Thoughts about European university

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Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Thoughts about European university

Post by Amber »

We also looked at Utrecht a few years ago when DD quite fancied it. Very nice town, nice campus etc. Her issue was the language - she felt that she would never be accepted like any other student if she wasn't fluent in Dutch, and although Dutch people generally speak amazing English, it would require them to do so for her to have good friends. I think in the end she felt that maybe doing a Masters abroad is a better bet for that reason.

We also know someone who went to Prague to do Medicine. That has been mixed in terms of success tbh.
onthefence
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:07 pm

Re: Thoughts about European university

Post by onthefence »

I have to agree that economics GCSE and A level are interesting and, if more of this would be the basis of a PPE course, that would be very interesting indeed. Alas, economics at university has far more maths and theory that doesn't work in real life and the result is very dry, in my experience. In my youth I was fooled into thinking that an economics A level would lead to an interesting degree and, boy, was I wrong! And the subject has only got more dry and divorced from real life since then. As someone who has a 2:1 in economics from a good university, I would say that I have rarely, if ever, found it relevant since then. Economics is a dying subject, IMO.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: Thoughts about European university

Post by silverysea »

OP I suggest you try to find work experiences and occasional short taster classes for your dc. I’ve noticed big effects on my dd’s thinking during and after experiences that are outside the box of school lessons and their existing hobbies- I suggest that the “what” needs more attention at this stage than the “where”.
Blitz
Posts: 874
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:58 pm

Re: Thoughts about European university

Post by Blitz »

The Dutch government have voted to cut tuition fees for first year students by half. Now 1030 euros for the first year and 2060 euros for 2nd and 3rd years.

https://nltimes.nl/2018/07/11/netherlan ... ition-half" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DD is still really keen to study at Leiden uni even though the semesters are sooooo long (2 semesters of 21 weeks each) and no Easter holiday!
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Thoughts about European university

Post by Guest55 »

It's not just European unis that have long terms and no Easter holiday.

Buckingham University [Private] has long terms as it offers two year degrees.

Quite a few unis have a two semester year with just the Easter Bank holidays in the second semester.
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Thoughts about European university

Post by KB »

We tend to think of students as having long holidays and doing little during term time so why not reduce breaks and lengthen terms.
Just a note of caution - my DC and those of friends who were at Oxbridge used to come home at the end of term and quite literally collapse for several days - just sleeping and eating. They then had significant amounts of studying to get through.

Presumably if vacations were shorter there wouldn't be the amount of studying to do during them but if signing up for longer terms I would investigate how much pressure there is during them and how people deal with them.

It may of course be a better system that reduces the
pressure that is created by shorter terms.
Blitz
Posts: 874
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:58 pm

Re: Thoughts about European university

Post by Blitz »

The Netherlands seems to be a completely different system.

If you apply to a research university you apply via studilink (similar to UCAS) and upload your CV, grade transcripts, ID and for some courses, but not all, they require a motivational letter. If you meet the requirements you get an offer of 3 A levels at grade C or above. Everyone who applies who meets the requirements is accepted. Some courses, like medicine and aerospace engineering are numerus fixus, which means there is a set number of students they accept (usually between 300-400). Students take entrance exams and the top 400 are offered places and get the offer 3 Grade Cs at A level. You can only apply for one numerus fixus course in The Netherlands.

All courses start around 2nd September with freshers' week in August. Contact time is generally 20 hours per week (lectures, seminars and small tutorials) with 20 hours self study. Exams are every 6 weeks. If you do not get over 60% in each set of exams, you have to resit. If you do not pass you are off the course.

Some courses start with 300 and are down to 150 students by the end of the first year.

As I say, it is a different system. Everyone with 3 grade Cs gets a chance to prove themselves, but if you don't study and make the grade you will be asked to leave.
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