Written in: March 2000
By Paul Gleed (Paulgleed@cs.com)

There were a few reasons, personal and academic, which made graduate study here in America a very important goal for me. I was lucky enough, with much help and assistance, to meet that goal and now something that was an ambition and a wish is a reality. I know of very few British people who have not enjoyed the experience of studying in America at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Indeed, it might be a cliché, but nonetheless true, to say that people I have known always seem to benefit and grow much with the experience. Anyway, I would like to write a few things which I hope might be useful to anyone thinking about studying in the U.S.

Funding
Most of what I'm going to say relates best to graduate study but some of it may be helpful to all students. It seems to me that the chances of coming to America to study full time as an enrolled student are much more likely as a graduate student than undergraduate. This may sound like a grim thing to hear for any hopeful undergraduates, but it's true. There are really very few opportunities in American universities to get sufficient funding for international undergraduates to do their whole study in America. In my opinion, unless you have some very extensive funds of your own, the best thing an undergrad can do is attend a British university with a good exchange program; you will not get four years but you will at least get one. I am limited by bias and experience to talk only about Lancaster's exchange program. I know that they offered a very wide choice and made it an accessible option for anyone who had their heart set on studying abroad. I will always be very grateful for the help of everyone at Lancaster who assisted me in getting a place on one of their exchange programs.

I did my year abroad here at SUNY Binghamton, and it was this fact that furthered my chances of being accepted and funded here as a graduate. Things work a little differently in America, you see, when it comes to funding. At graduate level many American universities, especially the bigger state university systems (Ohio, New York, Colorado, New Jersey, and others), offer many of their graduates funding in exchange for working as a teaching assistant (usually something like a seminar tutor). Money is obviously still an important consideration for all students, though, even those with funding or scholarships.

Cost of Living
Many people in Britain talk of cheap living in America. For those who come here on holiday only that may seem true, but anybody spending longer periods of time here may begin to think otherwise. While most food and clothing is cheaper here, other things such as health insurance and big compulsory reading lists in class may make the bills add up. The most important thing to do, I think, is to try to do all your sums in advance and be sensible with your money when you arrive. The temptation is really to spend, spend, spend once you arrive, and although some of it can't be helped you must know your limits. There will be many little expenses that you might not expect and it's good to budget sensibly for them. I knew of one girl who seemed to blow all her money very early on in a single weekend in New York City. She spent much of her remaining exchange time trying to recover financially. That said, however, some visas (F-1 especially) may well allow you to work for up to twenty hours a week, but only on campus. There does seem, on the good side, to be a slightly better chance of getting an on campus job here in America than in England. It's best to research all your options thoroughly. Most of the exchange students I have known, especially grad students, become a bit obsessive about researching things, but they probably benefit in the long run.

International Students Office
There are many contacts available to the prospective British student at an American university. Most institutions will probably have an international students office which makes an excellent place to start. Here at Binghamton that office is headed by Ellen Badger and I'm sure many of her peers across the country are as dedicated and resourceful as she is. These offices can provide all sorts of free literature which is relevant to the international student rather than the general leaflets and booklets that might be sent by the university, mostly geared towards American students.

GRE
Alongside all the planning there are other things you will need to take care of before you pack your bags. One thing that will need to be done for certain is the Graduate Records Exam (GRE). I don't think there is a graduate school in the country that will accept an application without the results of this standardized test. You can take the computer version of the test in England, I think it costs about sixty pounds. The test is divided into three sections; verbal (words), quantitative (numbers), and analytical (funny logic puzzles). Though the test is standardized and may seem to be something that revision cannot help it certainly is important to prepare. I know I would have done really badly if I hadn't found some books that explained the format of the test and gave sample tests. The company that arranges the exam will give you a few sample questions in a booklet on request, and their web-site a few more, but try to get hold of a preparation book. (See Bookstore). I really think that practice is the key. Though the results of the test are not the only factor a university considers by any means, they are still carefully taken into account. Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't do as well as you had hoped but make an effort to prepare for it.

Study USA
Once you've been accepted and you're in an American classroom you will notice some differences. Most graduate classes are in a way set up more like undergraduate classes at home. You may have to select a number of different courses each term and not really feel the specialization of a British Masters. Also, you will find the required reading is often extensive and may seem more guided by the professor than in England. Whether, ultimately, any of this applies to your course or not you will find that the skills you gained in an English university (especially independent research) will be very valued here and may even set you apart a little, particularly at undergraduate level.

Finally, let me say a few things that you will probably find in every book about studying abroad but are not made clear until you are here. First, you will experience some kind of home sickness. Second, you probably will learn as much about Britain and the things you leave behind as you do about America and the things you arrive to. Your family and all the things you knew will take on new light and importance. Working out ways to keep in regular contact and having items around you that remind you of home become highly important. Through all this, though, the experience is worth it. America is a place we have come to know probably through movies and holidays, but it is a real, everyday place beneath these fantasy-like layers. The good things are as real as the imperfections and the things to embrace as powerful as the things to be repelled by. One of my lecturers in England said that often it seemed that the students who had been abroad for a year appeared a few years older or ahead of the others. I don't know if it made me feel older or ahead of anyone else, but it certainly changed me from who I had been. I will always be grateful that all the things that needed to happen for me to come here did, indeed, happen. I will always recommend my experience to others.