Post: #1

Has anyone done a data sheet on non-US universities, such as good colleges overall and recommended programs? Anyone here a graduate of a non-US school, whether undergrad or graduate?

I'm looking to diversity my educational background and am considering a non-US school, as I think it might help with what I'm trying to achieve. Looking for tips on where to find good schools and programs, though it may be a particular program is good at an average school and that's fine.

I searched the forum and didn't find a thread on this, which I'm a little surprised by.

Post: #2

What are you looking to major in? What languages do you speak? How much can you shell out? Are you looking to work in the US or stay locally?

Most US companies look down on foreign degrees, unless it's from a well known school like LSE, Top Chinese Uni, one of the Grand Ecole. Other universities only teach their stuff in local languages but most MBA programs are in English. Studying at the Sobbornne is much more expensive than in Nanjing Uni or somewhere in Thailand. For grad school, alumni relationship is the main point of attending. So if you're going to some small or far off school, there might not be any benefits you can bring to the US....but you might gain connections to your local phils politicians or biz mans sons. Then again, the top of the top in those countries are studying in the West.

Post: #3

Ok, Some rough info on Scottish Universities.

General-

1. Undergraduate is four-year, compared to English three-year. Extra year is "honours"- helps sometimes when employers ask for a good degree.
2. Scots & EU students don't pay tuition fees (UG)- English students at Scottish ones do.
3. Things are a lot less political, SJW than US. Biggest complaint about diversity I've heard was that there was only two types of lager in the Student Union (students' only pub/nightclub)

I've been a student at four of the Unis -
Abertay Dundee (forensics- 1 semester, quit),
Dundee (BSc Chemistry),
Aberdeen (Postgraduate research)
and Robert Gordon's Aberdeen (MSc DNA analysis)

- Education wise Aberdeen was the best. (may be due to be the oldest of the four, having been established 3 years after Columbus found America). Overall, St. Andrews is thought of as the best according to ratings (usually only second to Oxbridge)

Actually, this gives a good overview of the Uk system, surprisingly -

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Us...ritishUnis

Post: #4

Don't get a foreign grad degree if you plan on coming back to the US. You won't get a job. Everything cattle rustler is exactly true.

Post: #5

It actually would be good to make an overall thread of foreign unis.

European unis are much more rigid with pure academic qualifications than US ones, people also study much longer hours ,even if they are less ''prestigious'' ,not to say prestige doesn't matter. LSE,HSG,Oxbridge the connections pay for themselves,tuition is cheaper and loan conditions are 5000000x better.

I think a good strategy BUT ONLY IF YOU DID REALLY WELL IN HIGHSCHOOL is to apply to a ''crappier'' uni with hot chicks and easy grades (Bologna process is BS) in Eastern Europe than go for a better masters like LSE or Sainkt Gallen ,with work in between.


With game and charisma ,one really could do quite well if you study something good and practical and good.

The overall problem is though (again bc of Bologna) that US credits are worth less than European credits. Outside of the UK and Ireland, continentals study a lot longer hours than Anglosphere youngin. American diplomas are not on their own equivalent to the average European high school degree/Matura.


Anyways with Erasmus (Orgasmus) cheaper fees,better women,better living standards,just come to Europe,fuck the American employers who shun European degrees. You wouldn't want to work for them long term anyways.

Post: #6

I'm from the EU myself, so I can give my point of view.

I've met quite a few Americans who came here to study and it seems like the smart choice for me:

-Graduate debt free (if you manage to work while you study you can even graduate with positive cash.

-Travel all over Europe

-At the end of the day, unless you go to Harvard or MIT, a European University is no less prestigious than a second tier American university.
Actually, outside of the US, a lot of EU universities are much more well known than their American counterparts.
For example for technical stuff the universities of Warsaw, Laussane, Delft or Munich are very well known. I'm sure the same goes for other fields.


In Finland during my Orgasmus I met a couple dozen Americans that where there doing their whole degree.
Education is totally free there, even for foreigners, even at Masters level. Student housing is sponsored, so I was paying 200 Euros per month for rent (shared apartment, but really modern and the whole building was for students, great for party. In total I was living quite confortably (obviously on a student budget) for 600 per month, so around 7000 per year, and this includes party 5 times per week and a dozen trips to Europe during the whole academic year.

And if you are good, you can get a part time job at university, even if you are doing your Bachelors. As an exchange student I managed to land a 10 hours per week job that paid 300 per month.


I' ve heard it's the same in other Scandi countries (Sweden) etc.

Don't know about other places, but EE should be very cheap to study, plus much more fun than the US.

If you have cash, EPFL and ETH in Switzerland are some of the best in the world (they rank on the level of Harvard and Stanford, outrank many of the well known US univeristies). Tution is only a few thousand per year (and they have scolarships) but living in Switzerland cost a lot of cash, so you would need 1000 per month and be budget concious (but it's doable, two friends of mine just got their Masters and that's what they were spending.


I still don't get why americans go into debt to study, just go somewhere else! If you are good, and your degree is usefull, you'll find a job, wherever you study and in whichever country you choose to work in.


So yeah, come to Europe!!!



EDIT: Any decent EU uni will teach in English. Even local students do many subjects in English, so that they improve their language skills. But anyways, if you are long term in a country, it's not such a big deal to learn the local language, and it opens many doors (and legs).

Post: #7

Good info from most of you - gave you reps each.

I do have a US education, looking more from the angle of diversifying it not in the way to meet a "diversity quota" but to expand on real-world experience and I know a way to leverage it for some positions.

I'll have more questions; doing some research on the feedback right now and wanted to say thanks.

Post: #8

If you already have a US degree, then definitely go for it!


The ownly downside would have been the fear of your degree being less recognized if you ever want a job in the US, but in your case international experience can only be a plus.

Not sure how US companies value this kind of thing.

But in Europe they value it a lot. I read an article somewhere saying that recent graduates with 1 semester international exchange experience where almost twice as likely to get a job, everything else being equal.
At the very least, your CV will stand out.


Plus as you said, getting out of your confort zone and exploring the world.

Post: #9

You can search the forum with the key words 'study abroad', there are plenty of threads on this topic from circa 2012, although no specific university data sheets.

Do especially consider this post:
/thread-18232.html

Post: #10

If you really want to take it to the next level:
1.) Apply for a prestigious university in Europe. Specifically look into universities which allow you to select the sequence of courses by yourself. At the same time also apply for 2-3 European universities which are known for having easier exams in the same field of study. Try to find a combination of universities with a different schedule for the exams, e.g. one has them in June, one in July. That way you are able to accomplish even more per semester without being stressed.
2.) Look at the curriculum at the prestigious university, finish all subjects (practical exercises, language courses, etc.) which require your actual presence in the university in just one semester.
3.) Do all other subjects at the other universities where it is easier. If you are smart enough you will find all the relevant material for learning online and only need to be physically present for the exams. You now have the freedom to live and learn wherever you like, for example the cheaper and for people from here very popular Eastern European countries. Just make sure you are present for the exams. After doing so, take you certifications and give them to the office at your prestigious uni.
4.) Because you now have successfully accomplished more exams than everybody else in a shorter time you are able to get multiple scholarships and the best options for doing a sponsored semester abroad, not just Erasmus. You are also in a prime position to get well-paid internships or working-student jobs in the best companies.
5.) Write your bachelor thesis and now you will have a valuable degree from a prestigious university with good grades without much work.
6.) Repeat the same for your masters degree.
7.) Use the contacts you made during your internships and you have a 100% guarantee to get a well paid top-job.
8.) If you are absolutely hardcore, do these things at the same time for both a engineering degree (mechanical, aeronautical, IT, ...) and an economics degree. That way you will get into the absolutely best management positions.

Post: #11

depends which country you want to go to and talk to FOBs from those countries, they can easily point you in the direction of some big name brand schools in their country and you can go from there.