Are apps to the UK universities more or less rolling?

[Anonymous]

I understand there are some very, very good universities in the UK - but why go overseas? Especially if there isn't a familial connection? Could someone give some insight? Is there some big plus that isn't obvious to the layperson?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Edinburgh is the one I am focused on so thanks, PP. But many thanks to all on the other schools-very helpful.

Edinburgh would expect to be placed as #1 choice on the UCAS list. Some universities state that they don't mind where they are placed, others are more insistent that they need to be #1 or #2 after Oxford / Cambs.

I believe Bristol started saying years ago that they needed to be #1

I have a DD at Cambridge who applied and got into Cambridge, UCL, Durham, Edinburgh, and St Andrews. You do not need to preference before admission decisions. Once all admissions are in, you select a firm and an insurance offer.

Well the UCAS form has a list - 1,2,3,4,5 the universities you are applying to IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE

so you're right, but then I am also correct

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Edinburgh is the one I am focused on so thanks, PP. But many thanks to all on the other schools-very helpful.

Edinburgh would expect to be placed as #1 choice on the UCAS list. Some universities state that they don't mind where they are placed, others are more insistent that they need to be #1 or #2 after Oxford / Cambs.

I believe Bristol started saying years ago that they needed to be #1

I have a DD at Cambridge who applied and got into Cambridge, UCL, Durham, Edinburgh, and St Andrews. You do not need to preference before admission decisions. Once all admissions are in, you select a firm and an insurance offer.

Well the UCAS form has a list - 1,2,3,4,5 the universities you are applying to IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE

so you're right, but then I am also correct

Also, you must pick between Oxford or Cambridge

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Edinburgh is the one I am focused on so thanks, PP. But many thanks to all on the other schools-very helpful.

Edinburgh would expect to be placed as #1 choice on the UCAS list. Some universities state that they don't mind where they are placed, others are more insistent that they need to be #1 or #2 after Oxford / Cambs.

I believe Bristol started saying years ago that they needed to be #1

I have a DD at Cambridge who applied and got into Cambridge, UCL, Durham, Edinburgh, and St Andrews. You do not need to preference before admission decisions. Once all admissions are in, you select a firm and an insurance offer.

Well the UCAS form has a list - 1,2,3,4,5 the universities you are applying to IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE

so you're right, but then I am also correct

NP: This isn't true. Per the UCAS website: "You can choose up to five courses (all now or some later). There’s no preference order and your universities/colleges won’t see where else you’ve applied until after you reply to any offers you get."

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand there are some very, very good universities in the UK - but why go overseas? Especially if there isn't a familial connection? Could someone give some insight? Is there some big plus that isn't obvious to the layperson?

Depending on location and course, three years of tuition instead of four for a BA is one advantage. My DD is interested in an educational and cultural experience in another country that is longer/deeper than junior-year-abroad. We'll see what she really wants when the time comes, though. Right now she is in 10th grade and I expect her mind will change a few times between now and spring 2025.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Edinburgh is the one I am focused on so thanks, PP. But many thanks to all on the other schools-very helpful.

Edinburgh would expect to be placed as #1 choice on the UCAS list. Some universities state that they don't mind where they are placed, others are more insistent that they need to be #1 or #2 after Oxford / Cambs.

I believe Bristol started saying years ago that they needed to be #1

I have a DD at Cambridge who applied and got into Cambridge, UCL, Durham, Edinburgh, and St Andrews. You do not need to preference before admission decisions. Once all admissions are in, you select a firm and an insurance offer.

Well the UCAS form has a list - 1,2,3,4,5 the universities you are applying to IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE

so you're right, but then I am also correct

NP: This isn't true. Per the UCAS website: "You can choose up to five courses (all now or some later). There’s no preference order and your universities/colleges won’t see where else you’ve applied until after you reply to any offers you get."

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application

This is new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand there are some very, very good universities in the UK - but why go overseas? Especially if there isn't a familial connection? Could someone give some insight? Is there some big plus that isn't obvious to the layperson?

Depending on location and course, three years of tuition instead of four for a BA is one advantage. My DD is interested in an educational and cultural experience in another country that is longer/deeper than junior-year-abroad. We'll see what she really wants when the time comes, though. Right now she is in 10th grade and I expect her mind will change a few times between now and spring 2025.

She should bear in mind that most Brits hate Americans and at that student age are not remotely afraid to voice their prejudices. I am from the UK and had several US friends attend UK universities (including Cambridge) where they got crap from people on a regular basis. It is worse from the people who live in the towns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand there are some very, very good universities in the UK - but why go overseas? Especially if there isn't a familial connection? Could someone give some insight? Is there some big plus that isn't obvious to the layperson?

Depending on location and course, three years of tuition instead of four for a BA is one advantage. My DD is interested in an educational and cultural experience in another country that is longer/deeper than junior-year-abroad. We'll see what she really wants when the time comes, though. Right now she is in 10th grade and I expect her mind will change a few times between now and spring 2025.

She should bear in mind that most Brits hate Americans and at that student age are not remotely afraid to voice their prejudices. I am from the UK and had several US friends attend UK universities (including Cambridge) where they got crap from people on a regular basis. It is worse from the people who live in the towns.

True. My kid is a grad student at Oxford. They tolerate Americans because they have to

[Anonymous]

The UK is 4 countries (England, Wales, Scotland, N. Ireland) but one nation. Scottish universities generally are 4 years for an undergraduate degree. English and Welsh universities generally are 3 years for an undergraduate degree. I am not sure how long it takes at universities in Northern Ireland.

For those considering any university in London, please understand that 3 full years of dormitory housing from the university generally is not possible. Housing on the open market in greater London is seriously expensive.

It is true that many/most folks in the UK dislike most Americans. There are many and diverse reasons for this. It does not help that many Americans in the UK are loud (dB) and outspoken when talking, compared with most UK people. When I did a course in the UK, I simply ignored provocative statements from others most of the time. On rare, well chosen, occasions I would explain some structural difference between the a parliamentary type government and the US type of government or perhaps observe that in the US legal system one does not need the initial court’s permission to file an appeal (which is a requirement in the English and Welsh courts). My strategy generally worked.

Prior to maybe the late 1970s, the BBC was both accurate and clear in its overseas reporting. Since maybe 1980, the quality of BBC reporting on US news has really declined. The BBC frequently seem not to understand, for example, that a President cannot just hand a piece of draft/would-be legislation to Congress and force a vote. The BBC also do not explain that only the US Senate can ratify/approve a treaty, and that a sitting US President can negotiate but cannot ratify a treaty on his/her own. Some of the anti-American feelings come from sloppy news reporting in the UK or misunderstandings about the US government’s structure or US legal system.

[Anonymous]

Several UK newspapers have annual “league table” rankings, with text descriptions, for the better UK universities. These are worth perusing if considering a Uk degree, undergrad or graduate.

[Anonymous]

Our kid is still waiting to hear from Edinburgh, which is known to take a lot longer. Have heard from all the others. Yes, no order given.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The UK is 4 countries (England, Wales, Scotland, N. Ireland) but one nation. Scottish universities generally are 4 years for an undergraduate degree. English and Welsh universities generally are 3 years for an undergraduate degree. I am not sure how long it takes at universities in Northern Ireland.

For those considering any university in London, please understand that 3 full years of dormitory housing from the university generally is not possible. Housing on the open market in greater London is seriously expensive.

It is true that many/most folks in the UK dislike most Americans. There are many and diverse reasons for this. It does not help that many Americans in the UK are loud (dB) and outspoken when talking, compared with most UK people. When I did a course in the UK, I simply ignored provocative statements from others most of the time. On rare, well chosen, occasions I would explain some structural difference between the a parliamentary type government and the US type of government or perhaps observe that in the US legal system one does not need the initial court’s permission to file an appeal (which is a requirement in the English and Welsh courts). My strategy generally worked.

Prior to maybe the late 1970s, the BBC was both accurate and clear in its overseas reporting. Since maybe 1980, the quality of BBC reporting on US news has really declined. The BBC frequently seem not to understand, for example, that a President cannot just hand a piece of draft/would-be legislation to Congress and force a vote. The BBC also do not explain that only the US Senate can ratify/approve a treaty, and that a sitting US President can negotiate but cannot ratify a treaty on his/her own. Some of the anti-American feelings come from sloppy news reporting in the UK or misunderstandings about the US government’s structure or US legal system.

Actually when you graduate from a Scottish university you leave with an MA - not a BA (or MSC instead of BSC) the extra year is what accounts for this, a built in masters program.

And no, Anti-American sentiment is inherent in UK society. Sorry to disappoint, its not to do with reporting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand there are some very, very good universities in the UK - but why go overseas? Especially if there isn't a familial connection? Could someone give some insight? Is there some big plus that isn't obvious to the layperson?

If you don't understand why someone might a) want to avoid participating in US college admissions in their current state and/or b) want to establish a life outside of this gun cult death spiral of a country, I am not sure what to tell you.

[Anonymous]

Not UK of course, but Trinity Dublin is rolling for non-EU applicants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand there are some very, very good universities in the UK - but why go overseas? Especially if there isn't a familial connection? Could someone give some insight? Is there some big plus that isn't obvious to the layperson?

Depending on location and course, three years of tuition instead of four for a BA is one advantage. My DD is interested in an educational and cultural experience in another country that is longer/deeper than junior-year-abroad. We'll see what she really wants when the time comes, though. Right now she is in 10th grade and I expect her mind will change a few times between now and spring 2025.

She should bear in mind that most Brits hate Americans and at that student age are not remotely afraid to voice their prejudices. I am from the UK and had several US friends attend UK universities (including Cambridge) where they got crap from people on a regular basis. It is worse from the people who live in the towns.

Yes, so true. As with any place on Earth, if you’re good-looking and athletic life will be a little easier. It can get to be too much sometimes with the Brits and their insults. Be grounded and take advantage of all the opportunities (including travel) and you’ll be fine. The term breaks are long for a reason