Can someone explain the college credit system?

[MikeH]

That college credits system is weird.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by cinch
Just for interest's sake, here's what I'll be paying, approximately:

$2,154 per semester, with 15 credits per semester, meaning about $143.60 per credit (that's Canadian, mind you... it's like Monopoly money). And then there's 200-and-some bucks worth of extra fees and charges.

It comes up to about $4800 per year, and it takes 4 years for a bachelor's, so it takes about CA$19,200 to attain a Bachelor of Arts (or Sciences) degree at the U of A.

Consider it, Diss...

Much higher for a non-Canadian.

Approximately triple, dependinding on the uni.

Still a pretty good deal for most Americans. Which was why we had a bunch of them in undergrad at McGill (which has the most foreign students of any uni in Canada)

[KrazyHorse]

Most university credit systems are based on semester hours.

The average class will take up 3 hours a week for 1 semester, hence it is worth 3 credits. This is only a rule of thumb, however.

Similarly, most 4 year Bachelor's degrees take 120 credits, with a certain number devoted to your major (anywhere between half and three-quarters, depending on how hard-assed a degree you're taking).

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
I get subsidized Stafford Loans (Interest deferred until graduation, IIRC). That's the closest I get to government payouts.


You also forget that this is the U.S., and that our higher education system is #1

Your graduate schools are number one.

Your undergraduate programs are fairly anemic, from what I've seen. Most Canadian schools compare favourably with US schools on that score, and British schools are far better than either of them.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
The average class will take up 3 hours a week for 1 semester, hence it is worth 3 credits. This is only a rule of thumb, however.

Similarly, most 4 year Bachelor's degrees take 120 credits, with a certain number devoted to your major (anywhere between half and three-quarters, depending on how hard-assed a degree you're taking).

With there's 8 semesters in a degree course, that's 15 credits per semester, or 15 hours work a week? That explains why we do a degree on 3 years. Admittedly my brother isn't typical, but he works roughly 40 hours per week (12-18 in lectures, 2 in supervisions and 2-6 in classes, then the same again in own study). Now I know at many uni's even here you work less than that, but the least of any I went to an open day at (about 8 or 9) they reckon is 25-30 hours per week.

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Your graduate schools are number one.

Your undergraduate programs are fairly anemic, from what I've seen. Most Canadian schools compare favourably with US schools on that score, and British schools are far better than either of them.

US grad schools do rock, being that it seems much more common and prestigious going to one over there, but I'm not sure I could do as degree where I take other classes than my degree subject. I can take a few, but at least 3/4 of my classes will all be in my degree subject. I'm sure the undergrad programs are pretty good (I did apply to one) but just on value for money

What so American's (and US Grad Schools) think of UK undergrad programs. I'd love to do Grad study over there, but the kind of places I want to go to seem to want you to have done undergrad study there too. How hard is it to get a place at Ivy League Grad Schools, when coming from other really good foreign Unis?

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Drogue

With there's 8 semesters in a degree course, that's 15 credits per semester, or 15 hours work a week? That explains why we do a degree on 3 years. Admittedly my brother isn't typical, but he works roughly 40 hours per week (12-18 in lectures, 2 in supervisions and 2-6 in classes, then the same again in own study). Now I know at many uni's even here you work less than that, but the least of any I went to an open day at (about 8 or 9) they reckon is 25-30 hours per week.

15 hours a week only counts time in lectures. Tutorials, homework, etc. are not counted.

Also, in Quebec we only attend university for 3 years, but have an extra year pre-university.

[Asher]

At my uni, we don't use credits. Just FCE (Full Course Equivalents).

Whatever the reason, a semester of a course is 0.5 FCE.

[Drogue]

Ahhh, I thought you meant 15 hours in total. That seems prettyb reasonable then. We have a weird school system (though I like it). Compulsory to 16, optional 16-18, then Uni for3 years for 18. We end on year 13, so we have an exctra year than American's, but on less of Uni.

Talking of that, with results day tomorrow, I think I need to start an A level thread

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Asher
Whatever the reason, a semester of a course is 0.5 FCE.

Because a year of a course would be 1 FCE

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Drogue
What so American's (and US Grad Schools) think of UK undergrad programs. I'd love to do Grad study over there, but the kind of places I want to go to seem to want you to have done undergrad study there too. How hard is it to get a place at Ivy League Grad Schools, when coming from other really good foreign Unis?

Have good grades, good GREs and good recommendations.

I had good GREs and I'm fairly certain I had good recommendations. My grades were on the weak side (B+s instead of A-s or As). If I'd had a 3.7 or 3.8 instead of a 3.4 I'm pretty sure I could have gotten pick of the litter instead of having had Harvard say no to me. But where I'm at now has pretty decent standing.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Drogue
Because a year of a course would be 1 FCE

"full course" is a bit of a misnomer then, every course at the uni (at least undergrad stuff) is 1 semester long. Yet it's only half of a "full course".

[Asher]

KH: Where are you now, anyway?
And did the girl move with you or is she still in Quebec?

[KrazyHorse]

www.jhu.edu

[Drogue]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Have good grades, good GREs and good recommendations.

I had good GREs and I'm fairly certain I had good recommendations. My grades were on the weak side (B+s instead of A-s or As). If I'd had a 3.7 or 3.8 instead of a 3.4 I'm pretty sure I could have gotten pick of the litter instead of having had Harvard say no to me. But where I'm at now has pretty decent standing.

We don't get grades. We get a class of degree at the end (1st, 2:1, 2nd, 3rd). All of it rests on final exams, nothing on work throughout Uni. GRE is a US Graduate test isn't it? I liked doing the SATs, so I presume like much harder version of SATs or SATIIs?

I mean, say I get a first, and a decent GRE. Would I still have huge odds of getting in? I remeber applying to Uni, and even with straight As, I would estimate my odds at about 10-1 of getting in (there were 28 applicants and 2 places at interviews, of which 90% would have straight As). Is it that great grades and you walk straight on to any course, or is it still a lottery?

[Asher]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
www.jhu.edu

Ohhhhh, cool, you gotta love a uni's website that's pronounced "jew edew".

[KrazyHorse]

I'm actually writing this from a computer in

The Milton S. Eisenhower Library
3400 North Charles Street Baltimore,
Maryland 21218

http://www.library.jhu.edu/libraryde...iew/index.html

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Drogue

We don't get grades. We get a class of degree at the end (1st, 2:1, 2nd, 3rd). All of it rests on final exams, nothing on work throughout Uni. GRE is a US Graduate test isn't it? I liked doing the SATs, so I presume like much harder version of SATs or SATIIs?

I mean, say I get a first, and a decent GRE. Would I still have huge odds of getting in? I remeber applying to Uni, and even with straight As, I would estimate my odds at about 10-1 of getting in (there were 28 applicants and 2 places at interviews, of which 90% would have straight As). Is it that great grades and you walk straight on to any course, or is it still a lottery?

What are you going into?

GREs come in two parts:

1) General GRE (like advanced versions of SAT)
2) Subject GRE (testing you on knowledge acquired in course of undergraduate studies)

Subject GRE is generally more important. I got a 910 out of possible 990 in mine, placing me in the 91st percentile of physics test-takers that time around. Most good places insisted on a 700 or better on the subject test.

Most places also insisted on Bs (3.0) or better, and recommended 3.5 or better.

Again, those are minimum requirements (in other words they just laugh at your application if you don't meet them).

I don't know how your grades work. What percentage of a class will get a first, second, third?

Lack of distinguishability of students from their grades will mean that grad schools will rely more heavily on recommendations and GRE scores, along with possible interviews for certain schools.

[monolith94]

What do you think of Maryland?

[Drogue]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
What are you going into?

If tomorrow (results day) goes well, Trinity College, Oxford.

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
those are minimum requirements (in other words they just laugh at your application if you don't meet them).

I don't know how your grades work. What percentage of a class will get a first, second, third?

Across the country, about 10% get 1sts. At Oxford about 20% get firsts, about 50 get 2:1s IIRC. To put it into perspective better. A first from Oxford will get me onto grad school at almost any Uni here (might be a lottery for Cambridge or London, but Oxford, and almost all others, would let you straight on with it). A 2:1 will be enough for most, and for most professional jobs, but I would probably have to do a masters before doing a PhD.

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Lack of distinguishability of students from their grades will mean that grad schools will rely more heavily on recommendations and GRE scores, along with possible interviews for certain schools.

Yeh, I want to be interviewed, since then they get a better idea about me. I happened to meet a Yale alumni for when I applied for Undergrad study, but otherwise an interview would have been hard

Thanks for the info

[KrazyHorse]

It's hot and humid.

I'm still a bit shocked at "roughness" of some neighbourhoods (appearances only, so far). Buildings boarded up, etc.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Drogue

If tomorrow (results day) goes well, Trinity College, Oxford.

I meant what subject

[Japher]

I gots a friend from UCDavis going to Yale for her masters.

just thought I'd share

Also, there are agencies that can convert degrees and grades given to other national standards. Thus, if you got a 1st in something at a certain school they can tell you what you GPA would have been and what type of degree you would of gotten for American standards. Not sure of those agencies are called, but most university admissions web pages make reference to them...

[Drogue]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
I meant what subject

Economics and Management. Probably doing Game Theory or International Macroeconomics and trade for postgrad. Was thinking of applying to Yale's International Economics Masters, but doesn't count towards PhD, so might skip it.

[Maniac]

For those interested in comparing university costs, I paid €80 to be a student at the University of Gent this year.
Long live Belgium!

[Drogue]

Damn euro's being one better Though if you count government support, I'm paid to go to Uni, through an 'administrative error' that I said I was at uni for 24 weeks a year (normal is 30) and they seemed to give me enough money for 34

[Maniac]

Is that also how you got a loan of no less than £4250? Personally I have no idea how I could spend that much money for a normal student life. (Well I could always find ways. )