<p>Has anyone read the new book by a senior at Harvard aimed at students in the UK interested in applying to US universities? The author is English, the foreword is by the ex head of St. Paul’s and it’s written with help from the Fulbright Commision. Any info/opinions?</p>
<p>OK, I’ve finally gotten hold of a copy of this book and skimmed it. It is called “Uni in the USA, The UK Guide to US Universities.” It is by Alice Fishburn, a British undergraduate in the US and seems to be aimed at students in England who have next to no knowledge of applying to colleges in the US. There is some backgorund info and then thumbnail sketches on 23 colleges - these are somewhat entertaining for the cross-cultural anecdotes -e.g. there are sections on dating and quite an emphasis on finding places with pub-like facilities. But I do think the actual information is fairly sketchy. There is an amusing bit where a sample US style recommendation letter is contrasted with a sample UK letter. I am also a bit sceptical of some of the info offered - e.g. on the section ‘Dealing with the SAT’, the author writes: “Don’t worry too much. You are an international student and, despite the official line, colleges will not expect you to do as well in these exams as Americans.” I am also not convinced by the section on Transcripts which suggest internal marks be included. Anyway, the book costs £12.99 and anyone reading these boards will probably find it too basic to be useful.</p>