<p>Hello I'm a senior who decided on Cornell for 2010 CAS (school of arts and science) however I got a great offer from an university in the UK (Warwick #4 in the UK, York #10, and Imperial #3 in the UK) and I really want to go to the UK since its $100,000 dolllars cheaper, and I graduate in 3 years. But my parents wont let me cause its 1203812093128491 miles away for them. </p>
<p>So as this being the parent's forum, is it right to stop a kid from attending his school of choice even thought it is 94820948230 miles away??</p>
<p>It's not all that easy to get from CA to Ithaca. It might actually be easier to go from CA to London (I don't know about Coventry or York). And for $100K difference, think about many trips that would cover!</p>
<p>M best friend of the last4 ears went to high school in Mass while her family lived in Hong Kong. Now she's headed to college in the UK. Both of us spent our junior years in China, I'm taking a gap year that will bring me to Asia and Europe.....that's just the way it goes now for those seeking the most interesting opportunities. We both have gotten exceptional jobs and internships because of our experiences. Both of our sets of parents have said we've provided them with their best ever travel. Hopefully your parents will come to see that it's just a few more hours in the air to open up a whole world to you.l</p>
<p>Have you lived in the UK? If not, I think spending some time there first would be a prerequisite. I travel there alot, and I can tell you that extended business trips can be wearing due to the cultural differences. I love to go, but I also love to come home. I can understand your parents concerns. As far as the travel, you can fly into Gatwick, Heathrow, or Manchester and get on a train to most of these schools. Lastly, the $100K tuition difference will quickly be eaten up by the 2 to 1 cost of living difference in the UK. I'm also not sure you have your numbers right for an international student.</p>
<p>For example, Warwick's tuition for a non-science major is 8,400 British Pounds, and for a science major it's 10,900 British Pounds. Room, board and books is estimated at 7,270 British Pounds. So for non-science majors, the total is 15,670 Pounds, and for science, 18,170. </p>
<p>The current exchange rate from the dollar to the pound is 1.8743 dollars to one pound. Therefore, in US dollars, your tuition, room, board & books for one year at Warwick as a non-science major is $29,370, and for science, it's $34,056. Tuition, room, board and books at Cornell is $45,877. So the difference is nowhere near $100,000.</p>
<p>And that's assuming that the exchange rate stays the same over the course of your education, an iffy assumption at best.</p>
<p>I applied to Oxford this year and found out the same things some of you are finding out. In addition to the high cost of living and exchange rate, there is also an International Student fee that you pay on top of tuition + room and board. I'm not sure what it's for but its somewhere in the region of 10,000 pounds, so the difference in the end between the prices is miniscule. But what is cool is that a lot of schools in the UK offer a "sandwich course" which takes your degree up to 4 years, but you spend the 3rd year working! </p>
<p>The three year degree is what made it affordable for our family. This year the TCA at his university (including airfare and spending money) comes to 5K+ less than the TC would be at comparable US schools. Assuming reasonable stability in exchange rates (the dollar isn't doing very well, obviously, but the pound is not projected to do that well either) the projected estimated savings is $15K for the three years plus $45K for the fourth year - a total of $60K. </p>
<p>Most US students do not have the desire to add the challenge of living in another country for several years to their college experience. In The Student Room, for instance, there are a number of students who got offers to Oxbridge this year, were quite excited about it, and then changed their minds at the last minute and chose a US college instead. </p>
<p>However, if you do desire the adventure of going to college in another country, if you're satisfied about the quality of your subject's department at the universities who've extended you an offer, and the placement record of graduates for graduate/professional schools is favorable, then I would urge you to go for it.</p>
<p>Your parents would undoubtedly enjoy the excuse for travel that your attendence would provide (I sure do!). You will benefit in many ways from expanding your life's experience in this manner, some tangible (i.e. internships and job opportunities abroad, inexpensive European travel from the UK) and some intangible, though not less important (broadening your perspectives and sense of personal identity through immersion in another culture). </p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you would like chat about pros and cons to prepare for discussions with your parents.</p>
<p>To answer the question you asked I would say yes. I think that if your parents are footing the bill they do have the right to limit where you can go. For whatever reasons they have they do not want you far away. I think you are probably bright enough to come up with some reasonable and researched points for them to consider before dismissing your idea to study in the UK. After you do this and they still say no then it is time to either live with it or figure out how to pay your own way. Remember you can always do grad school in UK if you wanted to. Good luck!</p>
<p>Can an American student who doesn't have an IB certificate really complete university in 3 years? The high school educational system is so different between the US and the UK. I wonder if there might be some "catch up" work that the student would have to take?</p>
<p>
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So as this being the parent's forum, is it right to stop a kid from attending his school of choice even thought it is 94820948230 miles away??
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Yes, because as a parent I draw the line at 94820948229. ;)</p>
<p>Personally I love, love, love Cornell. Are you sure you can't do a study abroad through Cornell (if part of your attraction to the UK is to satisfy wanderlust)? How about the UK for grad school? How about a summer studying in the UK? (Maybe the reverse is possible, too: college in the UK with summer/study/exchange at Cornell or another American college--?)</p>
<p>If you were my child, first I'd commend you for your initiative and cherish your wonderful sense of humor :) , then I'd want you to "sell" me on the idea by listing the benefits of the UK over Cornell. (I suggest emphasizing parental travel itineraries, possible with the tuition cost savings; that would go a long way toward persuading me, all else being equal--like the quality of the education). Why not give that a shot? Good luck to you!</p>
<p>Chedva: Yes, we can complete our schooling at the university level within three years. In our high schools, the AP courses (if the exams are taken and passed at a level, which is agreeable to the university) can give us college credit. Some schools even support classes, which are considered to be at the honors level. (For example, when I was in high school, I attended a magnet school during half days that only offered math, science, and technology honors and AP courses.) Also, some schools do give out IB degrees. If none of these solutions are options, the student can always stay at the university during the summers and take classes to earn more credits.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what the system is in the UK so there may be some sort of help available to internationals to just get used to the system, but I hope that this would not be any more different for Americans than it would be for someone from, say, China.</p>
<p>Is distance the ONLY objection your parents have to you heading off to the UK?</p>
<p>Have you had past experiences where you demonstrated maturity with traveling/living alone far from home? </p>
<p>I find it somewhat difficult to believe that parents would be that arbitrary. Perhaps they like the Cornell option because it has the Ivy League stamp on it and there's a comfort level for them with that? </p>
<p>I think I would also prefer the Cornell option for my child because of the greater familiarity with a US institution, but the distance alone would not be my issue. Perhaps I would need to be educated about the UK option. Has that happened for your parents?</p>
<p>Have you had a deep discussion with your parents to reveal and resolve their concerns? Perhaps a meeting with you, your parents and your college counselor would help?</p>
<p>Just having had my DD come home early from school due to bad case of mono, I am happy my DD is only 3 hours from home! It is hard to have your kid so far from home, knowing that you cannot help them in an emergency. Your parents may be worried about having you out of the country if you need help. They also may be concerned about the lack of "hand-holding" and/or support that you will receive at a British univiersity. (That said, DD is heading off to Chile for 5 months soon. I won't be hopping to the rescue if there's an emergency there...)</p>
<p>The degree of hand-holding depends on the university. I do think if you had to live out for the first year, it might be tough. Most UK universities provide housing for at least the first year, some for all three years.</p>
<p>anxiousmom, better change your screen name when your daughter is in Chile - what a cool experience that will be!</p>
<p>Yulsie, I really admire you along with the many international parents who sent their kids the the high school I go to, many when the kids were 14. Unless the kid has demonstrated immaturity, it is VERY hard to understand the parents who thin they need to be close in case their kid gets mono. Yes, when you're paying, you can make the rules. But do you really want to limit bigger thinking on the part of your kids because you have the money?When I go home and get with my pre boarding school friends the biggest thing I notice is how bad so many of the parent/kid relationships are. It took me awhile to understand that boarding school parents have fewer control issues and were willing to let their kid cut the apron strings to get a top education and internationsl experience. I know I'll be flamed, but there's no doubt in my mind that the need to not stray far is the need of the parent who can't move on, and that they are holding a kid who thinks bigger back. Ans as for Bandit, I've lived in the US and UK, and there is nothing bout the UK I think the college student would have a hard time deali8ng with. Everyone speaks english, the weather is no worse than most US states, and people are much more polite! What on earth makes you want to rush home?????????????</p>
<p>amen to that statement! and I just sent my visa application to the British Consulate down in Los Angeles! So I guess Im going to the UK!! but the problem now lies in WHICH SCHOOL!</p>
<p>AnxiousMom, or perhaps not. Perhaps your screen name was well chosen and you're well to one side of the bell curve with respect to parental anxiety. I know that I'm middlin' towards the other end.</p>
<p>Exactly The Dad..............and I really wonder if the kids would be different if the expectations weren't soooooo, let's say anxiety ridden. I expect as I parent I'll be a lot like my mom who taught me that I was capable of making good decisions for myself from a very young age and that while she was older and more experienced, I needed to decide for myself who I was and what I wanted out of life.</p>