Let's talk about Oxford!
shoboemom
1753 replies305 threads Senior Member
The once active thread about Oxford is an older thread. I think the topic could use a fresh start. :-)
I'd love to know more about the vibe at Oxford, social life, academics, transition to main, etc.
We visited last year, both the main campus (which D loved...found it vibrant and exciting), and the Oxford Campus (visited when there were no students there, so it was quiet, but D did like the concept of the smaller, more discussion based classes, etc).
Now she has been accepted to both, with merit for Oxford! Financially, that makes Oxford the logical choice. We'll go back to visit, with students there, soon, but want your input!
Have you attended Oxford? Chime in! Are you on the main campus, but have input from friends at Oxford? let us know!
D started out looking for a small LAC type environment. She wanted small classes, with discussion based classes, in a more supportive, less cut-throat, type environment. Then she visited Emory and loved it. The vibe there was exciting, with a lot going on. The students seemed active and involved, and she was hooked. That visit got her looking at other, larger research Universities.
Since Oxford is marketed as being like an LAC, with research possibilities, starting there seems like it could be the best of both worlds. Is it?
12 replies I'd love to know more about the vibe at Oxford, social life, academics, transition to main, etc.
We visited last year, both the main campus (which D loved...found it vibrant and exciting), and the Oxford Campus (visited when there were no students there, so it was quiet, but D did like the concept of the smaller, more discussion based classes, etc).
Now she has been accepted to both, with merit for Oxford! Financially, that makes Oxford the logical choice. We'll go back to visit, with students there, soon, but want your input!
Have you attended Oxford? Chime in! Are you on the main campus, but have input from friends at Oxford? let us know!
D started out looking for a small LAC type environment. She wanted small classes, with discussion based classes, in a more supportive, less cut-throat, type environment. Then she visited Emory and loved it. The vibe there was exciting, with a lot going on. The students seemed active and involved, and she was hooked. That visit got her looking at other, larger research Universities.
Since Oxford is marketed as being like an LAC, with research possibilities, starting there seems like it could be the best of both worlds. Is it?
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Replies to: Let's talk about Oxford!
Seems to me to be a best of both worlds thing, but she's not so sure.
To maintain merit money commitments, Oxford has raised the minimum GPA requirements of students while in residence. But, my son reported knowledge of only one such student losing merit money, and then only by anecdote.
Oxford students do go into Covington and Walmart to visit. Scoops, an ice cream parlor in central Oxford, is frequented, as well as some other eateries in the local area. But, they also use school and personal transportation to go to the main campus to see Jimmy Carter and the Dali Lama talk, and to visit Greek parties and regional attractions. On campus entertainment includes a limited number of Div. III athletic teams, intramurals, school organized plays, musical events, lecturers and the like. At Oxford, you don't seek autographs from star athletes, they are more likely down the hall from you and one of your friends.
My son did find Oxford academically challenging, but also stimulating. He left Oxford with close ties to professors and others in administration. He found time to participate in intramurals and admissions related activities that furthered his public speaking.
After continuing to the main Emory campus and taking a summer school class, many Oxford students report they are more challenged and better prepared than their peers that commence their education at the main campus. Goizueta is very much a challenge as the business school grades on a stricter curve depriving some of the higher grades they are used to. Goizueta does not appear to flunk students out with the curve. The school appears to only seek a better differentiation between the performance of its students.
My son traveled to Costa Rica as part of a school sponsored spring break program that included social involvement and travel related elements. Other students have participated in school sponsored spring break events in U.S. based sites. Like many schools, a number of Emory students have traveled as part of their regular school program to a number of countries to study.
Oxford is indeed quite small, with an entering class of about 450. Many students are more intimately knowledgeable of other students' affairs than would apply at a larger school with the anonymity associated with size. But, Oxford friendships seem to endure onto main campus, while they also widen their circle of friends and associates once at Emory main.
My son also received merit money which made the decision easy. I don't think he has regretted his Oxford/Emory choice of school. Neither have his parents.
Also, while there are schools that offer a very free form educational structure, with no grades, and very student directed study, most do not. Some that did, e.g., UC Santa Cruz, gave it up. I suspect this is because grades do provide motivation for many and a way to assess achievement. They give a school gravitas with grad schools and employers. Nevertheless, Emory and other schools do offer pass/fail to a limited degree to encourage student exploration into areas they might be interested in but feel insecure about.
Oxford also requires a certain breadth of study to assure students are exposed to a variety of areas of study. Thus, it is well argued that a science student has reason to know a bit about history, how to research and write a paper. A pre-business student, such as my son, can also benefit from exposure to astronomy or some other science. If all a student studies is a very narrow area of current interest to the student, the student ignores possible areas of interest they haven't even considered. Of course, a narrow area of study is what is pursued in many English universities. American higher education seems more committed to facilitating student growth through a broader exposure to areas of inquiry.
There necessarily are a certain number of students at Emory and Oxford that are gunning for grades. As you appreciate, that is needed for grad school, it is needed to get into the business school for one's junior year. But, schools like Emory and its Oxford campus are searching through their admissions processes for students that are interested in learning and likely to contribute to that goal and other values the school embraces for the whole academic/student community. As you suggest, a student would be less likely to be exposed to a grade hungry pursuit of academics in courses not frequented by pre-professional students. But, I suggest you overstate the degree to which an Oxford student would feel burdened by such peer students. And the most academically proficient students - those with the highest grades - will be those that want to learn the material, for the sake of learning, to consider different ways the things they learn relate to their world and related learning.
I have understood an IB course of instruction is indeed rigorous. I suspect that is part of why your daughter was offered merit money. If Oxford admissions staff think that much of her, I suggest she likely has not only the ability to succeed academically without destroying herself, but while still having a rich college experience outside of academics. Indeed, Oxford generally requires that student's live no campus out of an understanding that the education experience is about a lot more than taking classes, doing papers and performing on tests. It is about living in the college environment, being exposed to people from all over the world, to say nothing of the U.S., and exploring a variety of interests beyond one's classes with these new found classmates.
But, to get more input, I suggest a call to the Oxford admissions office, by your daughter, not you. The tour guides are Oxford students, and many of the admissions counselors are former Oxford students. They will understand the concerns you express and can best advise your daughter concerning those concerns.
My concerns specific to Oxford's workload come from reading posts on CC about the Oxford classes perhaps having a heavier workload, and harsher grading, than the same courses on the main campus. That concerns me for the workload itself, and for the effect on the overall GPA for grad school. If the classes start out putting the students at a disadvantage in their grading, then that lends itself to stressing about those grades, and I really don't want that to have to be her focus.
I think she is very much looking forward to that overall campus experience, beyond the classroom.
In choosing the classes, I completely agree with the idea of having a variety of courses for liberal arts degree. In her current HS program, the choices are extremely limited, sometimes non-existent. To simply have options for which history class she will take may help quite a bit! Not having to be up everyday for 7:20 am classes will also help!
We did a tour this past week, and liked what we saw. We appreciated that there were student ambassadors along with the tour guide, and D also went off on her own and spoke to several students in the dining hall, so get a more candid response to her questions. ;-)
The function of Oxford is to give students who prefer a smaller, LAC, environment a home for the first two years of college. For many students a big part of that is the transition from high school to university, and all that that can imply. For example, capable students who come from weaker high schools have a place to adjust to what is expected in an academically competitive environment, on a more individual basis- and realistically, that adjustment can feel hard to the student. The step-up to the level of work required (and managing the independent work), can be tough. You can be very sure that Oxford's goal is NOT to disadvantage their students- indeed, they love it when their students shine after the transition to Emory!
If your daughter has been struggling with course requirements that don't suit her, and workloads that don't seem to relate to the amount of actually learning, pretty much any good college is going to feel wonderful. But- she should look at the GenEd/Distribution requirements for the colleges that she is applying to, to be sure that they are not too similar to high school. There are students who find Oxford/Emory's requirements constricting.
She should be also be clear that Emory has a strong pre-professional emphasis, and with that goes a lot of competitiveness for grades.
We will definitely look closely at the general education requirements. Thank you!