U.S. vs. UK college applications
“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!”
Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss
Around 11,000 British students study in the USA each year. It’s a very different experience from British undergraduate life. It’s not for everyone, but many of those who go find it a wonderful experience - socially, mentally and academically enriching. For those yearning to try a new academic system and to live in a new culture, the U.S. can be a great option. Plus, if you plan to work in the U.S. afterwards, undergraduate degrees come with the added bonus of a working visa. We’ve made this guide for those considering applying.
Should I study in the US or UK for college?
Studying in the U.S. gives lots of choice - thousands of universities, from liberal arts colleges in east coast nature to schools overlooking the Pacific and mid-western schools close to world-class skiing and mountains. Unlike the U.K., you apply to a university to enter their student undergraduate population, rather than for one specific course. Once there the liberal arts-style degrees give you flexibility to take courses that interest you, which particularly suits enterprising students and people with broad interests who aren’t yet sure where they want to specialise. (There are often some requirements for maths, science and languages courses.)
How are US Common App essays different from UK personal statements?
Application essays for U.S. universities require a very different way of thinking and writing from Britain’s UCAS personal statements. (Culturally the U.S. approach often doesn’t come naturally to British applicants.) While British statements are largely academic, U.S. universities want a sense of ‘who applicants are’, what has shaped their character, life and interests and how they might use their education to contribute to their community afterwards. They’re much more interested in extra-curricular activities, voluntary work and your background and upbringing. And in how you’ll contribute to the undergraduate student community and what makes your background unique or different.
Around 900 U.S. schools, including many of the most well-known, accept application essays through a platform called the Common Application (a bit like the British UCAS). Some of these schools require shorter supplemental questions specific to them, while other schools require separate essays and don’t accept the Common Application.
When should I apply to U.S. colleges?
Preparing for U.S. university applications should begin much earlier than the British applications. At the latest, we would advise students to begin thinking about applications in the spring term of year 12 (don’t panic if you decide later than this to apply, though, it’s still possible!). This gives time to research which universities to apply to, begin thinking about how to construct application essays, and leaves time to take the tests required for application (see below).
Application deadlines differ depending on the university, so you should check closely the website of your chosen schools. Some universities offer an ‘early decision deadline’, whereby candidates can apply earlier and hear back around December. The regular application cycle deadlines are usually in early January (although some are much earlier), with decisions issued around the spring.
Which tests do I need to take to apply to the US?
Most, though not all, U.S. universities require that applicants take the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or the ACT (American College Test). These are formulaic assessments that test vocabulary, comprehension, writing and maths. They can take significant preparation, especially for British applicants, as the questions have a specific format. We advise applicants to take the test as early as possible, since students are allowed to retake the test multiple times and declare their best score (known as super-scoring). This reduces stress and allows people to get the tests out of the way before concentrating on other elements of the application. (We particularly advise early testing if students are also applying to UK universities, to make the process more manageable).
How many US colleges should I apply to?
Unlike UCAS, you’re not limited in the number of U.S. universities you apply to. We would usually recommend somewhere around 5 universities; many more than that can create a heavy workload, especially if you’re already applying to UK universities as well. This depends on the individual, too, which schools they’re applying to and how many of them require significant additional written materials beyond the Common Application. (There are sometimes compelling reasons for people to apply to more.)
Want to read more?
Here are some suggestions of books, poems and articles to read if you want to think more about America and American history, culture, politics and student life:
Marina Keegan, The Opposite of Loneliness. Keegan is a Yale graduate who tragically died in a car crash shortly after graduation; her beautiful collection was published posthumously and includes her most well-known essay (which you can read in full here) on the preciousness of university years.
“We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness,” Keegan writes, “but if we did, I’d say that’s how I feel at Yale. How I feel right now. Here. With all of you. In love, impressed, humbled, scared. And we don’t have to lose that.”The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald - this 1920s novel is a classic, beautifully written, about ambition wealth and social class. (There’s also a 2013 film version.)
The Hill We Climb, Amanda Gorman - the poem at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration, about hope, strife and the future.
Two political memoirs: “A Promised Land”, volume I of Barack Obama’s presidential memoir, released in 2020, and “The Education of an Idealist”, by his former UN Ambassador, Samantha Power. This excerpt and Obama interview from The Atlantic also give a great flavour.
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou.