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]

https://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".