Oxford PPE vs. Georgetown SFS vs. Amherst Poli Sci + Econ

PurpleTitan
Tue, 24 Mar 2020 23:41:44 +0000

OK, let’s break this down in to categories of stuff that matters and stuff that probably won’t because of the hedonic treadmill.

Won’t matter because of hedonic treadmill:
Dorms/single.

Food (honestly, I barely remember if the food at my undergrad was good or bad; I think I remember it being bad).

Oxford’s history. Georgetown/Amherst cuteness/beauty.

College merchandise.

Weather (unless lack of sun causes you depression)

Culture shock/drinking (but you may regret missing the traditional American college experience)

Different but the same:
Oxford has intercollegiate rivalries and with Cambridge.
Amherst has a (LAC-sized) rivalry with Williams.
Georgetown has top-level basketball.

Clubs.

Do matter:
Tutorials and class size and the actual classes you take.

Ability to switch majors and take other classes (though PPE is more flexible than most British courses and allows you to choose classes from P or P or E).

Access to internships (Georgetown the obvious winner here) and finding a job.

Student body composition. Oxford probably one of the most intensely intellectual places in the world. Yes Georgetown is very pre-professional with a preppy rep. Amherst closer to Oxford but it’s not grad-school-like like Oxford. Yes, has a small tight student body (but Oxford has the same with its colleges) Honestly, to me, this would matter most. Which group of students do you see yourself wanting to be with most?

You may get the chance to study at Oxbridge again (on study abroad or a master’s). You won’t be able to attend a LAC after undergrad. (“When again will I ever have the opportunity to literally travel Europe between terms” If you go to the UK/Europe for a master’s).

City (including the museums) vs. college town (one dominated by a historic uni, one by a different and gigantic state school).

Americans tend to be more attached to their alma mater than Brits when it comes to a strong alumni network. Amherst probably leads in that respect but obviously a smaller (but mighty) network. SFS network would be very good; in fact, probably the most professionally helpful.

Reputation across the world (Oxford obviously leads; top LACs are becoming a bit more known outside the US but their prestige is still very concentrated in the US.

Distance from home. Country (obviously an issue during a pandemic; actually, if the current pandemic drags out 18 months, might you not even be allowed to attend uni in the UK? It’s a risk)

Costs.

I noticed that you didn’t touch on an aspect of Oxford that differs from the American college experience of continuous assessment and will matter:
Everything comes down to big tests at the end of the year. In fact, I believe your final mark for your undergraduate career (First, 2:1, etc.) comes down to solely tests (or papers) your final year (@Twoin18, please correct me if I’m wrong). Obviously, the stress may be intense for some. You would be use to the continuous assessment style and GPA at the 2 American colleges.

Matters (but to me, less):
Traditions like balls and stuff. Pretty certain Amherst also has traditions. Georgetown too.

You may regret missing the traditional American undergrad college experience. Then again, you may not.

So what are your thoughts on the stuff that matters?