DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE USA AND GREAT BRITAIN

1. What are the admission requirements to the colleges and universities in the USA/Britain?

In America, students have to take a standardized test, such as the SAT or the ACT if they want to study at a college or university. Students from other countries who are not the native speakers of English must also take the TOEFL. Each college has its own application form and most include a question for which the student must write an essay. The student also has to send a transcript (=an official list of all the subjects studied and the grades received) and letters of reference.

2. What are the three types of schools in higher education?

Universities, teacher-training colleges and polytechnics.

3. What degrees are offered by schools of higher learning in the USA/Britain? What are the requirements for these degrees?

In Britain - Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science ( for the 1^st degree)  and for the 2^nd ones are Master of Arts and Master of Science accordingly. Doctor of Philosophy is the highest scientific degree. In the USA students choose a major subject and in 4 years they get a traditional Bachelor’s degree. Then the students may go on to graduate school1 and with a year or two of further studies get a Master’s degree. After another year or two years of studies and research they may get a still higher degree – Doctor of Philosophy.

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?

Letters indicate the marks or the level of achievement: “A” is the highest mark and “F” is the worst (the lowest) one, which means that the student has failed the course and will not get credit for taking it.

A bachelor's degree in most areas can require between 124 to 128 college credits particular to a specific program of study. This would be based on a college or university that operates on a regular two semester academic year which is the most common. Most students attempt to finish their undergrad schooling in four years. If fifteen credits are taken each quarter, a bachelor degree can be completed in the four year time span.

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.

The SAT and ACT tests are used for college admission purposes. The SAT test is an aptitude and reasoning test used by most colleges for admission purposes. This test has math and verbal sections, as well as a writing section that includes an essay. In most cases, colleges will accept either SAT or ACT scores--however some Midwestern colleges prefer the ACT. The ACT test measures knowledge in four subject areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science. For those interested in pursuing college, The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test should be taken. The PSAT test has three sections--Math, Verbal/Critical Reasoning, and Writing.

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 financial aid package which may be a combination of grants from the government, a scholarship, a student loan and work-study (= a part-time job at the college). Grants, like loans, can come from both federal funds and private institutions but, unlike loans, you do not have to repay them. Scholarships do not require repayment and are awarded for almost anything.

7. What is a GPA (Grade Point Average)?

Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is a measure of how well you are doing in your academic studies.  At TRU, the academic grading scale goes from “A+” to “F”, with corresponding grade points ranging from the highest “4.33” to the lowest “0.00”.

8. What is the role of a student’s counselor? Specify the function of career development and job placement within a university.

School counselors help students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, ensuring today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow.

Its mission is to assist students and alumni to develop lifelong career planning and job search skills and to provide employment and graduate school information, resources, and services in a customer-oriented environment.

It functions as a comprehensive career planning and placement service within the university in order to meet the needs of students and alumni by helping students develop self-awareness, enabling students to clarify and evaluate their career and educational goals, providing students with direction and information on the job market and educational opportunities, helping students develop a methodology to reach their educational goals, and assisting students in the career decision making process.

10. What are the sources of funding for universities and colleges (both public and private)?

Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive tax breaks, public student loans, and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. A public university is is funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. This is in contrast to public universities and national universities. Some universities are non-profit and some are for-profit means as business organization.

11. What is an undergraduate student? A graduate student?

An undergraduate student is a student that is attending college, but has yet to attain a degree. A graduate student is a student that has graduated with a 4 year degree and is going on to achieve a Master’s degree.

12. Are you for written or oral examinations? Which ones are more objective?

Personally I prefer written exams, I think it’s less nervous and it’s easy to concentrate during it, also you can correct your answers.

13. What examinations (oral or written) are more popular with Russian students? Describe the psychological types of students in your group.

I think Russian student do not prefer oral examinations, mainly because it presupposes inevitable necessity to face the examiners, speak to them and even answer some additional questions. However, sometimes oral examination is more preferable. However, students are to face with oral exams in University.

14. Would you like to study in the USA or Great Britain? What are the requirements for foreign students to study in the USA or Great Britain?

I think it would be unreasonable to give up such an opportunity to study in the USA or Great Britain. In Students who will or have graduated from a high school in a country where English is not the official language and for whom English is not their first language must present proof of English proficiency by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) that are no more than two years old.

15. What aspects of American or British higher education system would you like to introduce into ours?

I think it is the possibility to choose a list of subjects, the student is interested in, to specialize in them.