UK vs US student experience: which system best serves students’ education?

When deciding whether to attend university, we all advocate for the best ‘experience’. Yet, how does the UK-university experience vary when held up against our American counterparts? Is one system better than the other?

When writing a personal statement for a US university application, highlighting your extra-curriculars is “just as important as academic marks”, whilst the UK prioritises grades and your passion for the subject. According to a student from Westminster University in Utah, US applications need to have volunteering experience and a story to “catch people’s eyes”. Highlighting wider experience, the US system creates an understanding of the student’s character that is not solely founded on academics. This system offers students from disadvantaged schools a better chance at being accepted into a prestigious university, something the UK’s application system could learn from. As part of the application to study Mathematics at the University of Warwick, people are required to take the STEP admissions test, a Cambridge assessment designed to test maths competency. A Warwick student revealed that he felt unprepared by his school to do the test. Having come from a “low-achieving school, (he) was the first to undertake the exam, so there was nobody to help” him. In this case, applying to a US university may help disadvantaged students, as discussing their extra-curricular interests and the circumstances may be valued with similar weighting to their academic performance.

Whilst the US university system provides greater flexibility, the UK offers students the ability to specialise early, obtaining depth in their area of study

Unlike the British system of selecting one subject to study at university, US students can apply to their undergraduate without having to decide what they want to ‘major’ in until their second year, though exceptions are made for specialised courses such as medical school. In the US, over 90% of American first years are mandated to take ‘general education courses’, which often include maths and English. Whilst the US university system provides greater flexibility, the UK offers students the ability to specialise early, obtaining depth in their area of study.

There are pros and cons to this system. A pupil from Westminster University revealed: “A lot of people don’t go into college knowing what they want to do yet. So having the time to take any classes you want to figure out your likes and dislikes is super cool.” As US students have the ability to take a range of classes they have not yet explored, they are able to pull from a wider pool of experience when deciding what to major in. Simultaneously, one could argue that “having all four years to focus on your major would set you up better”, as the UK system does.

While the US system may result in fewer pupils wanting to switch courses, the breadth over depth of subjects can be unhelpful for some. A student from Warwick commented on the advantages of only having to focus on one subject: “Being able to specialise in STEM subjects in A-levels allowed me to attain higher grades and get into a prestigious university. However, if English were mandatory, I would have struggled.” When it comes to course structure, every learner is different. Neither the UK nor US system can be concluded to be ‘best’ as both prove effective at providing their students with opportunities for learning.

Whilst UK students’ studies are fairly “self-directed” by lectures and seminars, US students have more guidance and interaction with a tutor or in-class

US and UK universities also teach slightly differently. Whilst UK students’ studies are fairly “self-directed” by lectures and seminars, US students have more guidance and interaction with a tutor or in-class. The student at Westminster said that as the classes were very small, they were “more personalised” and tutors know you better. However, the system in the UK of having large lectures can often result in information delivered as more of a “monologue”, rather than offering a thorough understanding gained from small classes, as one Warwick student critiques. Though lecturers allow questions, the student reported that most people will not ask because “asking a question in front of 400 other students is daunting and a bit awkward”. While the US may be better suited to those who prefer a rigid work schedule, the UK advocates for students to organise their own time.

For more introverted students, having a roommate means you never truly have your own private space to withdraw from academic or social life. Despite the friendships one may form if they are lucky enough to get on with their roommate, the UK accommodation experience offers the same social interaction and bonding without sacrificing private space

The ‘student experience’ of accommodation varies for UK and US universities. Times Higher Education describes American dormitories as “central to the American college experience” in terms of the “social atmosphere”. The American system sees students sharing a room and a bathroom before heading off to cafeterias for food, encouraging greater social interaction. In contrast, students living in UK university ‘halls’ typically have their own bedroom (and bathroom if they are lucky), and share a kitchen with their “flatmates”.

Not all Americans view sharing their living space as pleasant. Though the student at Westminster had her own room, she disliked the thought of having a roommate due to the lack of “privacy” and the awkwardness of having potential conflicts in her sleep schedule. For more introverted students, having a roommate means you never truly have your own private space to withdraw from academic or social life. Despite the friendships one may form if they are lucky enough to get on with their roommate, the UK accommodation experience offers the same social interaction and bonding without sacrificing private space. This is especially true as, following the Covid lockdown, there has been a greater dependency on technology to communicate and Gen-Z are often more introverted. US universities could learn from the UK accommodation by perhaps subsidising the cost of single rooms to ensure that students who require their own space to “recharge their social battery” can afford to do so.

Relying on lectures to teach the content overlooks students with learning disabilities, as they may struggle to keep up with the pace of the lecture or have trouble focusing on static lectures for a prolonged period

The UK and US systems are clearly different. Whilst the US system could benefit from UK-style education, the UK could adapt their application process to be more akin to the US. Their difference does not necessarily mean that one system is better than the other. For instance, the student’s ability to benefit from the respective teaching systems depends on their individual learning style. That being said, relying on lectures to teach the content overlooks students with learning disabilities, as they may struggle to keep up with the pace of the lecture or have trouble focusing on static lectures for a prolonged period. Whilst the UK system may work for those who are more independent, incorporating smaller, American-style classes would ensure that students have a better understanding of the material and that teaching is more accessible for everyone.