Possibility of studying in the USA (Hopefully Harvard)

I advise you begin by figuring out where you are going to get about $300,000 to spend four years at Harvard and what job you plan on doing to pay it all back (armed with a Liberal Arts degree)

Ummm... I'm pretty sure most people have heard of Ivy Leagues... That doesn't necessarily make me an expert on the varying names and abbreviations of American colleges. I'd heard the abbreviated use of Penn State, and assumed that it was in reference to the University of Pennsylvania. I was corrected, I attempted to make light of my error, you proceeded to scathingly berate me... we're now in the midst of exchanging passive-aggressive retorts which I've grown tired of.

You've proven to be rather unsavory, but I'm sure you'd like to have the last word...

I advise you begin by figuring out where you are going to get about $300,000 to spend four years at Harvard and what job you plan on doing to pay it all back (armed with a Liberal Arts degree)

There's no 'state' in 'University of Pennsylvania' and UPenn is not a state university (none of the Ivies is, and almost all top schools in the US are private).

'Oxford University, Brookes Campus' teas.

I realise the financial constraints of an American University, hence why I intend to begin research on scholarships as well as familiarise myself with American schoolings, as it was so kindly pointed out that I am lacking.

I have not put all my eggs in one basket so to speak, I like the idea of American schooling, but at this moment in time I am posturing. Moreover, I'd say you have a rather bleak outlook on Liberal Arts degrees! I had rather hope of going to do a postgrad Law degree? Or as I'd been saying to Student403, some sort of Politics degree. Quite clearly this is all up in the wind and I need to research further before I am any definitive decisions.

Hi I also want to go US and I'm in year 12 too. My results were awful too but I really do want to get into American university, so I'm doing all I can this year to make up for my results basically. I'm resitting maths and hopefully English next year. Also I'm taking the SAT in January or March. In addition to this I do a load of extra-curricular activities. (By the way I am smart I was just extremely lazy last year). So what I'm trying to ask is what are my chances of getting into one. ** I want to study film btw.

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Once again, I was unaware. What part of 'I've been umming and arrghing'.... 'I need to research...' is too complex a concept for you to understand?

Your second comment was unnecessary and excuse my 'blindsighted ignorance', but I just don't seem to understand your reference.

If speaking to me is so exasperating, why do you bother replying? And if I have completely misconstrued the intention of your responses...actually I recant that, I am pretty sure I've gauged the tone completely.

Hahaha, calm down bro, as they say in London 'it's not that deep'. Berate is a strong word, I prefer mindless teasing.

Well, I was pointing out the differences here to you. But if you'd prefer just reading them yourself, fine.

Some time ago someone on TSR asked about an 'Oxford University' course that didn't exist. He then provided links to Oxford Brookes University's website and said it's offered on 'Brookes Campus'. #TrueStory

Now it's my turn to apologise!! The influx of responses has left me rather confused as to who I am responding to!!

I'm starting to realise that applying to America may not be as simple as I thought!!

*sighs * well excuse me if your wit was lost in translation in its typified form.

I suppose I must thank you, as I am starting to realise applying to American universities isn't as easy as I initially assumed.

Maybe I should stick to Russell Groups and leave Ivy Leagues for my alternate reality??

Financial aid bro, it's actually completely free if your household income is less than $65k. If it's between $65-150k, it's on a sliding scale from 0-10% of the household income.

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Does it really apply to UK students, though That's amazing if it does, but I'd imagine that it would depend on the university as well.

Just to clear up the who private vs. state, in the US, states are obliged to provide higher education for their young adults, which is why they set up 'state universities.' In effect, the state partly subsides the cost of tuition for 'in-state residents.' As a general rule, the 'state universities' cost less than the private universities -- even for out of state tuition. Of course, since private universities are no bound by this, they charge one rate.

I'm not too sure what sort of financial aid applies for a four-year course. Even if you apply to a UK university, especially if you are doing liberal arts, even participating in a UK-US exchange would benefit you enormously. The opportunity to study in the US, is such that...if you get the chance...do act upon it.

I am a history student, at the University of Plymouth and I took an exchange year to Idaho State University last year. I absolutely loved it, and often wish I can go back. There is much, much, much more Student finance help for you if you go down this route. Not to influence your university choice too much, but Plymouth University, offers direct exchanges with Plymouth State University (in New Hampshire), Mississippi (Ole Miss), Longwood (Virginia), Nebraska Wesleyan (a liberal arts college in Lincoln -- where the University of Nebraska is), Idaho State University and Montana State University. (Idaho State and Montana State are 'relatively close' being three-and-a-half hours away. Of course, if you still wanted to go to other universities, you can apply through ISEP which is essentially a UCAS to apply to American institutions on exchange. Of course, once you are at university, your exchange coordinator can help you out more. Most universities in the UK will offer exchange programs.

If you are interested, do have a look at Idaho State's program. You may or may not like it, but knowledge is power.
http://www.isu.edu/future/ ; there's a link at the bottom of the page which says 'request information.' I would recommend doing this a lot for a whole lot of institutions if you can.

I can only speak for their History and Political Science departments, but they have great teaching, and take their research very seriously. It's a Carnegie institution as well. If you still want to do Liberal Arts, I would also recommend Montana State as well. I've heard good things. I met a friend who applied directly to ISU for Economics, after he didn't get into Oxford. He did research on it, and found ISU's economics program above the likes of Exeter -- which is no mean feat.

Obviously, the more research you do, the easier it will be. Engage in the culture as much as you can, and also investigate other areas, such as the town and location. ISU is just over an hour from Salt Lake City. Also consider the climate and maybe start thinking of things you'll need. For a four year course at ISU For a four year course at

in the cheapest housing and with the cheapest meal plan, your looking at a ball park figure of $25,000 per semester -- or just a smidge over £16,000 per semester. https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-university-search/idaho-state-university

If you go for four years, there's a whole bunch of stuff that you'd need to go through. The US VIsa that you'd need is a F-1 visa, which is more difficult to get. You'd need SAT scores and I think there's a few more that you'd have to take too. You may find that you'd need to get a job -- and there's a whole bunch of restrictions for 'aliens.'

Good luck though, and I wish you the best in your exams. Don't be disheartened too much by your GCSEs, but do try to improve them. Scholarship offers -- especially for international students -- are insanely competitive, so you need to stand out from the crowd.

Yes it does, at about 27 ish US schools they meet full need for international students.

I realise the financial constraints of an American University, hence why I intend to begin research on scholarships as well as familiarise myself with American schoolings, as it was so kindly pointed out that I am lacking.

I have not put all my eggs in one basket so to speak, I like the idea of American schooling, but at this moment in time I am posturing. Moreover, I'd say you have a rather bleak outlook on Liberal Arts degrees! I had rather hope of going to do a postgrad Law degree? Or as I'd been saying to Student403, some sort of Politics degree. Quite clearly this is all up in the wind and I need to research further before I am any definitive decisions.

Yes, I do have an extremely low opinion of liberal arts degrees. They are not translating into good jobs for their holders. There are far too many LA graduates working as baristas in Starbucks.

Now, as for your post graduate degree in law, I assume you'd like to continue your studies in the US. You realise that's another three years to get a JD? You understand that even Tier 3 or 4 US law schools are charging $50,000+ a year just in tuition fees? You'll have to pay your living expenses on top of that so you'd be in for another $225,000. These law schools are scams - so appalling that many of their students can't even pass the state bar. Their records on employment are atrocious. Do you understand the hoplesness of the legal job market in the US? How do you like the idea of an unpaid internship or a $14/hr "doc review" job with a 3 person law firm while servicing over half a million in debt that's accruing 8% interest a year?

Go read "Law school Lemmings" for an idea of how bad legal education is in the US.

So, unless you're planning on doing your JD at Harvard or Yale or some similarly prestigious Tier 1 college so you have a chance of getting into "Big Law" (which will cost you a lot more than $50,000 a year in tuition) you might want to think again.

I hate raining on people's parades and being a "dream-slayer" but you seriously need to come down from the clouds!!

And IF I intended to study in America, I'd only aim for Ivy Leagues simply because I would a realistic chance of securing a job.

Essentially my policy as well. And if I get rejected by all of them, as is likely, I still have my UK universities to fall back on.

A note about the top universities though: places like Harvard and Yale don't have merit-based scholarships. They have need-based financial aid, which can be quite generous and is the same for internationals as for U.S. citizens. What I really love about Harvard's financial aid is that it sets the bar for financial aid so much higher than a UK university would (probably because incomes are typically higher in America).

My mother's a doctor so her pre-tax income is well over £50 000/year (something that would normally mean no support at UK universities) and yet, when I entered all the relevant information into Harvard's financial aid estimate calculator, my tuition fees came out to like ~$7 000/year which, while being more than I'd pay here because I'm Welsh (we only pay £3810/year), is quite a bit less than what English students have to pay. What's more, my mum would only be expected to pay $4 000 of that; the rest is covered by a term-time commitment on my part.

I might apply to a few state universities as well but the aid isn't nearly as generous at state universities and internationals are likely to be charged more than in-state students, so Ivy League it is.

There are top non-ivy universities bro: Duke. Chicago, Williams, Amherst, Georgetown, Northwestern etc

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Is the financial aid as generous at those universities? :3 I was kind of using the term Ivy League a little loosely to include universities that aren't actually in the Ivy League, such as MIT and Stanford.