What brought you to the USA?
Feb 11th 2006, 9:10 am
#76
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,019
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Fitz750
Not for long though; hopefully getting a transfer out soon 
good for you....back home
Feb 11th 2006, 9:21 am
#77
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Baltimore, USA
Posts: 526
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Partystar
It was a serious question, I wanted to know if it was a joke. I've never heard anything good about the education system over here, all I've ever heard is that a British education is better. So please, if you have some stats or anything like that, I'd love to see them. I am looking for a reason to stay here & if some schools/colleges are better, I'd love to know. Thanx in advance.
Feb 11th 2006, 9:23 am
#78
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 274
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by blaze
Hi there,
Why Apache Junction, just out of curiosity?
Why Apache Junction, just out of curiosity?
Feb 11th 2006, 9:26 am
#79
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: The Right Side of the Pond
Posts: 141
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by TruBrit
good for you....back home
Probably going back to Blighty but "home is where the heart is" so for me home is Italy.
Looking forward to going back to the UK but a bit apprehensive also.
Feb 11th 2006, 9:28 am
#80
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Posts: 15,019
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Fitz750
"home is where the heart is" .
so very true...cheers and hope it all works out
Feb 11th 2006, 9:48 am
#81
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,024
Re: What brought you to the USA?
To respond to a couple of questions/comments:
There are certainly distinct advantages to doing a postgraduate degree here, in terms of financing, quality of education, and flexibility of programs.
In terms of financing, yes, at many places being an out of state student can be very expensive. However, at the postgraduate level, many places pay your in-state and out-of-state tuition for you if you get an assistantship.
And finally, my comments about the high quality of education here were restricted to postgraduate education - not undergraduate degrees or "school" (i.e., little kids).
p.s. I teach at the university level and have been in the US higher education system since 1990
p.p.s. My comments do not apply to the $50 internet Ph.D. in fluffy bunny psychology from Okefenokee Community College.
There are certainly distinct advantages to doing a postgraduate degree here, in terms of financing, quality of education, and flexibility of programs.
In terms of financing, yes, at many places being an out of state student can be very expensive. However, at the postgraduate level, many places pay your in-state and out-of-state tuition for you if you get an assistantship.
And finally, my comments about the high quality of education here were restricted to postgraduate education - not undergraduate degrees or "school" (i.e., little kids).
p.s. I teach at the university level and have been in the US higher education system since 1990
p.p.s. My comments do not apply to the $50 internet Ph.D. in fluffy bunny psychology from Okefenokee Community College.
Last edited by dunroving; Feb 11th 2006 at 9:51 am.
Feb 11th 2006, 9:54 am
#82
Position - Offside
Joined: May 2005
Location: Harvest, Alabama from Newport Pagnell, Bucks/Mitcham, Surrey
Posts: 413
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Arizona Wurzel
Because its a nice small town with beautiful scenery,near the lakes,plenty of sunshine all year round (84F yesterday) up in the 70,s all next week.All acre and a quarter lots where we live so plenty of space,good restaraunts,bars,supermarkets etc.Superstiton Springs mall just a few minutes away.Hot in the summer but eight months of gorgeous weather.Best kept secret in the USA ,golf courses galore,ski slopes not too far away.80,000 snowbirds winter here every year so it cant be that bad,just a small cowboy town,would not live anywhere else.
Ssshhhhhhhhh you need to keep it quiet otherwise everyone will be moving there and once that happens it will change. Those best kept secrets are best kept. Trust me. lololol
Feb 11th 2006, 9:58 am
#83
Senior Moment
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,008
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Bob
Bloomin' expensive though, and unless it's a big ivy leaguer like Yale/Havard, would have bugger all kudos overseas, bit like anyone that got a design degree or international law from brunel
cough cough cough!!!
aww Brunel University, as pants as it was, when I say I have an honors degree in English and Drama to the yanks they seem quite impressed!
Feb 11th 2006, 9:59 am
#84
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,024
Re: What brought you to the USA?
And while we're on the subject (see, you got me started, now), I agree with the earlier comment that in fact some PhD programs in the UK are of inferior quality, especially research-based ones (i.e., with no taught component).
I have seen first hand that they can produce graduates with a very narrow view of the world, becasue they spend all their time studying a single, narrow, research question using the same design and analysis in all their research. In order to be a decent researcher you have to be able to understand the content and design and analyses of other people's research, too. Relying on a single faculty supervisor (who him/herself may have gone through a similarly-narrow research Ph.D. program) to provide a Ph.D. student's education is a potentially dangerous model, IMHO.
What concerns me even more is the degree of in-breeding that seems to be going on at many UK institutions. This is where Ph.D. graduates are hired by the institution they graduated from - or even worse, they are hired as masters level faculty and do their Ph.D. in the same department they are working in, supervised by their colleagues. Bloody lunacy if you ask me.
I have seen first hand that they can produce graduates with a very narrow view of the world, becasue they spend all their time studying a single, narrow, research question using the same design and analysis in all their research. In order to be a decent researcher you have to be able to understand the content and design and analyses of other people's research, too. Relying on a single faculty supervisor (who him/herself may have gone through a similarly-narrow research Ph.D. program) to provide a Ph.D. student's education is a potentially dangerous model, IMHO.
What concerns me even more is the degree of in-breeding that seems to be going on at many UK institutions. This is where Ph.D. graduates are hired by the institution they graduated from - or even worse, they are hired as masters level faculty and do their Ph.D. in the same department they are working in, supervised by their colleagues. Bloody lunacy if you ask me.
Feb 11th 2006, 10:31 am
#85
I'm back!
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Richmond, VA, USA
Posts: 4,316
Re: What brought you to the USA?
What brought you to the USA?
ME: A birth canal
MARK: Love -- came here on a K1 fiance visa and married me. Eligible for US naturalization next year.
It's been interesting reading how people feel about staying or returning "home"... Mark and I have always thought that, eventually, we will end up in the UK and wondered how children will factor in to that equation. (We don't have any yet, not sure when we will, but my clock's already starting to tick!) We've discussed the American vs British education issues, etc. On the one hand I feel that as dual citizens our children will be at a great advantage, because they'll have more choices and opportunities from which to choose. But at the same time it can create problems if part of the family is happy in one country and the others are unhappy there. I suppose it's a bit premature for us to worry about those things, but still, it's something to keep in mind...
~ Jenney
ME: A birth canal
MARK: Love -- came here on a K1 fiance visa and married me. Eligible for US naturalization next year.
It's been interesting reading how people feel about staying or returning "home"... Mark and I have always thought that, eventually, we will end up in the UK and wondered how children will factor in to that equation. (We don't have any yet, not sure when we will, but my clock's already starting to tick!) We've discussed the American vs British education issues, etc. On the one hand I feel that as dual citizens our children will be at a great advantage, because they'll have more choices and opportunities from which to choose. But at the same time it can create problems if part of the family is happy in one country and the others are unhappy there. I suppose it's a bit premature for us to worry about those things, but still, it's something to keep in mind...
~ Jenney
Feb 11th 2006, 10:51 am
#86
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,175
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Sarah
cough cough cough!!!
aww Brunel University, as pants as it was, when I say I have an honors degree in English and Drama to the yanks they seem quite impressed!
aww Brunel University, as pants as it was, when I say I have an honors degree in English and Drama to the yanks they seem quite impressed!
oh, and to make you laugh, one of my mates after design, did a masters there as well, in bio-engineering, and then did a phd somewhere, don't know if he finished the phd or not, but he's now working at the local copper in Egham, shame the campus is all but closed
Last edited by Bob; Feb 11th 2006 at 10:53 am.
Feb 11th 2006, 11:24 am
#87
Senior Moment
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,008
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Bob
design, it's rated with loughborough as the top two in europe, it's highly rated in engineering and law, as well as sports...but has anyone heard of the place outside of students? bugger all...well actually just one, but then the blokes daughter was dating a Brit that was going there *l*
oh, and to make you laugh, one of my mates after design, did a masters there as well, in bio-engineering, and then did a phd somewhere, don't know if he finished the phd or not, but he's now working at the local copper in Egham, shame the campus is all but closed
oh, and to make you laugh, one of my mates after design, did a masters there as well, in bio-engineering, and then did a phd somewhere, don't know if he finished the phd or not, but he's now working at the local copper in Egham, shame the campus is all but closed
Twicks was lovely. Right on the river, a stone's throw from beautiful Richmond and 30mins from central London. Pete Townshend had a recording studio next door, we used to see that bloke from the Lightening Seeds and Massive Attack wandering round all the time looking scruffy. Never did see Pete Townshend though, probably too busy on the internet. ahem.
Feb 11th 2006, 11:35 am
#88
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by TruBrit
sorry got to spread
Feb 11th 2006, 11:48 am
#89
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,182
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Bob
Bloomin' expensive though, and unless it's a big ivy leaguer like Yale/Havard, would have bugger all kudos overseas, bit like anyone that got a design degree or international law from brunel
University of California is very good value though. Fees are not significantly more than in the UK. And Berkeley is ranked 5th nationwide, and definitely one of the most renowned unis in the world.
Feb 11th 2006, 11:52 am
#90
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: What brought you to the USA?
Originally Posted by Sarah
Twicks was lovely. Right on the river, a stone's throw from beautiful Richmond and 30mins from central London. Pete Townshend had a recording studio next door, we used to see that bloke from the Lightening Seeds and Massive Attack wandering round all the time looking scruffy. Never did see Pete Townshend though, probably too busy on the internet. ahem.
