I never thought that I’d get expected to one of these unis let alone three. I have a great but difficult decision to make and I would really appreciate any helpful guidance/advice on any of the 3 unis above.
Just for some context I’m from the UK myself and so would be an international student in the USA.
Thanks
If I had a choice between these three, I’d pick Cambridge for an undergraduate degree. Amazing experience, tutorial system, great social life, and it will impress American universities if you want to go to graduate school in the USA. However, I’d qualify this to say I’d only go to Cambridge if I was certain the subject I wanted to read. If you are not certain, or want a broader experience, go to the USA. You don’t have to specialise early on.
Otherwise, I’d say Princeton. Again, it is great for undergraduate education and isn’t as isolated as Dartmouth.
@unsure123 the real dilemma here is between princeton and cambridge. I would choose princeton if i were you. the quality of undergraduate academic experience is unparalleled there, and it has way more resources per student than cambridge. also the beauty of the us system is that it allows you freedom and flexibility to explore and choose your major.
Cambridge makes sense if you are ready to plunge into your major and are OK with the curriculum defined for you. Princeton makes sense if you like distribution requirements or like to explore courses outside of your major, or else have a particular vision of your major that is not what’s offered at Cambridge.
Also, in Cambridge, you can finish in three years; that makes a difference if you are paying your own way.
@Penn95 I disagree on the “resources per student”. You are talking in terms of money. Cambridge has a renowned tutorial system and an undergraduate experience that no American university can match. And the US overall is far more parochial; at most you will have 10% international students. Moreover, you cannot drink legally until you are 21; you have “deans” that monitor your behavior to an extent unknown in Europe; you have “distribution” requirements where they treat you like children. Can you imagine having to have a “fake” ID to buy a beer? To risk discipline for being caught with a bottle of alcohol in your room? That’s America for you. The American Ivies are rich. Go to Cambridge and then to grad school in America. You will regret it otherwise. (And as you know, you can change your course after Part I of the Tripos).
@klingon97 i completely disagree with what you are saying. cambridge has more history than princeton but that doesn’t not automatically translate to quality. Princeton is pretty historic itself and has top notch quality. Also the fact that princeton has so much more money per student, means to a certain extent access to more resources. My belief is that even oxbridge cannot compare with the university experience at the very top US universities. the point about the US being parochial is completely unfounded and in fact the opposite is true. The super elite universities in the US are extremely multi-cultural, worldly and a huge number of students from around the world wants to go there. It is the number 1 destination for top students. The percentage of international students is lower than that of UK universities because it is harder to get in and in general harder to come to school in the US.
Lastly, the major draw of a top US university is the unparalleled flexibility and freedom of the academic experience which uk universities, even oxbridge, do not have. I have never met anyone who regretted going to a super elite US university like Princeton even over oxbridge.
If money is an issue then of course choose the option that will not make you go into debt , since all options are excellent.
@Penn95 I was using a friend of mine who went to Princeton and then to Cambridge on a Gates, and another friend who went to Yale and then to Oxford on a Rhodes as a point of reference. And I have siblings in the Ivy League.
I do like your comment about “super elite” Ivies. I’m off to Columbia and have siblings at other Ivies (the super elite ones, not Penn or Cornell). I guess we just differ on our opinion. I’d still go to Cambridge.
Incidentally, it is far, far harder for an American to get into Oxbridge than a Brit into an Ivy. 30 Brits are going to Columbia alone next year, and 45 to Harvard. This according to the Fulbright Commission.
@unsure123, what is important to you about your time at university? what do think your post-uni plans might look like?