The academics in Italy are very different from my experience in the United States. Students usually go to high school for five years and then college for three years. The concept of a “major” is also different, as students usually enter college already studying a specific area they have in mind. College students take all the courses in their level of study without any deviations. For example, students studying physics will only take physics classes during their three years in college.
Their exams are also oral, so instead of taking an exam with free response questions, professors will ask students questions, and students have to explain their answers.I’ve heard that Italian students will try to memorize their textbooks in anticipation of any oral questions. I did not participate in any exams, as my Italian fluency in explaining physics is not high enough. My classes were all in Italian, although the slides were a mixture of English and Italian. Most professors did not record their lectures, although their slides were always available online. Some students would instead record the lecture on their phone, which I thought was interesting.
The social experience is also different. I learned that college students typically go to the university in their hometown.
