In American speech it is. Anything which teaches undergraduates and awards college degrees is a college. They can also have a research university attach to it, but it is still a college.

It doesn't make sense to me how here in Europe universities tries to say that they aren't anything but a university. Americans got this one right. How else would you compare where to study? Do you say "university rankings" but include non universities there that doesn't do research? You go there to do college studies, and try to find the best place to do college studies, why say it is wrong to call it a college?

> You go there to do college studies

An undergraduate degree isn't 'college studies' in British English. Nobody would say that.

> why say it is wrong to call it a college?

Why is it wrong to call it a fish? Because it's not a fish.

Why is it wrong to call it a college? Because it's not a college.

But this is a mostly American forum? Why say it is wrong to use the American word? Everyone understands what the poster meant. You wouldn't correct someone using the American billion just because it happened to be about a UK company either.

Seems rude to mis-title something or someone from another culture?

Like all these lunatics yesterday talking about 'Sir Sinclair'.

Calling it a 'college' makes it sound like something less than it is. I would try not to mis-title things from another culture myself.

Because in the UK "college" means a variety of things, none of which apply to St Andrews?

But this is a mostly American forum? Why say it is wrong to use the American word? Everyone understands what the poster meant. You wouldn't correct someone using the American billion just because it happened to be about a UK company either.

"College" in the UK education system already has a definition; it is the place you go from 16 to 18, studying a narrower curriculum than regular school prior to 16. You will also hear references to "sixth form college", which is the same 16-18 education but delivered at the same physical school as under-16 teaching.

Given the time of day and the subject matter I suspect most people discussing this on here are not from the US.

In US colloquial English the term 'college' is used to refer to ANY academic (non-trade) schools where a 'college' degree (above 'high' school) can be earned. Like it or lump it.

This is hardly a 'slam' for St Andrews; aluminum is more concise than aluminium, as is 'math' compared to 'maths'.

In the US a 'public' school is -not- elite (fee-charging); the general 'public' is welcome there. Not just stuck-up nit-pickers.

Whoosh

Someone needs is a good fish-slapping.