Stanford vs Cambridge, UK?

<p>Would you go for Stanford if you have also been accepted at Cambridge in England and the cost would come out the same?</p>

<p>where do you plan to find work?
what college in cambridge have you been accepted to?</p>

<p>the question is hypothetical, and general.</p>

<p>hmm that’d be tough…i do LOVE to travel and I really want to study abroad, but I don’t think I could pass up stanford. I’d probably do a summer college program in Cambridge. My friend did one and took business classes there for like 2 months and he said he had a blast and they even got to visit Spain and stuff…</p>

<p>Go to Stanford and do a semester in England; you get the best of both worlds :P</p>

<p>:O I’m in this exact position, I’ve been accepted to Stanford (SCEA) and Trinity College, Cambridge (for Engineering). I’m an international student, so both would be ‘study abroad’ for me. </p>

<p>@ Rolandic7
Stanford’s semester abroad is with Oxford, not Cambridge. And there are very few engineering courses available. :(</p>

<p>What should I do?!</p>

<p>cambridge, hands down.</p>

<p>I chose Stanford over Cambridge Natural Sciences. The biggest draw that Stanford (and other US colleges had) was the wider variety of majors I could choose from. For instance, I couldn’t have done Computer Science + Economics at Cambridge.</p>

<p>Stanford > Cambridge, especially in engineering. I guess in terms of academics, both are of equal standard, but the faculty, research (silicon valley!), and school culture at Stanford is undoubtedly better.</p>

<p>

Kindly expound. Why is the Stanford culture better than Cambridge’s?
Research? Which research? Which area?
League tables that are of global scope always ranked Cambridge higher than Stanford.</p>

<p>Stanford, any day.</p>

<p>The British system of education is outdated and one that gets old very quickly. Their persistence with “tradition” and focus on examinations is also not the best form of education in today’s modern world.</p>

<p>Stanford on the other hand is constantly adapting itself to our changing world. It’s the place to be.</p>

<p>@The Juggernaut: I hope I get accepted to Stanford like you did. =p</p>

<p>Cambridge’s tutorial system is unparalleled (other than in Oxford). A few LACs such as Williams try to replicate the system, but it’s not quite the same because from what I understand not everyone is enrolled in the system. The Juggernaut, don’t be so quick to dismiss Cambridge’s education system - the tutorials are so personal and demanding that they will push you to your limit.</p>

<p>You can’t really compare the two universities. One is old, traditional, follows a British system whereby you decide your “major” upon applying. The other is modern, innovative and follows a liberal arts system, embracing a more interdisciplinary approach (which is what attracted me so much to Stanford). It comes down to what system you prefer - both a very prestigious, Cambridge probably having a slight edge, but it would be silly to make that the single factor in deciding where to attend.</p>

<p>This may come as a surprise to some people but having gotten into Oxford’s engineering, economics and management course, I’m placing it as my top choice (despite applying to Stanford, MIT etc., where my chances of getting in are already slim). Stanford is probably my dream school in the US, but it’s so far away that I’d only get to meet my family once a year. Nevertheless, I’m already in love with the tutorial system, Balliol college and the interdisciplinary course which one doesn’t often find in the UK, so I’d be perfectly happy attending either university. However, Oxford requires me to get 7s in math and physics HL along with 40 points at IB, so I’m pretty desperate for some other options as there’s no guarantee of achieving those grades.</p>

<p>it depends on the experience you want</p>

<p>if you want a seriously intense academic experience, go to cambridge</p>

<p>if you want an awesome academic program WITH the rest of the college experience, go to stanford.</p>

<p>the british university system is very different from the us system</p>

<p>as far as engineering goes, there arent many better than stanford :)</p>

<p>Cambridge!</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Not true. According to 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shang Hai JiaoTong University ([ARWU</a> 2009](<a href=“http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp]ARWU”>http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp)),
Stanford is #2, and Cambridge is #4</p>

<p>Stanford by a mile for me. I like the weather, the school system, and the sports way better than Cambridge. Plus, there’s all that merchandising.</p>

<p>@RML Oh really? I doubt the costs are the same. Unless you get financial aid from Stanford.
@esconie: May I know where did you choose eventually? I’m in the same shoes as you.</p>

<p>Oxford!!!</p>

<p>I personally have issues with the way the UK system works. I lived overseas and had several friends go to UK schools after high school and I’m intimately familiar with the process. The problem is I don’t really think anyone knows for sure what their major and concentration should be when they’re 17 (or 18). What I really appreciated from my stanford experience was the option of changing majors and all the doors that were open to me. In comparison my friend in the UK was immediately placed into a major and was unable to leave it!</p>