Anyone know about applying for American colleges?

[OrchidRosetta]

Assuming the school does this? Does your son or daughter go? Just interested. What’s it like?

I know someone who is at university in US, has started their second year and another couple of people who went there. One was post-grad (graduated in UK) and one stayed for a year and came home (not sure on why, sorry) and then went to uni here.

The one who is there now enjoys it; the one who did a master's endured it, overall, and obvs the other one didn't like it enough to stay. It does depend on why you are going there (all three YP I know went for sport-related reasons).

As I understand it you need deep pockets as fees are much higher than UK unless you can get a full scholarship to certain top unis.

When you say Assuming the school does this? do you mean you are assuming the school sorts the application? or do you mean that you know that your school does? The YP I know all had to do a lot of legwork and their schools were not involved at all; but I guess a school that sends a lot of students to the US may have a programme to support.

A friends daughter is still in the US after graduating. She was "headhunted" from an English football academy and offered a full scholarship (with a special word I don't remember that paid her living costs as well as tuition too).

My friend said most of the Brits over there are on sporting scholarships, as it is bloomin expensive. She did all the paperwork.

If your DC is talented in a sport that US universities/colleges recruit for, then there is a chance they can get a scholarship. Otherwise, it's quite expensive. Not all, but most of the US colleges require students (even those applying for a sports scholarship) to take the SAT for English Language and Math. These are multiple choice timed tests that are really very different from the kind of exams UK students sit and to be successful your DC should get some specialist tuition in how to pass them. While a UK sixth-form might help with filling in the application forms, they are unlikely to offer prep for the SAT exams.

Top/well known private schools - yes, as it's part of the service you're paying for. They will often have overseas advisors who are part of wider groups working with specific overseas unis.

Normal schools - probably not

My niece did her first degree here in the UK and then spent 3 years as a postgrad on a full US sports scholarship (it paid for everything - fees, living costs and full healthcare - except her flights to and fro). She researched it all herself.

It's less easy and much, much more expensive than it is here for undergrads not on sports scholarships.

There’s no loan for fees or living costs. It’s down to you. The top unis there are needs blind but most are not and fees can be multiples of here and living costs are sky high. You need very very deep pockets and it csn easily be £60,000 a year. Fulbright has info but post grad is more doable.

DS is at an Ivy League school and is a Senior (4th year). He was recruited for his sporting prowess (GB representation). The Ivies don’t offer scholarships but they do offer ‘financial aid’ - means tested support.

The cost to him / us has worked out about the same as him attending a UK university. As others have said, you can’t access UK Student Finance to attend a US college.

My other two were / are at top UK universities and I think the standard of teaching at DS’ college is probably better. But that may not be surprising given the huge resources they have.

The College Confidential website and forum is a good resource.

As well as finds one thing to bear in mind is that virtually all US colleges make you so a variety of subjects. So required classes in maths, MFL, humanities, sciences etc to approx A level standard even if your major or main degree subject is something quite different.

High level extra curricular achievements will help with getting in.

DS is doing his post grad at a US uni. I strongly recommend holding out until post grad, as undergraduate degreees in US are $$$$$$$$$ whereas post-grads are very often fully funded. DS is very well paid for studying towards his PhD and a tiny amount of teaching. He earns extra for marking papers, some additional teaching and editing/peer reviewing books in his field.