How do American universities work?

[VivaLeBeaver]

In my fantasy life I’ve been accepted for Brown, Cornell and Columbia.

I’m accepting Cornell because the campus looks nice with on campus hiking trails and a waterfall and they seem to have some nice “Greek organisations”. .

I’m slightly put off by the amount of double roomed dorms.......do most college students really have to share a bedroom with a total stranger? Can’t think of anything worse.

Also do American students apply for a particular course like we do in the U.K.? Or do you just turn up and study a bit of everything and then decide on a “major” later on?

Hazing definitely still happens, including all the terrible stuff that is "banned". But it's different at every school / each organisation at the school

Yes - I'm quite shocked by how much still happens some places. DD's college has a lot of fraternities and sororities but they have very very strict rules about hazing.

I spent a year at a US college as part of my degree. Yes, you share a room with a stranger, my first one was lovely the 2nd not so much.

Most people had chosen a major but they have to do lots of general classes so definitely possible to change your mind. Lots of people seem to have a major and a minor. So maybe Business major with a minor in Spanish or something like that.

My campus was ‘dry’ meaning no alcohol allowed (drinking age is 21) so a very different social life than UK students.

Nandocushion Yes! DU it was. Beautiful from the photos etc, really wanted to go but things changed. Went to Falmouth instead, loved it, met some great people and now have a load of contacts for various things.
I think I'd still like to go to Denver though if the opportunity arose.
@onetoomanybathtimes
Hey, I went to DU!

OP, I had decided my major and had a scholarship for that subject but lots of people decided what to major in during our first or second year. You have to take different types of courses regardless, so I got to try out an international studies class and geology and Microsoft Excel even though my major was unrelated. It was all really interesting and well rounded. And yes I lived in a room with 2 strangers my first year, one I really liked and the other didn't get along with either of us so she moved out in the first quarter. I didn't pledge a sorority because they were a big time commitment and my major had a lot of work outside class time.

I found the work in my undergrad there to be much more intense and needed more time and commitment than my postgraduate degree in the UK. Many many contact hours (about 30 a week) and about the same amount of work to do on my own. I was majoring in one of their art degrees though and it was very competitive. It was great fun though and I used to go up skiing on my day off because of being in Colorado.

It was about $50k per year but I had an almost full scholarship. When I did my postgraduate degree in the UK it cost £13k or so which was more than it would have cost for a British student, so I think the Brits have it pretty good with uni fees! I unfortunately know people with crippling student debt from the US and that would have been me too without a scholarship.

HoldMyLobster I grew up in Massachusetts (Harvard- town of not university ) and we used to rent a house in Biddeford Pool for a couple of weeks every summer and I loved Maine. I miss it so much and someday want to get back for a visit.

Do American universities have mature students like in the UK?
There was a man in one of my classes who was in his 80s. Overall there were mature students but not as many as in UK universities.
I’d guess there would be a higher proportion of mature students at Community Colleges.