<p>Generally, do top employers in the U.S. and abroad prefer a graduate of an Ivy League University or a graduate of Oxford or Cambridge? I have the potential to study at any of those institutions and was wondering whether an English education would hurt my chances in the American professional environment. If it helps, I am looking to major in some sort of science, engineering, or business, most probably for computer engineering or economy/business management. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Cambridge and Oxford are one of the most respected academic institutions, sort of like University of Chicago but more world renowned. Go there if you really enjoy learning and want an academically powerful education. Both those universities would stand on par with the ivy’s in a work environment.</p>
<p>You may want to post this question in the Parents Forum to get feedback from people who do recruiting and hiring.</p>
<p>Unless we’re talking about Harvard (and perhaps, Yale), both Oxford and Cambridge universities are more prestigious (better brand names) world-wide.</p>
<p>Most likely you will not be able to get into most “top employer” spots mostly because of a lack of OCR (on-campus recruiting) which is really how the large majority of graduates from top US universities get jobs. No OCR=big hindrance because all the bank and consulting firms recruit mostly through OCR in the US except you have contacts/network/connections.</p>
<p>@RML, if prestige =/= familiarity，I don’t think oxbridge > YSM.
For whatever reason, Princeton is a tier below HYSM in terms of global reputation.</p>
<p>That’s because Princeton doesn’t have any graduate or professional programs where the majority of international students at a given school would enroll.</p>
<p>I think Brown is really prestigious in Europe too.</p>
<p>Oxbridge is definitely on par with HYPSM, without a doubt and it’s just as well respect by employers. </p>
<p>If you’re interested in economics though, LSE is typically the most sought-after school in the UK for economics, above Oxbridge. And in some of its fields is even more selective than Oxbridge. That said, for economics it’s very well known and often considered to be equal with Harvard (some might even say better, but we won’t debate that here). However, it’s even more difficult to get into that Harvard with an acceptance rate of something like 4% for economics.</p>
<p>If you’re still interested in more than one–or possibly, barely, two related ones–field at the time you’re applying for colleges, don’t go to Oxbridge. You apply there as a student in your major. I got accepted to a different UK university on the condition that I enter as an English major. No thank you. If you need some time in college to decide between economics and computer science, I think that’s possible, just, at Oxbridge, but it’s significantly harder than at the Ivies, where you can’t declare your major before second semester freshman year at the earliest. And if you’re looking to take more than a very few classes outside your major in your college career, Oxbridge makes that more difficult than the Ivies do. (At the Ivies it’s pretty much mandatory; hooray, I am able to take art history without majoring in the thing!) UK students specialize much earlier than US students do, hence the differences.</p>
<p>I would STRONGLY recommend that all American candidates interested in Oxford & Cambridge contact the Cambridge Students’ Union or the Oxford Students’ Union to avoid a lot of heartache. The reality is that it is extremely rare for individuals to be admitted from American high schools. We are talking about no more than 10-15 and the vast majority of these candidates attended international schools in the USA or had strong British connections. Most Americans who are admitted attend British schools or schools like the American School in London. </p>
<p>You should also note that it is pretty pointless to base your application on a slew of AP exams. That simply isn’t how the British system works. If you do receive a conditional offer, it will be based on 3 or 4 APs. They won’t care about other examination results.</p>
<p>Again, contact the Student Unions or the Tutor for Admissions at the college of your choice. You will find that most tutors will advise you to wait and apply as a graduate student. That is simple reality.</p>
<p>If you are talking about consulting firms, the big firms recruit at all the British universities. For firms like McKinsey, Bain, Booz etc., they can arrange a placement in the US. You should note, however, that under recent changes in British immigration law, it is now virtually impossible for non-EU citizens to get work permits unless they have extensive experience.</p>
<p>^ You will definitely have to work for sometime in the London office. Then you can apply to move somewhere, the visa to transfer people across offices is very different from the H1-B and is not capped I think. The H1B is capped at a specific number and these companies will prefer to process an H1B for international students who studied in America. People who study outside the US are nonexistent in incoming classes for most top firms, I think this is a basic fact. That’s because how things are set up- you get your jobs usually on-campus recruiting and alumni-networking.</p>
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<p>No they dont only a select few lets say mckinsey: [Recruiting</a> Events | UK and Ireland](<a href=“http://www.mckinsey.com/locations/UK_Ireland/Recruiting_Events.aspx]Recruiting”>http://www.mckinsey.com/locations/UK_Ireland/Recruiting_Events.aspx)</p>
<p>Oxbridge, Imperial, LSE, Bath, bristol, Edinburgh and a couple of irish universities. This is where they present but i would estimate that their class consist signfiicantly of Oxbridge/Imperial/LSE people. With an overwhelming majority from Oxbridge.</p>
<p>In the US there are a bit more target schools based on numbers it would be HYPS, Columbia, Penn, Duke, Dartmouth, Cornell, Northwestern- these schools have more students each year going to Mckinsey/Bain et al. than all UK universities except oxbridge. A look at their career survey information will make you aware of this.</p>
<p>Personally and from talking to people, I think Oxbridge Universities are miles apart from other UK universities for recruitment closest competitor being LSE. How they compare to Ivies would be a case-to-case basis. But due to the fact that they overwhelmingly dominate the UK scene as opposed to the US where no single university except Harvard dominates elite firms.</p>
<p>Top US employers dont matter, you are not going to easily get a job based on your university but networking- its what global/multinational firms think and who they recruit from in your home country.</p>
<p>I have been involved in international business for my entire career and traveled and worked in over 25 countries. Hiring managers in American companies in particular have little knowledge of non-U.S. institutions. They may have heard of Oxford and Cambridge but don’t even mention “Oxbridge” as they will not even know what you are talking about. If you wish to have a US employer, go to a US school. Also, in this economy you will have to be very specific as to what you want in your education. You mention, " I am looking to major in some sort of science, engineering, or business, most probably for computer engineering or economy/business management." If indeed you are split between, let’s say engineering or business, I strongly suggest that you do both in stages. For example, study engineering with a business minor in undergrad, work for a couple of years, and then get an MBA after. This will be the perfect combination for an international management position at a technical firm. However, I recommend that you study the technical major first. It won’t work the other way around. Here is a list of the top International MBA’s in the country:
[Best</a> International Business Programs | Top Business Schools | US News Graduate Schools](<a href=“http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/international-business-rankings]Best”>http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/international-business-rankings)
<a href=“http://www.thunderbird.edu/wwwfiles/pdf/about_thunderbird/rankings/rankings.pdf[/url]”>http://www.thunderbird.edu/wwwfiles/pdf/about_thunderbird/rankings/rankings.pdf</a>
[Top</a> MBA Schools - International Business](<a href=“http://businessmajors.about.com/od/bschoolrankings/tp/TopInternationalBus.htm]Top”>International Business Degree: Types and Career Options)</p>
<p>I went to Thunderbird – Ranked the top international MBA globally. It has been my experience that if you have an international degree, you will have to explain it to less traveled American employers again and again and again. The best way to get around this is to go to an outstanding US university and then study abroad for a couple of years. That allows you to have the prestigious American degree and also attend alumni events and boast the connection to the foreign university. That is what I did. I went to a well known US college and then lived and studied abroad for three years. Take it from someone who has been there and lived an international, multilingual, multicultural existence for the last 30 years. Expect US employers to gladly use your talents – but never expect them to understand you. You will be an educator and a cultural bridge your whole career. That has been my experience and I am grateful that I get paid for it. Good luck.</p>