Oxbridge Academic Programs by WorldStrides

[Anonymous]

My daughter who is a junior in HS was just ‘invited’ by mail to participate in this program next summer, and she really wants to do it. It’s very expensive for 4 weeks and I know nothing about it other than what their brochure says and searching online (which I always worry is some sort of plant for fake reviews). She wants to go to their program in Paris and focus on medicine and international relations. Has anyone participated in this program who might be able to give some honest feedback?

[Anonymous]

2 stars on Yelp. I'm guessing there's some honest feedback there:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/worldstrides-charlottesville

(I'd be looking at what she wants to get out of the experience. A trip to Paris? You don't need an expensive program for that. A chance to study medicine and international relations? Look at university programs.)

[Anonymous]

We got it as well. I don’t know anything about it but assumed they bought a mailing list of some sort.

[Anonymous]

OP there is no connection to either Oxford University or Cambridge University.

But there are a lot of money-grabbing companies who attempt to convince you of such a connection by using words like "Oxbridge" in their titles / names.

I would avoid it. And I'm from the UK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP there is no connection to either Oxford University or Cambridge University.

But there are a lot of money-grabbing companies who attempt to convince you of such a connection by using words like "Oxbridge" in their titles / names.

I would avoid it. And I'm from the UK.

'


this. Be careful OP. Lots of travel/"study" companies pretend to be affiliated. Lots of companies offer "Oxford summers" but aren't affiliated. Check everything out carefully. Even college affiliated summers are often just the US college renting space, dorms, and rooms at Oxbridge.

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for all this feedback. In light of our now hesitation to use this program, does anyone have a good suggestion for a great academically focused summer program for rising seniors?

[Anonymous]

Good list with links if you scroll down this page https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/summer-programs-for-high-school-students

Add some my kids did

Medill Cherubs (journalism) - https://www.medill.northwestern.edu/journalism/high-school-programs/medill-cherubs.html
Pre-College Program in American History - https://www.wm.edu/as/niahd/precol/index.php
If you live in Virginia, the Summer Residential Programs are good https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/summer_residential/

[Anonymous]

I did it in HS many years ago, at Oxford. I loved it and had a wonderful time. It had more freedom/autonomy than other summer programs I’d done up to that point, so I felt like I got to explore Oxford with friends (there was also the potential for bad behavior, kids drinking, though most of us were pretty excited to be there and serious about seeing things). The academic program wasn’t very intense but it was well taught and influenced my decision on a college major. It also caused me to redo my college list—I had been looking at SLACs and being an Oxford made me want a larger university experience. It was a big experience for me at 17.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did it in HS many years ago, at Oxford. I loved it and had a wonderful time. It had more freedom/autonomy than other summer programs I’d done up to that point, so I felt like I got to explore Oxford with friends (there was also the potential for bad behavior, kids drinking, though most of us were pretty excited to be there and serious about seeing things). The academic program wasn’t very intense but it was well taught and influenced my decision on a college major. It also caused me to redo my college list—I had been looking at SLACs and being an Oxford made me want a larger university experience. It was a big experience for me at 17.

Adding on, my teachers were an American Rhodes scholar and an Oxford graduate student, and we lived in an Oxford college and ate in the dining hall. Although it wasn’t affiliated with Oxford, it was very cool and has informed my understanding of Oxford and Cambridge in all the British novels I’ve read since. I don’t know how Paris would be, though, or what it is like now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it in HS many years ago, at Oxford. I loved it and had a wonderful time. It had more freedom/autonomy than other summer programs I’d done up to that point, so I felt like I got to explore Oxford with friends (there was also the potential for bad behavior, kids drinking, though most of us were pretty excited to be there and serious about seeing things). The academic program wasn’t very intense but it was well taught and influenced my decision on a college major. It also caused me to redo my college list—I had been looking at SLACs and being an Oxford made me want a larger university experience. It was a big experience for me at 17.

Adding on, my teachers were an American Rhodes scholar and an Oxford graduate student, and we lived in an Oxford college and ate in the dining hall. Although it wasn’t affiliated with Oxford, it was very cool and has informed my understanding of Oxford and Cambridge in all the British novels I’ve read since. I don’t know how Paris would be, though, or what it is like now.

This is the one I did in the mid 90s. Although my God, it's expensive!

https://www.oxbridgeprograms.com/Countries/England/Oxford-Programs/The-Oxford-Tradition

[Anonymous]

My daughter did this program a few summers ago. She loved it, but it looks like they may have changed up the class offerings a bit. This program is actually run by St. Andrews:
https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/non-degree-courses/summer-courses/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you very much for all this feedback. In light of our now hesitation to use this program, does anyone have a good suggestion for a great academically focused summer program for rising seniors?

Yes, look at Yale Young Global Scholars. It’s competitive. It was amazing gave-changer for DD

[Anonymous]

^^ meant to type game-changer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you very much for all this feedback. In light of our now hesitation to use this program, does anyone have a good suggestion for a great academically focused summer program for rising seniors?

Yes, look at Yale Young Global Scholars. It’s competitive. It was amazing gave-changer for DD

We thought it was a tremendous waste of time and overly expensive to boot. Some of the instructors were just sophomores in the college.

[Anonymous]

We received that letter from Oxbridge too, anyone know where they get your information and is it really based on academic information or just a mass mailing to all sophomores in certain areas.