[TAG] Issue #106

[Thomas Adam]

[ Not to be published -- far too off-topic. ]

On Mon, Sep 27, 2004 at 02:37:05PM -0700, Mike Orr wrote:
> On Sat, Sep 25, 2004 at 12:09:37PM +0100, Thomas Adam wrote:
> > I'm at University (is that what you call College over there?) 
> 
> "College" in the US means a university, community college, trade school,
> technical school, etc.  Universities have four-year degree programs, and
> some have graduate programs and research.  

Ah, so the term is really a "catch all" as opposed to having one sole purpose.
I see. This was probably where I was getting confused beforehand. You see, a
college to me is a type of educational institution. I've described this
before, but I'll do so again so that it's mapped out.

 From the age of twelve to sixteen (give or take a year for those born in
September) is when compulsory education is a must, since at this time we
study for what are known as GCSE examinations (General Certificate of
Secondary Education). These are very important exams as they define basic key
skills in Mathematics, Science and English. In addition to that, we also have
five other subjects that we chose, depending on what we wanted and/or had an
interest in. Armed with these qualifications, we can then leave education 
altogether if we so wish and look for a job.

Those that don't want to do that, but want to take things further (usually
with the intent of going to University to do a degree) will then progress on
to do A-levels (Advanced Level). These are much more, well, "advanced" than
GCSE, taking a more in-depth look at a more detailed area that you are
interested in.

It's at this point that the path splits regarding education. "A-levels" are
normally taught in schools. One reason for doing them is that one is familiar
with one's surroundings and teachers. Yet, having done GCSEs, it is feasible
that one might go to college. This could be for any number of reasons. It
might be that if you were extremely lucky, and you found yourself an
apprenticeship, they might have a scheme such as a "day release", whereby you
work for the company, and study at college one day a week. Colleges are
external and so they're targetted to part-time students, and often teach more
vocational subjects. This is what separates them from a school in that only
Higher Education (the term used to describe education post GCSE level) is taught 
there, but they do not have any degree-awarding powers (which Universities
do).

A-levels are the hardest set of exams I have ever done. They were bloody hard,
actually. The pressure that one is put under is immense. But a lot does depend
on it, since if you fail them, your chance of getting into the University that
you want diminishes. They're the exams you do to gain University entrance [1].
If you do fail them, then there is the process of "clearinfg" one can go
through which matches placements on the course you've applied for, against
University entrance requirements, as different Universities have different
entry requirements from one another.

 
> >I understand that the College system works differently over there, and that
> >you have to finance yourself?
> 
> Public colleges are owned and subsidized by the states.  Most states
> have a big "University of STATE", a big "STATE State University", several
> smaller regional universities, and tons of community colleges.  Private
> schools are unsubsidized and cost more.

I'm lucky since there is a loan system, whereby you apply (with much the same
amount/type of paper work as you describe, Mike) and you get X amount based on
what one's parents earn. The only disadvantage is that I do have to pay it
back at the end of my University life, which will be ~?20,000.

There used to be a grant system whereby money was literally given to you, free
of charge. Hmm, I wonder why this stopped. :)

-- Thomas Adam

[1] This is what I was doing when I first jumped aboard here. If I hadn't have
had this outlet, I'd never have passed.

-- 
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