<p>I have not made up my mind yet, so I thought it would be helpful to hear from different perspectives. :] Basically, I got in Columbia College through ED, and I got a generous conditional offer from Oxford days ago. The declared major for CC is mathematics, but I am considering to switch major. Oxford gives me a joint offer of a bachalor degree in Maths and Philosophy and a master degree in either field. </p>
<p>I'm from China and I have to consider future landing therewith. The best scenario is that I can stick to where I am.
If I choose CC, I dont have a plan to do post-grad at least for now.
I am 20 because of transfers in secondary school and all. So I value time though not obsessively.
I appreciate analysis on research quality etc., but I am not entirely into pure academic pursuit.</p>
<p>So, here is some of my humble analysis:</p>
<p>CC pros:
-Jobs. Only Wharton is better when comes to finding a job on Wall Street. (England has recently tightened foreigner working visa policy)
-Core Curriculum. Something that is gonna benefit a person for a lifetime
-Geographical location. Internships from freshman year summer all the way to senior year.
-City life. Broadway, stellar adds-on to college life
-Aggressive, competitive. Manifestation of the intoxicating reality. Prepares for the real world.</p>
<p>Oxford pros:
-Slightly higher prestige in Asia and the Commonwealth
-Philosophy tutor Peter Millican (my-tutor-to-be) is leading David Hume scholar. Very kind and charming.
-Good maths faculty and excellent tradition in philosophy
-Low rates with shorter time. That's an important point.
-Engaging, small community. Ideal college life, more thorough intellectual profoundity
-Laid back+long holidays. Flexible, depends on what I want.</p>
<p>I am a very career-oriented person. I discovered this quality from being a six-month theater producer. But I demand a simple and quiet personal life. As I will be an allien non-residental in both schools, environment is something that is less decisive because I have to adapt either way.</p>
<p>i dont mean to guilt-trip you, but when you signed that ED contract, you promised that you would come to Columbia if accepted. You can’t just dump this admissions offer because something better came along…</p>
<p>Yeah, you’ve got a point. :] But in the ED agreement, it didnt forbid me to apply universities outside the US. So I don’t think I’ve violated the agreement. I am not saying CC is not good, otherwise I will not have this dilemma.</p>
<p>You are right that Columbia’s ED agreement did not restrict you from applying to Oxford, but it does clearly say that once accepted, you are obligated to withdraw all other applications and accept Columbia’s offer of admission. The one and only exception is for students who, after consultation with the Office of Financial Aid, cite financial reasons for not attending.</p>
<p>^ yeah totally agreed…if your consideration isn’t solely financial, you have obligation to attend Columbia. I got in MIT and Chicago through early action, but I withdrew from both of them…if you were going to have doubts like this, you really shouldn’t have binded. Irresponsibility on your part.</p>
<p>But then again you seem like you want to do business…and I would say Columbia is easily a better choice than Oxford. Not just wall street, NYC is manifested with internship, job shadowing, and real job opportunities, something that I’m sure Oxford’s location won’t be able to match. And since the key to business is not grad school upon graduation at first but finding a job, NYC would give you the best bet of landing a stable stepping stone to your future career.</p>
<p>and like you said, broadway plus tons of entertainment and social “stimulations,” which would cater to your need of seeking more than academic pursuit. Columbia has over 500 students clubs/organizations to get involved.</p>
<p>Columbia has more diversity. I personally think your future career in business (in which you have to deal with a lot of ppl, travel a lot, etc.) can definitely benefit from this diversity (the point of diversity, after all, is to get u acquainted with a multitude of differences and help you interact better)</p>
<p>you also said u were a very “career oriented” person. And all the reasons you listed under Columbia pro cater to this (u even said urself, prepares u for the real world) whereas the long holidays plus flexibility or whatever…not so much?</p>
<p>@griffen & collegeftw: First, I have to admit that I inferred ‘all other applications’ as other US universities and colleges only. As an international student, it is still reasonable to have made this assumption, although I wont deny my fault to have misinterpretted the ED agreement. Second, finance is a reason as well, not that I want to excuse myself. My parents have been working very hard to support me which is very understandable in my culture but makes me guilty to watch at times. </p>
<p>lost4ever, if you don’t immediately withdraw from Oxford, you have violated the agreement. From the Columbia website, IN BOLD LETTERS:</p>
<p>“If you are admitted under the Early Decision program, you are obligated to accept Columbia’s offer of admission.”</p>
<p>How plainer can it be? Why would anyone think there is any moral ambiguity here? Why does it matter that Oxford is in England? What happened to integrity?</p>
<p>If you decide you want to attend Oxford, I suspect (and hope) Columbia notifies Oxford of your breach. I would suspect that, at that point, your Oxford admission would be rightfully withdrawn.</p>
<p>Seriously, folks, it’s time to grow a moral backbone!</p>
<p>The good news, in my humble opinion, is that Columbia is a better experience for most than Oxford. You’ll get to spread your wings a bit. Great decision.</p>
<p>unlike breakdown, i do mean to guilt trip you
someone got deferred/rejected so you could get in, someone who really wanted to go there. so now, suck it up and attend.</p>
<p>What would Columbia have done to him if he doesn’t withdraw from Oxford? Is Columbia gonna call Oxford to ask Oxford to dismiss his application? </p>
<p>I know ED means you have to go there if accepted, but I am not sure if Columbia will contact Oxford to ask Oxford not to accept that student…</p>
<p>well technically the gentleman’s agreement is that if someone breaches their ED contract both schools will agree to rescind admission to the student (leaving the student without a school). </p>
<p>i know of this having happened to a columbia applicant. it is not fun. some students can i am sure get away with it, but it doesn’t sound like it is worth the risk.</p>
<p>No, if he doesn’t tell them where he’s going, and it’s out of the ivy league, I doubt they would have done anything. However, the thought of worming out of an ED agreement at Columbia, a marvelous school, is simply sickening. Far too many people, all of whom are exceedingly qualified apply to Columbia and get rejected, and to think that someone who managed to get in wouldn’t attend is disheartening.</p>
<p>you’ll probably be much happier at columbia, as it is a much more comprehensive college experience, whereas oxford, supposedly, is wholly academic, at best</p>
<p>My daughter (CC undergrad) was at Oxford for two years doing graduate work…merely her opinion but she thought the academic style was such that she benefited more from being there for grad school than if she had attended as an undergrad.</p>
<p>yeah i think I read somewhere the ED agreement is not legally binding, and Oxford won’t rescind him, but rather (like admissiongeek hinted at) a kind of a highly respected agreement. It be pretty shameful not only on urself but also ur recommenders and ppl who supported ur ED decision if u breech the contract</p>
<p>You’re so lucky you have two amazing schools to choose from, but you have to go to Columbia since you applied ED, a problem I would love to have lol.</p>
<p>I’m applying RD to Columbia College and really hope I get atleast waitlisted.</p>
<p>You can easily change your academic interests at Columbia; you don’t even have to declare a major or concentration until the end of your sophomore year! In the British education system, you’re much more locked into whatever you choose now. As Elleneast says, Oxford is a lot more like graduate school; there’s hardly any “college experience” and you’re not exposed to a broad liberal-arts education. Actually, I’m surprised you could apply to both, seeing as they are so different. It seems like you’d be a better fit at Chicago. But of course, I digress; you clearly only care about prestige.</p>
<p>In the end, though, it doesn’t matter. You applied ED to Columbia, and are obligated to attend. I’m sure you’ll find once you get here that you love it.</p>