<p>where did this whole discussion about what Ivy league is and Cornell come from...first of all I know what Ivy league stands for but its meaning clearly changed over the years...about cornell...for undergrad my friends who study there keep sayin that "easiest to get in, hardest to graduate ivy" which might be right BUT in my opinion even for undergrad HYP got to be at the top and Brown ,with its open curriculum and focus on undergrads(there arent that many grads and all profs must teach undergrads etc), must secure its place at the top 4 for undergrad level..Actually that is the only school that I applied after getting these two offers..=)) School's perspective on undergrads is really important imo...</p>
<p>
[quote]
... I'll merge some of those into this thread. Read the thread CAREFULLY before posting to know which questions go with which replies.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>tokenadult,</p>
<p>I don't understand why you are doing this. It gets very confusing and unwieldly to merge all possible discussions of any Ivy league school into one humungous discussion. If it matters, I vote for keeping the threads separate.</p>
<p>There will be some separate threads, but this issue gets to be so recurrent that sometimes people miss out in one thread the perspective available in other threads.</p>
<p>mathewyy, re: 2%. You have to realize that America is an outlier in terms of higher education. We have a ridiculous number of universities. The number of people going to college in America is nuts. There is more self-selection outside the States, because university is more vocational than coming-of-age when you leave America.</p>
<p>I think tokenadult mentioned something really important about taking advantage of location to diversify your international experience. </p>
<p>In my case, I'd have been an overseas student either way, and after attending summer programs at both Penn and Oxford I happened to like Philly just as much as Oxford.
But if I were in your shoes, I would both really examine the course offering (broad & liberal vs highly specialized, + teaching style), AND I'd give some consideration whether I want to go to explore a new place for uni or to stay where I'm adapted to at the moment.</p>
<p>By the way, you mentioned in an earlier post that 'you're not really sure what it's at Oxford...' It's hard to say what 'being at Oxford' is like compared to describing what it's like to live/study at a certain college within Oxford. You might want to find out whether you'll be moving across the town from class to class for Engineering Science.</p>
<p>Which one were you admitted into (or did you leave it open?)</p>
<p>Perhaps you could try the Studential forum... a sort of UK equivalent for CC... and see if you can catch an Engineering Science student to ask him/her something.</p>
<p>Diversity is important that is for sure, but in most circumstances there s a really sharp line between "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" idea and "we know it best" idea..so you never know if such diversity is the right thing...This contradiction is my main problem. I am not able to foresee how a Oxford degree will effect my Masters etc placement..</p>
<p>Your original question was, "
[quote]
How does it work for a kid with an Oxford degree to go to a top American school for a Masters or a PhD?
[/quote]
". But you answered with
[quote]
This contradiction is my main problem. I am not able to foresee how a Oxford degree will effect my Masters etc placement..
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If Oxford degree doesn't affect your Master or PhD plan, I agree that the best choice is to attend the farthest away college from home. Chelsea Clinton picked Stanford over Yale for the same reason.</p>
<p>I didnt answer it..I just restated the problem..but i suppose nobody really knows something about it..</p>
<p>I would pick Yale, if just for the liberal arts education. You yourself said that you wanted engg just as a starting base...</p>
<p>Matthewyy, first of all congratulations!</p>
<p>Here's a game you may want to play, to help you decide between Oxford and Yale: </p>
<p>All this week, imagine you decided to go to Oxford and declined Yale's offer. Just role play. But do it well. Imagine yourself preparing to go to Oxford, announcing this to your friends, looking up course schedules and lecture subjects for Oxford etc.
Do it as realistically as you possible can.</p>
<p>Then next week, do the opposite: imagine you declined Oxford, and you let Yale know you're going there. Do the same detailed role playing. Imagine yourself preparing, looking up the classes, the weather etc.</p>
<p>Then ask yourself how you feel: did you regret not going to Yale on that first week? Did you think "yes of course, this is the right thing to do"? etc etc</p>
<p>Believe me, my son was in a very similar situation and it helped.</p>
<p>In any case, you're in a win-win situation. There's NO CHANCE you'll take the wrong decision. Graduate school prospects are bright in both, and you know that. They will grab you if you have an Oxford diploma, the same for Yale.</p>
<p>Another thing: deep in your heart you probably know where you want to go. It just hasn't made itself that obvious yet.</p>
<p>Best of luck -- let us know your final decision!</p>
<p>On a general bases, if you don't consider the financial aids made by the top Ivies (Yale, Princeton...), which would be more desireable for undergraduate study?</p>
<p>On another point, do the qualities differ that greatly?</p>
<p>They're very different...if you're not sure what you want to do yet, or want to study a broader range of subjects, then an Ivy would be a better bet.</p>
<p>Can you please elaborate on the differences? I know they vary quite drastically, but in terms of graduate prospects, which degree will open more doors (i.e. in terms of international prestige)?</p>
<p>There's not really a difference. The doors that will open for you depend on your success during school and the connections that you make.</p>
<p>Oxford and Cambridge are very difficult for US kids to get into because of the differences in the system and the extreme weight placed on writing and interviews.</p>
<p>I wouldn't want to completely focus on one subject without having the option to take many courses outside of my concentration that interest me, so I would definitely pick an ivy (or any school that I like) over Cambridge.</p>
<p>cambridge and oxford are great schools but i was told they are more focused on "the classics"</p>
<p>From the point of employability, are the said schools placed on similar levels?</p>
<p>i see, the utilitarian.</p>
<p>just not wealthy enough to study simply for its pleasure</p>
<p>
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From the point of employability, are the said schools placed on similar levels?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>YES..........................................</p>