Are We Crazy for Questioning a $250k US Degree and looking abroad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I realize this is an old, reactivated thread, but anyone who thinks it is always cheaper overseas should check online before jumping in. St. Andres is now $66,000 a year for international students, so $264K (not including airfare) and Oxford is now $81,765 pounds, so x 3 years. A better option is to do state flagship for undergrad and grad overseas.

First of all NOBODY here (just ready the whole thread) insisted or said that it is “ always cheaper overseas “. You are the first one that said that.

Clearly you are you quite grasping the point being made here by a lot of people. The avg kid going to St Andrews or elsewhere in the UK or Europe is NOT the same kid that is forgoing their state flagship to do so. Please…..different universes…..these kids are kids that likely going to be full pay at T100 US privates. Don’t be naive.

Po is correctly responding to OP’s claims: “the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate.”

And there is nothing wrong with OP claims…even at this exchange rate, it is still true. A place like Exeter at 24k Pounds x 3 years (73k pounds) is still less than $100k dollars..and you get your degree…..

PP cherry-picked two schools to make a point (with one being a 4-yr degree) and even then. Still cheaper that ANY top 100 Private full pay uni in the US. As a PP mentioned, there very little IF ANY crossover between in state flagship uni applicants and kids who go abroad….noen of these kids are making these decisions (maybe. Tiny percentage). I have had 3 kids study in the UK from California. None of them had friends that made decisions to attend their UK school that were forgoing a State Flagship to do so. Different crowds….whether you like it or not.

And you are cherry picking as well. That is tuition ONLY for Exeter accounting, the cheapest tuition as you know, because you went to this list and picked it. However, we all can see that Exeter fees can go as high as $38k+ pounds a year plus then you have to tack on accommodations, fees, books, travel, etc, which is a separate Exeter tab altogether. Others here are providing he sensible “all-in” fee. You do sound like a cantankerous nutter who has to fight about everything. Just stop or go take a drink. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees/

Not at all. My kids are in humanities and business. SO that is what I focus on. The vast majority of these are under 25k pounds. You are not medicine there, so if STEM you will be at 30k pounds. Even with room and board and the fact it is 3 years you are still MUCH MUCH MUCH cheaper than ANY US Private school full pay.

Tuition only

Argue all you want. Show me on Private US university in the top 100 that is equivalent in total pricing for a degree to a school like Exeter or Warwick or Bristol or Durham ?? You wont be able to because it doesnt exist.

Never heard of these besides Exeter.

That is a you problem…..for such an uninformed person, what are you doing on this thread?

Lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I realize this is an old, reactivated thread, but anyone who thinks it is always cheaper overseas should check online before jumping in. St. Andres is now $66,000 a year for international students, so $264K (not including airfare) and Oxford is now $81,765 pounds, so x 3 years. A better option is to do state flagship for undergrad and grad overseas.

First of all NOBODY here (just ready the whole thread) insisted or said that it is “ always cheaper overseas “. You are the first one that said that.

Clearly you are you quite grasping the point being made here by a lot of people. The avg kid going to St Andrews or elsewhere in the UK or Europe is NOT the same kid that is forgoing their state flagship to do so. Please…..different universes…..these kids are kids that likely going to be full pay at T100 US privates. Don’t be naive.

Po is correctly responding to OP’s claims: “the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate.”

And there is nothing wrong with OP claims…even at this exchange rate, it is still true. A place like Exeter at 24k Pounds x 3 years (73k pounds) is still less than $100k dollars..and you get your degree…..

PP cherry-picked two schools to make a point (with one being a 4-yr degree) and even then. Still cheaper that ANY top 100 Private full pay uni in the US. As a PP mentioned, there very little IF ANY crossover between in state flagship uni applicants and kids who go abroad….noen of these kids are making these decisions (maybe. Tiny percentage). I have had 3 kids study in the UK from California. None of them had friends that made decisions to attend their UK school that were forgoing a State Flagship to do so. Different crowds….whether you like it or not.

And you are cherry picking as well. That is tuition ONLY for Exeter accounting, the cheapest tuition as you know, because you went to this list and picked it. However, we all can see that Exeter fees can go as high as $38k+ pounds a year plus then you have to tack on accommodations, fees, books, travel, etc, which is a separate Exeter tab altogether. Others here are providing he sensible “all-in” fee. You do sound like a cantankerous nutter who has to fight about everything. Just stop or go take a drink. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees/

Not at all. My kids are in humanities and business. SO that is what I focus on. The vast majority of these are under 25k pounds. You are not medicine there, so if STEM you will be at 30k pounds. Even with room and board and the fact it is 3 years you are still MUCH MUCH MUCH cheaper than ANY US Private school full pay.

Tuition only

Argue all you want. Show me on Private US university in the top 100 that is equivalent in total pricing for a degree to a school like Exeter or Warwick or Bristol or Durham ?? You wont be able to because it doesnt exist.

Never heard of these besides Exeter.

lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I realize this is an old, reactivated thread, but anyone who thinks it is always cheaper overseas should check online before jumping in. St. Andres is now $66,000 a year for international students, so $264K (not including airfare) and Oxford is now $81,765 pounds, so x 3 years. A better option is to do state flagship for undergrad and grad overseas.

First of all NOBODY here (just ready the whole thread) insisted or said that it is “ always cheaper overseas “. You are the first one that said that.

Clearly you are you quite grasping the point being made here by a lot of people. The avg kid going to St Andrews or elsewhere in the UK or Europe is NOT the same kid that is forgoing their state flagship to do so. Please…..different universes…..these kids are kids that likely going to be full pay at T100 US privates. Don’t be naive.

Po is correctly responding to OP’s claims: “the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate.”

And there is nothing wrong with OP claims…even at this exchange rate, it is still true. A place like Exeter at 24k Pounds x 3 years (73k pounds) is still less than $100k dollars..and you get your degree…..

PP cherry-picked two schools to make a point (with one being a 4-yr degree) and even then. Still cheaper that ANY top 100 Private full pay uni in the US. As a PP mentioned, there very little IF ANY crossover between in state flagship uni applicants and kids who go abroad….noen of these kids are making these decisions (maybe. Tiny percentage). I have had 3 kids study in the UK from California. None of them had friends that made decisions to attend their UK school that were forgoing a State Flagship to do so. Different crowds….whether you like it or not.

And you are cherry picking as well. That is tuition ONLY for Exeter accounting, the cheapest tuition as you know, because you went to this list and picked it. However, we all can see that Exeter fees can go as high as $38k+ pounds a year plus then you have to tack on accommodations, fees, books, travel, etc, which is a separate Exeter tab altogether. Others here are providing he sensible “all-in” fee. You do sound like a cantankerous nutter who has to fight about everything. Just stop or go take a drink. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees/

Not at all. My kids are in humanities and business. SO that is what I focus on. The vast majority of these are under 25k pounds. You are not medicine there, so if STEM you will be at 30k pounds. Even with room and board and the fact it is 3 years you are still MUCH MUCH MUCH cheaper than ANY US Private school full pay.

Tuition only

Argue all you want. Show me on Private US university in the top 100 that is equivalent in total pricing for a degree to a school like Exeter or Warwick or Bristol or Durham ?? You wont be able to because it doesnt exist.

Well, that was easy. UVA instate to begin with (ranked 26). The problem is that you are still claiming tuition only in pounds for Exeter. If you go to their website and pick a middling-priced major, like math, it is $31,100 pounds. Then Exeter gives $222 pounds a week for room and board. That's $7,992 pounds. At today's exchange rate, that is $53,327. If you add in $4,000 for health insurance, $2,000 for pubs and necessities, @2,000 for computers, books, etc., and $4K for travel back and forth to the U.S. you are now at $66,000 US dollars a year. Same as St. Andrews. UVA in-state is only $40K. Many of the top U.S. schools can match that with merit scholarships. You see parents talking about it all the time here. If you drop below T50 and have good stats, you can often get great merit aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I realize this is an old, reactivated thread, but anyone who thinks it is always cheaper overseas should check online before jumping in. St. Andres is now $66,000 a year for international students, so $264K (not including airfare) and Oxford is now $81,765 pounds, so x 3 years. A better option is to do state flagship for undergrad and grad overseas.

First of all NOBODY here (just ready the whole thread) insisted or said that it is “ always cheaper overseas “. You are the first one that said that.

Clearly you are you quite grasping the point being made here by a lot of people. The avg kid going to St Andrews or elsewhere in the UK or Europe is NOT the same kid that is forgoing their state flagship to do so. Please…..different universes…..these kids are kids that likely going to be full pay at T100 US privates. Don’t be naive.

Po is correctly responding to OP’s claims: “the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate.”

And there is nothing wrong with OP claims…even at this exchange rate, it is still true. A place like Exeter at 24k Pounds x 3 years (73k pounds) is still less than $100k dollars..and you get your degree…..

PP cherry-picked two schools to make a point (with one being a 4-yr degree) and even then. Still cheaper that ANY top 100 Private full pay uni in the US. As a PP mentioned, there very little IF ANY crossover between in state flagship uni applicants and kids who go abroad….noen of these kids are making these decisions (maybe. Tiny percentage). I have had 3 kids study in the UK from California. None of them had friends that made decisions to attend their UK school that were forgoing a State Flagship to do so. Different crowds….whether you like it or not.

And you are cherry picking as well. That is tuition ONLY for Exeter accounting, the cheapest tuition as you know, because you went to this list and picked it. However, we all can see that Exeter fees can go as high as $38k+ pounds a year plus then you have to tack on accommodations, fees, books, travel, etc, which is a separate Exeter tab altogether. Others here are providing he sensible “all-in” fee. You do sound like a cantankerous nutter who has to fight about everything. Just stop or go take a drink. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees/

Not at all. My kids are in humanities and business. SO that is what I focus on. The vast majority of these are under 25k pounds. You are not medicine there, so if STEM you will be at 30k pounds. Even with room and board and the fact it is 3 years you are still MUCH MUCH MUCH cheaper than ANY US Private school full pay.

Tuition only

Argue all you want. Show me on Private US university in the top 100 that is equivalent in total pricing for a degree to a school like Exeter or Warwick or Bristol or Durham ?? You wont be able to because it doesnt exist.

Well, that was easy. UVA instate to begin with (ranked 26). The problem is that you are still claiming tuition only in pounds for Exeter. If you go to their website and pick a middling-priced major, like math, it is $31,100 pounds. Then Exeter gives $222 pounds a week for room and board. That's $7,992 pounds. At today's exchange rate, that is $53,327. If you add in $4,000 for health insurance, $2,000 for pubs and necessities, @2,000 for computers, books, etc., and $4K for travel back and forth to the U.S. you are now at $66,000 US dollars a year. Same as St. Andrews. UVA in-state is only $40K. Many of the top U.S. schools can match that with merit scholarships. You see parents talking about it all the time here. If you drop below T50 and have good stats, you can often get great merit aid.

You've got the right spirit, but UVA isn't private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids from other countries clamor to come to the USA and attend colleges there. There is a reason. The universities and colleges are top-rate in the USA. This isn’t about price.

[/b]
They used to, I agree. But now there is a good reason to learn free of governmental influence in other countries. Interest in Canada/Uk/Ireland has spiked at our private school starting last year.

As a professor at an R1, I can tell you that international student are not nearly as interested in coming to the US anymore. [b]The number of international applicants has nosedived with Trump 2.0. Who wants to come here when the federal government is cutting funding, making visas difficult to obtain, kidnapping brown people, and not doing a thing about gun violence?

Your observation has not been born out at the undergraduate level. The number of foreign students is up 4.5%. https://www.highereddive.com/news/international-students-in-us-up-45-in-2024-25-but-warning-signs-loom/805614/

Lol this is what happens when a fake professor argues based on vibes instead of data.

Did either of you idiots actually read beyond the headline? “The Open Doors survey further found that new international enrollment decreased 17% in fall 2025 at polled institutions. Over half of those colleges, 57%, reported a decline in these students.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I realize this is an old, reactivated thread, but anyone who thinks it is always cheaper overseas should check online before jumping in. St. Andres is now $66,000 a year for international students, so $264K (not including airfare) and Oxford is now $81,765 pounds, so x 3 years. A better option is to do state flagship for undergrad and grad overseas.

First of all NOBODY here (just ready the whole thread) insisted or said that it is “ always cheaper overseas “. You are the first one that said that.

Clearly you are you quite grasping the point being made here by a lot of people. The avg kid going to St Andrews or elsewhere in the UK or Europe is NOT the same kid that is forgoing their state flagship to do so. Please…..different universes…..these kids are kids that likely going to be full pay at T100 US privates. Don’t be naive.

Po is correctly responding to OP’s claims: “the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate.”

And there is nothing wrong with OP claims…even at this exchange rate, it is still true. A place like Exeter at 24k Pounds x 3 years (73k pounds) is still less than $100k dollars..and you get your degree…..

PP cherry-picked two schools to make a point (with one being a 4-yr degree) and even then. Still cheaper that ANY top 100 Private full pay uni in the US. As a PP mentioned, there very little IF ANY crossover between in state flagship uni applicants and kids who go abroad….noen of these kids are making these decisions (maybe. Tiny percentage). I have had 3 kids study in the UK from California. None of them had friends that made decisions to attend their UK school that were forgoing a State Flagship to do so. Different crowds….whether you like it or not.

And you are cherry picking as well. That is tuition ONLY for Exeter accounting, the cheapest tuition as you know, because you went to this list and picked it. However, we all can see that Exeter fees can go as high as $38k+ pounds a year plus then you have to tack on accommodations, fees, books, travel, etc, which is a separate Exeter tab altogether. Others here are providing he sensible “all-in” fee. You do sound like a cantankerous nutter who has to fight about everything. Just stop or go take a drink. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees/

Not at all. My kids are in humanities and business. SO that is what I focus on. The vast majority of these are under 25k pounds. You are not medicine there, so if STEM you will be at 30k pounds. Even with room and board and the fact it is 3 years you are still MUCH MUCH MUCH cheaper than ANY US Private school full pay.

Tuition only

Argue all you want. Show me on Private US university in the top 100 that is equivalent in total pricing for a degree to a school like Exeter or Warwick or Bristol or Durham ?? You wont be able to because it doesnt exist.

Well, that was easy. UVA instate to begin with (ranked 26). The problem is that you are still claiming tuition only in pounds for Exeter. If you go to their website and pick a middling-priced major, like math, it is $31,100 pounds. Then Exeter gives $222 pounds a week for room and board. That's $7,992 pounds. At today's exchange rate, that is $53,327. If you add in $4,000 for health insurance, $2,000 for pubs and necessities, @2,000 for computers, books, etc., and $4K for travel back and forth to the U.S. you are now at $66,000 US dollars a year. Same as St. Andrews. UVA in-state is only $40K. Many of the top U.S. schools can match that with merit scholarships. You see parents talking about it all the time here. If you drop below T50 and have good stats, you can often get great merit aid.

You must be an idiot….since when is UVA private? Are you lacking reading comprehension skills or just trolling ????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids from other countries clamor to come to the USA and attend colleges there. There is a reason. The universities and colleges are top-rate in the USA. This isn’t about price.

[/b]
They used to, I agree. But now there is a good reason to learn free of governmental influence in other countries. Interest in Canada/Uk/Ireland has spiked at our private school starting last year.

As a professor at an R1, I can tell you that international student are not nearly as interested in coming to the US anymore. [b]The number of international applicants has nosedived with Trump 2.0. Who wants to come here when the federal government is cutting funding, making visas difficult to obtain, kidnapping brown people, and not doing a thing about gun violence?

Your observation has not been born out at the undergraduate level. The number of foreign students is up 4.5%. https://www.highereddive.com/news/international-students-in-us-up-45-in-2024-25-but-warning-signs-loom/805614/

Lol this is what happens when a fake professor argues based on vibes instead of data.

Did either of you idiots actually read beyond the headline? “The Open Doors survey further found that new international enrollment decreased 17% in fall 2025 at polled institutions. Over half of those colleges, 57%, reported a decline in these students.”

We were talking about undergraduates, which are up over 4 percent. Are you as bad at everything in life as you are at reading? I suspect so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey everyone,
Following up on the conversations I see around here and other places about why more US students are looking at universities overseas. I've been going down the rabbit hole on this with my husband and my kids. My son is a Junior and daughter a Freshman. Thye have both brought up the possibility of maybe going abroad for college. My husband went to grad school in the UK and Italy so he is all for it. I’m not yet sold on it.

While it's tempting to focus on the positives, I think it's smarter to start with the real-world downsides. The biggest one for me is the career question. Let's be honest, if you go to Oxford, Cambridge, or LSE, your degree will open doors anywhere. But what if you go to a really solid, but less famous, university in the UK, Netherlands, Italy or Canada? How do grads from those schools do when they try to find a job back in the States? I worry that a hiring manager in, say, Chicago might just toss a resume because they don't recognize the school's name.

You're also thousands of miles away from US-based career fairs and the alumni network that helps people land their first job. A college consultant who specializes in EU/Canadian and UK schools actually told us that outside of Oxbridge and LSE/Imperial, we should focus only on the top 12 schools in the UK or the top 3 in each of the other EU countries. Her reasoning was that all US grad schools and the vast majority of top US companies know these specific schools, even if the general public doesn't. She said the real issue is with local or regional employers who won't recognize the name. But her point was, if your goal is to work for a local company back home, then why go abroad in the first place?

Beyond that, you're obviously giving up the traditional "American college experience." The whole campus life, dorm culture, college sports, and clubs are just a different world over there. And we can't ignore the personal side. It's a huge move. You have to deal with visa paperwork, international banking, and the very real possibility of getting homesick and not having your support system a quick flight away. It’s a serious trade-off that goes way beyond academics. This mom is a little concerned.

Now with the scary stuff out of the way, the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate. But beyond the practical stuff, I realize there's the huge benefit of actually living in a different culture for three or four years. I have to imagine that navigating a new country, becoming more independent, and seeing the world from a completely different perspective forces you to grow as an individual in a way that staying in the US just can't replicate. For kids with an interest in global business, History, Languages or international relations, this experience seems like a no-brainer. You'd be living and breathing cross-cultural communication and could potentially pick up another language, skills that can really set you apart.

But the last piece of the puzzle I was curious about was the return plan. It seems like coming back to the US for a graduate degree is a well-worn path. US Master's programs and even J.D. programs are very used to seeing applicants with international degrees. I wonder how many kids simply stay in Canada/EU/UK after graduation. Would love to hear from parents here who have had this experience before with their kids.

Sorry for the long post.

The answer is NO. You are not crazy. And the price is more like $350 to $400k for full pay students at Private US unis.

I agree. Crazy parent here keep bringing it up go to your local Flagship instead…..please stop the madness. Different profile of applicants for most states….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey everyone,
Following up on the conversations I see around here and other places about why more US students are looking at universities overseas. I've been going down the rabbit hole on this with my husband and my kids. My son is a Junior and daughter a Freshman. Thye have both brought up the possibility of maybe going abroad for college. My husband went to grad school in the UK and Italy so he is all for it. I’m not yet sold on it.

While it's tempting to focus on the positives, I think it's smarter to start with the real-world downsides. The biggest one for me is the career question. Let's be honest, if you go to Oxford, Cambridge, or LSE, your degree will open doors anywhere. But what if you go to a really solid, but less famous, university in the UK, Netherlands, Italy or Canada? How do grads from those schools do when they try to find a job back in the States? I worry that a hiring manager in, say, Chicago might just toss a resume because they don't recognize the school's name.

You're also thousands of miles away from US-based career fairs and the alumni network that helps people land their first job. A college consultant who specializes in EU/Canadian and UK schools actually told us that outside of Oxbridge and LSE/Imperial, we should focus only on the top 12 schools in the UK or the top 3 in each of the other EU countries. Her reasoning was that all US grad schools and the vast majority of top US companies know these specific schools, even if the general public doesn't. She said the real issue is with local or regional employers who won't recognize the name. But her point was, if your goal is to work for a local company back home, then why go abroad in the first place?

Beyond that, you're obviously giving up the traditional "American college experience." The whole campus life, dorm culture, college sports, and clubs are just a different world over there. And we can't ignore the personal side. It's a huge move. You have to deal with visa paperwork, international banking, and the very real possibility of getting homesick and not having your support system a quick flight away. It’s a serious trade-off that goes way beyond academics. This mom is a little concerned.

Now with the scary stuff out of the way, the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate. But beyond the practical stuff, I realize there's the huge benefit of actually living in a different culture for three or four years. I have to imagine that navigating a new country, becoming more independent, and seeing the world from a completely different perspective forces you to grow as an individual in a way that staying in the US just can't replicate. For kids with an interest in global business, History, Languages or international relations, this experience seems like a no-brainer. You'd be living and breathing cross-cultural communication and could potentially pick up another language, skills that can really set you apart.

But the last piece of the puzzle I was curious about was the return plan. It seems like coming back to the US for a graduate degree is a well-worn path. US Master's programs and even J.D. programs are very used to seeing applicants with international degrees. I wonder how many kids simply stay in Canada/EU/UK after graduation. Would love to hear from parents here who have had this experience before with their kids.

Sorry for the long post.

Having similar conversations at home about this for my Junior.

[Anonymous]

Same here. We are in Canada, but we are both Americans. Son is a Junior and applying to Toronto, MgGill, the same Ivy my husband went to, NYU and Notre Dame (I’m an alumn). Then he will focus on UCAS (Oxford, Durham, St Andrews, LSE and Exeter).

It will all depend on what kind of offers he has.

[Anonymous]

Apparently this was highest number of applicants ever through UCAS to UK undergraduate programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I realize this is an old, reactivated thread, but anyone who thinks it is always cheaper overseas should check online before jumping in. St. Andres is now $66,000 a year for international students, so $264K (not including airfare) and Oxford is now $81,765 pounds, so x 3 years. A better option is to do state flagship for undergrad and grad overseas.

First of all NOBODY here (just ready the whole thread) insisted or said that it is “ always cheaper overseas “. You are the first one that said that.

Clearly you are you quite grasping the point being made here by a lot of people. The avg kid going to St Andrews or elsewhere in the UK or Europe is NOT the same kid that is forgoing their state flagship to do so. Please…..different universes…..these kids are kids that likely going to be full pay at T100 US privates. Don’t be naive.

Po is correctly responding to OP’s claims: “the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate.”

And there is nothing wrong with OP claims…even at this exchange rate, it is still true. A place like Exeter at 24k Pounds x 3 years (73k pounds) is still less than $100k dollars..and you get your degree…..

PP cherry-picked two schools to make a point (with one being a 4-yr degree) and even then. Still cheaper that ANY top 100 Private full pay uni in the US. As a PP mentioned, there very little IF ANY crossover between in state flagship uni applicants and kids who go abroad….noen of these kids are making these decisions (maybe. Tiny percentage). I have had 3 kids study in the UK from California. None of them had friends that made decisions to attend their UK school that were forgoing a State Flagship to do so. Different crowds….whether you like it or not.

And you are cherry picking as well. That is tuition ONLY for Exeter accounting, the cheapest tuition as you know, because you went to this list and picked it. However, we all can see that Exeter fees can go as high as $38k+ pounds a year plus then you have to tack on accommodations, fees, books, travel, etc, which is a separate Exeter tab altogether. Others here are providing he sensible “all-in” fee. You do sound like a cantankerous nutter who has to fight about everything. Just stop or go take a drink. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees/

Not at all. My kids are in humanities and business. SO that is what I focus on. The vast majority of these are under 25k pounds. You are not medicine there, so if STEM you will be at 30k pounds. Even with room and board and the fact it is 3 years you are still MUCH MUCH MUCH cheaper than ANY US Private school full pay.

Tuition only

Argue all you want. Show me on Private US university in the top 100 that is equivalent in total pricing for a degree to a school like Exeter or Warwick or Bristol or Durham ?? You wont be able to because it doesnt exist.

Well, that was easy. UVA instate to begin with (ranked 26). The problem is that you are still claiming tuition only in pounds for Exeter. If you go to their website and pick a middling-priced major, like math, it is $31,100 pounds. Then Exeter gives $222 pounds a week for room and board. That's $7,992 pounds. At today's exchange rate, that is $53,327. If you add in $4,000 for health insurance, $2,000 for pubs and necessities, @2,000 for computers, books, etc., and $4K for travel back and forth to the U.S. you are now at $66,000 US dollars a year. Same as St. Andrews. UVA in-state is only $40K. Many of the top U.S. schools can match that with merit scholarships. You see parents talking about it all the time here. If you drop below T50 and have good stats, you can often get great merit aid.

You are inflating some of these numbers. 2k for pubs (do you mean alcohol and entertainment?) and necessities and 2k for computer and books are all costs you’d pay in the USA.

4k for health insurance. Not sure what kind of gold plated private plan you got but I have a friend whose kid is studying in London and from a 20 yr old healthy kid, it was about $700 for the year. Health care is much cheaper in the UK. Same for 4k travel back and forth. When I studied in the UK I had 2 RT tickets-one for Christmas holidays and one to/from (beginning/end of school year.). RT tickets to the Uk are at most 1k from the dc area. You can often find them for far lower.

[Anonymous]

PP is confusing the 4k insurance. Yes, it is about 4k but that is for the whole 3-4 years and you have to prepay….it is not an annual pmt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey everyone,
Following up on the conversations I see around here and other places about why more US students are looking at universities overseas. I've been going down the rabbit hole on this with my husband and my kids. My son is a Junior and daughter a Freshman. Thye have both brought up the possibility of maybe going abroad for college. My husband went to grad school in the UK and Italy so he is all for it. I’m not yet sold on it.

While it's tempting to focus on the positives, I think it's smarter to start with the real-world downsides. The biggest one for me is the career question. Let's be honest, if you go to Oxford, Cambridge, or LSE, your degree will open doors anywhere. But what if you go to a really solid, but less famous, university in the UK, Netherlands, Italy or Canada? How do grads from those schools do when they try to find a job back in the States? I worry that a hiring manager in, say, Chicago might just toss a resume because they don't recognize the school's name.

You're also thousands of miles away from US-based career fairs and the alumni network that helps people land their first job. A college consultant who specializes in EU/Canadian and UK schools actually told us that outside of Oxbridge and LSE/Imperial, we should focus only on the top 12 schools in the UK or the top 3 in each of the other EU countries. Her reasoning was that all US grad schools and the vast majority of top US companies know these specific schools, even if the general public doesn't. She said the real issue is with local or regional employers who won't recognize the name. But her point was, if your goal is to work for a local company back home, then why go abroad in the first place?

Beyond that, you're obviously giving up the traditional "American college experience." The whole campus life, dorm culture, college sports, and clubs are just a different world over there. And we can't ignore the personal side. It's a huge move. You have to deal with visa paperwork, international banking, and the very real possibility of getting homesick and not having your support system a quick flight away. It’s a serious trade-off that goes way beyond academics. This mom is a little concerned.

Now with the scary stuff out of the way, the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate. But beyond the practical stuff, I realize there's the huge benefit of actually living in a different culture for three or four years. I have to imagine that navigating a new country, becoming more independent, and seeing the world from a completely different perspective forces you to grow as an individual in a way that staying in the US just can't replicate. For kids with an interest in global business, History, Languages or international relations, this experience seems like a no-brainer. You'd be living and breathing cross-cultural communication and could potentially pick up another language, skills that can really set you apart.

But the last piece of the puzzle I was curious about was the return plan. It seems like coming back to the US for a graduate degree is a well-worn path. US Master's programs and even J.D. programs are very used to seeing applicants with international degrees. I wonder how many kids simply stay in Canada/EU/UK after graduation. Would love to hear from parents here who have had this experience before with their kids.

Sorry for the long post.

Same here. DD is applying in the fall through UCAS to 5 schools and to a couple of schools in Europe. She is a super pro-active A type and she has decided that if she doesnt get in any of her t20 choices she is going to UK/EU.

We are planning on touring a few UK schools during spring break and then mid May we are going to tour a few schools in Italy, France, Spain and Netherlands.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote: I realize this is an old, reactivated thread, but anyone who thinks it is always cheaper overseas should check online before jumping in. St. Andres is now $66,000 a year for international students, so $264K (not including airfare) and Oxford is now $81,765 pounds, so x 3 years. A better option is to do state flagship for undergrad and grad overseas.

First of all NOBODY here (just ready the whole thread) insisted or said that it is “ always cheaper overseas “. You are the first one that said that.

Clearly you are you quite grasping the point being made here by a lot of people. The avg kid going to St Andrews or elsewhere in the UK or Europe is NOT the same kid that is forgoing their state flagship to do so. Please…..different universes…..these kids are kids that likely going to be full pay at T100 US privates. Don’t be naive.

Po is correctly responding to OP’s claims: “the pros are still massive. The most obvious is the cost, which is just staggering. We're talking about the potential to get a degree for a price that's less than a single year at some private US colleges. The math is pretty compelling: with many EU public universities having tuition at a fraction of US schools, the savings are life-changing. Specially if you are able to invest that savings on behalf of your kids for when they graduate.”

And there is nothing wrong with OP claims…even at this exchange rate, it is still true. A place like Exeter at 24k Pounds x 3 years (73k pounds) is still less than $100k dollars..and you get your degree…..

PP cherry-picked two schools to make a point (with one being a 4-yr degree) and even then. Still cheaper that ANY top 100 Private full pay uni in the US. As a PP mentioned, there very little IF ANY crossover between in state flagship uni applicants and kids who go abroad….noen of these kids are making these decisions (maybe. Tiny percentage). I have had 3 kids study in the UK from California. None of them had friends that made decisions to attend their UK school that were forgoing a State Flagship to do so. Different crowds….whether you like it or not.

And you are cherry picking as well. That is tuition ONLY for Exeter accounting, the cheapest tuition as you know, because you went to this list and picked it. However, we all can see that Exeter fees can go as high as $38k+ pounds a year plus then you have to tack on accommodations, fees, books, travel, etc, which is a separate Exeter tab altogether. Others here are providing he sensible “all-in” fee. You do sound like a cantankerous nutter who has to fight about everything. Just stop or go take a drink. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees/

Not at all. My kids are in humanities and business. SO that is what I focus on. The vast majority of these are under 25k pounds. You are not medicine there, so if STEM you will be at 30k pounds. Even with room and board and the fact it is 3 years you are still MUCH MUCH MUCH cheaper than ANY US Private school full pay.

Tuition only

Argue all you want. Show me on Private US university in the top 100 that is equivalent in total pricing for a degree to a school like Exeter or Warwick or Bristol or Durham ?? You wont be able to because it doesnt exist.

Unless you have a merit of need based scholarship there is no such school in the US that compares at that price point.