Advantages & Disadvantages: UC Santa Barbara vs. Oxford College of Emory University

College Search & Lists
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<p>I am currently deciding between the University of California Santa Barabara and Oxford College of Emory University.</p>

<p>LOCATION:
Santa Barbara is beautiful and the campus actually borders the beach. The campus promotes cycling and has modern art sculptures everywhere. Most buildings <em>look</em> new.
Oxford, Georgia is a “city” with less than 2000 residents and is actually designated as a Methodist shrine (according to Wikipedia though); luckily the neighboring city of Covington actually has a Starbucks. The campus itself possesses many lovely old buildings, however it is so small that you can stand outside your dorm and look around at every building you’ll ever go to. Although I grew up in a vibrant city, I’ve always hoped to go to school in a diverse, urban or even suburban environment with lots of things to do.</p>

<p>PRESTIGE:
UCSB is more well-known/prestigious than Oxford. However, Emory College/Emory University are obviously more prestigious than UCSB. (please note that I do realize that “prestige” is not right sole reason to pick any college, but it does matter some.)</p>

<p>TRANSFER PRESTIGE:
If I went to UCSB, I would try an transfer to UC Berkeley. The positives to this are that I love love love Berkeley and that transferring between the UC system does not seem to be uncommon. The negatives are that there is no guarantee that I’ll be accepted as a transfer, and if I do, I could be crushed to death with Berkeley’s competitiveness and intensity and comparative anonymity. With Oxford, transfer after two years to the Atlanta campus is guaranteed and Emory has great academics (although not my ‘dream school’ currently)!</p>

<p>ACADEMICS:
Class size: Oxford is intimate and has way way smaller classes (cap is below 40) than UCSB (like any state school, intro courses are huge). This is a definite plus in Oxford’s favor!
Course offerings:Oxford is quite limited b/c it is a 2 yr institution as opposed to UCSB’s status as a 4 yr university. Obviously, Emory University in Atlanta has great and varied courses, but that is only for the junior and senior years (summers possible I think).
general strengths
Potential Academic Success in College (perceive/projected obviously): It seems like my GPA might be higher at Oxford. (first 2 yrs of college) This is an important factor since I want to go to an excellent grad/professional school, preferably directly after my undergrad education.</p>

<p>SOCIAL FACTORS:
UCSB is pretty much known for being a fabulously social school. Oxford on the other hand, with only 700 students on a tiny campus, can provide a sense of “community,” but any vibrant, diverse social scene is to be had on the Atlanta campus and I’m not sure how feasible it is to commute frequently to the main campus. Oxford/Covington is absolutely dead (at least it was on my 2 day visit); the area in Atlanta around Emory seems pretty chill; SB is gorgeous, obviously.</p>

<p>Thoughts? Comments?
Thanks so much!</p>

<p>I will likely end up going to Oxford for the academic opportunities (small classes, Emory in the last two years), although I might feel as though I’ve left my heart in California for the first two years as rural GA leaves much to be desired. One of my main hopes/concerns is the social permeability between the Oxford students/campus and the Main Campus students/campus. </p>

<p>Any advice is appreciated, especially as I must make a decision in 1.5 days!!! (I can’t believe that the college process is really almost over.)</p>

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<p>I think going to Oxford would be worth it… because of all the reasons that you stated… Moreover, Oxford is another branch of Emory University… it’s part of Emory so you get the close tight-knit community of an Liberal Arts College, the prestige of Emory university and the great academics that comes along with it. Honestly, if you were talking about UC Berkeley or UCLA instate, this would be more of a comparison. In almost every single aspect, Emory blows UCSB out of the water… academics, prestige, reputation, undergraduate focus, facilities. On another note, I hear that Oxford students are really, really well prepared and that 70 percent of the students that get academic distinction in 3rd year were former Oxford students and its especially impressive because they only make up 25% of the student body. I say go for Oxford… not only for the tight-knit community, but also for the academics. You will leave after four years with an Emory degree and that’s what matters. If you have any other specific questions about Emory, PM me and let me know. Also, at Emory, you will meet very, very talented students who have turned now other top universities to attend Emory. I doubt you will get that at UCSB.</p>

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<p>I agree with Alam1, but I wonder what it will feel like to be transferring into Emory after two years. Will many of your Oxford classmates be transferring with you? Or will you be a stranger in a strange land? Oxford is scary small, but it’s not that far from Atlanta. Sort of like an exurb. I consider UCSB to be something of a party school and Berkeley to be scary large. My 2¢</p>

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<p>Thanks for replying! I agree with both of you!</p>

<p>alam1: yeah I am 99.9999% (a lot of 9’s haha) decided upon Emory. However, I have some concerns about Oxford specifically. I will message you later in detail…Thanks again.</p>

<p>marsden: The way Oxford works is that all of the students (approx. 350 per class I believe) transfer to Emory after two years. They can even transfer one semester early if they finish all their Oxford requirements. The transition is <em>said</em> to be smooth since you are moving between schools that are all under the overall umbrella of Emory University. It is about 40 min. between the Atlanta campus and Oxford campus, I believe, but I doubt that it is easy to “hang out” on the Atlanta campus or study in their library (as Oxford’s library is just like 1.5 x bigger than my public HS library). I don’t know if you could transfer to another school school instead of Emory after two years…</p>

<p>However, some of your other statements hint at my own worries…

  1. the integration of the two campuses
  2. b/c the main university in the city I live in was recently decided by the Princeton Review to be the #1 Party School, I have a different perspective on large state “party” schools. Because I see many students in the different tiers of honors programs (different exclusivity) as well as those in the general student body, and have personal family relationships with many professors, I see that there can be very rigorous academics at a party school. My question is, can there be a legit social scene (I wasn’t very social at all in HS) at Oxford? I am also worried about the social integration after the first two years.</p>

<p>If I was comparing Emory College (Atlanta) with UCSB, it wouldn’t even be a question – I would pick Emory. But its Oxford College… </p>

<p>I have a bunch of other concerns about Oxford College of Emory University although I’m pretty much set on it (my parents are pushing it as well); do you think I should just create a separate thread in the Emory forum about Oxford?</p>

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<p>A thread in the Emory forum would be a good idea. I just looked up Oxford and it’s only 30 miles from Atlanta, right? That would be a hassle for a work commute but for going out, partying, and even visiting Emory it’s no hassle at all really. Knowing that your whole class goes to Emory after two years changes it for me. I agree that Emory is the right choice, even with the Oxford thing. </p>

<p>Ya know, I like partying as much as most people but I got irritated at the ‘party school’ thing at Virginia, even though everyone was careful to emphasize what a strong school it was academically too. Whatever, everyone’s different. </p>

<p>Seems to me that Oxford students would merely go to Atlanta to do most of their partying. Let me know what the people who actually know say ;)</p>