Discussion Questions

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 11^th and 12^th 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.