American 17 year old desperate to study in the UK, please help me.

Hi,
My name is Mike Lafferty and I'm 17 years old from Providence, RI. It's always been my dream to study in the UK, preferably England. Since I'm graduating from High School in June next year, I decided to start some research on English colleges. I don't know how to apply for any college major and I'm extremely confused.

I looked in to it and spoke to my mom and dad about it, they seem to like the idea and fully support me living there. But I have no idea what England is like (or Scotland) as I've never left the United States before in my life (I've never even been to Canada, lol :colondollar:

). I recently saved up all my work money in order to buy my first ever passport in preparation for going to England or Scotland but my guidance counselor told me that it's extremely difficult for American students to study in the UK due to the different syllabus and that my major would put me at a disadvantage once I returned to the U.S looking for work. I just really wanna travel and see stuff but my parents have always been saving up to send me to a good college we couldn't go on vacations outside of America, we just go to Disney World every year for 2 weeks.

I have my drivers license, my own car, I work two jobs (In Taco Bell and Krogers), I'm the quarterback of my High school football team, I help Autistic kids at a support group in my local church after class doing like arts and crafts, I get good grades - not straight A's but they're pretty good, I help out my mom and dad with housework and chores and I still do other things like mow my neighbor's lawn when he's not at home or he's out of town and he gives me around $20 for it. I just want to drop everything and live in the UK. I really wanna know if i'm doing enough because I'm so committed.

So, can you guys point me into the right direction? I'm just really needing some headway here. I've sat my SAT and I got a decent score. I just need to ask some basic questions like: Is it 21 to drink alcohol in the UK just like the U.S? or is it like 16 lol. What's the nightlife like as a college student in England? How much does tuition and dorms cost? What SAT score do I need? Anything, I'd be extremely grateful for your help!

Many kind returns,
Mike

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Reply 1

PhoenixAngel

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1. 18 is the legal drinking or 16 with a meal.
2. UK students don't sit SATs so not sure how there take them into account as Scottish students sit Highers and the rest A-Levels.
3. Dorms are start in at like £120 a week. Depends where you are and how good the building is.
4. Tutition is more foreign students. Might be different for each uni.
5. The nightlife will depend on where the uni is. Though they all do have unions and clubs. Also most discuss their locations on their websites.
6. You need to apply through UCAS and can apply to 5 courses(but there could all be at the same uni). You apply for specific course e.g. English Literature, at the uni you like. There is course search feature on UCAS website. You write a personal statement thats for all 5 univeristies and you need one reference.

P.S. my phone posted earlar than I wanted it too.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

AdamCee

Original post by MikeLaffertyUSA

I'm not 100% sure how American education works but it's pretty different from the UK. First of all we don't really have majors and minors, and we call college university - college to us is something completely different, (A study from 16-18 usually). The nightlife completely depends on the area you live in; of course the cities are better, but places like St Andrews have virtually no night life. Best bet is to research the area see what you can find.

I'm not sure at all how American students apply to UK universities - I know we definitely have a special system for applying to American uni's, so I'm sure you'll also have something. Best speak to someone at your school for help as it might be pretty complicated. In terms of grades, again we're completely different - we don't have a GPA or anything and take 3/4 A levels or 6 (I think) Highers, if you're in Scotland. Generally A*AA for an excellent university, AAB/ABB for a good university, or BBB/BBC ish for a mid-range or lower one.

Reply 3

WoanderinCC

American student here, and I've done considerable research into UK admissions for US folk.

1. Most UK Universities will only care about your AP and SATII scores, as long as your GPA and SAT meet a certain point. The higher up you aim, the less GPA and SAT matter. (Oxbridge won't care.) Check university websites for American qualification requirements. Get those, and you're most likely in (except for Oxbridge, Durham, KCL, Imperial, and the top unis).
2. What course of study are you interested in? Note: in most cases, you won't get to get a Liberal Arts curriculum, which HYPS and the top LACs all have. You learn one or two subjects for 3-4 years. Choose one, (or two), and find schools that offer it. Check rankings for the best schools, and look where you're aiming.
3. Are you applying to any safety schools in USA? If so, you can afford to aim for schools just barely or just above your current academic reach. If not, make sure to have one you will definitely get in at. Your GCs can talk to you about safeties, matches, and reaches.
4. Since you likely have a few more APs to take this year, you put those on the application, and UK universities will give you 'conditional offers.' This means you have to get a certain grade (such as 443 in Math related subjects i.e. Calculus, Statistics, and Physics) and then you're definitely in. You may get an unconditional offer, which means you're definitely in.
5. UK universities don't care about extra-curriculars unless it directly relates to your course. For example, if you're going for law and you have experience as an intern at a law firm, that can help. However, volunteering at the nearest elderly center is useless. (Side note: Do NOT use the phrase "community service" as that commonly refers to forced service for the community because of a misdemeanor. Use volunteer if you need to, but usually, you don't really need to.)
6. Use the Student Room (this site) for UK application/university specific questions. Use the College Confidential for questions related to being an American. I'm there too.

Good luck! Reply to this if you have any more questions.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

WoanderinCC

Hi again!

I just saw your other post in the Welcome Lounge and noticed you're interested in Business and Economics. Are you interested in theoretical Economics and work as a researcher/professor or for the government? Or are you interested in learning skills such as accounting, finance, marketing, and work for a corporation? Or do you want to learn both?

What's your cumulative UW GPA? What's your most recent standardized test (ACT, SAT, PSAT)? What's your AP scores so far, and what APs are you taking now? What SATIIs have you taken and plan to take?

Are you applying for only reach UK universities, or do you need a safety?

If you don't feel comfortable answering any of the above, just don't. I'll try help you find some good schools, so the more info I have, the better I can help you.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 5

Spacey Sprocket

Why giveup the sunshine of Cali and women on rollerblades wearing bikinis for the boring dump England is? id switch places in a heartbeat.

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Reply 6

swanseajack1

you really need to act quickly as the deadline for applications is 15 January. you apply through ucas. if you check ucas course search for the course you require this will tell you all the unis providing the course and their entry standards. the individual prospectuses give more detailed information. there are basically two types of uni the older city ones based in city centres and the more modern campus universities. Examples of the older type are Oxford Cambridge Durham Bristol and Cardiff. Campus unis include Warwick Bath Exeter Lancaster and Swansea. There are numerous unis in London including LSE Imperial Kings and UCL. All four unis are in the centre of London and are difficult to get into. Oxford Cambridge and Durham are also very difficult to get into. Living in or around London is far more expensive than other parts of the uk. Again the cost of living is something you need to take into account when considering where to study. basically the further north or west you go the cheaper the cost of living is likely to be. An exception is the west country where Bristol Bath and Exeter are quite expensive. There are three main rankings tables the complete university guide the guardian university guide and the sunday times university guide. as you have never travelled outside of the uk you will need to adjust to a change of currency. a british pound is currently worth about 1.6 dollars although this can change. Britain is more expensive generally for food than the USA. as far as nightlife is concerned the biggest cities have more of things like bands and theatres and have larger shopping cenres. however most unis have active students unions who organise these kind of events on campus and generally have student bars as well. most towns or cities have a variety of pubs and clubs. Swansea for example has a street called wind street which has in excess of 15 bars and clubs. broad street in Birmingham is similar as is st marys street in Cardiff.

Reply 7

livvydibby

I live in London and most of the unis I've visited have boasted the number of international students they have so they definitely like to have diversity here. Some of the top univeristies like Bath (my sister goes there) has soooo many international students so really as long as you've researched the entry requirements for internationals and/or emailed the universities you're interested in personally, I don't see why you'd be at any disadvantage. Especially with all the extra curricular stuff you've done, you should have a great chance but I would really recommend speaking directly to the universities you are interested in as they might have better information on how you can successfully apply. Good luck!

Reply 8

Spacey Sprocket

Original post by livvydibby

They just want the international fees.

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Reply 9

William Turtle

Original post by Spacey Sprocket

They just want the international fees.

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They have to 'boast' it, because they'll always have lots of internationals (they want the fees), and lots of people see that as a negative.

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Reply 10

swanseajack1

further to my earlier post the deadline is 6pm uk time 10am your time on 15/1. your school will also need to complete their reference by then as that is the deadline for the application to be received by ucas so you need to speak to your school and warn them of this. you will be too late to apply for Oxford Cambridge or medical school as that deadline was October. You also need your predicted grades from your school. Please ignore some of the comments above. if you want to travel and study in the uk that is your choice. The uk is full of differing options. Some are in big cities like London Birmingham Leeds and Manchester. Some are in smaller picturesque and historical cities like Durham Bath and Exeter and some are seaside universities like Swansea and Aberystwyth. The UK generally is safer than the USA and this is from someone who has visited many cities in the USA on several occasions

Reply 11

livvydibby

Original post by William Turtle

They have to 'boast' it, because they'll always have lots of internationals (they want the fees), and lots of people see that as a negative.

Posted from TSR Mobile

don't see why anyone would see it as a negative. Internationals have to pay higher fees, obviously but a university wanting you so they get more money doesn't put you at any sort of disadvantage. You still get to go to the university and they treat you the same as everyone else of course with the occasional exception so its a win win

Reply 12

pinkteddyx64

When you apply for your student visa, you'll have to attend an interview for your visa application, and a reading of your fingerprints will be taken during the interview.

It would also help to not have a criminal record, as some, but not all have been refused a visa because of that.

Reply 13

William Turtle

Original post by livvydibby

No, the international students don't see it as negative - probably the opposite. The home students (may) do. Have you not noticed the herds of threads on here talking about how internationals can make bad flatmates; how they often detach themselves from the rest of the student body - dividing the community?

Whether or not these things are major problems, some people think they are, so universities need to try and change opinions to ensure their continued good reputation.

Reply 14

Limpopo

I have no idea as to the differences between UK and USA education but my guy feeling is thast as you are a US citizen, have grown up there and in all liklihood may spend the greater part of your life there, you should also follow through that education system and get whatever qualifications you can within that system.

Once you have built on those foundations you have a good level of security and can then consider Europe or the UK.

I think maybe there is a little bit of you that wants to break out and explore a little so maybe you could continue your US studies but seek travel opportunities either just on holiday or as part of study to visit the UK or wider Europe?

We have a saying in the UK.. Dont throw the baby out with the bath water !

PS I've visited Providence and wider RI during my travels...its a nice place .

I

Reply 15

Klix88

Original post by MikeLaffertyUSA

How much does tuition and dorms cost?

Cost has the potential to be a showstopper, so I'd advise that you look at this first, to determine whether your idea is actually feasible.

Economics or business (or a combination of both) are offered by a range of UK unis, so I'll take Leeds University as an example. It's a good upper middle ranking uni, in the top ten of UK unis for economics.

The BSc Business Economics international tuition fee is £14,500 per year for three years. That's a total of about US$68,300 (at current exchange rates) over three years.

Most undergrads will live in uni Halls (the equivalent of dorms) for their first year and will then be responsible for finding their own private rented accommodation for the second and third years. At Leeds, the Halls price range is currently around £3500-£7000 (US$5500-11000) for the academic year. That includes catered options, where meals are provided. Beware that the lower end of the price range will usually be very basic and you may end up sharing a bathroom in accommodation which is due for a refurb. However, all bills are normally included. Private rented accommodation for your second and third years will usually be a comparable price and you'll have bills (heating, electricity, water, internet etc) on top.

UK students usually move back home over the summer months and Leeds don't seem to have any longer-let Halls aimed at international undergrad students, so you'll have to find your own accommodation for a few weeks at the end of your first year if you don't go home to the US for the summer.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 16

MikeLaffertyUSA

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the useful information, it's really helping me out right now.

One of you guys was wondering what my GPA is, It's 3.81 and I scored around 1900 on my SAT which is awesome imo.

I spoke to my dad like 30 minutes ago and asked him about it. He said that after Christmas once my application is submitted, we can visit the universities i've applied to! I'm not rich or anything but my dad is on a 2 year contract with Deutsche Bahn at the moment (he's a civil engineer). He flies out to Germany three times a month for meetings and has done so for the past year which has allowed him to accumulate enough frequent flyer miles with Lufthansa. (He has enough to fly to Hong Kong return first class!) and also Amex give him rewards so extra frequent flyer miles.

I'm just gonna modify and use my college essay for the personal statement part since there's literally no time left. It'll do, it's pretty strong too.

I've found the universities I wanna apply to and they are:
The University of Strathclyde
University of Bath
The University of Exeter
Leeds Metropolitan University
and finally,
University College London

I've been told that some of these are damn difficult to get into, is this true?

Just counting the days until I can leave and finally visit England :biggrin:

Reply 17

MikeLaffertyUSA

Original post by Spacey Sprocket

Why giveup the sunshine of Cali and women on rollerblades wearing bikinis for the boring dump England is? id switch places in a heartbeat.

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Dude, CA may have beaches but England has castles! That's awesome!

Reply 18

Clip

Original post by MikeLaffertyUSA

Don't go to Strathclyde unless you have ever been to Glasgow. You might love it, you might hate it. Some of it isn't particularly central.

Exeter is lovely, and a top place - however, it's very campus. Middle of nowhere.

Bath is a small city, again a nice place and a top uni.

UCL is just the best. If you have some money behind you for living, there's nothing you can't do in London.

I know absolutely nothing about Leeds Met.

Living wise, you will need the most money for UCL, then Bath and Exeter will be about the same - quite a bit cheaper. Then Glasgow.

I don't know what the status is for International students working. If you can get a job at the Student Union, they pay a lot more than any job you might otherwise find.

Reply 19

Klix88

Original post by MikeLaffertyUSA

I've found the universities I wanna apply to and they are:
The University of Strathclyde
University of Bath
The University of Exeter
Leeds Metropolitan University
and finally,
University College London

I've been told that some of these are damn difficult to get into, is this true?D

UCL is next tier down from Oxford and Cambridge. Any degree involving finance or business aspects will be frighteningly competitive as it has international brand recognition. Bath, Exeter and Strathclyde are all good unis - slightly behind the likes of UCL but still extremely solid. Bath is sometimes viewed as an 'overflow' uni for students who didn't quite get into Oxbridge! Leeds Met is lower down the pecking order.

Overall, I'd say that was a good spread of options for your application. One aspirational, three good but safer, and one fallback.