31 year old American looking to go to university in the U.K.

Hey,

As stated in the title, I'm 31 years old, with a few years of college already completed, albeit ten years ago.  I'm looking for a change, and lately I've been toying with the idea of going back to college somewhere in the U.K. I still have undergraduate junk to complete.  I previously went to Florida State and the University of South Florida, with a little community college thrown in.

I'm a little more clearheaded than I was at 18-21 years old, and I think it'd be a bit of an adventure to live in the U.K. for a while.  I don't have any specific areas or ideas about where I'd want to stay just yet.  Someone else who is an American student in London recently recommended I check out this forum.

Hello, welcome to the forum How many credits have you completed? How many and what credits do you need to finish entirely? I'm not sure what your friend has informed you, but I imagine some of the basics--UK schools rarely have spring start, which means that UK unis run on a full year system rather than semesters like in the US.

Also, all of my experiences are based on an English Uni, so I have zero knowledge about how they do it in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you can specify whereabouts you want to study, I'm sure someone will be more knowledgeable on those countries.

It sounds as if you have completed a lot of work as an undergraduate already, so you might be able to transfer as a second year or a third year. I wonder how close you are to graduating because depending on how many you have left, it might be worth staying in the US and finishing than maybe going to the UK for a full postgraduate.

What type of course are you considering? Again, not sure of what your friend informed you, but say you want to do a degree in science, than [most likely] any credits not related to science (like English lit 101) will not count or be transferred. Obviously, each uni is different so you might want to check online the sort of modules (classes) each degree requires you to take in order to finish.

Also, the US and UK idea of college is entirely different What we call college in the states might refer to college (undergraduate) or university interchangeably. In the UK, college refers to school between 'high school' and university, where they do their A-levels. Depending on how they do on their A-levels, their grades will decide which uni they can attend.

I also pick at the fact that you said you want to have a short adventure in the UK, which is good in my opinion. I would feel bad if you were planning on settling because the UK govt is making harder and harder to settle if you don't marry here

It sounds as if you have completed a lot of work as an undergraduate already, so you might be able to transfer as a second year or a third year. I wonder how close you are to graduating because depending on how many you have left, it might be worth staying in the US and finishing than maybe going to the UK for a full postgraduate.

It may be possible to transfer partway through the degree, but I haven't actually heard of anyone doing this in the UK (I've spent almost 5 years studying in UK universities). Everyone that I know who wanted to change degree subjects or universities had to start their entire degree all over again unless it was within the first few weeks of the 1st year.

As an example, my first-year roommate in undergrad started her degree in Drama and then decided after the first year she wanted to switch to Law... so she had to start her entire degree from scratch again in the Law department and it took her an extra year to graduate (none of her first-year classes could count towards the law degree because they were all Drama and Theatre classes and she'd missed out on the fundamental 1st-year classes required for a law degree).

In the UK, you study just one degree subject, which you apply for in high school (you chose your 'major' before you apply) - that means that as an undergraduate, you take classes pretty much exclusively in just one department in one subject and you are not generally able to take classes in other departments (unless they are specifically offered as an elective). I studied Physics at university, so every single class I took in the UK during my degree was a Physics class or a class offered only in the Physics department (such as Scientific Programming or Mathematics for Physicists) and each year built on the classes taught the year before.

Also, the first year of a UK degree does not count towards the final grade at all. It's usually split up as: 1st year = 0%, 2nd year = 40%, 3rd year = 60% (or maybe 50% and 50%).

In my case, I did a 4-year degree, which gave me an MSci at the end (instead of a BSc), and I spent my 3rd year studying in the US. The degree grade was split up as follows: 1st year = 0%, 2nd year = 25%, 3rd year = 35%, 4th year = 40%. As it was an MSci degree (essentially an undergrad masters), I had to spend 2 years working on my research project and dissertation instead of just 1 year!

Also, the US and UK idea of college is entirely different What we call college in the states might refer to college (undergraduate) or university interchangeably. In the UK, college refers to school between 'high school' and university, where they do their A-levels. Depending on how they do on their A-levels, their grades will decide which uni they can attend.

Yep, in the UK, 'college' means 'Further Education (FE) college', which is usually for 16-19 year-olds (also known as Sixth Form college depending on the institution; Sixth Form being the last 2 years of 'high school' between ages 16 and 18). As high school is only compulsory up to age 16, we basically get our equivalent of a US high school diploma at 16. Then, if we want to go to university (HE - higher education), we have to take 2 more years of A level courses (Advanced level), specialising in between 3 and 5 subjects... A levels are approximately equivalent to AP classes (5 score) or the first year or two of college in the US and they are basically the minimum requirement to get into university in the UK.

If you aren't far from your undergrad degree, you might want to think about finishing that there and then doing a Masters degree in the UK. As ksand pointed out, transferring into a degree program at the undergrad level in the UK is extremely difficult. The system is significantly different than the US in that regard.

Also, the advantage to a Masters degree in the UK is that it is typically one year. This is good because international tuition is EXPENSIVE.

The other advantage to a Masters degree is the age issue. Most UK undergrads are a bit younger than American undergrads but the hard partying lifestyle is pretty much the same. I started my Masters degree in the UK at 30 and even then, chose to live in 'mature' or post grad halls where the partying was still there, but a bit less intense.

Just to throw another thought out there... you might also want to see what Holland has to offer. I recently read somewhere that it's cheaper to study there and most Dutch speak great English. If I had to do it all over again I'd definitely be considering that.

And to echo balmerhon, Germany is a fantastic option as well! There are tons of degrees conducted in English that cost no more than home tuition which can run from nothing to 1000 euros a year (just an estimate). Most I saw didn't go higher than 500 euros a year

http://www.daad.de/de/index.html

Much of the college I did complete wasn't entirely pretty.  I had good grades, here and there.  I'd like to just ignore some of it, retake it, whatever the case may be.  I never had a major, either.  I was just taking a variety of undergraduate courses.  All of the undergraduate courses I've completed, for the purposes of going to school in Europe, may be wholly worthless, I don't know.  It wouldn't be much of a loss if they were.  I don't even know where I'm at, credit-wise.  I'm sure it's nothing to crow about, though.

I was in honors programs and college AP courses throughout highschool, and had a lackluster GPA, around 3.0, but very high test scores.  I never studied for anything, or even the tests (SAT and ACT,) for that matter.  My ACT was either 29 or 30, and I don't recall what my SAT was, but it was good for the time.  (I believe that was a different scoring system than what it is now?  We're talking 1997ish here.)  The gist of it being, I had a lot of potential I never lived up to, academically.  I was smart, but apathetic, and I had no one to push me, and left to my own devices I just didn't care.  Hindsight is 20/20 and all that.  After finding out I was accepted to all the universities I applied to (University of Florida, Florida State, and University of South Florida,) it basically caused me to slack off even more my senior year of highschool, which was incredibly stupid, because had I attained a 3.5 GPA I would have been eligible for a full scholarship.

I always hated the American-style university system, with its ridiculous undergraduate, non-related classes.  Even when I was a teenager, before I even knew what the U.K. style system was, I always thought it would be a better idea just to focus on what you like.

I've been working for a civil engineering and land surveying company for the past eight years, making decent enough money, but there's no future in it, nor is it what I want to do.  The money right now, and in the foreseeable future, seems to be in things like medicine and science, so that's probably the kind of field I'll be looking at.  Obviously, I want something  I enjoy as well, so I've still got some searching to do on that front.

My friend also told me to seriously consider Holland, and he also said it was far cheaper, both living there and the cost of school itself.  I didn't realize Germany was cheap as well.  I can't imagine I'd like living in those as much as I would somewhere in the U.K., though.

I'm currently studying to take the new SAT.  I figure doing very well on it can't hurt me.  I should think as well as I did on a test designed for teenagers in the 1990's, with a little study, I'll be able to score high.

Welcome to UKY Brian.   
May life bring you new adventures -and hey go for it! 

Brian....



just saying....no offense intended

I always hated the American-style university system, with its ridiculous undergraduate, non-related classes.  Even when I was a teenager, before I even knew what the U.K. style system was, I always thought it would be a better idea just to focus on what you like.

I used to think like that too about the American system. However, after being here for a couple of years, I really miss the flexibility of the American system. In the UK, it's not necessarily study what you want as much as study what you agreed to study. Though you would choose what you want to study, if you have a variety of interests, like me, it might be too selective. I do international studies, yet you'd be surprised the hoops I would have to jump through just to take a foreign language course. It's possible yet not as easy as going to my course adviser and filling out a course sheet.

In the US it is so much easier to change your major and not start all over. I know UK students who have decided to change their course of study and though they have been studying for two years and would be considered third years, are considered first year students.

Though I am excluding A-levels and high school out of this, I think US and UK uni can be compared more or less. I think there are pros and cons to both systems. If you are absolutely sure of what you want to do, can't imagine doing anything else, the UK system is great for that. If you want to study any things, the US system is great for that. Good luck

Brian....



just saying....no offense intended

I've seen that picture a million times on various forums, and, strangely, it hasn't offended me yet.  Now I kind of want something...beer? Hmm.

I used to think like that too about the American system. However, after being here for a couple of years, I really miss the flexibility of the American system. In the UK, it's not necessarily study what you want as much as study what you agreed to study. Though you would choose what you want to study, if you have a variety of interests, like me, it might be too selective. I do international studies, yet you'd be surprised the hoops I would have to jump through just to take a foreign language course. It's possible yet not as easy as going to my course adviser and filling out a course sheet.

In the US it is so much easier to change your major and not start all over. I know UK students who have decided to change their course of study and though they have been studying for two years and would be considered third years, are considered first year students.

Though I am excluding A-levels and high school out of this, I think US and UK uni can be compared more or less. I think there are pros and cons to both systems. If you are absolutely sure of what you want to do, can't imagine doing anything else, the UK system is great for that. If you want to study any things, the US system is great for that. Good luck

That's a perspective I wouldn't have thought of on my own.  Thanks for the insight.  You can't simply just sign up for a foreign language class outside of your main focus just for "fun?"

You can't sign up for any classes outside of your major and they really don't have a lot of fun courses the way US universities do.  For some it's great, for others not.

You can't sign up for any classes outside of your major and they really don't have a lot of fun courses the way US universities do.  For some it's great, for others not.

Yeah, in the 4 years of my degree, I only had the opportunity to sign up for different classes in my 3rd year... when I was studying in the US!

In general, if you're studying in the UK, you are given a class schedule for the year and that's pretty much it (at least in the first year anyway)- you have to go to the classes on that schedule and you don't get a choice in that (and they will usually all be classes in your major).

The first year of a UK degree is essentially trying to get everyone on the course up to the same academic level, so you don't get much choice in the classes - you have to take what they tell you to. In other years, there may be more opportunity to take different classes, but the majority of the choices will be within your department (i.e. you can choose between two different classes in your subject).

As an example, this is essentially the degree course I took (the classes for each year are listed - and you can't take anything that is not on there): http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/structures/template.html?F3T7 - the schedule now allows 2 electives in the second year (presumably in a different department), but when I started the course 10 years ago, there were no options to take electives, except in the study abroad year.

In comparison, a similar degree in the US (using UNM, which is where I studied for my year abroad), the physics department gives a suggested schedule for a BS physics degree (i.e. what you need to take to get the degree), but obviously you can take other classes outside physics if you want. http://panda.unm.edu/pandaweb/undergraduate/programs/BS_Phys.pdf