Many international students apply to US universities every year, which is no surprise. After all, US universities are some of the top-ranked colleges globally, and many of them quite enjoy the experiences and viewpoints international students bring with them.
We’ve discussed the application process for international students before, and how it can trip up the unwary, since US universities operate very differently from their foreign counterparts. We’re going to continue that discussion today with the next phase; adjusting to a US college once you are admitted. We’re going to be looking specifically at the British system today, and how US universities are similar to and completely distinct from what you are used to. We’ll give you advice on what to expect, and how best to acclimate yourself. Let’s get started!
The Biggest Differences Between US and UK Universities
The biggest differences between these schools are both structural and cultural, and mainly stem from a single difference: what university education is for. UK universities, in general, exist to prepare students for a single defined goal, while US universities tend to be more generalized, with most following the liberal arts educational model. Here are the ways these differences appear:
- Time to degree. University in the UK is generally three years (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, though it’s four in Scotland). In the US, it’s almost always four years.
- Focus. In the US, applying without a major in mind is common, and switching happens regularly (though it’s easier in some schools than others). In the UK, you apply for a specific degree program, and stick with it.
- UK universities have courses solely focused on your area of study, with limited opportunities for other subjects. US universities often require you to take a broad range of courses, and allow you to take electives in most any field.
- US universities are significantly more expensive than UK universities, for both public and private schools.
These are somewhat generic, but another difference is the reason for this. There are simply many many more universities in the US than the UK; there are over 4,000 colleges in the US, while the UK is host to around 200. This means there are a range of things which can be said to be true of US universities; but what holds true for one school is likely not applicable across the board.
Differences Between UK High Schools and US Colleges
The differences in how university works on either side of the Atlantic are one thing, but this is not the primary cause of culture shock. After all, if you’re going to university in one country, you probably aren’t going to do it all again in another. Instead, the main cause for culture shock for British students is the transition from their high school experience to an American college system.
Most students entering US colleges attended US high schools. This is unsurprising, but does mean that US colleges are designed with certain expectations in mind, and these can often be incredibly surprising for students who attended different school systems. These are the largest culture shocks we see, both for students who attended school in the UK, and students who attended British style international schools elsewhere.
Courseload
The UK’s A-Levels have students only taking 3-4 four classes in their final year of schooling before university. This allows students to specialize more heavily in subjects of interest, and to explore more advanced coursework. In many ways, this more closely resembles a first year of undergraduate education than a senior year of high school in the US.
US students, in contrast, take all core academic subjects pretty much all four years of high school. While they may have more flexibility in electives their senior year, they are still going to be taking seven or so courses, with all core academic subjects covered. They have far less room for specialization.
This latter approach does prepare US students for the liberal arts approach most US colleges, especially the top ranked ones, take. Even if you’re majoring in a STEM field, you will still have to take humanities courses. This can be a major transition, especially if all of your A-Level courses were in STEM fields.
Sports
This is a cultural shift. We aren’t just referring to the disagreement over what “football” refers to, though that certainly has been a point of contention in the past. Instead, the entire way school sports are viewed culturally in the US is different from the UK. While the UK has a very strong sports culture, this is distinct from academics, save for some long traditions at the most posh schools with historic rivalries.
The US, by contrast, lacks the minor leagues which exist for sports in Europe, and thus college sports are the development league for athletes, particularly in the most popular sports. Athletic events are major social occasions, and school spirit is a major component of school culture.
Note that this is not the case at all schools, but even schools with a strong academic focus have a very intense relationship with sports. You do not need to attend sporting events, but they are much more of a component of school life than many students expect.
College to Career Pipeline
Due to how college is structured in the UK, schools prepare students to enter directly into a career in ways that they do not always do in the US. UK colleges are much more of a training program for jobs than their US counterparts, though both do help prepare you to enter the workforce. In the US, only certain majors are directly preparatory for a career, primarily ones like engineering and nursing. While college as a whole is a prerequisite for many careers, what you major in has less of an impact.
Language
It has been said that the US and UK are two countries separated by a common language, and this holds true generally. This one is frequently a problem for students from the UK, who do not face the normal language barrier of other international students, but who are instead often tripped up by a language they find both familiar and unintelligible.
While the rise in popularity of American television programs globally has ameliorated this compared to previous generations, this is still a major hurdle UK students will need to deal with. While it is not a major challenge, it is something you should be prepared for, or else be caught completely off guard.
Drinking
The legal age to consume alcohol in the US is 21 (generally, some states have exceptions if you’re with your parents, but that isn’t likely to be the case when you’re attending university). This is higher than both the UK (where it is 18), and much of the rest of Europe (where it varies, but is often somewhat lower).
This doesn’t mean drinking never happens at US colleges; instead that the way drinking is done tends to be more discreet, and it is possible to get in trouble with the law if you are found to be drinking (or in trouble with the university if you are found to be drinking in housing). While you will still find chances to relax and unwind in college, you won’t be able to head down to the pub for a pint with your mates until after your 21st birthday.
Final Thoughts
The US’s educational system was in many ways born of and inspired by the university system in the UK, with schools intentionally modeling themselves after Oxford and Cambridge. That was, however, some time ago, and schools on both sides of the Atlantic have evolved significantly in the intervening time. While you can still see traces of their roots, universities in the US are now their own creature.
We hope that this article has covered the largest cultural and structural differences you will see, and helped you understand if attending a university in the US is a good fit for your educational goals. There’s always going to be a degree of culture shock when transferring to a new educational system, and the one in Britain is quite severe, just because of how small but how important many of the differences are.
If you’re looking for help with your own applications to US universities as a student in the UK, then you should schedule a free consultation with us today. We have experience advising international students on every aspect of applying to American universities, and are always happy to hear from you.
