<p>“Countries” are more or less bullsh</p>
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<p>Its been united for more or less 300 years. OK so Northern Ireland may have something to say about that, but whatever! Who really cares about that?</p>
<p>Well if you can’t be bothered about the historical accuracy of when Northern Ireland (as part of the kingdom of Ireland) joined the UK, then why should we be bothered just because you want to use the colloquialism “Britain” rather than UK (of GB & NI), Great Britain, England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland all of which have a legal status?</p>
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<p>Because it isn’t a colloquialism, Britain is the country name, not England.</p>
<p>And no they dont all have legal status.</p>
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<p>Well not quite, I think that the point that portugueseninja was making was that England is a country name as well, even if it is not synonymous with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Earlier on in this thread there was a discussion about an British student who was looking at USC and UC riverside as she wanted to go to school in California.</p>
<p>Now she wanted to go to school in “CALIFORNIA”, not in “America” or the “US” or any other such thing, and nobody on this board was upset about the nomenclature or somehow thought that she was equating California with the US. I have no problem with someone who wishes to go to university in England, and says as much. England is a country and is a perfectly reasonable destination to study. Clearly England is not the same as the UK, but nobody is saying that it is.</p>
<p>Now obviously, if we saw a post from someone who said that they wanted to study in England and were considering LSE, Oxford, Cardiff and St. Andrews, then they clearly have screwed up their geography and may need some correction, but the post that seemed to set Dionysus58 off was from a student who was looking at studying in ENGLAND and all of the schools listed (LSE, Imperial, Oxbridge) were very definitely in England and a long way from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.</p>
<p>The simple fact is that it is not that simple. For example under European Law, the term “UK national” refers to someone who is a national of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, Salk and Alderney, the Isle of Man, or Gibraltar. The term “Great Britain” means England, Scotland and Wales. The Term “British” incorporates these, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and Northern Ireland, but the term “British Isles” is almost never used, as it historically also includes Ireland, which is not always happy about being lumped together with its neighbour. Someone in Gibraltar is not British, nor part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but is nonetheless a “UK-national”</p>
<p>I think Dionysus58 is being disingenuous or mistaken when they argue that it is simple and people should just used the “correct” term. There is absolutely nothing incorrect about someone saying that they want to study in England, or in Wales, or in Great Britain, or in the UK, or in Guernsey for that matter. What is incorrect is saying England when you do not mean England, and there was no evidence of that happening before Dionysus58 decided that “its very rude”.</p>
<p>US States have such autonomy that its quite correct to say you want to go to school in California, the same is not true for Britain. England may be a country, but you dont apply to or through England so it isn’t correct for an international student to simply say England in my view.</p>
<p>^So, I cannot say I am studying in Scotland? I must say I am studying in Britain?</p>
<p>Yes, you must.</p>
<p>No. I disagree. If you are studying in Scotland, then you are more than welcome to say that you are studying in Scotland. Anyone who has ever attended say an England-Scotland Football or even Rugby match can attest that despite the legal union, the four larger nations in the UK, do definitely have a separate national identity. There are 4 nations playing for places in the world cup, not one. Politically, EU students attending university in England have to pay some £3000 in fees per year, whereas attending university in Scotland is free. Why? Because the Scottish Parliament decided not to follow Westminster’s lead. Scotland is a nation, and there is nothing wrong with saying that you attend school in Scotland, if that’s where you go.</p>
<p>Hahaha, this is just kinda getting funny now. Dionysus, stop being a spoilsport 
Yes, Spriteling you can say you’re studying in Scotland. Obviously, if you’re studying in Scotland you can’t say you’re studying in England. But while you’re still in Britain and the UK, so both are correct. It’s also correct that you’re studying in Scotland.</p>
<p>How are you enjoying Edinburgh? Have you been up to the castle yet? So pretty!</p>
<p>:) I am loving Edinburgh. It’s been one of my favourite places in the world for ages; I am so glad that I am finally studying here.</p>
<p>I haven’t ever been inside the castle, but I have been around the outside of it. I am going to go inside next week during fresher’s week, because it’ll be free!</p>
<p>On Sunday I got to watch the fireworks at the end of the International Festival. They were fantastic. Yay Edinburgh.</p>
<p>Re the argument: I’d obviously never say I’m studying in England, because I am not. I just don’t understand why I couldn’t say I am studying in Scotland, because it is technically a separate country, and it is where I am located. Etc.</p>
<p>Coming from Northern Ireland, I would say that quite a few people do actually care about that. But that is another argument, and one that you probably wouldn’t want to get involved in.</p>
<p>As for the rest of this - it is actually ridiculous. I came to this thread hoping to find a useful discussion that might help me in my applications, and instead there is pointless bickering about what American students are and aren’t allowed to call their place of study. No one is disputing that Britain is an acceptable term, but neither can you possibly dispute that Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Bristol, Warwick etc are IN ENGLAND, just as Kings, UCL, LSE and Imperial are in London. If someone only applied to those 4 universities you could hardly claim they were being inaccurate if they said they were ‘applying to universities in london.’ Get a grip.</p>
<p>Hey guys. I’ve asked about this on other parts of this site but haven’t got a reply. Just wondering what do Ivy League unis (and others of a similar standard) think about Advanced Extension Awards? I just got a merit in Economics - how much will that help my application?</p>
<p>Engling, welcome! Do feel free to post any questions you might have :)</p>
<p>Gyyy2807, I honestly have no idea, sorry. I don’t even know what an Advanced Extension Award is :-/</p>
<p>Is Indian me allowed to jump in on this thread?</p>
<p>No. Geeeet ouuuut, fiiiiieeeennnddd!!!</p>
<p>Oh fine. Mean Brits.</p>
<p>Hahaha awwww, oh my dear Tetris. Of course! Come on in, sit down! Help yourself to a crumpet! Pour yourself some tea, we have Earl Grey brewing in the pot…</p>
<p>I don’t care much for tea, but I do love your apple pie :)</p>
<p>engling - It’s not a question of can and cant, but politeness. I personally dont think it polite to say England, even if the universities you are applying to all are in England. All it does is reaffirm the (wrong) idea in many American minds that they are separate sovereign countries, which they are not. The UK is one country.</p>