities work with their general education requirements, degree requirements, and major requirements.  All three aspects leave a great deal of room for each student to choose classes that most interest him or her.  I often use my sister and I as an example...we go to the same university with the same major (faculty) and yet I'd bet we've only taken two or three of the same classes because we have vastly different interests and career pursuits.

Hijab week coordinator aka my sister

 The last thing I really focus on during the talks is campus life.  Since Polish universities are mostly commuter schools, there isn't really a campus life.  There are a few student organizations, but they aren't supported and advertised by the universities.  I really highlighted the different cultures that American universities highlight.  Per usual, I mostly talked about CMU and mentioned things like the Pow-Wow, Hijab Week, and CommUNITY week.

Club dodgeball at Central Michigan

Polish universities don't have club sports or intramural sports.  There really isn't even intercollegiate sporting events to my knowledge.  So talking about the sports culture on college campuses and the affinity to your university for the rest of your life (hence the title of this blog: Chip Pride) was like telling Americans about hooligan culture in Europe.  Until you experience it, there really isn't a good explanation. 


Perhaps it's unfair to compare Central Michigan University and the University of Gdansk because they're already different.  If you look at commuter schools in the U.S. (Oakland, UM-Flint), they have similar extracurricular opportunities as Polish universities.    But, I think the general atmosphere of Polish and American higher education can be gleaned from being immersed in the universities.

Overall, I want to assure everyone that I don't hate Polish universities or think that they don't do anything right.  Students do succeed here and I have many smart friends and students.  Its moments of ethnocentrism when I can't imagine how Poland can't adopt some of the less formal aspects of American universities.

But, that's what most of my moments of incredulity are, ethnocentrism.  And the more time I spend in Poland, the more I realize how much I love America...and how hard it is not to compare!