English for University Students

We’ve all heard about the purported benefits of study-abroad programs, the most fundamental of which is the opportunity for personal growth. Proponents are often vague about precisely what they mean in this regard, but growth is generally said to be signified by a broadening of perspective, greater adaptability and confidence, and enhanced empathy.

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At the age of 18, G. Stanley Hall left his home in the tiny village of Ashfield, Mass., for Williams College, just 35 miles away, with a goal to “do something and be something in the world.” His mother wanted him to become a minister, but the young Stanley wasn’t sure about that plan. He saw a four-year degree as a chance to explore.

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As a pediatrician, I find that there are few topics that parents want to discuss more than sleep. Parents worry about their own sleep deprivation when babies arrive. Later, they worry about their children’s. I almost never encounter patients who are convinced that they’re getting the recommended amount of sleep.

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A few years ago, universities started to advertise their courses using a striking government statistic: that a degree added about £250,000 to one’s lifetime earnings. It was the start of a new era, where teenagers would have to borrow up to £9,000 a year for their tuition and wanted to know if the investment would be worth it. Don’t worry, HM Government seemed to assure them, we’ve crunched the numbers and found that a degree will catapult you into the salary fast lane.

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As the frenzied college application season draws to a close, and students across the country mull their choices, many colleges are trumpeting that it was the most selective year ever. But high school guidance counselors and admissions experts say the heightened competition has turned the process into a anxiety-ridden numbers game.

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — “Hurry Up!!!” the online posting said. “Spot Admissions” to Western Kentucky University. Scholarships of up to $17,000 were available, it added. “Letter in one day.” The offer, by a college recruiter based in India, was part of a campaign so enticing that more than 300 students swiftly applied to a college that many had probably never heard of.

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There’s more than one sort of independent school and it’s the independence, rather than fees, that will set children up better for tomorrow’s world.

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A significantly larger number of Russian universities have made it to the latest QS Rankings by Subject. The top-100 list now includes eight Russian universities, compared to four last year. In the complete version of the ranking of 42 disciplines, 17 Russian universities made the cut.

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Where are the best places to study maths and English? League tables published today reveal that UK universities lead the way in eight subjects

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After thumbing through countless prospectuses, working out predicted A-levels and totting up the price of university, British students are picking up their passports and searching farther afield for an education.

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On the surface, parent-teacher meetings are all smiles (“How nice to meet you – you must be Johnny’s mother!”). Yet they can be nerve-racking occasions, too, for all parties.

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While most parents find the college process stressful and bewildering, we interviewed some who have a unique perspective: admissions officers who are also the parents of teenagers and college students themselves.

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At a recent open morning at Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton, I could barely focus on the headmistress’s welcome for the French mother at my side, furiously typing les points essentiels into an immaculate spreadsheet.

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RUGBY, England — Patrick Derham remembers the moment in October 1973 when, age 14, from a troubled home and planning to join the navy, he saw the course of his life changed, rather miraculously, for the better.

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For thousands of college hopefuls, the stressful college admissions season is about to become even more fraught. The College Board, which makes the SAT, is rolling out a new test — its biggest redesign in a decade, and one of the most substantial ever.

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Academics say move should benefit state pupils and give better indication of abilities than Oxbridge interview process. Would-be Cambridge University students will have to sit a written test in their subject area from this autumn.

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January: the one time of year you can almost guarantee to be overwhelmed with advice. Whether it’s tackling the Christmas indulgences, cutting back on alcohol or maintaining motivation past week one of your New Year’s resolutions, there’s bound to be an expert offering you guidance about how to fulfil your goals.

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The university application deadline is about to arrive. If you want your application to be considered by institutions, you must make sure everything is sent off by 18:00 (GMT) on Friday January 15. There are many parts of your application you need to have in place, so it is worth running through a checklist in good time before the day arrives. Read More.

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A growing number of high-flying parents are choosing elite international schools for their children – but New York based Avenues is in a league of its own. Imagine a school where the classes are conducted entirely in Mandarin, interactive lessons are beamed from country to country, pupils can still attend ‘virtually’, from the comfort of their sickbeds – and every child is taught “good character” alongside “digital and ethical citizenship.” Read More.

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Three-year-old Desi Sorrelgreen’s favorite thing about his preschool is “running up hills.” His classmate Stelyn Carter, 5, likes to “be quiet and listen to birds — crows, owls and chickadees,” as she put it. And for Joshua Doctorow, 4, the best part of preschool just may be the hat he loves to wear to class (black and fuzzy, with flaps that come down over his ears).

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The new SAT will soon arrive on a wave of bold promises. The College Board has said its redesigned admission test would contain “no more mysteries.” Instead of being a riddle to solve, it would correspond with high-school curriculums and better reflect what students have learned.

The pitch sounds good. But is it true? Read More.

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The revised SAT, arriving at a test center near you on March 5, is expected to be more closely aligned with classroom curriculum.

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