<p>Ok, so I didn't phrase it so well....I don't personally believe it, but the OP talked about the relatively few number of classes required to graduate. I wasn't sure if this was percieved by US companies as having lowER standards than US schools. It wasn't backed by any evidence at all, it was just my own hypothesis, which turned out to be wrong.</p>
<p>The Financial Times of London did a world ranking of colleges and (surprise-surprise) US Universities were at the top. If I remember correctly, Oxford and Cambridge were in the top 5 or 6.</p>
<p>To reiterate, there is no waiting-to-declare-a-major until your junior year like in most US universities. Basically you "declare your major" in your application to Oxbridge! While not impossible to switch mid-steam, it is pretty rare.</p>
<p>There is actually some controversy in the UK now about whether this British system (which incidently has been around since donkeys ages) actually needs reinventing along the (more-flexible) US undergraduate experience. It's more than a little controversial - a little like suggesting to the French they should consider dropping their obsolete mother-tongue in favor of the English language).</p>
<p>As quoted from the current Fiske Guide "The University of Cambridge is particularly blunt about the 'possible mismatch between the broad liberal arts curriculum of the North American high school and the specialist emphasis of the British degree courses.' The British univeristies most like the American system are (1) The University of Aberdeen and (2) University of St Andrews. The Fiske Guide has good thumbnail sketches.</p>
<p>Now if you want to experience a truly international University from a national gov't system that promotes and encourages international students - try Australia (esp University of Sydney & University of Melbourne). The web sites are informative.</p>
<p>Most people are only <em>really</em> good in just one or two areas, and build their careers around them. That probably explains the mindset behind why UK degrees are so specialised (and indeed many other education systems around the world). The courses go into much more depth though, than the US courses.</p>
<p>UK degrees in general are not advisable for people who has not yet made up their mind what they are looking at career-wise in the long run, even if it is "Oxbridge".</p>
<p>*****<em>Most people are only *really</em> good in just one or two areas, and build their careers around them. That probably explains the mindset behind why UK degrees are so specialised (and indeed many other education systems around the world). The courses go into much more depth though, than the US courses.</p>
<p>UK degrees in general are not advisable for people who has not yet made up their mind what they are looking at career-wise in the long run, even if it is "Oxbridge".******</p>
<p>I agree partially with the above post. If you want to work in Europe after your degree however, Oxbridge degrees will be more flexible than you think. Alot of english majors, classics majors...etc., who would not be considered for investment banking or management consulting jobs in the states, are heavily recruited for these sectors at Oxford. All majors at Oxbridge are also recruited heavily by the government for sectors of civil service.</p>