Sue

My son applied to five UK universities, and none of them stipulated that US students needed to take a foundation course. Instead they all stated that prospective US students needed to obtain a minimum score on their SATs. Indeed my son also had to take a Biology and History SAT because they wanted scores from those. (AP exams also help, although my son hadn't taken any AP classes). He got excepted into 3 universities and just graduated two months ago, and now is back in the US eating us out of house and home.

Sally Redux

Congratulations! That seemed to go quickly, but I think he is the same age as my son but only had to do the three years. Is he going to stay in the US?

Sue

Yep he is. In fact he's only going to stay with us for about a year to get any old job and save some money, and then he plans on moving back to Charlotte to share an apartment with two high school friends.

Part of me was hoping he would want to stay in the UK, but I think since being there he's realised he feels more at home in the US than the UK

Sally Redux

I think both of mine will end up in the US. We left it too late.

At least your son is closer for now

Gozit

That's good... 3 years instead of 4 is always a good reason to go to the UK instead of stay here Especially because with the placement "sandwich" year just brings it up to 4 years which is what i'm used to... Any idea if the sandwich year is paid? Ie I get money for doing the placement job?

BUT, the question is, if for whatever reason I don't translate into meeting the entry requirements for the program I want, although I will try my hardest to do so, if I meet the requirements for the foundation year will I be able to start from there?

Sue

My son didn't have a "Sandwich" year. Where he went to university they called it a "year in employment." Basically how that worked was you go off and find yourself a job for a year and show the university proof that you have a job set up etc. Then they allow you to take a break between the 2nd and 3rd year. Two of my son's housemates did that, the other two did the same as him and just did the three years. It was easiest that way for us because otherwise we would have had to arrange accommodation etc for him. Also he would not be considered a "student" for the "year in employment" so would not have been eligible for FAFSA (government student loans)

Gozit

I see... The program i'm looking at Aston as well as the ones i'm looking at in Toronto and the surrounding area offer a placement year whereby the university places you in a job for a year, in your field, as sort of a testing ground. Its great cos it gets some experience on your CV, and gives you a "test drive" of what a future job could be like.

SchnookoLoly

A lot have this option even if they don't specifically offer it, the one I went to was like this. The program is set up as four years start to finish but you can get permission to do a co-op placement so you graduate in five years instead of four (still only pay for four though!). Most did it between second and third or third and fourth years.

Gozit

Good to know. I thought that if it didn't say they had it, it meant it wasn't offered...

As for the ones at your uni, were the people who went on co-op paid for their work in the placement?

SchnookoLoly

Yep, a good friend of mine who did the same specialization I did took a year off to work at IBM. In my university as well a bucket of places recruited for summer positions, so you'd work for 4 months between third and fourth year, and if they liked you then you left the summer position with a job offer... Nice to go thigh fourth year having that sorted. for the company I worked for after grad that I pm'd you, they did their recruitment in October so by thanksgiving I had my post-grad job offer in hand.

Gozit

Wow, that's good. Summer positions also mean not having mum on my back about working menial minimum wage P/T job in summers

And yes, job offer in 4th year is really nice to have sorted!

Dashie

There's really nothing wrong with working a minimum wage job you know.

Gozit

No, there isn't... There's even one min wage job I have my eyes on for my time off at uni - though i'm pissed I cannot get it now, they have an age restriction (18) for doing said job. A naffing clerk at a cell phone store. Really? Anybody who knows as much as me (and I know a lot about cell phones and their associated plans and we have been with the provider I wanted to apply to for almost a decade, all the people in the shop know me, etc. its just stupid corporate policy. Its almost as if society wants to intentionally force me to work the cash at the drug store But I digress) can do it.


BUT, if the uni offers placements at jobs that are higher than min wage its obviously better. Especially when like me you are looking at relocation costs when out of uni, and maybe want to go on a holiday or two during uni holidays.

Dashie

Maybe something to do with contracts and you still legally being a child? That's my only guess. Or just company policy.

There's also nothing wrong with working on the cash at a drug store, especially if you want to save money for this move. And maybe the experience and commitment would show future employers that you're willing to work hard and don't think certain jobs are beneath you starting out...