Is America's University System Better Than Europe's/Japan's?

Question

I have been reading an interesting debate on how, generally, Europeans are far more advanced than Americans throughout elementary school, as well as high school. During these years, many Europeans learn multiple languages (as opposed to Americans, who mostly just speak English) and take most courses sooner than Americans would.

However...

After high school, is that where the European/Japanese advantage ends? I ask because it always seem that many European or Japanese students come over to the U.S. and several of the top-tier universities are in the United States. I have read a few stories on how after high school, many international universities are, frankly, horrible, with inferior professors and whatever edge gained before seems lost.

So my question: does whatever advantage Europe/Japan have during the elementary/high school years become negated by what seems to be a large advantage by the U.S. AFTER high school? I ask out of complete curiosity. Thanks!

Answer 1

I agree with you. Although there are certainly specific k-12 schools in the US that would rival any in the UK, in general, the UK primary and secondary school system is stronger than that of the US. In part, that's because the US is far, far larger than the UK, with manyfold more pupils. In part, it's because the k-12 education in the US is not standardized, while it is somewhat in the UK (and *highly* standardised in Japan). In addition, the US population is highly diverse, with immigrants coming from all over, with multiple languages, some of whom are not even literate, so there are integration issues that a country like Japan does not have. It's also because, in the UK, you can stop going to school after your GCSE. Only the best and brightest go on for their A levels. In the US, *everyone* is expected to go on to grade 12 - including those for whom school perhaps isn't a good fit.

Without doubt, the US university system, in general, is far stronger than that of the UK, than Europe, than Japan, and in fact, I argue that it is the best in the world. Now of course there are specific universities in the UK that rival the best in the US, but in general, the US has it. They have both more universities, and of a better quality overall, than those of any other country or region of the world. When I look at any rankings table, the vast majority of the universities ranked at the top are from the US. I'll just list a few as examples, and there are hundreds more: Duke, UCLA, Harvard, Princeton, U Illinois, MIT, Cal Tech, U Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, USC, U Texas, Dartmouth, Brown... the US has more universities at the top of the world tables than most countries have *universities*, full stop. And only part of this is due to the vast size of the country, and the sheer number of universities on offer. A good part of it is based in the US culture itself, and its emphasis on learning at that level. And as you mentioned, the US attracts a large number of international students to its universities, and that is for a real reason - the quality, and the prestige, of a US degree.

Answer 2

This is tough to say as America's university system is not standardized like American public schools. For example, at my university (Texas A&M) you were only allowed to drop/retake 3 courses for the entire duration of your academic career there. Some other insitutions have no such rule, and still others are even more stringent.

And either way, comparing American public schools to those in Europe or Japan offers no insight into an "advantage" inherent in one or the other.

The only thing Europe and Japan have going for them on the primary level is homogeneity. If all of the pupils are Japanese, you don't have to worry about "inclusion" or "diversity" issues now do you?
With that out of the way, sure they are going to be more advanced and fast-paced! American schools deal with diversity of background, income, race and language that would make European and Japanese heads spin!

It's Apples vs. Oranges as far as I can see...

As far as the higher-education level is concerned...I would gather from the vast amounts of international students flooding in from all over the world that U.S. universities have some sort of appeal. Seems like it would be an awful long way to come if you had it in your own backyard.

Answer 3

No. It is mainly a cultural thing. Most students go to where the best professors are and where it is fun to be. Travel a bit, expand your horizon.

Students of all nations travel the globe that way. Europeans, Americans an Asians all alike go everywhere.

Answer 4

You are right in the fact that the schools here in the EU are better than those in the US (generally speaking). However that is where it ends and I know many people who go to the US for the university. I think that the only advantage is that here they are much cheaper (at least in Italy).