Why do people want to go to American universities rather than UK ones?

Doodles2023

I'm trying to collect a little bit of info for an article I might be writing and was wondering what the different reasons for wanting to go to America for university are.

I don't mean people wanting to go to Harvard and Yale, I just mean your average American university but I also welcome answers from those wanting to attend Harvard and Yale.

Spoiler

BONUS QUESTION: What would make you choose going to a university in America over going to a university in the UK?

EDIT: What are job prospects like after going to university in the USA vs UK?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

That'sGreat

21

Because English accents in America will make you a magnet to the girls. That and playing the guitar will make your uni life the best time of your life (if you're a guy atleast)

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Original post by Doodles2023

I'm trying to collect a little bit of info for an article I might be writing and was wondering what the different reasons for wanting to go to America for university are.

I don't mean people wanting to go to Harvard and Yale, I just mean your average American university but I also welcome answers from those wanting to attend Harvard and Yale.

Spoiler

BONUS QUESTION: What would make you choose going to a university in America over going to a university in the UK?

When I tried to go to uni in the US, it was largely because of the collegiate sports, how proud students are of their school (especially at sports) and social opportunities that are miles better than what's on offer in the UK.

You know that when you apply for a job, if there's someone from your college at that company and you fit the profile, they'll fight your corner whereas here in the UK, not so much, no one cares outside of Russell Group and even then, unless you know the person, they won't fight your corner.

The above was my reasoning, alas I didn't go in the end as they wanted me to do a foundation year first (I didn't take A-Levels) and I wasn't going to do that as I also got a job offer that has led to great things since, I will try and do my MBA at USC though as I want to live and work in LA full time at some point.

Does that help in any way? :lol:

Reply 4

Doodles2023

OP

6

Original post by That'sGreat

Because English accents in America will make you a magnet to the girls. That and playing the guitar will make your uni life the best time of your life (if you're a guy atleast)

You could just put on an American accent in England and save yourself quite a bit of money :biggrin:

Reply 5

MissVampire

17

Original post by Doodles2023

I'm trying to collect a little bit of info for an article I might be writing and was wondering what the different reasons for wanting to go to America for university are.

I don't mean people wanting to go to Harvard and Yale, I just mean your average American university but I also welcome answers from those wanting to attend Harvard and Yale.

Spoiler

BONUS QUESTION: What would make you choose going to a university in America over going to a university in the UK?

I guess it's because of the film and media. You know? Joining sororities and all that malarkey. But I also feel people just want to immerse themselves into a different culture and experience how uni is somewhere else.

Reply 6

Doodles2023

OP

6

Original post by Yaboi

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What?

Reply 7

Doodles2023

OP

6

Original post by PandaSal

When I tried to go to uni in the US, it was largely because of the collegiate sports, how proud students are of their school (especially at sports) and social opportunities that are miles better than what's on offer in the UK.

You know that when you apply for a job, if there's someone from your college at that company and you fit the profile, they'll fight your corner whereas here in the UK, not so much, no one cares outside of Russell Group and even then, unless you know the person, they won't fight your corner.

The above was my reasoning, alas I didn't go in the end as they wanted me to do a foundation year first (I didn't take A-Levels) and I wasn't going to do that as I also got a job offer that has led to great things since, I will try and do my MBA at USC though as I want to live and work in LA full time at some point.

Does that help in any way? :lol:

That has helped - Thank you! :smile:

Another question if you don't mind - Was cost one of the additional factors as to why you didn't chose to go or was it fully because of the foundation year?

Reply 8

squirrology

20

1. The social life is 10000000000000 times better than UK social life.

2. The majority of universities in the US are situated in extremely beautiful states/cities which allow for you to explore. Whereas places such as Doncaster don't have the same WOW factor compared to places such as Dallas TX, Charlotte NC, Manhanten NY etc.

3. There are many reputable institutions in the USA. In 2016/2017 QS world rankings there were 5 American universities ranked in the top 10 universities in the World, M.I.T being first.
https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016

I would only consider going to university in America over a UK university if the tuition fees were lower.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 9

Doodles2023

OP

6

Original post by MissVampire

I guess it's because of the film and media. You know? Joining sororities and all that malarkey. But I also feel people just want to immerse themselves into a different culture and experience how uni is somewhere else.

I didn't really think about film and media representation playing a major part in it but it's quite a good point as to why people might choose to go. Thank you :smile:

Reply 10

Doodles2023

OP

6

Original post by squirrology

1. The social life is 10000000000000 times better than UK social life.

2. The majority of universities in the US are situated in extremely beautiful states/cities which allow for you to explore. Whereas places such as Doncaster don't have the same WOW factor compared to places such as Dallas TX, Charlotte NC, Manhanten NY etc.

3. There are many reputable institutions in the USA. In 2016/2017 QS world rankings there were 5 American universities ranked in the top 10 universities in the World, M.I.T being first.
https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016

I would only consider going to university in America over a UK university if the tuition fees were lower.

When you say about how the social life is better is it because things are cheaper or because there's more to do, or possibly a mix of both?

Reply 11

rolaah

13

Original post by squirrology

1. The social life is 10000000000000 times better than UK social life.

2. The majority of universities in the US are situated in extremely beautiful states/cities which allow for you to explore. Whereas places such as Doncaster don't have the same WOW factor compared to places such as Dallas TX, Charlotte NC, Manhanten NY etc.

3. There are many reputable institutions in the USA. In 2016/2017 QS world rankings there were 5 American universities ranked in the top 10 universities in the World, M.I.T being first.
https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016

I would only consider going to university in America over a UK university if the tuition fees were lower.

1. Drinking age is 21? Frat boy and rape culture? Sounds great.

2. Cities like London and Cambridge are more beautiful and historic than any US campus

3. Did you forget the number of UK unis in the top 100? For such a small country there's an awful lot :smile:

(Ox, Cam, UCL, LSE, ICL, KCL...)

Reply 12

squirrology

20

Original post by Doodles2023

When you say about how the social life is better is it because things are cheaper or because there's more to do, or possibly a mix of both?

I would say a mix of both.

Reply 13

Doodles2023

OP

6

Original post by squirrology

I would say a mix of both.

Thank you

Reply 14

PandaSal

10

Original post by Doodles2023

That has helped - Thank you! :smile:

Another question if you don't mind - Was cost one of the additional factors as to why you didn't chose to go or was it fully because of the foundation year?

The cost for attending when I was looking was roughly $50k per year (education, housing, social life etc) which is a lot (it's like $20k more a year now) but the cost wasn't a factor in deciding not to go, it was the additional year as a foundation that I didn't want to do as that would've made it 5 years rather than 4 although in hindsight I wish I'd done the foundation year as doing a degree through OU takes a long time.

I've made friends at various US colleges (NYU, Columbia, UCLA and USC mainly) and I spent time over there at certain times so I could experience the US college culture as best I could, it rocked and I wish I'd done the foundation year but c'est la vie as the frogs say.

Reply 15

Kholmes1

18

Do you have to choose your subject you want to do before?? Or do you choose your subject when your there, so you can do multiple subjects?

If thats true then thats probably a reason.

Reply 16

squirrology

20

Original post by rolaah

1. Drinking age is 21? Frat boy and rape culture? Sounds great.

2. Cities like London and Cambridge are more beautiful and historic than any US campus

3. Did you forget the number of UK unis in the top 100? For such a small country there's an awful lot :smile:

(Ox, Cam, UCL, LSE, ICL, KCL...)

1. When I speak of social life, I mean there's more things to do in university towns in America than in the UK. Drug culture in UK universities are becoming extremely bad.

2. Subjective.

3. I specifically stated that in the top 10 QS world ranking there are 5 American universities listed. Of course I didn't forget there are good universities in the UK but in the top 3 they are all American universities beating Cambridge & Oxford lol???

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 17

DanB1991

17

Original post by squirrology

1. When I speak of social life, I mean there's more things to do in university towns in America than in the UK

That's incredibly subjective, most US university towns are rather small and limited in scope compared to the Main university cities in the UK.

London, Manchester, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Leicester, Oxford, Cambridge etc etc are all generally larger with more social activities than their US comparisons outside of certain exceptions such as New York. Even UK university 'towns' like bristol still offer great social opportunities for their students.

I personally think it's more due to they 'hype' people see in the media concerning US colleges, even then to get a similar experience you're going to be aiming for the more famous US colleges which are simply out of budget for most people, even within the US itself.

Although the whole sport scene and Fraternities & Sororities in the US are on a completely different level in the US. Most university students in the UK just want to get pissed by comparison. All the US students who visited our rather minor uni always commented on how much we used to drunk in comparison! GO STAFFS! :bl: