Do you want to study at a British university or an American college? Because if you do,
this is the video for you! Because we are going to look at ten essential words that
you are going to need to know if you want to study abroad. This is going to be super
useful guys. So let's roll the intro.
The first big difference is that British students go to university whereas American students
would call it college or school, ok? So in Britain we would say 'Which uni do you go
to?' So we shorten university down to uni. So which uni do you go to? "I go to Leeds
uni.' But in American English they would say school. Well college is the institution but
often they would say school. So which school do you go to? I go to Harvard or Yale or whatever.
That's a bit of a strange one for British students because school for us, well that's
when you are a kid, right? From the ages of five to eighteen you go to school. Then you
go to university. So using the word school, it's always a bit of a strange one for us
but in American English school is high school and also college. So that's the first major
difference. British students go to university or uni. American students go to college or
school. When British students arrive at uni they are known as freshers. So I was a fresher
for my first year. In America they are known as freshmen. So the idea is the same, that
fresh, like new but slightly different. So fresher in the UK, freshman in America. Now
at the beginning of the course you will find out your timetable. This is when your classes
are, what time, what day your classes are. So in Britain we would say timetable. In America
they would probably say schedule. So in Britain we get our timetable, in America they will
get their schedule. Now this is an interesting difference. In American English I know that
they major in a subject. So let's say I'm studying English, 'I major in English'. But
in Britain we would use other verbs. So we don't use major we'd use things like I read
so 'I'm reading English' or 'I read English' in the past. Or we might say 'I'm doing English'
or 'I did English'. I did media studies, not sure why but anyway. So you could say 'I did
media studies' or 'I'm doing media studies' if it's in the present tense. You could also
say study so 'I'm studying English' or 'I'm studying history.' So we've got a couple of
verbs read, study and do whereas in America it's just major.
Here's a question for any of you guys out there in America. Now in Britain we have something
called a gap year. This is a year in between school and university where somebody might
want to work for a while or travel. The idea is that you get a bit more experience of life.
So we take a gap year. Now what is that in American English? I don't actually know. So
I'd love it if you guys knew so let me know in the comments below. What is a gap year
in American English? Maybe it's gap year, I don't know. Anyway, let me know. In British
English we divide the academic year up into terms so usually we have three terms one before
Christmas, one between Christmas and Easter and then the summer term so from Easter till
the summer. Now in American English they would say semester but I have noticed that the word
semester is coming more and more into British English. So perhaps they are interchangeable
here. So maybe in American English they will also say term, in British English we will
also say semester but generally in British universities we use term and in American colleges
they'll say semester. Now when you are on your course you will have to write essays
all about different topics whatever the thing is that you are studying.
In American English they call those papers. So 'On Friday I have to hand in a paper' you
would say, whereas in British English 'On Friday I have to hand in an essay.' So essay
in British English, paper in American English. Then at the end of the term or the course
or the year whatever it might be in British English we have to do exams whereas in American
English I think they would say tests. Now again this could be quite fluid. I think maybe
in American English they might also say exams and certainly in British English we say tests.
Throughout the year you might have little tests, kind of progress tests or whatever
it might be but at the end of the year you'll have an exam and that's the big important
one that will decide if you pass your course or not. In American English, I think they
call that a test. Now on your course you are going to have different classes. Now in American
English it is a class and that could be small or big it doesn't really matter whereas in
British English we divide them up into two different categories.You have lectures where
the lecturer or professor will talk for an hour two hours and you sit and you take notes.
There isn't much of a discussion. You don't really generally ask questions. It's usually
in a big hall or big lecture theatre. Whereas we also have seminars. Now a seminar is smaller.
So there are fewer students, you've got one professor, one teacher and you can generally
ask them questions. It's more of a discussion. So yeah we have a seminar and a lecture whereas
in American English it's a class, it's the same thing. Now before your big exam at the
end of the course, in British English we revise. That means to study again the things that
you have already learned. So you revise for an exam or you revise for a test. In American
English I think it's review. They would use the word review or study but i think we would
use study as well. But the concept here of revising is that you have already studied
it and so you are looking at it again to remind yourself of what you have already learned.
So in British English revise, in American English review. And finally for that exam
the verb that we use in British English is to sit an exam. Also we use take as well,
so you could take an exam as well. In American English I think they would generally use the
word take. So in British English we sit an exam, in American English they take a test.
Now guys, if at the moment you are studying in the UK or in the USA or that you want to
study in the UK or the USA let me know in the comments below. Tell me where you are
studying, what you are studying and if you have found any other differences between studying
at a British university or an American college. Let me know if you know any different words
or generally how's your experience been? How is it different from studying back home? Let
me know, I would love you to share it with the rest of the Eat Sleep Dreamers. Alright
guys, you know that I am back every Tuesday and every Friday with fresh modern British
English. Please check me out on Facebook, check me out on Instagram where we do daily
English content but until next time guys this is Tom, the Chief Dreamer, saying goodbye.