I'm telling my kids to go to the UK for undergrad

[Anonymous]

Wow, so cheap!

"Tuition in the U.K. ranges from 9,000 pounds to 15,000 pounds in U.K. dollars -- about $14,000 to about $24,000 -- per year, depending on the college and not including room and board". And most undergrad programs are completed in 3 years, without the GE requirements, so they spend more time studying their area of major.

http://news.yahoo.com/5-facts-earning-undergraduate-degree-uk-140000135.html

[Anonymous]

Really? You can get a BS in 3 years?

Most public schools in the US cost that or are cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really? You can get a BS in 3 years?

Most public schools in the US cost that or are cheaper.

Not for out of state, which my kids might be. We are in MD.

[Anonymous]

I am English, and am telling my kids to go to University in the UK anyway, because the education is better. I just don't know if they will be able to get in anywhere good after going through the system here.

[Anonymous]

I'm also English and agree with PP. It worries me a lot. UK is better at undergrad. US is better post grad IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so cheap!

"Tuition in the U.K. ranges from 9,000 pounds to 15,000 pounds in U.K. dollars -- about $14,000 to about $24,000 -- per year, depending on the college and not including room and board". And most undergrad programs are completed in 3 years, without the GE requirements, so they spend more time studying their area of major.

http://news.yahoo.com/5-facts-earning-undergraduate-degree-uk-140000135.html

Did you seriously say U.K. Dollars? Keep in mind that UK students go to year 13 (or 13th grade) which we don't in the US. They may or may not require American students to make up the missing year of high school. In addition, this cost does not include room and board. Studying in Europe is pretty exciting but it's not necessarily an educational advantage. In the end, it's just something you can do if you have money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm also English and agree with PP. It worries me a lot. UK is better at undergrad. US is better post grad IMO.

From another European country, but exact same impression. Europe is both better and cheaper for undergrad, US is better and truly unique, regardless of cost, for post grad.

[Anonymous]

State school is way cheaper if you are in-state and not including room and board. UK students finish in 3 years because they have an extra year of high school and complete A-level exams.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Considering that private or out of state tuition runs up to $60K per year, I'm thinking the UK is a deal, even if you tack on room and board.

As international students, they don't require you to go through an extra year. I think they just make you take specific exams.

[Anonymous]

Better make sure they go to one of the better colleges in the UK.

Otherwise without a graduate degree they will be at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a job in the US.

If we had to choose between an undergrad from a university in the US versus a comparable one in the UK, we'd go for the former - all other things being equal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Better make sure they go to one of the better colleges in the UK.

Otherwise without a graduate degree they will be at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a job in the US.

If we had to choose between an undergrad from a university in the US versus a comparable one in the UK, we'd go for the former - all other things being equal.

It is already hard to get a good job without a graduate degree. my plan would be a uk degree. work for a year or two, and then us grad school (unless they decide they want to stay in the UK, of course - which would be great...I could then retire there rather than here, if I could affford the real estate)...

[Anonymous]

Are you guys only thinking of London? Other places outside of London aren't as expensive. I have relatives in the UK, not in London, and the real estate prices aren't *that* bad.

As for the prospects of a job in the US, I think it would depend on the field. Maybe times have changed a lot, but I know several people with just UK undergrads that have gotten jobs here in the past 15 yrs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Considering that private or out of state tuition runs up to $60K per year, I'm thinking the UK is a deal, even if you tack on room and board.

As international students, they don't require you to go through an extra year. I think they just make you take specific exams.

Where does tuition, without room and board, run you $60k per year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you guys only thinking of London? Other places outside of London aren't as expensive. I have relatives in the UK, not in London, and the real estate prices aren't *that* bad.

As for the prospects of a job in the US, I think it would depend on the field. Maybe times have changed a lot, but I know several people with just UK undergrads that have gotten jobs here in the past 15 yrs.

Most of the south is pretty expensive. And the rest of the country is cheap for a reason.
The weather in the south is fine, and it many ways better than here - at least it is less extreme. But once you go up north the weather is significantly worse. even a 4 degrees centigrade average temp diff makes the difference between pleasant summers and miserable ones. And London offers cultural life - and airports for easy minibreaks in europe - that the rest of the country can't match. Too bad it is being turned into a playground for Russian oligarchs and other assorted kleptocrats.

[Anonymous]

I was told that yr 1 was Kindergarden here and that's why in the UK the grade went to yr 13. So, when my kids were in the British system we were told to think that yr 2 meant first grade, yr 3 second grade and so on. I was told it did not mean that they spent an extra year in high school. Those grades would be Yr 10 (9th) Yr 11 ( 10) yr 12 (11) and finally yr 13 ( 12th)