<p>I'm pretty interested in going to this program to study International Relations and Art History (though the courses are less important to me than the actual experience). What I'm wondering is if the month-long course is worth $7000? I'm very interested in Oxford and I will probably apply there, so I'm wondering how much you actually experience the university life and the professors there? Is the student body at the program representative of that at the university? Is there a disproportionate amount of Americans/how many internationals are there? Overall, is it really worth it or would it be a waste of money given that I will visit with my parents for a few days anyways?</p>
<p>Member - in the summer the Oxford colleges rent out their rooms to private companies. Any programs run are organised by the companies. They have nothing to do with Oxford university. You are unlikely to meet any Oxford professors, as everyone disappears in the summer vacation, or locks themselves in their labs to catch up on research while they don't have to teach. Some times such summer programs recruit PhD students to teach. That is the closest you will get to anyone connected to Oxford uni. Anyone can go on such a summer program if they can pay. It is nothing to do with being academically gifted (and that's all Oxford want to know about in their admissions, Anything else is irrelevant).</p>
<p>By all means attend such a program if you want to visit Oxford and see what it's like, and possibly experience staying in an old college. But don't go on such a program as a route to getting in to Oxford. You are extremely unlikely to meet anyone who could influence admission decisions in any way, and if you did they will have forgotten you by the time interviews come round anyway (or might find it a bit weird and desperate to be apprached by random people who have nothing to do with the uni).</p>
<p>Also, doing a summer program involving lots of trips to the theatre and historical sights is basically a holiday. It's a million miles away from the 70 hours of studying per week you will have to do in your room as an undergraduate, in a cold dark winter. Go and have fun, but do not see this as the truth about Oxford life, an academic exercise or a backdoor route to admission.</p>
<p>(and in my experience of groups staying in my supervisors college - none stay in mine -the student body will be 90% very rich Americans a large percentage of whom will get drunk every day as soon as they realise they can, unfortunately. that is why some colleges have stopped renting their rooms to such programs. Drunk and disorderly guests trashing the place. Sad but true.)</p>
<p>British students don't know the meaning of "summer program". They never do stuff like that. It is not part of the culture. They have their summers off. It will be all foreign students.</p>
<p>Thanks cupcake, that was exactly what I was looking for. I'll probably opt for a three-day or so stay at the university and talk to people/visit during that time.</p>
<p>I was lucky to receive a scholarship to the Oxbridge Program in Montpellier and cupcake is right, 90% of the student body were very wealthy kids, mostly from East Coast prep schools. Some of them were intelligent and nice, while others were very pretentious and were only there because their parents could afford to send them to the program. But, I did meet the most interesting people and I'm still in touch with some of the friends that I made there. The student body was quite international. There were lots of Canadians as well as people from England, India, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Italy, Argentina, Germany, and Poland.
The teachers were brilliant. Their accomplishments were truly amazing. I guess the program was what you made of it. Some people tried to get the most out of it, while others [aka the girls in my French History class] did not care at all and were only there to work on their tan.</p>
<p>If anyone has any questions about Oxbridge, just ask me :]</p>
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while others [aka the girls in my French History class] did not care at all and were only there to work on their tan.
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<p>LOL cosette. That must have been fun in the pouring rain this summer..... I am glad you had a good time.</p>
<p>You said you got a scholarship! That's awesome. I want to apply for a scholarship for the program in France as well. I've heard they are SUPER competitive. Do you have any tips or anything for making applications as strong as possible? Thanks so much :)</p>
<p>The pouring rain? It was so humid and around 90 degrees all month long...I was in the South of France, not England :]</p>
<p>LarryBoy, I did not think that I would receive a scholarship. Don't let the statistics scare you from applying. Apply! There's no application fee, so what is there to lose? I spent a lot of time on my 'why do you want this scholarship' essay and I made sure that my teacher recommendations were very detailed and highlighted my accomplishments, personality, how I was as a student, etc. I also sent in the best work that I felt that I did for the school paper requirement. I didn't send in a resume, but I think that it would be better if you had your teachers write about your extracurriculars/awards/honors in their recommendations....Apply! Good luck and if you have any more questions about my experience, feel free to PM me. :]</p>
<p>Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I'm certainly applying....I've just never done anything this competitive before :)</p>
<p>Did you do any of the French Immersion classes? How much french did you learn?</p>
<p>You're welcome :]
If you win a French language scholarship, you are required to take your Major class in French. I took photography in French as my major class. I also took French History and Culture for my minor course. My minor course was originally in English, but the other students and I asked my teacher to conduct the class in French. I also lived in the French speaking hall, but that was sort of a joke because everyone on my floor spoke in English!! I definately feel like my French has improved, but I wish that I took an actual intensive French class...there's a very high proportion of native English speakers, so when everyone was hanging out, we all spoke in English. I wish that I spoke more French, but I did get to practice my French when I went out and interacted with the locals [and when I wasn't with my English speaking friends]. </p>
<p>Which classes are you thinking of taking? Is your first choice the program in Paris or in Montpellier?</p>
<p>I understand by now that Oxbridge will not help at all for college admissions, but does anyone know if it could hurt? I did the summer program in Barcelona this summer and I've heard that admissions officers are starting to turn up their noses at expensive programs like this and that they will consider them "elitist". I did the program for the academic experience, not for getting into college, but I don't want the opposite to happen either!</p>
<p>My first choice is for the Paris program, but obviously either would be fine :)
I want to take a French Language class and then possibly one of the immersion classes (maybe L'avant-garde or Art:Culture et Rebellion).</p>
<p>Do you mind describing the free time at the program? Like, how much supervision did you have and what were you allowed to do in your free time etc etc.</p>
<p>Sounds like interesting classes! About free time...you get very little, actually, no supervision during your free time. You are free to do whatever you want [btw, the program director, Carrie, is very very VERY strict about the no drinking/smoking rule]. You have your major class from 9:00 - 12:30 six days a week. Lunch was from 12:30-2:00 on days when you have your minor class [three days a week]. After class, the rest of my time was free. When you don't have your minor class, you have the whole afternoon off, which was nice. On the excursions, there was some supervision, but they always gave you free time to explore on your own. The program also had guest speakers, food tastings, concerts, etc. that were organized by the directors, but they were totally optional. In Montpellier, there were sign up sheets for those organized events that were on a first come first serve basis. Like, there were sign up sheets to go to a jazz concert, the beach, the zoo, to a Rabelais art exhibition, for a food tasting, for sports, etc. All of it was already paid for too. There is also a tram in the city and we were free to take it. The catch was that we weren't allowed to go beyond that. The last stop on the tram way actually takes you to the Odyss</p>
<p>I am applying for a scholarship for the Oxford Tradition.
Any suggestions? What did you include in your essay that you believed caught their attention?</p>
<p>wait is it that strict about drinking? you can’t sneak out after curfew or anything? that seems ridiculous! we’re teenagers, come on. is the whole program really strict???</p>
<p>Hi there everybody. I was awarded a scholarship to attend the Oxford Tradition 2010. It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Feel free to ask me questions or email me if possible. I’m not really sure how everything works on here quite yet. I’ve checked out threads for the past year but just now made an account. Anyway, hope I can help.</p>
<p>I’d like to let whoever wrote the long post criticizing such summer programs know that they couldn’t be farther from the truth. I spent last summer at Oxford University on a full scholarship from Oxbridge taking medical science and mathematics and engineering classes. It was the experience of a lifetime! To anyone who thinks his program won’t challenge you, you are sorely mistaken. I found myself up late at night working on assignments, studying, doing additional reading. It made me dig deeper within myself to really prove that I could do it. The competition is fierce to be recognized. I learned more there than I do in a semester at my school back home! Most everyone I met was incredibly down-to-earth. I come from a very poor rural area and was shocked at how well I fit in there! I met people from all over the world, from all cultures and backgrounds. I have never felt such academic and emotional growth in my life. I would recommend this program to anyone and everyone! Despite what someone posted about not being taught by Oxford staff, most everyone I met was affiliated with the University in some way! We even had a meeting with the admissions people of Oxford and other top schools in the U.K. I made wonderful friends, learned things I never thought I could and fell in love with Oxford! I plan on going back for college there in 2012! Please please refrain from putting down programs like this one unless you actually speak from experience. This is a miraculous once-in-a-lifetime experience and it saddens me deeply that anyone would think otherwise!</p>
<p>**Oxbridge Summer Programs<a href=“I’m%20referring%20to%20all%20summer%20programs”>/B</a>
A couple of students from my school went to Cambridge for their summer program under [ReachCambridge.Com</a> - Excellence in Residential Summer Schools](<a href=“http://www.reachcambridge.com/]ReachCambridge.Com”>http://www.reachcambridge.com/). They enjoyed it very much and they didn’t regret going there. </p>
<p>Role in college admissions
My school (in South East Asia) sends many people to Oxbridge each year and my school counselor does not recommend going to Oxbridge for summer programs if you want to be admitted. Admission to Oxbridge is based on academic achievements and is very different from the application to colleges in the US. Oxbridge summer programs do not help you in your application. Interest and aptitude in the subject you want to pursue will.</p>
<p>Hi!This is from Jessica.
I’ve noticed that you attanded the Oxford Tradition with an schoarship.That’s awsome.
I wanted to join this program this summer.
First, I am not sure if this is the program that you mentioned? Apply at this website? [Summer</a> Schools in Oxford, Cambridge, Paris, Montpellier and Barcelona for Junior High and High School Students](<a href=“http://www.oxbridgeprograms.com/index.php]Summer”>http://www.oxbridgeprograms.com/index.php)
Second,is it a high selective program or easy to get into?
Third, if it’s ok,I want to know how much might be?
The last one, is there any need to specially focuse?
Your sincerely,
Jessica</p>
<p>I went to the Oxford Prep program last summer and I would say it was the most amazing experience of my life. A lot of the kids were from wealthy families (I believe I met a few princesses) but there were some middle class people like me. I was awarded a partial scholarship, so my tuition was about $3000. But full tuition is around $7000 without doing the Paris Connection. My understanding is that the scholarships are very selective, but the program itself is not hard to get in to. The classes are sometimes challenging, but choose what you enjoy doing because you do spend quite a bit of time with your class. I would recommend History’s Secrets as a minor if you like history because you do not get a lot of homework but you learn a ton of really interesting things.</p>