Why Study at US Universities?

As an American citizen who attended university in the US, trained in US holistic admissions, and has had three children pursue higher education in private US universities, I deeply appreciate the power of the US university system. Although studying in America is not for everyone, there are particular aspects of the US approach to education that set it apart from highly competitive universities in the UK and Europe.

Perhaps its most distinctive advantage is the idea that students can explore broadly and have the flexibility to change majors or even create their own tailored university path. When I worked in admissions, we appreciated students who were undecided about their major, but bubbling with intellectual curiosity across disciplines. US universities are a great fit for students who want to explore their academic interests or who have multiple diverse skill sets. In my own experience, I switched my major from Chemistry to Economics to Pre-Law, still graduating within four years. Flexibility and exploration are the key advantages of the US. At the same time, you can focus on a single or double major for the entirety of your four-year course. In the US, you have the choice of both breadth and depth. 

Furthermore, university courses in the US tend to be more project based, and there is a focus on ‘learning by doing.’ It is common to have industry leaders teach courses using actual case studies from their companies. Engineering majors particularly love the hands-on nature of courses, maker spaces, and extracurricular clubs in the US, but this approach to learning can extend to other academic areas such as business, computer science, or even the humanities. It is common in the US for professors to incorporate field trips to museums, plays, or other places of interest that bring classes to life. A prime example of this is Babson University’s legendary Foundations of Management & Entrepreneurship course, which is mandatory for all of its freshmen: students receive up to $9,000 of start-up money to create, develop, launch, and manage real ventures. The point is less about rote memorization, and more about developing the ability to think critically and apply learning to real-life scenarios.

I also particularly appreciate the more holistic approach to admissions in the US, a process that considers qualitative factors in addition to grades and standardized test scores. Admissions offices are trying to evaluate how you will contribute to their institution not only in the classroom, but also in the dorms and through campus activities. Additionally, personal essays help reveal your background, depth of thought, and personality; letters of recommendation are a vitally important component of the application – a student may be smart, but is he or she also  curious and collaborative? Extracurricular activities can also demonstrate your leadership and initiative in academic organizations and community service endeavors. In the US, grades and test scores matter, but they alone will not be viewed as sufficient by competitive universities. 

Finally, US universities tend to strongly encourage alumni networks, which can be useful for students who are seeking internships or full-time jobs. I have enjoyed staying connected to my university over the decades and across multiple continents because its alumni clubs are active worldwide.

The United States is an incredibly diverse country, and its universities are as well – from urban to rural, massive to intimate, and focused to broad. For those who want to focus particularly on business, STEM, or the arts, there are also excellent specialized institutions. If you have any questions, please contact  info@ivyoptions.com, or explore our online services at Advantage IO. Best of luck on this exciting journey ahead!

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Mary Ellen Simoni, Founder of Ivy Options