What Is The Appeal Of Cambridge?

A Trip To See Cambridge

Let's Look At Some Differences Between Cambridge and The US

1. Length of time to get an undergraduate degree

Cambridge:  typically an undergraduate degree only takes about three years to obtain in the UK. This is shorter than in the US because they don't take genral education course like we do. Instead all of their classes are specialized to their degree.

US: In the US it takes about four years to obtain an undergraduate degree. While many students can do it in three and some others it can take up to five, it is normal to spend four years at university. Many schools in the US are liberal arts schools which means that in addition to the degree specic courses, you will also take course that are meant to round out your knowladge.

2. Cost of a Degree

Cambridge: The cost for a degree in the UK and escpecially at Cambridge are signifigantlly lower than the US. This is due to the offering of subsidized tuition fees. It makes since that the price is lower seeing that you go to school for less time and you take less classses.

US: In the US every school comes at a  different price. First you have your state schools that come at a "cheap" low price. With these schools being controlled by the state they have strict rules to follow when it comes to scholarships and grants. Secondly, there are private schools. These schools are owned privatly which means that they are more expensive, but they can give out money however they want to (kind of.)

3. Residential Life Options

Cambridge: Cambridge is a combined group of thirty-one universities. Students get assigned to an university which is where they will live during their time at school. Each college has its own commindations for it students.

US: Residential life in the US can vary depending on what school you go to. Some schools are online while others are in person. Some schools only have housing avaaliable up to a certain year while some schools require you to live at the school for all four years.

4. Majors and Core Curriculum

Cambridge: Students at Cambridge go into university knowing their degree and career path. This is something that they start planning during their lower school years. Their curriculums are not flexible and they set theri students up on a very strict path.

US: At universities in America students get to explore different majors and find their passions. Most majors are very flexible and courses can be changed very often. The curriculum also provide the students with a well rounded knowladge.

5. Student Experience

Cambridge: At Cambridge it's all about academics. The student experience is more idividualistic by doing a lot of solo work and one on one meetings with professors. The sense of community at the university comes from the extracirriculars and the town that the students all proside in.

US: The student experince in America is soley up to the student to decide how envolved or not envolved they want to be. Students have the choice to joins clubs, sports, performing groups and more. My university, High Point University, likes to get students used to working together and working out in the career feild so we do a lot of projects and experiential learning.

My Take On Cambridge

I hated it. The culture there seemed terrible. While we were visiting students were studying for their exams so we didn't get to see many students but the ones we did see acted all pretentious and even went as far as mocking us. While touring the school we learned about the misogynistic history. It was a major insult to hear that the 1980s was when the last school started to allow women to attend. This was met with male students carrying a coffin of books around the town claiming that allowing women in the school was going to kill academics. I would never want to go here and I would never recommend this school to anyone.