US Or UK Education System- Which Choice To Make?

In the previous blog I discussed the differences between the US and UK education system. In this post I shall enlighten you more on the differences between UK and US education system.

Homework and Grades

As we discussed in the last post the US education system places more emphasize on the breadth of the course, courses involve weekly or biweekly readings and other assignments like writing projects, research papers, and oral presentations throughout the program. In the UK, however, the schools are actually more lecture-focused, with only sporadic assignments throughout the course terms. Sometimes, there might be no real requisite assignments and instead your total grade may be depended on a single final exam. In US, your grade is based on your performance in the different assignments, with the final exam adding only a percentage of your entire grade.

Cost

Now, the cost of education in both nations is far from inexpensive, but the education cost in the United States is comparatively higher. As per the law, universities in England can charge the students up to £9000 (approx $14,300) per year. Obviously, this law applies to only citizens of the UK and the EU, not intercontinental students. Fees for them can be notably higher. The government sets the tuition fees limits, and every school sets its own fee structure accordingly.

By distinction, the US government has very little control over what universities can charge the students. The US distinguishes between in-state schooling fees and out-of-state schooling fees and between private and public schools too. These peculiarities establish the tuition fee. The average tuition fee for public two-year institutions can be almost $3000 per year, whereas the average fee for private four-year institutions will be $29,000 per year and some private four-year institutions can charge till $50,000 per year.

Accommodation

Both countries offer students with residence halls where they can reside. They are almost alike, although in UK it is more normal to have a dorm by yourself, whereas in US, you will share a dorm with at least one person. Still, after the first year, US students may have further housing options available like private housing or off-campus housing. It is more common for dormitories to be self-catered in the UK, while the US universities usually provide a series of full dining choices for its students. One potentially major distinction is that maid service is common in the UK residence halls albeit they pay a nominal fee for it.

Conclusion

While both US and UK can offer great avenues for high-class education, each system has a distinct approach to education, and there are several advantages and disadvantages to each. If you are thinking of pursuing your higher education in either the UK or the US, then you should take into regard the different distinctions mentioned in this and previous blog. Take in regard especially the period it will take to finish the program, the tuition fees and whether you favour more in-depth knowledge or more breadth in your degree program.

Where To Study Abroad - USA or UK?

According to the Times Higher Education world university rankings, over half of the world’s finest 200 universities are situated in either the UK or the US. Both these nations have a rich tradition of superior higher education, first-rate research facilities, and an environment which promotes intellectualism and academic freedom. Though, both definitely offer an exceptional environment for learning, there are several disparities between the two nations regarding the university structure and student life. Let us explore these differences between the American and UK education systems.

Duration
Possibly the most significant distinction between the US education system, and the UK education system, is the period it takes to finish the program (except Scotland, where a bachelor’s degree takes four years). Generally, degree programs in US are about one year longer than UK programs, even though this differs depending upon whether you obtain a Master’s degree preceding to a PhD. In both systems, you can directly join a PhD program after undergraduate program, but in UK it is more frequent to obtain a Master’s before applying for a PhD. Also, courses of study are shorter in the UK than in the US.

Academic Term
Many universities in the US commence their terms in mid to late August, while smaller liberal arts colleges may open later. A rather lengthy break begins in mid-December and the second semester starts in early to mid-January. Still, universities that are follow different calendars, like a trimester or quarter-based system, may start their winter break during the Thanksgiving (end of November). Comparatively, the UK academic term differs. While most UK universities use the semester system, the trimester and quarter systems are also followed. Most schools commence in September or October and finish in May or June, thereby making a little longer academic year.

University Organization
Many UK universities are composed of “colleges” which are committed to a definite subject matter. While the colleges are still under the university, each college has a lot of sovereignty from each other as well as the university itself. Students live with each other in college, and normally stay within college for the entire duration. Rather than registering with the central university admissions department, as the norm in US, you either apply straight to the college you want, or in the case of undergraduate programs, you register via a centralized system which allows you to apply to numerous colleges simultaneously. This system is named the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. By contrast, in US, you register with the larger university and for the first year, you take different courses and only declare a major at the end of the first year or even during the second year. American universities have diverse “schools,” or departments,   which house a number of related majors. However, student still has to take classes outside of his field, “electives.” Hence, we can conclude that the universal emphasis of US higher education is breadth, whereas in UK, the emphasis is more on depth.

I shall continue to outline other distinctions in the next post.

All You Need To Know About US Education System

If you have dreams of pursuing your higher education aspirations in America then you need to be armed with all knowledge pertaining to the US education system. In this post I am going to give a brief outline here. We shall discuss the levels of university/college course now-

First Level Undergraduate

It normally takes about four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. You can either commence your studies with a bachelor’s degree at a community college or a four-year university/college. In the first two years of study you will normally be needed to take numerous classes in diverse subjects (prerequisite courses): arts, literature, science, social sciences, history, etc. This increases your general knowledge, and gives you a foundation prior to focusing on a particular subject field.

Many students prefer to study at a community college and complete the first two years of prerequisite courses. Later they earn an Associate of Arts (AA) transfer degree and next transfer to a four-year university/college. You must choose your major (specific field of study) at the beginning of your third year of school. You will need to take a definite number of courses in this field so as to satisfy the degree requirements of your major. You can switch your major during your under-graduation if you desire so. 

Second Level: Pursuit of a Master’s Degree

Presently, a university graduate with a bachelor’s degree may want to seriously think about graduate study in order to advance their career. This degree is typically obligatory for higher-level positions in fields of library science, engineering, etc. To gain admittance, you have to take the GRE (graduate record examination). Certain master’s programs stipulate precise tests, like LSAT for law school, and MCAT for medical school, GRE/GMAT for business school. You should inquire about the credentials needed to get a job in your country before you apply to a postgraduate university in the USA.

The majority of a master’s course duration is spent in classrooms and a student must prepare a long research paper called a “master’s thesis” or complete a “master’s project.”

Third Level: Pursuit of a Doctorate Degree

The attainment of a master’s degree can be deemed as the first step towards receiving a PhD. However, at some schools, students can plan directly for a doctorate without earning a master’s degree. For international students, it may take as long as five or six years to earn a doctorate. 

For the first two years most doctoral candidates have to register for classes and seminars. Then another year is spent performing actual research and writing a thesis. A doctoral thesis is a dialogue and précis of the current scholarship on a specified topic. Most U.S. universities require their applicants to have a reading knowledge of at least two foreign languages, to spend a mandatory amount of time “in residence,” to qualify in exams that formally admits applicants to the PhD program, and to qualify in an oral exam on the similar topic as the thesis. 

The US education system is regarded to be one of the best in the world and it will be beneficial for your career to pursue higher education there. 

The Best Australian Universities To Apply In

The education system of Australia is at par excellence with those of UK and US. We discussed some of the best Australian universities in the last post. Here is a continuation. The courses and programs offered in Australian universities are accredited by professional bodies, certifying development and upholding of standards, finest practice principles, and resources.


University of Western Australia

The University of Western Australia (UWA) (established 1911) is recognized globally as a top university. The UWA constantly ranks in the top 120 global universities and in the top 20 universities in the Asia Pacific region. It is divided into 10 faculties: Architecture, Arts, Business School; Computing, Education; Engineering, Landscape, and Visual Arts; Humanities, and Social Sciences; Mathematics; Natural and Agricultural Sciences; Law; Life and Physical Sciences; Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences; and School of Indigenous Studies. There are more than 20,000 students with over 4,000 international students.

University of Adelaide
Located in Adelaide this was established in 1874 and is the third oldest university in Australia and has been divided into five faculties: Computer, Engineering, Mathematical Sciences; Health Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; Faculty of Professions; and Faculty of Sciences with each faculty having subsidiary schools. With four campuses present, this university is spread across the state: Roseworthy College, North Terrace, the Waite Institute, and Wine Centre. Existing student base is 22,000 with more than 6,000 international students.

Monash University

The Monash University was established in  1958 under an act of parliament and is situated in Melbourne. It has a student base of around 60,000 students, from almost 170 countries. It is regarded as the largest university in terms of student body and has 10 faculties: Arts; Art and Design; Business and Economic; Engineering; Education; Information Technology; Law; Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences; and Science.  8 campuses, including 2 international campuses make up the university. It has constantly been ranked among the top 50 global universities.

Macquarie University

The Macquarie University, situated in Sydney, was established in 1964 and is a public teaching and research university. There are four faculties: Arts; Business and Economics; Human Sciences; and Science with around 87 under-graduate and 124 post-graduate courses. The university also boasts of the largest student exchange program in the country. As of 2010, the university had a student body of more than 31,000 students counting more than 10,000 international students and a staff of above 2,100 academics and professionals. It has consistently ranked amongst the top ten Australian universities by different sources.

Queensland University of Technology

The Queensland University of Technology (QUT), established in 1989 is an extremely flourishing Australian university with a functional emphasis in courses and research. The university has been categorised into seven faculties: Creative Industries; Built Environment and Engineering; Business; Education; Health; Law; and Science and Technology. It has a massive student base of more than 40,000 students counting 6,000 international students and over 4,000 staff members. The programs offered at this university are quite high in demand and the graduate employment rate is quite well over the national average for the Australian universities.

So, make a choice of yours and pursue your dream of higher education.

Education System Of Australia-What You Need To Know

Australia has emerged as a top destination for international students desiring premium quality education. If you are also interested in pursuing your education dreams in Australia then there are certain basic things about the education system of Australia you should be aware of. Let us start with an introduction to the Australian education system.
Australia offers more than 12000 internationally recognised university courses which are more affordable than US or UK education. In fact, the affordability factor attracts more than 400,000 students from across the world. Students of diverse backgrounds come here to pursue their academic dreams.

If you are relocating to Down Under with your family then you should know about the school education system in Australia. The academic year for schools starts from late January/early February till December. In Australia a child begins his academic career with pre-schooling (voluntary) and then proceeds to compulsory twelve years of primary and secondary schooling. The standard assessment scale (grading scale) is available to measure the student’s performance in the school levels. There are more than 7000 government schools and 2000 independent schools here. You may be surprised to know that international schools are in dearth here as there is little demand for them. However, Australia has independent-fee charging schools with focus on international students and are highly likely to offer internationally-acknowledged transferable qualifications like International Baccalaureate. On completing of schooling a student can pursue under-graduation and subsequently post graduation studies.

Students who desire to study in colleges in Australia must have a government recognised senior secondary certificate. The academic year for colleges/universities in Australia starts from early March till late November. Certain universities in Australia may follow semester system and others follow trimester system.  I shall give you a brief outline on the university level education system in Australia:

•    Under graduate courses-The duration of these courses ranges from two to four years. You will require Australian senior secondary certificate or equivalent certificate from your country to become eligible. You have the option to register for associate degree program (2 years) or bachelor’s degree (3 years) or go for professional/honors degrees.

•    Post graduate course- On the completion of under graduation program you become eligible to apply for post graduation. These master’s courses will take one or two years to complete. The program includes coursework, research, etc.  Certain universities demand work experience to become eligible for these courses.

•    Doctoral courses- These are the highest level of educational qualification in Australian universities. In order to become eligible for these courses you require a master’s or bachelor honors degree in the specific subject. These are of three years duration and either professional or research doctorates.

•    Vocational training- These are offered at the vocational education & training institutions and include certificated, diploma, advance diploma. These prepare you for further studies and also open up better career opportunities.
If you are trying to study in Australia then you are making a wise choice as it is one of the most affordable and best countries to study in.

Why a College Education is Important

The world today is fast paced with technological advances and the job market has become very competitive. It is not surprising that employers want college educated candidates. A college education may be the finest investments of time and money for your career. While workers with a high school education may well secure jobs with good remuneration, it is the college grads that usually fare better by landing higher-level jobs with larger salaries. Also college grads are expected to obtain promotions, receive raises and develop interpretation and communication skillfulness that can be related to their jobs.

Better avenues and Higher Salaries
As technology advances, higher-paying jobs that were previously accessible to high school grads now entail some form of higher education. If you have college degree then several avenues are opened up to you than having a high school diploma does. Those who don’t have educational degrees are more liable to be restricted to basic jobs in service, construction and manufacturing sectors.

While the manufacturing sector used to be at the center of our employment market, the trend today is changing to jobs in further sectors which want more definite proficiency. As a result employers are more likely to select candidates with better training and education from the vast number of available candidates. The U.S. Census Bureau released a 2011 report of American Community Survey (ACS) which stated that people with a bachelor's degree were expected to earn a 40-year lifetime salary of around $2.4 million on an average, while high school grads could only expect a lifetime salary of about $1.4 million (www.census.gov). On average, those who had master's degrees received $2.8 million and those with professional degrees could anticipate life span earnings in surplus of $4 million.

Salaries by Major
The opening salaries of college grads normally surpass those of people who only possess a high school education, even though the subject a student majors in also controls his/her salary prospective. On an average basis a person with college education makes almost twice as much money as a graduate of high school. As per 2011 American Community Survey, people with an engineering bachelor's degree who found work in management could look forward to a lifetime salary of $4.1 million, which was approximately $3 million higher than the regular for those who majored in education and were in public services sector.

Better Life Skills
When attending their classes, college students regularly develop the reasoning dexterity required to make important life decisions, like purchasing a home to helping their kids choose their own college. In reality, college grads are highly likely to have kids who also go to college/university for higher education Other benefits of educational degrees may comprise of better self-discipline, study routine and supportive behaviors which make them successful in their career projects and responsibilities.

It has been evident in the past few years that job market has more opportunities for you if you have college education. You don’t need to look beyond the above facts to conclude that pursuing higher education in colleges in USA is the way to a better life.

Pursue College Education in USA

Many of us have the dream of pursuing college education and it is regarded as a milestone to be achieved in life. I believe that if you have the hunger for learning and have good grades in school then nobody can stop you from gaining entry into any of the universities in USA. With the availability of scholarships, grants and other forms of aid college education is not much of an uphill task.

For most of us college is regarded as a window of opportunity where you have to graduate in order to take a step closer to a secure and comfortable life. I remember my parents telling me that college graduates can pretty much bank on a having a career and thereby decent, stable income. College gives you the opportunity to grow, mature in a holistic environment and teaches you the basic lessons of life. Studying in colleges in USA is a sure-shot way to make a career and land the job of your dreams.

There are more than 3800 universities and colleges offering hundreds of courses to choose from and our nation boasts of being one of the best and diverse education systems. No matter your choice of education course, be it drama, management, science, etc. you have the opportunity. 

If you have set sights on going to a public school then you should know certain things. Public colleges usually function under the state governments and get their funds from the tax dollars and state subsidies. They run the gamut from undersized liberal arts colleges to huge research institutes. The best public schools are University of South Carolina Aiken, United States Coast Guard Academy, Elizabeth City State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Valley City State University, University of Minnesota Crookston.  Some of the best national universities in our country include University of California, Berkeley; University of Virginia; University of California, Los Angeles, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia.

Now when you apply to colleges you have to be meticulous in your planning and take no chances. Probing and choosing the best college for you also includes distinguishing the apt time to apply, where to apply, making your mind up on whether to apply early, drafting college essays, and making preparations for interviews with admissions officials. Stay on track to ensure that the entire process is hassle-free. If you are applying for financial aid then keep in mind to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is a must if you want to receive financial support from state programs or college themselves. Remember to keep your college applications properly organized. Keep a track of all the application requirements for meeting the deadlines, the teacher-counselor recommendations and the transcripts and essays. 

Also ensure to have your test scores sent directly to the colleges from the College Board and ACT.  If you have covered all the bases then you have high chances of getting in the college of your choice.