After experiencing the excitement of studying abroad, I can't help but criticize the American School system, more specifically, the Cal State University System. Before diving in to the amazing benefits of enrolling in a European university, you must keep in mind cultural and systematic differences. Spain is a democratic monarchy that has been on the train of revolution since the fall of their dictator Franco in the 1970s. In every faculty building, with bright colored spray paint reads phrases of liberation, freedom and ultimately joy in the ability to finally study college content as an open egalitarian free society would have it. The rebellious atmosphere in itself, is worth studying abroad in Spain. After experiencing endless amounts of protests in the metro, on the streets and being locked out of my school building, I was able to gain an appreciation for the privilege, deemed right, to earn a degree and receive an education like I never had before.
In contrast, University attendance in the U.S. is mundane, dreadful and apathetic to say the least. While I could relate to some of their protests, I realized that my fellow American students and I lack fire, passion for our education. There is nothing like having your education monitored and dictated to you and then experiencing the lifted banner of democracy, allowing you to pursue the education that you want to, Viva la Revolución!
I was enrolled in La Universidad Complutense de Madrid, one of the most prestigious public universities in Spain and the largest, with multiple faculty buildings, each dedicated to a separate school of study. You can tell that they truly dedicate themselves to their studies and have a great focus on each field. One may argue that the lack of integration may be detrimental to a student's integrated learning experience. Ultimately, the separation allows you as a student to delve into your courses fully, arriving at my main point; there are no G.E. requirements.
Not having the stress of mandated General Education requirements permits you as a student to focus on your major, to learn more, to become more submersed and less distracted. Not to mention, you are likely to get out of school nearly debt free if not completely debt free. The cost of tuition is minimal in Spain compared to the U.S. While I did miss fancier looking restrooms and activities on the quad, I realized that you can get by just fine when you have the basics: classrooms, cafeteria and a library. The Cal State systems fees are so high because we not only pay for our tuition but we also contribute to the private health care, opposed to Spain's public health care, the landscaping bill, the programming fee and so on and so forth. The amount of fees that we incur for the continuous decrease in the quality of the services and resources, not to mention registered classes that we get access to is bologna.
When I told my friends abroad that I struggled getting into my classes in the U.S. they were dumbfounded, as am I. Spain allows you to set-up your four year plan from the beginning, without having to compete for classes, guaranteeing that you have access to your major courses, as nature intended, or so I would like to believe. The benefits don't stop there, the Madrid community is made for college students, the city is large enough to share resources with all ages, all types of people and the bars, libraries and cafés on every corner make for ample and fun study space whereas Rohnert Park and Cotati is not College friendly.
Spanish schools will not write you up for noise complaints, the drinking age is 18, the ability to obtain your degree and study abroad is easy, the surroundings make for a wonderful setting to your college lifestyle and the tapas are to die for. Sonoma State University contra Madrid, I would choose Spain any day.
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