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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This'll probably raise hackles, but having studied at both US and foreign universities, AND being closely connected to academia now, I would say that the US college experience is superior -- there are certainly exceptions, but I think that generally you'd need to go to an Oxford/Sorbonne/top of the line school for your educational experience to be similar.  At my US (liberal arts) college, my professors knew who I was.  I wrote papers and got feedback and was encouraged to speak in class and took classes in a  variety of subjects.  At my foreign college, 100% of my grade was based on one test -- sometimes there would be a paper in there as well -- and ALL of my classmates were "tracked" based on their performance on exams they took in high school. So, you're in biomedical engineering -- and you take biomedical engineering classes, none of this "explore your interests" stuff we have here. Creative, engaged thinking was a struggle for students at my European college. Certainly, this isn't a guarantee, and on some of the "metrics" many foreign colleges probably score better than US ones, but be careful.

Furthermore, outside of the top top schools, you don't have the same quality of faculty.  In Europe, at least, faculty are paid much less than they are in the US, and there are insane rules for hiring nearly entirely based on where you publish. Most PhDs I know, even those who came from Europe, view US schools as much more appealing placements, all things being equal. And, again excluding the Oxfords of the world, once you teach at a foreign school, it's VERY difficult to come back, at least for professors, because foreign universities are generally not seen as on the same level as US ones.  I know you're talking about a student, but these people will be teaching your child.

Hate away, but that's how I see it. [/quote]

I agree. I spent a year of undergraduate school at a German university, and got my master's at the Sorbonne after a BA at a well regarded (top 30) private. Foreign universities have large classes and close interactions with professors is simply not part of the experience. There are exceptions of course, but tread carefully. I would consider a foreign grad degree (depending on subject matter) well before a foreign undergrad experience. There is a reason so many wealthy international students choose to study in the U.S. [/quote]

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