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[quote=Anonymous]For parents considering UK universities, keep in mind they generally offer a different type of college experience than American schools.

Outside Oxford/Cambridge and a few places like Durham, most universities are not as neatly organized as a typical US college or university campus, with lovely quads and and a neatly defined environment. It's sort of ironic because Oxford/Cambridge were the direct inspiration for the model of American colleges and universities, yet few other British universities followed similar models (which is why Oxbridge is so unique and sought after in the UK). Many, particularly the post-war universities, are pretty ugly. They won't have the same range of facilities or all the bells and whistles (although this is starting to change somewhat).

Beyond the physical appearances of the campuses, there's also the approach to education. In general, I find British universities expect their students to be a lot more independent and in control of their education, there's far less hands holding. You study your course (math, science, history etc) with limited opportunities to study other disciplines. The focus is your speciality, not a broad exposure to multiple offerings. The grading will be heavily based on a limited number of exams and papers, so a low score (or a failure) on one exam or paper can really ruin your grade and chance of passing the course. You tend not to have the multiple smaller quizzes, exams or papers as a back up. While Oxbridge is famous for its tutorial model (once again serving as an inspiration for the US approach to higher education) the bulk of courses at most universities are straightforward lectures with minimal discussion (this is the continental, or German, model). I'm not saying there aren't tutorial style discussions at non-Oxbridge universities, just that the bulk of your classes will be lectures.

Just a few things to keep in mind. UK universities can be wonderful, stimulating places, but you should be clear on exactly how they're structured and what kind of education model they offer and what the expectations are from the student regarding the university. They are not exactly the same as their US counterparts. 
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