Why even waste the effort to apply to the top colleges at this point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Following 16:00's comment, I would be VERY interested to hear if any DCUMers are sending their children abroad to universities in Europe where the language of instruction is English. Yesterday was the first time I'd heard of a NoVA kid heading to Grenoble for undergrad in Business. The cost difference from US universities knocked me for six.

You will hear of a few applying to St. Andrew's or Oxbridge, but what you don't know is the failure rate. Oxbridge and Cambridge are not set up like our universities and colleges. Foreign universities assume that you have finished your language and liberal arts studies (having completed more high school than is required here at higher levels than is required here) and that you are ready for what we would consider graduate work or doctorate work. You "read" politics, philosophy, and economics, meet once a week with your tutor and then are expected to turn out original, well thought-out and brilliantly produced original essays at the end of the semester. It's not as spoon-fed as it is here. There are very few 18 years olds that are that mature both in knowing themself and in education. Those that I've known you have gone as Rhodes or Marshalls had a miserable time. Americans are generally not accepted, especially women. Before you think about a foreign university, please visit for at least a week and get a real feel of expectations because it is nothing like american college. Read up on it. If you can do a "real" term there (most summer program at Oxbridge are not run by Oxford or Cambridge - they rent the facilities to outfits that claim "Go to Oxford for the summer!" (Brit schools close during the summer). But really think it through. Yes, they will take American students because they want the dollar and the diversity chit but make sure your kid can perform in that environment before shipping them across the pond.

[Anonymous]

I did a grad degree at Oxford thirty years ago. There were plenty of women, I was well prepared, did extremely well and saved a ton of money on tuition. I do not know of any Rhodes or Marshall scholars who were miserable or unprepared

[Anonymous]

I did a grad degree at Oxford thirty years ago. There were plenty of women, I was well prepared, did extremely well and saved a ton of money on tuition. I do not know of any Rhodes or Marshall scholars who were miserable or unprepared

[Anonymous]

Stats like OP described make Georgetown, Michigan, Northwestern, NYU safeties. Get some perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stats like OP described make Georgetown, Michigan, Northwestern, NYU safeties. Get some perspective.

? Not Northwestrn. Acceptance rate there is 13%, a tad lower than Amherst's 14%.

[Anonymous]

The advantage of foreign colleges and universities is that the applications are almost strictly test and grade driven. There is no holistic admissions process. So you have complete predictability and pretty much know whether you will get in or not. The Canadian schools are super easy for Americans because they want our money. Oxford and Cambridge are not so easy, but Edinburgh and University College are. Trinity will pretty much take any American high schooler with money.

[Anonymous]

Do you mean University College London?
Is it that much cheaper to attend McGill or Toronto for a US student?
I would think that with international student % climbing at Oxbridge the individual colleges would be welcoming of US students. University College at Oxford has a high % of international students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Following 16:00's comment, I would be VERY interested to hear if any DCUMers are sending their children abroad to universities in Europe where the language of instruction is English. Yesterday was the first time I'd heard of a NoVA kid heading to Grenoble for undergrad in Business. The cost difference from US universities knocked me for six.

You will hear of a few applying to St. Andrew's or Oxbridge, but what you don't know is the failure rate. Oxbridge and Cambridge are not set up like our universities and colleges. Foreign universities assume that you have finished your language and liberal arts studies (having completed more high school than is required here at higher levels than is required here) and that you are ready for what we would consider graduate work or doctorate work. You "read" politics, philosophy, and economics, meet once a week with your tutor and then are expected to turn out original, well thought-out and brilliantly produced original essays at the end of the semester. It's not as spoon-fed as it is here. There are very few 18 years olds that are that mature both in knowing themself and in education. Those that I've known you have gone as Rhodes or Marshalls had a miserable time. Americans are generally not accepted, especially women. Before you think about a foreign university, please visit for at least a week and get a real feel of expectations because it is nothing like american college. Read up on it. If you can do a "real" term there (most summer program at Oxbridge are not run by Oxford or Cambridge - they rent the facilities to outfits that claim "Go to Oxford for the summer!" (Brit schools close during the summer). But really think it through. Yes, they will take American students because they want the dollar and the diversity chit but make sure your kid can perform in that environment before shipping them across the pond.

Actually there are Summer classes to be done at Cambridge which are run by the university itself and which employ Cambridge professors to teach them. This is not news.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Following 16:00's comment, I would be VERY interested to hear if any DCUMers are sending their children abroad to universities in Europe where the language of instruction is English. Yesterday was the first time I'd heard of a NoVA kid heading to Grenoble for undergrad in Business. The cost difference from US universities knocked me for six.

You will hear of a few applying to St. Andrew's or Oxbridge, but what you don't know is the failure rate. Oxbridge and Cambridge are not set up like our universities and colleges. Foreign universities assume that you have finished your language and liberal arts studies (having completed more high school than is required here at higher levels than is required here) and that you are ready for what we would consider graduate work or doctorate work. You "read" politics, philosophy, and economics, meet once a week with your tutor and then are expected to turn out original, well thought-out and brilliantly produced original essays at the end of the semester. It's not as spoon-fed as it is here. There are very few 18 years olds that are that mature both in knowing themself and in education. Those that I've known you have gone as Rhodes or Marshalls had a miserable time. Americans are generally not accepted, especially women. Before you think about a foreign university, please visit for at least a week and get a real feel of expectations because it is nothing like american college. Read up on it. If you can do a "real" term there (most summer program at Oxbridge are not run by Oxford or Cambridge - they rent the facilities to outfits that claim "Go to Oxford for the summer!" (Brit schools close during the summer). But really think it through. Yes, they will take American students because they want the dollar and the diversity chit but make sure your kid can perform in that environment before shipping them across the pond.

Actually there are Summer classes to be done at Cambridge which are run by the university itself and which employ Cambridge professors to teach them. This is not news.

Is you are referring to the ISSOS Program no, it's not affiliated with Cambridge. The operators simply lease our the college and rooms they will need and run their own program. https://www.issos.com/issos-experience/about/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Following 16:00's comment, I would be VERY interested to hear if any DCUMers are sending their children abroad to universities in Europe where the language of instruction is English. Yesterday was the first time I'd heard of a NoVA kid heading to Grenoble for undergrad in Business. The cost difference from US universities knocked me for six.

You will hear of a few applying to St. Andrew's or Oxbridge, but what you don't know is the failure rate. Oxbridge and Cambridge are not set up like our universities and colleges. Foreign universities assume that you have finished your language and liberal arts studies (having completed more high school than is required here at higher levels than is required here) and that you are ready for what we would consider graduate work or doctorate work. You "read" politics, philosophy, and economics, meet once a week with your tutor and then are expected to turn out original, well thought-out and brilliantly produced original essays at the end of the semester. It's not as spoon-fed as it is here. There are very few 18 years olds that are that mature both in knowing themself and in education. Those that I've known you have gone as Rhodes or Marshalls had a miserable time. Americans are generally not accepted, especially women. Before you think about a foreign university, please visit for at least a week and get a real feel of expectations because it is nothing like american college. Read up on it. If you can do a "real" term there (most summer program at Oxbridge are not run by Oxford or Cambridge - they rent the facilities to outfits that claim "Go to Oxford for the summer!" (Brit schools close during the summer). But really think it through. Yes, they will take American students because they want the dollar and the diversity chit but make sure your kid can perform in that environment before shipping them across the pond.

Actually there are Summer classes to be done at Cambridge which are run by the university itself and which employ Cambridge professors to teach them. This is not news.

Is you are referring to the ISSOS Program no, it's not affiliated with Cambridge. The operators simply lease our the college and rooms they will need and run their own program. https://www.issos.com/issos-experience/about/

No. I wasn't referring to those. Obviously.

[Anonymous]

Here:

http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/courses/international-summer-programmes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This focus on elite colleges is so out of control. There a thousands of universities where your kid can get a terrific education -- find one that fits.

You don't have to go to Harvard to excel in this life.

No, but it definitely helps. A lot.

I'm not convinced it does unless you want to be a Supreme Court Justice.

[Anonymous]

Amherst takes 1/2 of its transfer students from community colleges. They brag about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did a grad degree at Oxford thirty years ago. There were plenty of women, I was well prepared, did extremely well and saved a ton of money on tuition. I do not know of any Rhodes or Marshall scholars who were miserable or unprepared

Well, I do.

[Anonymous]

This Cambridge program has no affiliation with Cambridge. You have to read the fine print (which is usually buried). "We are in now way affiliated with Cambridge University". Same with other Oxbridge programs. http://cambridgesummerinstitute.com/. Read the brochure material thoroughly and check on College Confidential.