<p>So I've been accepted to both the University of Chicago and University of Oxford (for math and cs). After months of debating I'm still unable to decide what to pick.
Thing is, I'd like to do Mathematics and Economics as a first preference (which I'd be able to do at UChicago) but I think I'd enjoy Math and CS at Oxford reasonably too, although I don't exactly see myself working in IT.
At Oxford, I do save a year so that's a bonus too.
What are the job opportunities for graduates from both of these places? And what would you guys recommend? Also, I'm international and am not sure where I'd like to live.</p>
<p>With such excellent universities, it comes down to a personal choice. The two are quite similar actually, and I know people who went to Oxford for undergrad and UChicago for grad. People I know who went to Oxford were so thrilled with their experience that they would not change it for anything else.</p>
<p>Also Oxford opens doors anywhere in the world, can’t say the same for UChicago.</p>
<p>As an international student, I’d say don’t limit your future to the U.S. only by going to UChicago.</p>
<p>But the most important and very subjective advice I can give you is not to miss the Oxford experience! Nothing compares to it.</p>
<p>Yeah, objectively even I’d say Oxford would be better. But I absolutely love economics as much as I love math and UChicago has amazing programs for both, rated 3rd and I think 6th respectively on QSnews. Computer Science at Oxford, on the other hand, is not rated so high.
And would going to UChicago really limit my future to the US? </p>
<p>Also, I’m concerned about the social scene at Oxford. I hear it’s extremely academically oriented and extracurriculars and other activities are few? Obviously these aren’t very serious concerns but when I’m comparing with UChicago I think it all comes down to the small things.</p>
<p>Oh I think those are serious concerns, yes. I think you have absolutely nothing to worry about social life at Oxford. It’s a wonderful environment to make friends, and do lots of activities, sports or otherwise. The young people I know in the family, who had a hard time deciding between Oxford and a great US university and opted for Oxford have all been very happy at Oxford.</p>
<p>My niece, who did her undergrad at Oxford and is now a grad student at Yale, had tears in her eyes one day telling me “I can’t believe I considered not going to Oxford, I would have missed all this!”. While her peers were at times suffering (that’s normal, of course)and getting lost in huge freshman classes at top US colleges, my niece was getting the “privileged” treatment, with the wonderful tutorial system unique to Oxford and Cambridge (1-2 students with an expert in their field). </p>
<p>And the best part was that while she was working very hard, she was HAPPY! </p>
<p>Anyway, like I said, I may be subjective but for me there is no comparison. Although I hope this does not mean I’m questioning UChicago’s excellent academic environment, because I’m not.</p>
<p>In short, you have absolutely nothing to worry about the social scene at Oxford. You’ll thrive in more ways than one.</p>
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<p>This is ridiculous; almost laughable. UChicago and Oxford are both ranked in the top 10 world universities in each of the major rankings.</p>
<p>People with strong affiliations with England tend to over-rate their own universities (understandably); Oxbridge in particular. The truth is that Oxford and Cambridge have been fading for years, and everyone knowledgeable about academia knows it.</p>
<p>It’s true that Oxford might provide a better social experience than UChicago, but otherwise, UChicago is almost hands-down the better option. UChicago is FAR better in mathematics, indisputably so. Its mathematics department has Fields medalists on faculty, and is one of the top 3 Fields medal producers in the world. Its invitation-only Honors Analysis course for undergrads is considered one of the hardest 2 math courses in the world, together with Harvard’s Math 55. Its research opportunities are the best in the world, and the math department is renowned for its tight-knit community between undergrads, graduate students, and professors.</p>
<p>Oxford is more prestigious in Europe among laymen, understandably. However, its prestige will likely dip soon as the population becomes more aware of its recent decay. That being said, UChicago is still extremely well-known among the elite. In China and Japan, the 2nd and 3rd largest world economies, UChicago is more prestigious among both laymen and elites. I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but Europe is the past. Asia is the future.</p>
<p>Spent my junior year abroad in Oxford. It’s an incredibly special place to live and study.</p>