[Van Zandt]

Close to London, fresh air, college town.... What are some other upsides and downsides?

Thanks...

[Que enspastic]

probably, i have a lot of friends that go to oxford university as masters or scholarship students.

judging from their photos they are having a ball - looks like a very picturesque place. not sure how different t would be if you just hung out around the town, although they say it is a town with a university rather than a university with a town (a la cambridge).

[Orson]

(06-05-2013 03:21 PM)Van Zandt Wrote:  

Close to London, fresh air, college town.... What are some other upsides and downsides?

Thanks...

I did American undergrad summer study at both Oxford and Cambridge (but with renowned British instructors and lecturers).

Picturesque? Cambridge wins easily.

As Que enspastic writes, Oxford "is a town with a university rather than a university with a town (a la cambridge)." Indeed.

Let me explain. Oxford the town has independent industrial and manufacturing roots from the nineteenth century, while Cambridge the town is more of a suburban, sciency-office park - more like Stanford University's Research Park in the US, which Cambridge is more recently modeled upon. Thus, by contrast, the University of Cambridge is closer to nature and more green and inviting than Oxford University; the latter looks and feels more Medieval, but the former more early modern and modern - which well-suits the more famously science-oriented university, home to Newton, Darwin, and modern economics instead of literature.

Daytime fun can be better at Oxford because it's more compact in area and easier to get around. But nighttime partying in Cambridge was better for me; visiting and foreign students hang well and are pretty open and welcoming.

If easy and fast travel to London (and back) counts, then the advantage goes to Oxford.

With either choice, it will be a delightful and unforgettable experience for you. Great museums (I got to handle my first Leonardo drawings there), sights (just the colleges themselves are a divine sight to explore), and musical or dramatic events (ie, plays) during the summer (for tourists).

Plus, from Oxford, the Cotswolds - magnificent and historic walking/hiking country - is nearby.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotswolds

[Travelsick]

Oxford and Cambridge are full of asian language students over the summer, mostly japanese, koreans and chinese.

The colleges rent out the space while the students are away.


edit: beware, some of them are young, like <17, but most are around 20. Probably best if you're a foreigner yourself, it's a bit weird if you're a regular student and doing something there for part of the summer.

[little wing]

I was in Oxford once and it wasn't the nicest place really.
Why not go to Florence or some place in Spain?
Should be more enjoyable in the summer

[Orson]

(06-06-2013 03:40 AM)Travelsick Wrote:  

Oxford and Cambridge are full of asian language students over the summer, mostly japanese, koreans and chinese.

The colleges rent out the space while the students are away.


edit: beware, some of them are young, like <17, but most are around 20. Probably best if you're a foreigner yourself, it's a bit weird if you're a regular student and doing something there for part of the summer.

It is true. Europe really has no tradition of summer university-level study.

It is much better developed in the US, where people used to work in the summer, but now it is optional. And especially during good economic times, people simply motor through college as fast as possible to get on with income producing, holding down a job, getting on with career-building.

[Teedub]

Perhaps in May or June before all the students go home, but July/August will be pretty boring. I say this from 4 years of experience. Middle of September for about 3 weeks is probably the best time of the year for all British cities if you're targeting girls 18-22. Especially Oxford, since the Universities provide most of the young population who go out and drink etc

[Alexander]

I used to live there for a few years, Oxford can be fun if you are a student and have good social circles - there's lots of nice pubs. In all honesty though it's a pretty boring city, the good thing though is London is close by via the OxfordTube

[Orson]

(06-12-2013 02:25 PM)Teedub Wrote:  

Perhaps in May or June before all the students go home, but July/August will be pretty boring. I say this from 4 years of experience. Middle of September for about 3 weeks is probably the best time of the year for all British cities if you're targeting girls 18-22. Especially Oxford, since the Universities provide most of the young population who go out and drink etc

YES! "Freshers week[s]!" It's a very fine time. Mid-September into October.

[Teedub]

^ Indeed!

[macDamon]

Both Cambridge and Oxford have some of the best looking women in Britain (no laughing, there a few) because the students usually come from wealthy families...the old paradigm of rich men having trophy wives, and thus producing hot daughters, was well in effect even into the 1990's; enjoy.

[Caligula]

There are summer programmes for foreign students in London. Don't know about Oxford, but wouldn't be surprised. There are also English schools in Oxford.

[lskdfjldsf]

I dated an Oxford student for about a year and visited quite often. Great town, very friendly student atmosphere, although a bit snobbish at times depending who you're speaking with.

Roll into a club with a decent looking girl and you'll be approached automatically without having to do any work. English girls are notoriously jealous from my experience, and the age range of students means they're typically incapable of controlling that emotion. Use it to your advantage.

Lots of Indian 7's and 8's, if that's your thing.