Elvira

From today's Torygraph:

""Princess Beatrice, the Duke and Duchess of York's elder daughter, is planning to join the growing number of students rejecting British universities to study in America.
Over the past decade, the Duchess of York has spent several months of every year in the United States and she has a home in New York.
"America is her mother's second home now and Beatrice loves the idea of studying there," said a friend of the Yorks. "She hangs out at the Manhattan apartment her mother rents ...""

http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/global.../16/nbea16.xml

Now then: what VISA would Fergie be on?

ladylisa

Gosh hasnt Bea grown up!

NJ_Dave

That would be a 'spoilt royal -I'm above the law' visa

Angry White Pyjamas

"She said she thought that it [American University Life] would be like living in Dawson's Creek ...In fact, she was confronted by drunken students, who indulged in "week-long vomiting sessions", and the widespread use of cannabis."

Sounds right up the Royal street. (And Euan Blair's as well)

elfman

This is the bit I don't understand:

With the rising debts of British students, the number of Britons opting to study at the Ivy League universities has doubled in the past eight years. And in total, American colleges now teach at least 8,000 British students and the trend is expected to continue.

From 2006, students at English universities will have to pay up to £3,000 a year towards their tuition fees, up from £1,175 a year at the moment. Barclays Bank has estimated that the average student debt will be about £30,000 by 2010.

I was under the impression that tuition costs at US universities were hugely expensive (astronomic at the Ivy League colleges) - into the tens of thousands of dollars per year. How then can British students who think 3 grand a year is a lot afford to study in the US? Am I missing something?

anotherlimey

She looks like her Dad - and that's disgusting.

Elvira

I guess some of them think "if I have to acquire 20k of debt studying at a UK uni, I might as well make it 50k and get a 'better' education".

Now whether an American college education is better than a US one, is of course an entirely different issue...

Bob

about $30K a year where the missus went, well slightly less after the first year....

Anyway, anyone think the royals were just to thick to get accepted into any decent uni in the UK?

Englishmum

Tell me about it.....costs even for State universities if one's offspring decides to go out of his/her home State still costs a fortune....I was at an open evening last year at my son's High School and trying to get information about tuition fees was like trying to get blood out of a stone... However, I did find out that if my son chose to go to Michigan State University in Lansing (not to be confused with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor) it would cost approx $27k per year for an out-of-state student (I think it included accommodation but not books, transportation etc). The fees for Vassar college started at $36,000 per year (exclusive of books, accommodation, transport).

It's all a bit of a nightmare really as fees vary so much depending if one is awarded scholarships to attend American universities.....what happens to the kids who are bright but not exceptional in any way?

British students wishing to study in the UK would obviously have to pay the even higher International student tuition rates. I think a (very few) high flyers whom would be typically go to Oxford or Cambridge may be awarded Fullbright Scholarships to study in the US. However, looking at the demographics of the typical 'Daily Telegraph' newspaper most of their readership is probably comprised of people who've been to private and elite public schools eg. Rugby, Roedean, Westminster, Cheltenham Ladies' College. I don't think that international tuition fees are a major concern LOL!

Of course, Princess Bea has all the right 'connections'.....

jjmb

Yep I was puzzled by that as well. I know a friend of mine's son studied for a year over here on an exchange programme and he only had to pay for his living expenses but it was only for year. Currently we are paying about $7500 for in state fees which about 4269 GBps, so not so much of difference after next year. No doubt with the recession hitting hard in the coming year, fees will increase again this year although no news so far on that.

And why do they think US universities are better? "where there is world-class teaching, generous financial support and widely envied facilities."
My daughter would much rather of studied in the UK. Although in general, her biology degree is comparable to her friend's who is studying in Glasgow, there are definitely differences. Elisabeth would rather not done the required credits like 2 physic courses, US History, English and an arts credit ,Calculus plus some others when all she wants to do is a biology degree. She will end up with a minor in chemistry but really she would rather she hadn't. She is now doing her required senior classes and in one of them because it hasn't been "generously funded" she is studying the life cycle of a earthworm, stuff that she did in first yr of biology in high school in Scotland!

Of course Princess B will be going to an ivy league university but I doubt very much if the majority of US universities are better than your average UK university.

Elvira

If you look at the individual colleges' 'catalogs' (that's what they call prospectus here), there is usually a table somewhere which lists not only fees, but also anticipated costs of books and living expenses. (Catalogs are available online.)

Also, higher international fees only apply to public colleges - private colleges charge a flat rate. However, financial aid and loans are only available for USCs and PRs.

Fees for public colleges vary a lot. Here in CA they've gone up A LOT in the past couple of years, but at just under 7 grand it's still a lot cheaper than in many other states.

A subject close to my heart at the moment - I have TWO going off to college next year (plus a THIRD possibly returning...) :scared:

Another thing which is so confusing here is that there is no central application system - unlike UCAS in the UK. Every university has its own application form and different admissions criteria, in terms of SATs, ACT, APs, XYbloodyZ

And don't get me started on the personal statements and 'essays'

Elvira

But surely my dear you are aware by now that every US kid is exceptional and a leader and has started some important charity or business and has tons of prizes and awards to his name?

Zzzzz, I mean, you've lived here long enough - right?

jjmb

Not so sure about state schools but certainly private schools can be very flexible about their fees. We have a friend whose daughter is currently studying at a private college in San Antonio which if the full fees were applied, they wouldn't be able to afford. What he found was that because she was in the top 10% of her class he could play universities off on each other. Not only were they able to reduce the fees they were able to tell him which scholarships she would be eligible for. From what I understand from conversations with his daughter, they are paying less than half of the fees should be.

So it still wont be cheap but if your son is considering these colleges he must be very bright, it wont be so gloomy an outlook.

Celsius

I'd imagine quite a few of those British students can only afford to study at these Ivy League colleges courtesty of winning a scholarship of some sort.

Englishmum

Oddly enough he doesn't seem too interested in going to college over here....he says he would like to go to uni in Scotland LOL!

I think we will encourage him to apply to colleges here and in the UK and see what offers he gets.

Am I correct in thinking that there is an application fee for each college pupils apply to in the States? Something like $50 per application?

Like Elvira says....it's so much easier applying via a central body such as UCAS where you can apply for up to six universities simultaneously - and no charges either!