How is life in the UK different from life in the States?

Major Differences:

The Law:

Broadly speaking, no firearms without a good reason (not self defence). As a result, only specialist police units carry firearms.

There aren't nearly so many elected politicians in the UK - really just local councils & Members of Parliament. Judges, officials and high police officers are appointed not elected. This makes for rather fewer elections. There is little in the way of local politics.

Taxes are higher - top income tax band in 40% and VAT (equivalent of sales tax) is 15% (usually 17.5%).

Rejoice that the UK has uniform age of sexual consent at 16 and for consumption of alcohol and tobacco at 18.

Driving:

It may seem trivial but there is a lot of difference here - narrower roads & parking spaces, roundabouts, mainly manual cars, higher speed limits, but more enforcement (speed cameras). Driving tests are much stricter in the UK than most states.

Education:

The system is different. And a little too complex to explain fully here:

5-11: Primary School

11-14: Secondary / Comprehensive / Grammar School (Years 7-9)

14-16: Secondary/Comp/Grammar (years 10 & 11)

16-18: Sixth Form attached to a school or a separate College

18-21/22: University

Major exams are GCSEs and A-levels. GCSEs are in years 10 & 11. Each GCSE is in a particular subject - English, Maths, IT, History and so on. The exact curriculum varies within the limits of the national curriculum about 10 GCSE subjects would be fairly typical. Grading is A* - F, anything less than a C is worthless.

Education is compulsory up to GCSE level, afterwards it's optional.

A-levels take place at sixth forms or colleges. They are in specific subjects. People usually take 4 in their first year and then drop one. Grading is A-F. Again only A-C are really worth anything.

University admissions are based on predicted A level results and GCSE results and are through a central clearing system (UCAS). Education is free up to A-level, but university costs money. Currently university fees are capped at about £3,000 a year, though this doesn't apply to foreign students, who pay the full cost. University education is devoted to a particular subject, rather than being a liberal arts.

Secondary Schools during the GCSE years are crowded. I studies Maths in a class of 34, with one teacher. We were the most able group in a small school in a rural area. On the other hand schools here do not routinely have police officers on site or search their pupils. Only inner city schools have serious problems with violence and the carrying of knives. Usually the system of "setting" (dividing a year group into classes based on how good they are at the subject) insulates those who want to get on with it from those who don't, at least to some extent.

Ask a Q more particularly about Secondary education in the UK and you'll get more detail about it...

Scotland has a significantly different system again, but education in Wales is broadly the same.

The People:

It doesn't strike me that people here are generally any kinder than in the US. Some are, and some aren't. People differ as much in the UK as in the US. The only strong difference I've notice in large numbers of people is that in the UK people are more aware of the rest of the world - more because of the media than because they're interested in it - than in the US.

Sports - depends on where, but mainly football (soccer to you) and Rugby, also tennis, darts, snooker and various others. Also varies depending on location. In South Wales for example, the majority follow rugby instead of football.

My (American) girlfriend declares that in the UK people demand government intervention too often. They want the government to "act now" to deal with some social ill, real or imagined. This is fed by politicians desperately trying to enact popular legislation. People blame the government more often here. This may be partly because the UK a National Health Service and stronger social security systems (i.e. the government has so many more chances to screw up).

Well I don't know if people are kinder, though generally people are more willing to give you the time of day in the North of England compared to the South. But there's nice people and horrible people, like everywhere else in the world I suppose haha.

The main sport I personally follow has to be football (soccer) Liverpool FC! Used to be on the team in school years ago :)

I've just finished High School and gone to college this year. From what I can gather theres huge differences between schools in the states and schools here. Like High school for us is aged 11-16 then theres College or Sixth form 16-18. Every school has to wear uniforms and we take GCSE's in Year 11 for our exams.

I know thats not much but hope I helped a little!

I'd also like to know the differences between high school / teen life in the UK v. the US. The UK just looks nicer and more intelligent. How is the quality of life in England better? I see many flaws in the US education system, especially on the west coast, especially in southern California. I'll follow this question to feed my curiosity.

Yes, it does. I don't like life in the UK. Bad weather, beer bellies, lots of smoking/drinking, bad government... I like the US. It's so diverse - you can go to Miami for the beaches, California for the celebs, Texas for the country...I love it! Good weather (depending on where you are), close to the Carribean, not as much smoking/drinking...still have bad government but oh well =/ lol

I emigrated to the UK from US four years ago and wouldn't go back to the states for all the money in the world, although it is nice to go back and visit. I think the quality of life here in the UK is much better.