<p>Could anyone tell me about foreign universities like Cambridge and Oxford? I don't know if I'd ever want to go to another country personally, but I would like to learn more about them.</p>
<p>How selective are they for international students?
What are they known for (certain department)?
Do they have core curriculums?</p>
<p>etc? etc?</p>
<p>THANKS</p>
<p>Cambridge and Oxford are extremely difficult to get into. They're like the Harvard and Yale of the UK. </p>
<p>If you want to study in another country, try looking at: McGill, Saint Andrews, Imperial, Toronto, Kings, etc. They're prestigious and internationally respected, but not impossibly selective. </p>
<p>And, typically foreign school have much smaller cores than American schools.</p>
<p>Higher education in the United Kingdom is narrowly focused....what do you want to study?</p>
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How selective are they for international students?
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<p>Cambridge and Oxford are very selective (and expensive) for international students. Besides, the entry-level requirements are usually higher than the typical High School qualifiication in the US. In addition to the usual high GPA and SAT scores, US applicants are expected to have a score of five in at least 3 or 4 AP exams in subjects that are relevant to their intended major (for example, calculus and physics for a prospective engineering student) Applicants who have completed the IB program are expected to have a total score of 40 or more with 7/7/7 in 3 relevant higher level courses. Moreover, you will probably have to go through an interview with a college tutor where you may be asked to take additional written tests and/or answer technical questions . </p>
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What are they known for (certain department)?
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</p>
<p>They are pretty much strong across the board. However, Cambridge probably has an edge over Oxford in physics, mathematics, engineering, and economics. </p>
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Do they have core curriculums?
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</p>
<p>If you mean a "core curriculum" in the American sense, the answer is no. Programs of study are however highly structured. </p>
<p>Each student chooses a major (actually called a "course of study" in the UK) when he/she applies to the university and is admitted a priori into that chosen course. Each course of study has in turn its own standard curriculum that lists the lectures and corresponding final exams that are offered in each year of the program.</p>
<p>Even though undergraduate studies in Oxbridge are far more specialized than in the typical American Ivy or LAC (focusing more on depth than breadth), first-year classes tend to be more generalist and there is some possibility of mobility between courses within the same broader field of knowledge. For example, in Cambridge, one may study social sciences in his/her freshman year and then move into economics or law in the second year. Likewise, it is possible to study mathematics in the first year and then move to physics or computer science. Other than that, there is generally little or no room to take classes outside the course of study you've been admitted to. </p>
<p>Humanities and social sciences courses usually take 3 years to complete. All Oxbridge engineering programs require however 4 years of full-time study to complete, while students in natural sciences and math normally have the option to choose either a 3 or a 4-year program. Four-year programs usually cover material up to a level equivalent to a course-based M.S. degree in the US.</p>