[iridium]

I'll agree on the debt side. The grade issue is infinitely worse in a lot of competitive cultures.

Even if you take the money factor away, Have non-US universities really figured out higher education? Most of them tend to either be a lot more rigid in structure, or they copy from the US system.

[arethuza]

Personally, I'm much happier I went to a UK university where the final degree "class" was based almost entirely on what you did in the final year (I think it was 80% fourth year and 20% third) as I was a terrible student in the first year, average in the second and did really well in the final two years and got a first.

Not saying that this approach is "better" - just that it suited me!