Higher Education in Britain and the
USA
1.
What are the admission requirements to the colleges
and universities in the USA/Britain?
As for the UK, entrance to British
universities is via a strict selection process based on an interview. After the
interview a potential student is offered a place on the basis of exam results.
If the student does not get the grades specified in the offer, a place cannot
be taken up. Some universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, have an entrance
exam before the interview stage.
As for the USA, American high school
students who want to study at a college or university have to take a
standardized test, e.g. SAT or the ACT. Non-native speakers of the English
language must take the TOEFL. Students also have to write an essay, to send a
transcript and letters of reference.
2.
What are the three types of schools in higher
education?
a community college, colleges and
universities
3.
What degrees are offered by schools of higher learning
in the USA/Britain? What are the requirements for these degrees?
An associate's
degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges,
junior colleges, technical colleges, bachelor's degree-granting colleges, and
universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years. In
the United States, and some areas of Canada, an associate's degree is often
equivalent to the first two years of a four-year college or university degree.
It is the lowest in the hierarchy of post-secondary academic degrees offered in
these countries. In spite of persistent high unemployment, there is high demand
for people with so-called “middle-skills” that often require no more than an
associate’s degree, such as lab technicians, teachers in early-childhood
programs, computer technicians, draftsmen, radiation therapists, paralegals, and
machinists.
A bachelor's
degree is usually an academic degree earned for a graduate course of study
or major that in theory, depending on the location and the topic of study, is
supposed to last three to six years, but can range more widely in duration,
depending on ability and diligence of the student, whether or not the student
balances work and other life commitments while attending school, the student's
existing level of education, the availability of classes, and school policies.
In some cases, it may also be the name of a second graduate degree, such as a
Master of Legislative Law (L.L.B.), Master of Law (B.L.), Master of Civil Law,
the Bachelor of Music, the Bachelor of Philosophy, or the Bachelor of Sacred
Theology degree which are normally offered after a first Graduate/Bachelor's
Degree.
A master's
degree is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone
study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of
study or area of professional practice. Within the area studied, graduates are
posited to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and
applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation or
professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously
and independently. The degree is awarded upon graduation from a university.
The
Education Specialist, also
referred to as Educational Specialist, Specialist in Education, or Ed.S., is an
advanced terminal degree in the U.S. that is designed for individuals who wish
to develop advanced knowledge and theory beyond the master's degree level, but
may not wish to pursue a degree at the doctoral level. Advanced programs beyond
the master's degree are designed to provide the necessary background and professional
expertise for students planning to go into university teaching, supervisory or
leadership roles in post-secondary schools, curriculum planning, consultant
work, or similar positions.
Doctor
of Philosophy, abbreviated as
PhD, Ph.D., D.Phil., or DPhil in English-speaking countries and originally as
Dr.Philos. (for the Latin philosophiae doctor or doctor philosophiae), is in
many countries a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities. The
academic level known as a Doctorate of philosophy varies considerably according
to the country, institution, and time period, from entry-level research degrees
to higher doctorates. A person who attains a doctorate of philosophy is
automatically awarded the academic title of doctor.
4.
What is a credit in the US system of higher education?
How many credits must an undergraduate student earn to receive a bachelor’s
degree? How can they be earned?
American degrees, both undergraduate and graduate, are
earned on the basis of the number of courses successfully taken. Each course
earns “credits” or “units”, which are known as credit hours, semester hours
(for schools on the semester system), quarter hours (for schools on the quarter
system) or merely hours or credits. The number of credits earned by each course
relates to the number of hours of classroom work involved, but does not
necessarily correspond exactly. For instance, a course meeting three times a
week for an hour (actually 50 minutes) each time may be expected to give a
student three hours credit for the semester or term. On the other hand, an
intensive seminar may meet once a week for two hours and also be a three-credit
course. Two or three laboratory periods are usually considered to be equivalent
to one class “hour”. The undergraduate student program, known as an “academic
load”, is normally 15-17 units a semester, or 12 to 15 units a quarter. The
graduate student’s normal load is 9-12 units.
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science
(B.S.) degree is awarded on successful completion of a specified number of
courses or units and the full degree requirement is usually stated as being 120
credits (about 4O courses) for institutions operating on a semester system, and
180 credits for a quarterly calendar.
5.
What steps do students have to take to enroll in a
college/university for admission? Speak about the exams they take – PSAT, SAT,
ACT.
They take exams, write an essay, and prepare for an
interview. SAT can be taken two or
three times (in the 11th and 12th grades), generally
proceeded by PSAT (preliminary), a
test to give students a warm-up exercise for the SAT and indicate their
probable SAT scoring range.
ACT (the American College Testing Program) is similar to
SAT but scores social studies and natural studies. The ACT is taken when
required by certain colleges or universities.
6. What financial assistance are applicants eligible for?
What is college scholarship, grants, loan? Explain and bring out the essence of
student financial aid.
Students whose families cannot afford to pay the full
amount apply for financial aid. Many students receive a financial aid package
which may be a combination of grants from the government, a scholarship, a
student loan, and work-study.
A
scholarship is an award of
financial aid for a student to further his or her education. Scholarships are
awarded based upon various criteria, which usually reflect the values and
purposes of the donor or founder of the award. Scholarship money is not
required to be repaid.
Grants are often called “gift aid” because they are free
money—financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid. Grants are often
need-based. Grants can come from the federal government, state government,
college or career school, or a private or nonprofit organization.
A
student loan is designed to
help students pay for university tuition, books, and living expenses. It may
differ from other types of loans in that the interest rate may be substantially
lower and the repayment schedule may be deferred while the student is still in
education. It also differs in many countries in the strict laws regulating renegotiating
and bankruptcy.
7. What is a GPA (Grade Point Average)?
The GPA is calculated by taking the number of grade points a
student earned in a given period of time divided by the total number of credits
taken. The GPA can be used by potential employers or educational institutions
to assess and compare applicants.
8. What is the role of a student’s counselor? Specify the
function of career development and job placement within a university.
A student’s counselor is responsible for:
·
Assisting
students to identify their academic values and goals, consistent with their
capabilities, interests, and educational backgrounds
·
Clarifying
pertinent information and discussing the implications toward students’ academic
success
·
Being
accessible and available to students to respond to their questions and concerns
·
Clarifying
academic policies, college regulations, program requirements, procedures, and
other college information
·
Maintaining
professional integrity, confidentiality, respect, and sensitivity in advising
·
Helping
students define and develop educational plans; assisting in the selection of
appropriate course work and opportunities to achieve students’ goals
·
Respecting
students’ individual needs and diversity
·
Assisting
students to independently monitor their progress toward achieving their
educational and career goals
·
Being
knowledgeable about, promoting and referring students to appropriate campus and
community resources and services
·
Informing
students of the roles and responsibilities of the advisor/student relationship
·
Maintaining
currency in academic advising trends and techniques through professional
development
9.
What are the sources of funding for universities and
colleges (both public and private)?
Universities are funded by the state or rather fund
themselves.
10.
What is an undergraduate student? A graduate student?
Undergraduate
– a student who is doing
a university course for a Bachelor’s degree.
Graduate
– 1. In Britain it is a
person who has completed a university degree course. 2. In the USA it is a
person who has completed course in any educational institution.
11.
Are you for written or oral examinations? Which ones
are more objective?
I like written exams better mostly because I like to
be able to plan out my answers and choose my wording carefully before writing
it down. Although I can usually keep things pretty well organized in my head,
it's a lot easier to organize things on paper. I also like that it's easier to
skip questions and come back later, go out of order, and go back and add
more/remove parts of my answers when the test is written. And if I get
something completely wrong the first time and have to completely rewrite it no
one knows.
12.
What examinations (oral or written) are more popular
with Russian students? Describe the psychological types of students of your
group.
Written examinations are more popular.
14 Would you like to study in the USA or Great Britain? Why? Why not? What
are the requirements for foreign students to study in the USA or Great Britain?
I think it would be interesting to
study both in the USA and the UK, because educational systems of these
countries are rather interesting. Foreign students in the USA must take the
TOEFL, and in the UK – FCA.
15. What aspects of American or British higher education system would you
like to introduce into our system?
The ability to choose the subjects
which I’m interested in.
