Uni in the UK - practical issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UK universities are mostly on what the US calls a trimester system. The terms are shoter than a US semester, and usually are called Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter.

Except at Oxbridge, UK universities are much more sink or swim than a US SLAC might be. It is up to the student to get academic help, to find the prof, and so on. Fine for a self-starter but maybe not so well suited for a kid who is used to a lot of hand holding.

How is Oxbridge different? Are they just set up differently or is it more a difference in academic culture/tone etc.

They have shorter terms - 7 or 8 weeks instead of 10. The teaching is also more intense. Small seminars. Very lengthy book lists for each week.

[Anonymous]

Also very upper class culture. As a Brit I didn’t apply because it was so dominated by certain private (they call them public) schools that I didn’t feel that I’d fit in comfortably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At some UK universities (e.g., any university in London) there is no guarantee of student housing after 1st year. Housing on the commercial market is expensive anywhere in London, and in some other places. Oxbridge colleges do have student housing for all 3 years of ugrad.

University food at the refectory often is more affordable than elsewhere. Food in the UK often costs more than metro DC - both geoceries and restaurants. Fast food such as a fish & chips or a burger chain is more affordable, of course.

I’m British. The last few visits home I’ve been shocked at his much cheaper groceries are than in DC. Perhaps this doesn’t hold true in London but it certainly does outside of London. Also no tips at restaurants unless very high end and then only 10 percent so restaurant prices aren’t bad either.

I agree. We just came from spending the holidays in London with our UK student. The groceries were noticeably less expensive even with the exchange taken into account. Also, we had a number of my DC's friends spend a few weeks with us last summer. They ALL grumbled about how expensive DC was - the cost of coffee and alcohol were particular topics of complaint.

[Anonymous]

English & Welsh universities have a 3-year undergraduate degree, while Scottish universities have 4-year undergraduate degrees.

In all 3 cases, the applicant has to specify a specific degree (i.e., English, History, Physics, or whatever) that one is applying for. Changes in one’s degree are often impossible after matriculation, and are rare at best. This makes the UK option less suitable for a student unsure what s/he wants to study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UK universities are mostly on what the US calls a trimester system. The terms are shoter than a US semester, and usually are called Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter.

Except at Oxbridge, UK universities are much more sink or swim than a US SLAC might be. It is up to the student to get academic help, to find the prof, and so on. Fine for a self-starter but maybe not so well suited for a kid who is used to a lot of hand holding.

No one outside of possibly Oxbridge and maybe movies talks of michaelmas term. Or Christmas and Easter - though those are what the breaks are called. So much misinformation here from people who have a tiny experience of the UK and think it applies everywhere.

So much easier to quibble about minor details than to comment in a way helpful to OP…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UK universities are mostly on what the US calls a trimester system. The terms are shoter than a US semester, and usually are called Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter.

Except at Oxbridge, UK universities are much more sink or swim than a US SLAC might be. It is up to the student to get academic help, to find the prof, and so on. Fine for a self-starter but maybe not so well suited for a kid who is used to a lot of hand holding.

No one outside of possibly Oxbridge and maybe movies talks of michaelmas term. Or Christmas and Easter - though those are what the breaks are called. So much misinformation here from people who have a tiny experience of the UK and think it applies everywhere.

So much easier to quibble about minor details than to comment in a way helpful to OP…

+ 1 and it's Michaelmas. Capitalized.

[Anonymous]

PP, this is not what you asked, but here I go: I had assumed a friend's kid would apply to Oxbridge, one or the other, as the husband had attended one and a lot of his family the other. Friend's husband has been very successful in US. But he still discouraged his kids from applying. Said the networking was hard and even harder now. Found it interesting as none of their DCs are shrinking violets to say the least. Neither kid applied, both now at T10 schools, including an Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UK universities are mostly on what the US calls a trimester system. The terms are shoter than a US semester, and usually are called Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter.

Except at Oxbridge, UK universities are much more sink or swim than a US SLAC might be. It is up to the student to get academic help, to find the prof, and so on. Fine for a self-starter but maybe not so well suited for a kid who is used to a lot of hand holding.

No one outside of possibly Oxbridge and maybe movies talks of michaelmas term. Or Christmas and Easter - though those are what the breaks are called. So much misinformation here from people who have a tiny experience of the UK and think it applies everywhere.

So much easier to quibble about minor details than to comment in a way helpful to OP…

Lots of colleges/universities in the Commonwealth refer to Michaelmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UK universities are mostly on what the US calls a trimester system. The terms are shoter than a US semester, and usually are called Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter.

Except at Oxbridge, UK universities are much more sink or swim than a US SLAC might be. It is up to the student to get academic help, to find the prof, and so on. Fine for a self-starter but maybe not so well suited for a kid who is used to a lot of hand holding.

No one outside of possibly Oxbridge and maybe movies talks of michaelmas term. Or Christmas and Easter - though those are what the breaks are called. So much misinformation here from people who have a tiny experience of the UK and think it applies everywhere.

So much easier to quibble about minor details than to comment in a way helpful to OP…

+ 1 and it's Michaelmas. Capitalized.

It’s a word that no one uses. Ever. And even my phone didn’t recognize it, hence the lack of capital M which unsurprisingly I couldn’t be bothered to change after spending more effort than I should to get my phone to accept an obscure word no one uses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UK universities are mostly on what the US calls a trimester system. The terms are shoter than a US semester, and usually are called Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter.

Except at Oxbridge, UK universities are much more sink or swim than a US SLAC might be. It is up to the student to get academic help, to find the prof, and so on. Fine for a self-starter but maybe not so well suited for a kid who is used to a lot of hand holding.

No one outside of possibly Oxbridge and maybe movies talks of michaelmas term. Or Christmas and Easter - though those are what the breaks are called. So much misinformation here from people who have a tiny experience of the UK and think it applies everywhere.

So much easier to quibble about minor details than to comment in a way helpful to OP…

+ 1 and it's Michaelmas. Capitalized.

It’s a word that no one uses. Ever. And even my phone didn’t recognize it, hence the lack of capital M which unsurprisingly I couldn’t be bothered to change after spending more effort than I should to get my phone to accept an obscure word no one uses.

Again, lots in the Commonwealth do. But on point that you are referring to them as no one.

[Anonymous]

I studied in UK when I was a student. Flew over, came home for Christmas, backpacked in Poland and Czech Republic and visited a friend from uni in Wales during other breaks. Also, spent part of a break just hanging out. A few friends were around too. It was fun, we did a lot of weight training together. In summer, I visited a few friends in London and Bucks and then went home.

My parents came to visit but never had to come for an emergency. I used nhs for health issues and had a contact of a family friend in UK. She lived close to Heathrow, so if I needed, I could stay with her coming or going, and if there were an emergency, she could help me. I made good friends. When someone followed me and tried to break into my flat, the police took an hour to arrive, but my friends came over immediately. I don't think I told my parents about that, nothing they could do anyway. I was pretty independent and had lots of support from friends. Also, when people find out you are on your own from another country (even America), they are very helpful-- bank, airline, doctor, pharmacist, etc.

[Anonymous]

A suggestion. There have been a few posts about studying in the UK lately. Invariably, people jump in to try and be helpful, but often their experience is very out of date.

There are Facebook groups and possibly other four are for parents with kids currently studying in the UK. I know this because a friend’s child is at St Andrews.

I suggest you do a new post asking people how to find these online groups. It will be much more useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A suggestion. There have been a few posts about studying in the UK lately. Invariably, people jump in to try and be helpful, but often their experience is very out of date.

There are Facebook groups and possibly other four are for parents with kids currently studying in the UK. I know this because a friend’s child is at St Andrews.

I suggest you do a new post asking people how to find these online groups. It will be much more useful.

Would practical issues really be much different now than when we were students? Seems relevant to me. Though, I agree parent groups could be useful too.

[Anonymous]

Another tangential issue is that students are allowed to drink at 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UK universities are mostly on what the US calls a trimester system. The terms are shoter than a US semester, and usually are called Michaelmas, Christmas, and Easter.

Except at Oxbridge, UK universities are much more sink or swim than a US SLAC might be. It is up to the student to get academic help, to find the prof, and so on. Fine for a self-starter but maybe not so well suited for a kid who is used to a lot of hand holding.

No one outside of possibly Oxbridge and maybe movies talks of michaelmas term. Or Christmas and Easter - though those are what the breaks are called. So much misinformation here from people who have a tiny experience of the UK and think it applies everywhere.

So much easier to quibble about minor details than to comment in a way helpful to OP…

+ 1 and it's Michaelmas. Capitalized.

It’s a word that no one uses. Ever. And even my phone didn’t recognize it, hence the lack of capital M which unsurprisingly I couldn’t be bothered to change after spending more effort than I should to get my phone to accept an obscure word no one uses.

Again, lots in the Commonwealth do. But on point that you are referring to them as no one.

“In the commonwealth”???? So bizarre. We are taking about Britain here.