The American university system: What are the advantages of studying in the USA?
Many young people around the world dream of studying at a university in the USA. The United States not only has some of the best universities in the world, but also has the most prestigious educational program.
That is why today we are going to tell you about the characteristics that make the American university system the best in the world.
Advantages of the American university system for athletes
- Sports and scholarship budgets: American universities manage high sports budgets. In many cases, they finance the sports and academic careers of athletes, with scholarships of thousands of dollars to cover their studies, training and all kinds of expenses in the USA. Sports scholarships can be full, meaning they cover 100% of expenses. Although in most cases they tend to be partial. To give you an idea: in 2023, more than 450 athletes received sports scholarships in the USA and the average scholarship was more than $26,000.
- Combining studies and sport at university: Many top-level athletes have to choose between continuing with sport or studying at university. In many countries, it is very difficult to combine the two areas. However, the American university system offers many facilities to athletes so that they can adapt classes and training and combine them.
- University facilities: When international students come to the United States, they are often impressed with the facilities offered by universities. Libraries, sports facilities, technological resources… universities have everything that students could need. Sports facilities are comparable to and even better than those offered by professional clubs in most home countries.
Advantages of the American university system for all students
- Educational program: The first two years of the degree are usually of a more general nature, studying subjects of all kinds so that the young person finds his true vocation. The following two years are when specialization in the desired branch comes. In this way, the moment of deciding which degree to study is not as complicated as in Spain.
- Educational model: It is based on a more practical than theoretical education, focused on real situations. They prepare you to know how to react to possible situations that you will encounter in the job market tomorrow.
- Bilingual level of English: Studying in the United States ensures that you improve your level of English. Nowadays, speaking English correctly is a must to find a job. So going to study in the USA is a guarantee that you will return with a bilingual level of English, a sure value for finding a job later.
- Career opportunities: Young people who study in the United States are highly valued by companies when they return to Spain. Internationalisation, bilingualism and studies at some of the most renowned universities worldwide are some of the aspects that companies take into account in the selection process. In addition, in the case of athletes, they have developed values such as effort and sacrifice after having been able to combine their university studies with high-level sport. For this reason, large companies opt for these students when they return to home.
The best universities in the world
Many young people want to study in the United States because of the prestige of its universities.
According to the QS World University Ranking 2024 , four of the ten best universities in the world are in the USA. Specifically, three of them are among the five best universities internationally :
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of Cambridge
- University of Oxford
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
Academic and sports scholarships
If you dream of studying at a university in the USA but you see it as impossible, you should know that there are scholarships that can help you achieve this.
American universities offer scholarships to young students from all over the world so that they can go to the USA to study. There are two types of aid: academic scholarships and sports scholarships.
- Academic scholarships : These are grants offered by American universities to students with a good academic record. Enrollment in a university in the USA can be an impediment for many students. That is why they offer this type of scholarship that covers part or all of the cost of studying there. The amount of the scholarship depends on the academic profile of the young person, but it is true that obtaining a full scholarship is very complicated. You should keep in mind that the better the grades, the bigger the academic scholarship.
- Sports scholarships : these are grants for young athletes who want to combine university studies with high-level sport. American coaches or trainers seek out young athletes from around the world to offer them sports scholarships at their universities. Therefore, the higher the sporting level of the young person, the greater the chances of obtaining a scholarship and the higher the amount of the scholarship.
Studying at a university in the USA
Young people from all over the world dream of studying at some of the best universities in the USA. Thousands of students try to get into Stanford or Harvard every year, two of the most prestigious universities.
However, admission to these centers is very complicated given the huge number of applications each year and all the requirements that must be met to enter. In 2020, Stanford had 45,227 applications for admission, of which only 2,349 were admitted.
Therefore, keep in mind that in the United States there are many more options to study, beyond the most prestigious universities. There are more than 3,000 universities where you will have more chances of being admitted.
As we told you in a previous post about the different types of universities in the US , there are universities, colleges and community colleges. So you have multiple options to be able to study in the United States.
More than 3,500 students have received scholarships in the USA
Since 2004, a total of 3,542 young people have received scholarships to study in the USA. With an average scholarship of more than €23,000, these young people have gone to study in the USA with most of their expenses paid.
If you also want to study at a university in the USA, you have the option. There are many scholarships that can help you achieve your dream. Now is your time!
