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age to start US universities?
hey
having recently been rejected from oxford, i am considering applying to US universities. These would probably be Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton and Stanford.
However I am slightly concerned because if I got in, I would start uni at the age of 19. In the UK the majority of undergraduates begin at 18 but according to a friend, in the US you start at 17? Is this true? Can someone explain to me your high school system and the various years and ages?
My other concern is the fees. They seem to me horrendously high. My family is relatively well off and we would not qualify for any kind of financial support; however we are not rich and paying for four years of uni, especially as this expense would be unplanned for, would be a huge strain on my parents. How difficult is it to get scholarships?
And finally, can someone explain the difference between private and non-private universities? I know the ivy leages are all private and hence more expensive. What about somewhere like Berkeley? Is it cheaper? and are there other non-private but very well respected unis?
thanks a lot
xxx
having recently been rejected from oxford, i am considering applying to US universities. These would probably be Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton and Stanford.
However I am slightly concerned because if I got in, I would start uni at the age of 19. In the UK the majority of undergraduates begin at 18 but according to a friend, in the US you start at 17? Is this true? Can someone explain to me your high school system and the various years and ages?
My other concern is the fees. They seem to me horrendously high. My family is relatively well off and we would not qualify for any kind of financial support; however we are not rich and paying for four years of uni, especially as this expense would be unplanned for, would be a huge strain on my parents. How difficult is it to get scholarships?
And finally, can someone explain the difference between private and non-private universities? I know the ivy leages are all private and hence more expensive. What about somewhere like Berkeley? Is it cheaper? and are there other non-private but very well respected unis?
thanks a lot
xxx
this might help you with the age thing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States
You start generally, at 18. We have "kindergarten" as the first year, and it doesn't count in the numbering system, so we end in 12th grade.
I don't know much about Oxford's fees (I'm a Cambridge reject
) but here's Berkeley's fees: http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/cost_fees.shtml#1
We start "high school" at about 14, and continue until 17/18, generally four years, but there is some variation in this. I turn 18 8 days after I graduate
Private universities are funded by their own investments and their attendees, but public universities are subsidized by (generally) the state governments, like the University of California system.
Another thing to keep in mind is that US uni (or "college" as its known here) lasts for 4 years because it has general education requirements or general "electives", which at places like Berkeley, last all 4 years. However, you might be able to get credits for your A levels so you don't have to spend all 4 years.
Good luck!!
I don't know much about Oxford's fees (I'm a Cambridge reject
) but here's Berkeley's fees: http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/cost_fees.shtml#1We start "high school" at about 14, and continue until 17/18, generally four years, but there is some variation in this. I turn 18 8 days after I graduate
Private universities are funded by their own investments and their attendees, but public universities are subsidized by (generally) the state governments, like the University of California system.
Another thing to keep in mind is that US uni (or "college" as its known here) lasts for 4 years because it has general education requirements or general "electives", which at places like Berkeley, last all 4 years. However, you might be able to get credits for your A levels so you don't have to spend all 4 years.
Good luck!!
Rosie151
hey
having recently been rejected from oxford, i am considering applying to US universities. These would probably be Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton and Stanford.
However I am slightly concerned because if I got in, I would start uni at the age of 19. In the UK the majority of undergraduates begin at 18 but according to a friend, in the US you start at 17? Is this true? Can someone explain to me your high school system and the various years and ages?
My other concern is the fees. They seem to me horrendously high. My family is relatively well off and we would not qualify for any kind of financial support; however we are not rich and paying for four years of uni, especially as this expense would be unplanned for, would be a huge strain on my parents. How difficult is it to get scholarships?
And finally, can someone explain the difference between private and non-private universities? I know the ivy leages are all private and hence more expensive. What about somewhere like Berkeley? Is it cheaper? and are there other non-private but very well respected unis?
thanks a lot
xxx
having recently been rejected from oxford, i am considering applying to US universities. These would probably be Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton and Stanford.
However I am slightly concerned because if I got in, I would start uni at the age of 19. In the UK the majority of undergraduates begin at 18 but according to a friend, in the US you start at 17? Is this true? Can someone explain to me your high school system and the various years and ages?
My other concern is the fees. They seem to me horrendously high. My family is relatively well off and we would not qualify for any kind of financial support; however we are not rich and paying for four years of uni, especially as this expense would be unplanned for, would be a huge strain on my parents. How difficult is it to get scholarships?
And finally, can someone explain the difference between private and non-private universities? I know the ivy leages are all private and hence more expensive. What about somewhere like Berkeley? Is it cheaper? and are there other non-private but very well respected unis?
thanks a lot
xxx
It's not that hard to get a scholarship, but the scholarships very rarely cover your entire tuition. If the program costs $40,000 a year, chances are you'll be paying at least half of that even with scholarships. Of course there's a chance you'll have your entire tuition covered, but you shouldn't count on that.
Private universities tend to charge somewhere from $30,000 to $40,000 a year in tuition (plus another $10,000 in room and board). Public universities tend to charge about $5,000-$10,000 to in-state students (people who are permanent residents of the state they go to college in) and $15,000 to $20,000 to non-state students (whether people from another state or another country). Some examples of good public universities are most of the colleges in the University of California (Berkeley, UCLA, etc.), University of Michigan, University of Virginia, etc.
http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges/
That website tells you how much you should expect to pay for public universities. It doesn't really make much sense for a foreigner to apply to any but the best public universities though, since name recognition for decent ones will be non-existent outside of the US.
The majority of US students start uni at age 18, but starting at 19 won't hurt you at all. Many of my friends are a year older because they took an extra year before kindergarden and it hasn't affected them at all. One of my good friends started at University of Virginia this year as a scholar in the top percent and she's 19 and loving it! Age doesn't really matter once you get to uni. No one cares.
Unfortunately, funding, especially as a foreigner, will be hard to come by. Any scholarship to attend the universities you are considering will have to be external and you will have to work to apply for them. There aren't any merit scholarships at the Ivies because they assume everyone who gets in would qualify, so all aid is need based. Uni for four years at Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton (I applied to all those) and Stanford will be around $40,000/yr. Even state universities like University of Virginia and Berkeley will be very expensive and I'd reckon about the same price since they charge hefty fees to foreigners. Non-private universities are only really significantly cheaper for in state residents.
Good luck.
Unfortunately, funding, especially as a foreigner, will be hard to come by. Any scholarship to attend the universities you are considering will have to be external and you will have to work to apply for them. There aren't any merit scholarships at the Ivies because they assume everyone who gets in would qualify, so all aid is need based. Uni for four years at Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton (I applied to all those) and Stanford will be around $40,000/yr. Even state universities like University of Virginia and Berkeley will be very expensive and I'd reckon about the same price since they charge hefty fees to foreigners. Non-private universities are only really significantly cheaper for in state residents.
Good luck.
As everyone else has said, 19 isn't old at all. I have a bunch of friends who've started US uni at 19 and done fine.
Price-wise, however, is a different story. The best scholarships can be garnered from private companies (coca-cola, big 33, best buy, etc) and small, local scholarships, however, most of these aren't open to international students. Some schools offer merit scholarships (but none of those that you mentioned), but often, merit scholarships, too, aren't open to international students. I'd check out Washington University in St. Louis as a great school (6th or 7th in the country), as well as Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Chicago as more great schools with a bunch of merit scholarships that are available to int'l students. Yale, Brown, Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, etc are ridiculously expensive and, I warn you, just as selective as Oxford or Cambridge.
Schools like those (^) do offer need based aid and claim to meet "every bit of your need," but that's a load of crock. They'll want you to fill out a bunch of forms anyway (FAFSA, CSS Profile, etc) in order to be eligible for those, so bear that in mind, too. (The forms aren't that big of a deal, they just take FOREVER.)
Hope that helps somewhat!
Price-wise, however, is a different story. The best scholarships can be garnered from private companies (coca-cola, big 33, best buy, etc) and small, local scholarships, however, most of these aren't open to international students. Some schools offer merit scholarships (but none of those that you mentioned), but often, merit scholarships, too, aren't open to international students. I'd check out Washington University in St. Louis as a great school (6th or 7th in the country), as well as Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Chicago as more great schools with a bunch of merit scholarships that are available to int'l students. Yale, Brown, Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, etc are ridiculously expensive and, I warn you, just as selective as Oxford or Cambridge.
Schools like those (^) do offer need based aid and claim to meet "every bit of your need," but that's a load of crock. They'll want you to fill out a bunch of forms anyway (FAFSA, CSS Profile, etc) in order to be eligible for those, so bear that in mind, too. (The forms aren't that big of a deal, they just take FOREVER.)
Hope that helps somewhat!
I suggest you check out Schools known for good merit aid.
Unfortunately, Berkeley's undergraduate cost is considerably higher than megxers's link suggests. In fact, it's roughly the same price as the Ivies.
http://students.berkeley.edu/fao/ugbudget06-07.html
Unfortunately, Berkeley's undergraduate cost is considerably higher than megxers's link suggests. In fact, it's roughly the same price as the Ivies.
http://students.berkeley.edu/fao/ugbudget06-07.html
Rosie151
hey
having recently been rejected from oxford, i am considering applying to US universities. These would probably be Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton and Stanford.
However I am slightly concerned because if I got in, I would start uni at the age of 19. In the UK the majority of undergraduates begin at 18 but according to a friend, in the US you start at 17? Is this true? Can someone explain to me your high school system and the various years and ages?
My other concern is the fees. They seem to me horrendously high. My family is relatively well off and we would not qualify for any kind of financial support; however we are not rich and paying for four years of uni, especially as this expense would be unplanned for, would be a huge strain on my parents. How difficult is it to get scholarships?
And finally, can someone explain the difference between private and non-private universities? I know the ivy leages are all private and hence more expensive. What about somewhere like Berkeley? Is it cheaper? and are there other non-private but very well respected unis?
thanks a lot
xxx
having recently been rejected from oxford, i am considering applying to US universities. These would probably be Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton and Stanford.
However I am slightly concerned because if I got in, I would start uni at the age of 19. In the UK the majority of undergraduates begin at 18 but according to a friend, in the US you start at 17? Is this true? Can someone explain to me your high school system and the various years and ages?
My other concern is the fees. They seem to me horrendously high. My family is relatively well off and we would not qualify for any kind of financial support; however we are not rich and paying for four years of uni, especially as this expense would be unplanned for, would be a huge strain on my parents. How difficult is it to get scholarships?
And finally, can someone explain the difference between private and non-private universities? I know the ivy leages are all private and hence more expensive. What about somewhere like Berkeley? Is it cheaper? and are there other non-private but very well respected unis?
thanks a lot
xxx
A girl from by school was abit of a brain and started at Harvard at the age of 16.. So if really just depends on when you applied.. on average I'd say 18.
Remember in the US it's not "common" to take a gap yr, as it is in the UK. Another friend what almost 20 when he applied to Oxford and got in as an undergrad and not a mature student. I wouldn't worry at all about the ages of your fellow students - it's the degree program that's probably more important.
megxers
I don't know much about Oxford's fees (I'm a Cambridge reject) but here's Berkeley's fees: http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/cost_fees.shtml#1
I don't know much about Oxford's fees (I'm a Cambridge reject
) but here's Berkeley's fees: http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/cost_fees.shtml#1That makes it out at about $11,914.25 which is only £6,047.67...
Thats less than double what it costs as a home student in the UK (£3,070), so surely that's expected as you're not a home student in the US?
Also, those other calculations take into account things like food etc, but thats about the same thing no matter where you are from or go (although I was under the impression everything's a lot cheaper in the US...)
So assuming that tuition fees etc are the only thing you're paying extra, thats not too bad really...
Btw, if you don't mind me asking, why consider dropping the UK altogether just because you didn't get into Oxford - plenty of people don't. (high five to the co-cambridge reject
)
arkbar
Living cost in the US is lower, but accomodation at UCs is INSANE. (Think $12000)
Can't you live off-campus? I know rent in California isn't that high...
abrp
when you say living costs are lower do you mean compared to on average with UK or places like London?
Any place. New York is the most expensive city in the US, which makes it the 29th most expensive city in the world. London is 3rd or 4th.
Can't you live off-campus? I know rent in California isn't that high...
I could but I didn't really fancy attempting to sort out a room whilst on the other side of the world.
Sadly, Santa Barbara has absolutely ridiculous real estate costs, preventing many students from living in the city itself, whilst the cost of living in IV (the 80% student town next to campus) is artificially inflated by students willingness to pay anything to be near college. Therefore, living in an apartment wouldn't really be that much cheaper than living in halls.
That is, unless I lived in the Santa Barbara Housing Co-Op but I don't think I could handle hippies for that long.
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