<p>I know people who have gone to UK universities for undergrad. Even students who have taken plenty of APs find that there is often a mismatch between US and European (UK) curriculum. UK students go in knowing what they want to study, because they have had a more intense high school (IB) curriculum. The concept of general education requirements is basically non existent, because the curriculum at European universities is basically just one’s major. If students want to transfer to a different school or change majors they basically have to start over. There is supposed to be a lot more “hand holding” in American Universities, and it is much more common for there to be only one or two assignments that make up one’s entire grade. I also think there is more focus on the under graduate experience in the United States. One of the reasons why college in the US costs so much is that US colleges provide amenities that European colleges don’t. </p>
<p>There was an article in the New York Times a few years ago about Saint Andrews in Scotland. Scottish Unis are generally supposed to be a better fit for Americans because they are a 4, not 3 year degree. </p>
<p>The undergrad students I know at UK Unis are all happy, but they all took mostly AP classes in high school. I know your son wouldn’t be applying to Cambridge, but I know one person’s acceptance to Cambridge was conditional upon receiving certain AP scores senior year. (I don’t think even the Ivies require that). I also have had friends who had a fantastic time studying abroad in the UK.</p>
<p>I don’t know; however, how continental European Universities differ from their UK counterparts.</p>