American or English University?

I'm thinking about studying Engineering at university and I'll be starting my AS in September. However, university is fast approaching and recently I've been considering going to America for university.

Now, if I stayed in the UK hopefully I aim to get into universities such as Cambridge or Imperial but in world league tables, American unis such as Princeton, MIT, Uni of California, Stanford and California Institute of technology look really great.

I know it's a lot about personal choice but is the move too big? Is it worth it? (No I'm not purely thinking about going to America as they're the top unis but also because it's a new experience and I could surf more often :P) It also seems cheaper at the moment...

What's everyone's opinion on the matter?

Reply 1

DJShaji

8

I'm not the best person to ask...but going to either is just as good. There about the same price and same competition to get into one. Though if you ask me I would go to Cambridge..I just feel like I automatically achieve a British Prestige. Than an American one as it sounds cooler :colondollar:

Reply 2

GarnetStone

Though the ones you're looking at are pretty close in prestige, American universities are not cheaper. They're a good deal more expensive. Tuition at Stanford, for example, is $42690 (£28258) for 2013-14, and then it's over ten thousand dollars more for room and board. Not saying that it should be a deciding factor, but I thought I'd let you know.
It may be good for you to get away from home and into a very different place. That said, California (or even Massachusetts) is a long way from England. :smile:

If you're seriously considering it, you'll probably need to look into taking the ACT or the SAT. The top schools will want a phenomenal score, so you may want to take it a few times if you can to get the best results you can.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 3

LewisG123

2

Original post by FiFi-Ash

I'm thinking about studying Engineering at university and I'll be starting my AS in September. However, university is fast approaching and recently I've been considering going to America for university.

Now, if I stayed in the UK hopefully I aim to get into universities such as Cambridge or Imperial but in world league tables, American unis such as Princeton, MIT, Uni of California, Stanford and California Institute of technology look really great.

I know it's a lot about personal choice but is the move too big? Is it worth it? (No I'm not purely thinking about going to America as they're the top unis but also because it's a new experience and I could surf more often :P) It also seems cheaper at the moment...

What's everyone's opinion on the matter?

I can back up the above post. I was looking at studying in the US, even the colleges that are a level off of the top (Miami, Penn state, Texas) are going to cost at least three times as much as any UK university. Also you might have difficulty with financial aid from your college. Some said to me they don't give any to international students, others said they only pay a certain amount for you, you have to reapply every semester and it could be rejected at any time. Also you have to pay about $50 per application which is about £35 I believe.

I don't mean to sound so negative about them, I think they'd be a great experience and I think the student life would be better than here. Also if you're good at a sport they're not big on then you might have a chance? A boy I know got a football scholarship and he was never amazing, just pretty good.

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Reply 4

FiFi-Ash

OP

Ah okay.. I realise why I thought it was cheaper, a friend of mine got a scholarship in America :P and yeah I get the whole british prestige but better american student life thing...decisions decisions...

Change is always good but maybe it's too big a change, and I forgot about boarding fees *facepalm* :')
It's still looking relatively appealing though, at least an option...as I still need to get in first :P

does anyone know if the SATs are quite hard?

Reply 5

LewisG123

2

Original post by FiFi-Ash

Ah okay.. I realise why I thought it was cheaper, a friend of mine got a scholarship in America :P and yeah I get the whole british prestige but better american student life thing...decisions decisions...

Change is always good but maybe it's too big a change, and I forgot about boarding fees *facepalm* :')
It's still looking relatively appealing though, at least an option...as I still need to get in first :P

does anyone know if the SATs are quite hard?

I don't really necessarily agree with the point about prestige. I think for things like engineering is CalTech one of the most respected in the world?

If think how hard they are would depend how clever you are and how you prepare, like all tests really.

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Reply 6

GarnetStone

Original post by FiFi-Ash

does anyone know if the SATs are quite hard?

Ha, they're really easy. I scored a 2160 (out of 2400) on my first try with very little preparation. :P
You have three sections: reading, math and writing (some universities don't look at the writing, but I'd imagine that Ivy League schools will). Writing consists of an essay and then some grammar questions (you have to identify whether a given sentence is wrong and pick the correct structure if it is). Reading is just simple reading comprehension. Math is simple if you actually remember the simple stuff from years ago (I didn't). It's mostly simple geometry (complementary angles and stuff like that). If you're concerned, they sell SAT prep books online that have a lot of sample tests in them. Come to think of it, if you go to the collegeboard website, they have practice questions up there for free.
As for what someone said above about application fees, they run about $80-90 per school. One of my friends paid over $400 just in application fees earlier this year.

Reply 7

FiFi-Ash

OP

Original post by LewisG123

I don't really necessarily agree with the point about prestige. I think for things like engineering is CalTech one of the most respected in the world?

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I think people just mean not necessarily degree wise but just the whole stereotypical British prestige thing :P

Original post by GarnetStone

Ha, they're really easy. I scored a 2160 (out of 2400) on my first try with very little preparation. :P
You have three sections: reading, math and writing (some universities don't look at the writing, but I'd imagine that Ivy League schools will). Writing consists of an essay and then some grammar questions (you have to identify whether a given sentence is wrong and pick the correct structure if it is). Reading is just simple reading comprehension. Math is simple if you actually remember the simple stuff from years ago (I didn't). It's mostly simple geometry (complementary angles and stuff like that). If you're concerned, they sell SAT prep books online that have a lot of sample tests in them. Come to think of it, if you go to the collegeboard website, they have practice questions up there for free.
As for what someone said above about application fees, they run about $80-90 per school. One of my friends paid over $400 just in application fees earlier this year.

Ah okay thanks doesn't sound too bad, that's really helpful :smile:

woah that's a lot...how much are application fees in England? :s-smilie:

American or English University?

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