What are the main differences in prestige and college style between the top British schools( LSE, Oxford) vs top American schools (Princeton, Yale)
UK schools involve immediate and near-total specialization. You don’t undergo a “liberal arts” style extension of high school; you go right into your subject and more or less only study that. There are many, many other important differences, but this one, I think, is the biggest.
Agreeing with marvin100.
Another style difference is that in the UK your performance on exams is what counts, whereas in the US there is usually some amount of continuing assessment. At Oxford, for example, PPEists sit “Prelims” or preliminary exams at the end of first year and “Collections” at the start of each term (examining the previous terms work), but although the results matter during your course, the only exams that go on your permanent record are the exams that you take at the end of your final year, which cover the entire course. There are no GPAs, etc.
Oxford and Cambridge are different than the other top UK universities, in that they are based on a ‘tutorial’ style of teaching (1 or 2 students meeting with a ‘tutor’, aka professor), and much of your learning is self-directed.
UK universities are much more hands-off than US universities: students are expected to be much more independent.
Prestige differences are not huge, vary a bit between the various universities and various regions. Generally Harvard=Oxford; equally, Oxford=Harvard.
I checked your other posts and see that you are looking for something that is high-status and will make you lots of money (elite school + law or finance). You will feel right at home with the PPEists at Oxford. Admissions cuts are made 1st on your personal statement, rec, and standardized tests (SAT 2100+, 5’s on APs, incl. Calc), then on the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment- Oxford’s aptitude test), then on your interview performance.