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Most cultures are unique, in terms of the UK we don't tend to have the same type of sports leagues built around Universities and Colleges that the Americans do, our major sports teams are built around towns and cities and not Universities. However most Americans would think they had just entered the set of Harry Potter if they attended some of our University towns such as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Exeter, Edinburgh, St Andrews etc and the Inns of Court in London are also very old with many unique traditions.
Every country has it's own unique quirks and to be honest in these austerity and debt ridden times going to College is about studying hard and trying to leave with as little debt as humanely possible.
I know that in Israel the college experience is definitely different from the USA. There are no university sports teams or fraternities there. I also have taught English at universities in Ecuador and China. In neither one, did I hear of student fraternities like in the USA. At the Chinese university, the students had to take some kind military training classes on campus in their first semester.
People in developed countries, both western and asian countries, have higher level of education.
Try comparing american college life with that of Canada's, US's next door country.
I went to school in both the US (Graduate school) and Canada (Undergrad, grad and college) and Uni life in Canada is nothing like the US. Actually what the Postman describe in his post about Australia is similar to in Canada.
What The Postman said about the Australian situation is about right, except that it may not make it clear enough just how different Australian and American college experiences are. My impression, in fact, is that British university life is far closer to the U.S. model than is the Australian, because in the U.K. many students leave home and live on/near campus in dorms. (At some unis, at least - like St Andrews and Oxbridge)
It depends on where you attend university. If you're attending a university in another city 100 miles a way, of course you'll move, but if it's in the same city, there's no reason to move unless you just want some independence. There aren't really any on-campus dorms either - most students where I live reside in terraced housing that has been converted into flat shares.
No dorm parties or anything like that here either - the legal drinking age is 18, so everyone goes to a bar or club instead. No fraternities either. College sports are not as popular, and people don't follow them like they do in the US.
Yep, as the Adelaidean said there isn't much school loyalty or loyalty to one's university. The fact we only have a few main urban cities and universities are mostly located in the capital cities means we don't have as much choice: here in Perth, there's the University of Western Australia (UWA), Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Notre Damme University. I went to Curtin because at the time it was the only place offering the course I wanted and I got that preference. I just stayed at home and commuted when I had lectures. I considered doing an exchange for a semester to the US but it was too costly and thought it might be too disruptive. How did you find it, Adelaidean?
^ I met a girl who lived in Cambridge while travelling in the US who was hoping to study in Oxford. I said but isn't Cambridge such a renowned university town as well? She said she just wanted the experience of living/studying somewhere else...Another thing we have but is getting less common (in this competitive environment) is a 'gap year' after high school, but in my course most people were straight out of high school. Many uni students take the opportunity to travel during the long breaks, if they can afford it. I didn't really work through most of uni, I don't think I could've hacked it honestly!
Not sure about loyalty, but there is a rivalry between the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University (the former is a well-renowned redbrick uni.. the other is a bit crap ).
I've been to both Oxford in England and Cambridge, MA in the US and it's kind of interesting how there is a whole culture/town built up around both. Of course, Oxford was a city in it's own right independent of the colleges, but now it revolves around the various colleges, which are so integrated with the town. Harvard was surprisingly small and not as impressive as it's reputation would suggest. We lack those sort of places here, our campuses are more self-contained and separated, but some are very big, mini-cities in themselves. Notre Damme has buildings through Fremantle though.
Oxford certainly relies heavily on the university - Oxford has a very high number of people employed in the public sector, which is in contrast to most places in SE England.
Oxford certainly relies heavily on the university - Oxford has a very high number of people employed in the public sector, which is in contrast to most places in SE England.
The public sector? How many of the colleges in Oxford are funded by the government/how much are they funded? Oxford is still the main administrative centre for the Oxfordshire county government, right?
We don't have the same 'college culture' as they have in the States. For one, most college students do not stay on campus, and many ares till living with parents throughout university or tertiary education. Those who don't are living independently. Plus the 'legal age' is 18 so there aren't really college parties or anything in dorms. Economics plays a big role here, but also location. We don't really have 'college towns' and most people go to a university/technical college in their own city. There's no tradition of moving somewhere else in the country just to attend college. So most of the people living in dorms are usually from other countries, the country or other states. A lot also rent a place near campus. There are guilds and college clubs, but it doesn't seem most people get that involved in that. Most just go there to get a degree (although they make friends and socialise etc) and get out.
It is EXACTLY the same for Argentina. I guess this is likely to be the prevalent model in the world, and I find your comment interesting because I thought a country like Australia might have had some similar traits as the USA an England, considering they are all part of the anglosphere.
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