<p>I can't find any info on CC for UK Universities. Is this forum only for US schools & Canada? I have heard some interesting things-
you receive your degree in 3 years, so cost is less
admissions is more test/stat driven
there is only one application
professors are distant</p>
<p>DD spent a semester at King’s. I don’t think any of her British friends are finishing in three years. The room and board is quite expensive. The rest might be true.</p>
<p>Uh yeah a British degree is 3 years. So mythmom, you’re wrong.</p>
<p>You might want to google another forum/website, The Student Room, for UK-centric university information.</p>
<p>Degrees are generally 3 years. Students are also expected to know what they want to do when they enter and are required to specialize earlier than US students. In my experience (I studied abroad for a semester in London and spent a fair amount of time researching classes and curricula), the curriculum is not quite as varied as it is in the U.S. You likely won’t find a liberal arts atmosphere there, as you would find it here. I’m not sure what Gen Ed requirements typically are, or if they exist in the UK as they do at most unis here.</p>
<p>There is a service that helps students from other countries apply to certain Universities (not Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, but some good schools) in England, Wales and Scotland. Google “study across the pond” and you will find it. Several kids from D’s prep school used them and matriculated there. It is all free to the student, they walk you through the application process, visas, etc etc. Very nice people. The Uni’s pay, because they want the international students. </p>
<p>The price is lower than private Uni’s here. More similar to out of state rates for a public flagship. For example, University of York runs 17,000 to 22,000 pounds sterling (=$25,000 to $33,00) per year for tuition and living.</p>
<p>As others have said, you apply to a certain major, and there’s no general ed requirement. The educational system is quite different, they expect much more autonomy from the students. And bachelor’s degree in 3 years.</p>
<p>Oh boy, way too complicated. I’ve spent 15 years and 3 kids trying to understand US colleges. AAA, clearing, interviews, it makes no sense to me. Maybe Canada is far enough to consider.</p>
<p>I was shocked upon looking at the Across the Pond website. It is suggesting some of the worst universities in the UK, avoid all of these if you use that website:</p>
<p>Oxford Brookes University
University College Falmouth
University of Essex
Lancaster University
Kingston University
Middlesex University
Roehampton University
Queen Margaret University
University of Strathclyde
University of Stirling
Swansea University</p>
<p>[UCAS</a> - Home](<a href=“http://www.ucas.com%5DUCAS”>http://www.ucas.com)
Use this website, it lists all UK unis and the courses they do.
As said before you have to apply to a certain course in the UK, Ap’s will not be included in their admissions decision. They are looking for an individual with an interest in a particular subject and also a fairly well rounded personality. Email each uni for their specific requirements for overseas applicants.</p>
<p>University of Saint Andrews (Scotland) is a four year program. NY Times article here: <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/education/01scotland.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/education/01scotland.html</a></p>
<p>For some of the best posts about studying and admissions in the UK search for posts by Cupcake, who is a PhD student at Oxford.</p>
<p>In general, however…
- Most degrees are 3 years (some, e.g. engineering, are 4)</p>
<p>2) You apply to a ‘course’ (major) right from the start. There are no Gen Ed requirements. If you apply to do Chemistry, you will study only Chemistry for 3 years, with possibly some related subjects e.g. maths.</p>
<p>3) British students will have already narrowed down their studies in their equivalent Junior/Senior year with A levels (usually 3/4 A levels, maybe 1/2 AS levels). From what I heard, students are quite happy to ditch areas they dislike/perform less well on after age 16 and the completion of their GCSE exams (where you study 8-11 subjects that must include maths, english, science, humanities etc). This means you will get students who study say English Literature, Modern History, French and Economics for 2 years, which results in a much greater knowledge and in depth understanding of those areas. One of these, say History, is then studied in even greater knowledge at college. It is DEPTH that is the main difference here</p>
<p>I would agree with this as I discovered at my semester abroad at St Andrews. Although a 4 year uni, and with SLIGHTLY more flexibility in the first year only (due apparently to differences in the English v Scottish high school systems), the kids in my history classes knew SO MUCH MORE than me about certain areas. Not that I couldn’t handle it, but it was an adjustment. Also, we had 1 60 min lecture a week, then one 2 hr tutorial where 5 of us and a prof talked about that week’s topic and were expected to be read up on the area in advance. Also, there was no set textbook - but a list (of like 10-20 books/papers) each WEEK to cover each topic. We were meant to spend the rest of time on independent study. I submitted two 3000 word essays for each class, worth 30% of the final grade - the rest was on the end of course exam, which lasted 2 hours and required 3 essays to be written. That was ALL! And this was one class - I had 2 others as well. There was no hand holding, nothing. If you performed poorly, or didn’t hand in a paper, you got a bad grade, that was it. </p>
<p>I loved my study abroad so much I came back did a postgrad course and now work in London :)</p>
<p>Actually, if I understand correctly, at St. Andrews your first two years have quite a lot of flexibility compared to the English schools. For the first two years, you can take 3 subject areas, and so long as you take the prereqs, you can major in any of them (just must declare before your 3rd year).</p>
<p>Check out UCAS for information. Deadlines for applications are coming up fast and Americans must also submit a supplement. You may need to take an additional exam (this may be only for Oxford and Cambridge). It is generally a 3 year degree (St. Andy’s is 4), and you will take very few , if any classes outside of your ‘course’ (course = major). You must therefore know what you want to major in from the get-go.</p>
<p>I remember someone who was accepted into Cambridge telling me that her acceptance was conditional upon earning certain AP scores taken senior year. </p>
<p>I think it’s also culturally different that freshmen can legally drink.</p>
<p>starbright - you are correct re St A’s but it’s very different to the US system…</p>
<p>as for drinking, don’t think that having the legal drinking age at 18 prevents binge drinking. It’s a huge problem here - even amongst my professional colleagues a Thursday night out ‘on the lash’ after work finishing up with karaoke until 3am (lead by a Partner) is a rather common occurence.</p>
<p>Dionysus, that is going too far. University of Essex, Lancaster University, University of Strathclyde and Swansea University are not that bad.</p>
<p>Lancaster is quite a very good university. The other 3 are OK.</p>
<p>college_ruled is correct. At UK universities, your acceptance is (usually) conditional on getting specified grades in your final year of high school. </p>
<p>The drinking thing is probably being a bit blown out of proportion. I barely ever drank alcohol at university here in the UK, and I never felt left out. You don’t have to drink to have a social life, although you do have to be comfortable being around other people who drink.</p>
<p>ETA: Scottish degrees are usually 4 years long, and more like US degrees in that you have a greater flexibility in choosing what to study. English and Welsh degrees are usually 3 years long (unless you study a language and do a year abroad).</p>