Americans going to Oxford, Cambridge?

Question

I am an american (new york city) girl and i wanna got to oxford or maybe cambridge. i will have just turned 17 when i go to college. advice on getting into Oxford? chances? what its like there? will it be hard to adjust?

Answer 1

I cannot speak directly about Oxford or Cambridge, but I'm an American who spent a year of college studying at another large, old English university about 10 years ago now.

It was both one of the best and also most difficult years of my life. On the plus side, there's nothing like immersing yourself in another culture. I chose to do this in England at a time when most of my friends were going to France, Spain, Africa, etc--and I did it because I knew that without the language barrier (or at least, without as much of one!) I had a better chance of "living like a native." I lived in the dorms with the other English kids and took classes with them. While I paid tuition to my American college as normal, I was in all other respects treated just like any other student.

I learned so much about myself and about the world from that year. England's a beautiful county full of amazing history. I travelled a ton while there, asked a million questions, learned everything I could. I made wonderful friends. I hope I taught the people I met a little bit about America and about embracing diversity (at that conservative university, at that time, my experience was that many students were far less open-minded and tolerant of those different from themselves than your average US college student).

On the down side, school was tough. The English university system is considerably different from the American. English education uses rote learning--lots of memorization and recitation and writing essays, lots less problem-solving. I was astounded to see many of my classmates "taking notes" by copying down what their professors said word for word....like, actual complete sentences! Our professors were highly revered and, to my American eyes, many of them were very snobby. I had one who wore an academic cap and gown to class every day and wrote frequently in Latin on the chalkboard, assuming we would all understand it!

University is highly self-paced...nobody makes you go to class there. For each class, you will probably have a large lecture section plus a small seminar with a professor. You will choose your own reading from a long list of possibilities, so your classmates will likely all be learning the same subject by reading different texts than you. You may have "practice" assignments throughout the course, but 100% of my grade for each course was determined by an essay exam at the end of the year. Fail that exam and you fail the class. I'm a kinesthetic learner and I also learn best in small groups and with lots of personal interaction, so that was a challenge for me to learn. I did fine--all Bs, I'm proud to say!--but it was tough.

Just to play devil's advocate again--there were upsides to all these challenges. I had two excellent, dedicated professors who shared their passion for their disciplines with me. Because they generally had less personal interaction with most of their students than American professors do, these two were delighted and very helpful when I sought them out, showing up for office hours and showing an interest. I think they were a bit taken aback by that wacky American girl who kept appearing at their doors with all these questions!

Now, Oxford and Cambridge run on the "college system," so you may be taking all or most of your classes from one professor. That's a difference you should look into.

A couple of notes for you on English university students, too. They tend to start university later than we start college. Their "sixth form year," the last year before university, is really more like our freshman year of college than it is like our senior year of high school. The English kids will have already taken their general, humanities-type classes there and will be ready to specialize when they start University. They take a lot of classes in their major and not much else. This is great if you know exactly what you want to do in school and lousy if you don't. I had an English friend who decided to switch from physics to geology after her first year at University and basically had to start all over again.

English students also commonly take a year off (a "gap year") in-between sixth form and university. Sometimes they travel or work or otherwise "see the world" before buckling down to all that studying. As a 17 year old, you're going to be considerably younger and less-experienced than your average English University "fresher."

Finally, I want to say again that the older the English university, the less open to change it's people tend to be. This is a BIG stereotype, but I was astounded, at times, at how provincial my university seemed to me. Granted, my US college was fairly liberal and progressive--but even still. Something about all those castles and medieval dining halls and a whole country where the class system is very much still real and living...it was hard to adjust sometimes!

I hope I haven't talked you out of it. I wouldn't now trade that year in England for anything in the universe! I think everyone should travel, and going to England especially helps you see how much of our own culture came from across the pond.

However, I do think that you should gather as much information as you can. Know that other options exist if you want to study overseas (for instance, spending just your junior year there, as I did, or choosing another university besides Oxbridge.) Send away for all the brochures. Email the universities and ask for alums in your area--there must be a zillion if you're in NYC. And if you decide it's right for you--have a FABULOUS time and take advantage of every opportunity while you're there!

And--thanks for allowing me my trip down memory lane! :-)

Answer 2

Going To Oxford University

Answer 3

Here's my top 5 for Oxford: 1) St Mary's Church. This is a must- see, even if you're not religious. You can go up the tower; from the top there are breathtaking views of the city. The tower is square, so you get to see 4 different angles. It is really high up, so you get to look down on the whole city. Take your camera- it really is amazing. Cheap, too! Be warned, though, there is very little space up there, especially when someone wants to get past, so think twice before going up if you are very overweight! 2) The Pitt Rivers Museum. This is situated inside the Natural History Museum, so you get to look at loads of dinosaurs too. It is free entry, although they do appreciate donations. Pitt Rivers is just like something out of an Indiana Jones film. It is crammed with loads of interesting things to look at. Two of the weirdest things are real Egyptian mummies, and shrunken heads (yes, real shrunken heads!). Last time I went there, they were beginning to renovate the 2nd and 3rd floor, but even if that part isn't open, it is still definitely worth a visit. I'm sure there is nothing else like it in the country. 3) Go punting! There are a few places along the river where you can hire a boat and take it for a punt. This is quite expensive, but it's excellent fun and a great way to see the city from a different angle. 4) Take a sight- seeing bus. This is something I've never done, since I have never been a tourist in Oxford. You can take a guided tour of the whole city on an open top double decker bus. Once you have bought your ticket, you can hop on or off as often as you please. 5) The Turf Tavern. There are tons of great pubs in Oxford but I have chosen this one because it is right in the middle of the city, but down a hidden alley way, so it feels like a secret hide- away. You will probably have to ask a local for directions. Do I have to stop at 5? I could go on all day. I lived in Oxford for 3 years and I can easily say that it is my favourite place in the UK. If you would like any more info, feel free to email me. Do you need a tour guide?!

Answer 4

sence u dont do e-mail, i had to tell yu this thru an answer. The contry is Equador. Sorry.