<p>A counselor suggested to my daughter (NMS, 4.6Wgpa, 1450 SAT, 800SATII Hist, 780 Writing) that she consider Oxford U. She applied & was accepted. She hadn't wanted any large Universities, only small colleges & has applied to Swarthmore, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Carleton & others. Anyone else considering this & want to discuss it?</p>
<p>I looked into Oxford and Cambridge and was very put-off by their perplexing international admissions requirements and application. Seemed like too much of a pain.</p>
<p>Oldparent, S's school has a handful of kids going to Europe each year to Oxford, Cambridge, etc. I did speak to one mother who has a son going there. It does take a bit of digging to figure out another country's system and the flavor of the college. Also European colleges tend to be more local in student body and do not have the amentities that our schools do. Really more like grad school. I suggest that your D and you go take a visit to England (book those flights ahead of time and you can get some bargains), and spend a few "days in the life of". It may be exactly what she wants. On the other hand, when she gets into one of the LACs, she should check out her faves there and compare what life would be like there. One great thing about going overseas is that the cost is a lot lower. </p>
<p>My son's friend was accepted to an interesting program in Germany for a year and he did that in lieu of his freshman year, and then went to college in the US. He actually considered spending two years there, but decided midway through that he really wanted to finish college in the US. His college in the US was amenable to putting him on hold that one year, like was a gap year, and he did come back and start there, getting some credits for his studies over there. This is an option you might explore. It would certainly be a wonderful experience.</p>
<p>I have been musing over Canadian universities, not so much for my kids, but in general. Price wise they are a bargain, and for more independent type kids that like a NYU type scene in a different setting, it could really fit the bill. We looked briefly at a couple of them many years ago for my niece, but she did not want a big school, and went to a small catholic college instead. I was a bit overwhelmed with the scene at that time, but now I am looking into this option as there are a number of kids who seem to be seeking this atmosphere, but the pricing here in the US for such schools is ever so high.</p>
<p>I am looking at some of the (free) Scandinavian U's that offer English degrees in int'l business, and one called University of Bocconi in Italy that is one of Europe's best business schools and offers a few degrees in English, for less than 10,000 euros/year. LSE was sort of a dream, but it (or any other British school) is way too expensive, especially in American dollars. BTW, I am a h.s. junior, made a 226 on PSAT (I think I can probably make at least a 2300 on the new SAT, with a bit of studying that I neglected for the PSAT) and ranked at about 99th percentile in my class (I think 7th/600+). I am also looking at some Canadian schools, like U of Toronto, U of Western Ontario, and U of British Colombia. I wouldn't try to look for a small liberal arts school in Europe, however, as the more-well-known schools are mostly state-financed behemoths. There are probably some (few) diamonds-in-the-rough, in terms of small schools, but as Americans I think there is too much risk in attending a small school there without really knowing ANYTHING about how it is perceived in Europe - the likely continent of any employer of graduates of that college. Also, any small European college would teach in that country's native language, so it would have to be in the U.K. or Ireland, unless your daughter is proficient in another language. BTW, Oxford has 18,000 students and over 11,000 undergrads, so I wouldn't exactly put that at the level of Swarthmore or Carleton in terms of student population.</p>
<p>We didn't know much about Oxford when my daughter applied, but we did a lot of reading & made a trip there after she was accepted. One is actually accepted by a specific college at OU, and hers has about 400 in it, undergrad and grad, and seems friendlier to American in several ways than some others. It ends up feeling much smaller than the OU student body whould suggest. In response to one other comment, the expense, at the current exchange rate, pretty much puts it in the same range as the small, private American LACs, but no merit aid or other aid for American students. Defiinitely not cheap, running between 30 & 40K/yr. The tutorial system is very different than American systems, almost more like grad school, and seems made for my daughter's preferences. </p>
<p>To the person who found the web sites confusing, we found the same for Cambridge, but the Oxford site had some pretty clear info for prospective international students.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.richmond.ac.uk/%5B/url%5D">http://www.richmond.ac.uk/</a></p>
<p>I was looking at that college. They offer a good grant program for top students and it's pretty small.</p>
<p>The Richmond school is an American College in the UK, so students there follow an American style education, not a British one. </p>
<p>I'm at Oxford and my college has fewer than 300 students so I know nearly everyone there. I can always sit with someone I know at every meal and there are lots of small college social events. It's really friendly.</p>
<p>As far as US students are concerned, there are thousands of them (so it appears to me! Your daughter really won't feel lonely.) but nearly all of them are grad students or associated students, which means they are spending a year abroad here while enrolled at a US college. US undergrads enrolling straight out of high school are pretty rare (but I'm a grad student so I wouldn't know them). Most seem to have completed their freshman year in the US first. </p>
<p>I assume since your daughter has been through all the interviews and admission process that you know all about the courses? She must have choosen a particular course of study already. There are no minors and no switching majors (except in rare cases. Even then, it would have to be something similar. I know someone who changed from Medicine to Biology.). She has to be sure. That's the main disadvantage I think.</p>
<p>Cupcake, how do you like your tutors? Yes, my daughter's course of study is one that has more or less been her passion for years, and researching & writing, then discussing conclusions with one or two people appeals much more than classes focused on lectures and multiple-choice tests, or forced classroom discussions. And yes, the committment required is a major one - no distribution requirements & potential changes of mind. We do still have lots of questions - how does one best handle the move, just getting things there? And how have the breaks between terms worked out? I understand the rooms must be vacated or paid for. Is it best to try to book several round-trips for the year at once? Any recommendations?</p>
<p>I wanted to go to Oxford or Cambridge, but ended up not even applying because of no financial aid and not being 100% sure about my major. I did apply to the Univeristy of Saint Louis in Madrid, though, and got accepted. I'm still waiting to see what kind of scholarship I got.</p>
<p>which college was daughter offered admission at?</p>
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Cupcake, how do you like your tutors?
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<p>Well I'm a grad student not an undergrad so it's a bit different for me. I have an academic supervisor, one of the professors, and he's very nice. There are also post-doctoral researchers in my laboratory who help me. In my college I have an advisor who I am supposed to go and see if I have any problems. Once a term he hosts a (free) dinner for all his advisees but since I haven't had any problems, I don't know him very well. </p>
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We do still have lots of questions - how does one best handle the move, just getting things there?
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<p>I can't really help you here because my parents live in the north of England so we just drove here. Most people travelling from overseas seem to to arrive with one suitcase but go home with 10! Some travel companies have special shipping rates for students. Try <a href="http://www.statravel.com%5B/url%5D">www.statravel.com</a></p>
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And how have the breaks between terms worked out? I understand the rooms must be vacated or paid for.
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<p>It depends on the college but generally they try to make as much money as they can by renting their rooms (nearly all single. The ultimate bonus of studying in Europe in my opinion! I would kill a roomie!) out to conferences and summer school students during vacations (6 weeks and Christmas, 6 weeks at Easter and nearly 4 months in the summer!). Some colleges will let anyone who pays for their room stay. Others will move studenst into smaller or off site rooms during this time. Some colleges will let those who do well in their exams stay in their room for free. The best thing is to go for the sympathy vote. All the colleges have "housekeepers", usually motherly women. Tell them you're a poor foreign student, far afrom home and all alone and probably your D will get to keep the room! Or make friends with some UK students and go and stay with them during the holidays. Most people do not live all that far away.</p>
<p>To GradStudent: Somerville, for history. Perfect for a Californian - less formal, less elitist, reputation for friendliness, solid academics, big library.</p>
<p>Cupcake: Thanks, you're very helpful. I think it'll be very good for my daughter, short & long run, in her subject.</p>
<p>I am a Californian also, though not at Somerville. On the otherhand, I do sort of live near it. One of my coursemates is at Somerville and it is a very nice and supportive environment. You are right, it isnt very typically Oxford (by that I mean juxtaposed to the former men's colleges) but I do imagine your daughter will love it. </p>
<p>To offer some of my insights on moving, it is not as difficult as you might think and I dont recommend you to pack too much. Anything missing can be generally bought here in the UK, if not, she can bring it on her trip back from winter break. There is no need for furniture really because the college will provide what you need. A laundry basket is handy (I suggest you buy a mesh one that can be twisted up from walgreens or savons...depending on where in california you are from). Remember to bring electric transformers/adapters for laptops/electronics etc. Some warms clothes (since you are also from cali) are a must and definitely some dresses or equivalent of mens formal wear might be handy. White dress shirt might be a good idea for matriculation, sub-fusc...</p>
<p>Just be aware the big purchases when she gets here might be 1, a bike (she might want to look into the union sale) 2, a mobile phone (depending on how much she'll use it she might want to do 'pay as you go' or a monthly plan), 3. an academic commoners gown for undergrads</p>
<p>I am just writing whatever comes to mind, trying to look around my room for inspiration....Please do e-mail me if you guys have any more questions!</p>
<p>On Somerville, I do believe they wont let you stay in your rooms for vacation because they sometimes rent it out for conferences. What most undergrad collegs have is a 'vac store.' It sounds ridiculous but your pack all your stuff up from your room and what you dont bring back to the states you store it in this storage room. When you get back from vacation, you go back and retrieve your belongings from the storage room and you start unpacking and setting up....</p>
<p>I second the warm clothes. It doesn't bother me but it snowed in Oxford last week (a national crisis in England.) </p>
<p>Learn to eat with a fork in your left hand and a knife in your right. Not just a fork or people will give you stares of death at formal meals!</p>
<p>How does your daughter feel about being so far away from home? Many foreign students have been to boarding schools and lived in countries other than the country they were born in, so they have experience being on their own. I think it might be quite difficult settling in for an 18 year old who hasn't travelled much. But then again, your D has the advantage that English is her first language. Because of this I find US students are generally the most integrated foreign students (apart from Australians who are almost-Brits at heart and fit in like they lived here all their lives!). Many "home" students are 19 year old freshmen, having taken a "Gap year" after leaving school. So they are a bit more grown up.</p>
<p>My daughter spent a month at a language camp in another state at 14 , did a class trip/exchange with a German school a couple years ago,& 2 weeks last summer at a volunteer pgm in South America & we've travelled a bit. She will be backpacking with friends in Europe for three weeks this summer. Also, we usually spend a week or 2 in the Rockies every winter. We live in the Sierra foothills, so we can get cool here, though not truly cold. For us, formal clothes are a bigger issue than warm ones. You're right about the fork & knife - I can teach her that. </p>
<p>Far from home is still an issue. She always expected to go out of state & applied at several schools on the east coast. (Also cold country). Any advice on integrating well? Is there a Tolkien society there to join?</p>
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Is there a Tolkien society there to join?
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<p>Yes. I am not sure if this link will work outside Oxford, but here is their homepage.</p>
<p><a href="http://users.ox.ac.uk/%7Etolksoc/%5B/url%5D">http://users.ox.ac.uk/~tolksoc/</a></p>
<p>If not, go here and click on "student societies and follow the links. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/%5B/url%5D">http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/</a></p>
<p>Not sure if any of the student homepages are accessible outside the University.</p>
<p>England isn't that cold really. Nowhere near as cold as East Coact US. There was snow here last week and it was a great novelty. It only last two days. All those films of snowy English Christmas' are a myth. </p>
<p>Formal clothes - I just have a long dark red velvet dress to wear to formal hall. Just something plain. For college "May Balls" most people buy or hire a real ball gown for the night from somewhere in Oxford.</p>
<p>You know, Oldparent, Getting to England does not take as long as going to some places in the US, especially if you are in a key city. We went to Santa Fe to look at a program, and the best we could do was about 9 hours with transfers, and we ended up in Albuerquerque with still more than 60 miles to get to Santa Fe! Reading about Mini and Thedad's girls trips home in the winter as the school is on the East coast and home is West, England can be a piece of cake. When we went to Europe a few years back, the direct flight was about 6 hours. There are some obscure areas in the US that take much longer than that to reach.</p>