Expert: Todd Johnson - 11/8/2011

Question
Hi Mr. Johnson,
I am a sophomore in high school and am looking at schools in the UK, yet know nothing about them! What are some differences? Do I have to have picked my career, or is it the same you do under grad with nothing special and then graduate school you pick a job?
Thanks!
Andrea

Answer
Andrea,

Generally colleges in the UK are more focused right from the start of the education. You apply to a college of science for instance and you will be focusing on a chemistry major right from the start. There is little professor contact outside of class and you are expected to do everything on your own. There are also not the types of extracurricular activities that are common in the US colleges.

In US colleges, on the other hand, there are some colleges that work much like the UK system and typically these are colleges that award a bachelor of science degree. Most US colleges however, use the bachelors of arts or BA degree. With this degree you spend much of the first two years exploring different types of subjects and then spend the last two years focused on your major topic.  There are also many activities outside of class and in many colleges there is more professor contact.

In Scotland there are several colleges that function like US colleges so you can be in the UK but have a US style education.

My comments are of course very general but I hope it gives you a little feel for the differences. If you are very independent and very focused on a particular subject I think the UK approach is fine. Otherwise, I think most US students do better with a US style approach.