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Which one: Stanford or Cambridge?

Hello peoplez:

I have the fortune to be able to chose between my two top picks: Stanford, Cali, USA and St John's college in Cambridge...which do you suggest??

some tell me Stanford has way better equipment and social life, some tell me it's a dead pan school, some tell me cambridge has "changed" and is not the "Cambridge of old" and has "funding problems" and the like....plus, how's the social scene there?

I'd appreciate any help in solving this dillema of mine...

I'm going to be studying BIOCHEMISTRY, or Molecular Bio, or whatever.


thanks,
Imperator


EDIT: and does anyone know which university is better regarded by Graduate schools? (probably in US..)

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Reply 1
I lived in Nappa for a year and all I can say is that San Francisco and the whole bay area is amazing - if you have the money I would suggest Stanford. It is a Brilliant Uni Academically and you will ove it there... Poalo Alto is not as fun as the city - but its still sunny most of the eyar!

And funding is not much of a problem there either
Reply 2
The Imperator
Hello peoplez:

I have the fortune to be able to chose between my two top picks: Stanford, Cali, USA and St John's college in Cambridge...which do you suggest??

some tell me Stanford has way better equipment and social life, some tell me it's a dead pan school, some tell me cambridge has "changed" and is not the "Cambridge of old" and has "funding problems" and the like....plus, how's the social scene there?

I'd appreciate any help in solving this dillema of mine...

I'm going to be studying BIOCHEMISTRY, or Molecular Bio, or whatever.


thanks,
Imperator


EDIT: and does anyone know which university is better regarded by Graduate schools? (probably in US..)



well firstly i assume you have bucketloads of money and/or a scholarship for stanford. and if your not british i assume you have bucketloads of money and/or scholarship for cambridge as it will cost bucketloads of money :smile:

secondly, cambridge doesnt seem to offer BIOCHEMISTRY, or Molecular Bio, or whatever as a single subject i think, it does biochemistry as part of the natural sciences tripos, is that what you are talking about?
you will be taught in different ways at both universities, with cambridge (despite funding problems) still doing a lot of work in tutorials in college between with a ratio that approaches 1:1 or at most 2/3:1 and its really a case of taking whatever you think you will excel at. Cambridge also say that "All our science departments are extremely well equipped with laboratories, state-of-the-art technology and computer facilities. Many of the academic staff are world leaders in their fields." whcih is probably true, so dont worry about lack of facilities

thirdly as for graduate schools im sure there are no hard and fast rules for which people prefer, i imagine that some will prefer stanford as its american while others will prefer cmabridge as you've studied your subject in more depth as you havent had to mess aorund taking courses in philosophy. it depends on what you want to do really and who you want to teach you.
a bit off the topic but as a good example if you want to become a psephologist the only place to go in britain is essex really while if you want to become a leading conservative politician gaining a PPE degree from balliol or brasenose is a pretty good way of going about it. you can do a fourth year at cambridge and get an MSci.

fourthly, social life depends on what your into, at cambridge a lot of ur social life would revolve around college life (do they have entz at cam?) such as rowing and the college bar. im not sure how it works in america

either way however you'll get a good education and you should really choose the place that appeals to you and your tastes, by all means get lots of information but make sure you choose on ur own needs and wants rather than peoples biased opinions :biggrin:

hope this helps, congratulations and good luck
Reply 3
:biggrin: thanks to both people who replied, in particular notyourpunk, indeed you've been very helpful.

Yes, i do mean the Nat Sci Tripos, and besides, Stanford doesnt offer BioChemistry as a course in itself either I dont think. That is not very critical as I will be most definately continuing further studies.

What really concerns me isthe whole funding/facilities thing at cambridge, and although your assessment put me somewhat at ease, it'd be great if someone studying in the cambridge Nat Sci department were to weigh in on this as well.

again, thanks,

The Imperator
Reply 4
I think funding is something to be more concerned about as a postgrad than as an undergraduate. Cambridge may not have as many shiny new buildings as Stanford but the quality of the Natural Science course will still rival anything that Stanford can offer.

I think the decision is whether you want to study at Stanford with their continuous assessment and goal orientated system or whether you prefer the more independent, personal approach at Cambridge?
Reply 5
Speak to MadNatSci on here as she's @ Cams doing Natural Sciences if you want a good persepctive
Reply 6
The Imperator
:biggrin: thanks to both people who replied, in particular notyourpunk, indeed you've been very helpful.

Yes, i do mean the Nat Sci Tripos, and besides, Stanford doesnt offer BioChemistry as a course in itself either I dont think. That is not very critical as I will be most definately continuing further studies.

What really concerns me isthe whole funding/facilities thing at cambridge, and although your assessment put me somewhat at ease, it'd be great if someone studying in the cambridge Nat Sci department were to weigh in on this as well.

again, thanks,

The Imperator



'ello, sorry for delay, have been busy doing *ahem* work *ahem* :redface:

Aaaanyway :smile: I can conclusively say that the facilities here are Bloody Good. Our lecturers are fantastic for the most part (although there is one superbly awful cells lecturer, but one of of many ain't bad), the course is very interesting and the supervisions are great. I don't think funding is a major problem, certainly not at undergrad level. And I certainly don't think Cambridge is going downhill - at least if it is, I can't imagine the standards before!

Any specific queries about aspects of the course?
Reply 7
umm not particularly, I was just basically concerned that I'd have run-down facilities, etc. that's the argument my parents are using to get me to go to Stanford (closer 2 home), whereas I think i'd rather go to cambridge...
Reply 8
The Imperator
umm not particularly, I was just basically concerned that I'd have run-down facilities, etc. that's the argument my parents are using to get me to go to Stanford (closer 2 home), whereas I think i'd rather go to cambridge...


Nah, the facilities aren't run-down from what I can see. As a first-year undergrad you aren't going to get the best stuff they have, but even this equipment isn't bad. Some of the instruction videos in physiology are a bit old and poor-quality, but I think they kept them for the humour (they're very funny) :smile:
Reply 9
Do you know what is worrying me? People around the world are starting to think that Cambridge is poor and run-down!!!

P.S. You will legally be able to buy alcohol in Cambridge as an eighteen year old! :smile:
well, that's what worries me too, cuz the reputation will suffer as a result...

and bugger the alcohol, i dont drink (Muslim)
Reply 11
somehow dont think cambridge's reputation is going 2 suffer anytime soon. my dad and grandad say one of the things that makes cambridge graduates so highly thought of is that they managed to get a degree *despite* the rubbish teaching. ok its a joke (and an extremely hilarious one) but it just shows that cambridge has been "going downhill" since my grandad was there in 1642. i lie, sometime during the 40s. getting a cambridge degree is certainly not going 2 close any doors except at jobs where the person who interviews u got rejected and so has a grudge against you for going there
The Imperator
well, that's what worries me too, cuz the reputation will suffer as a result...

and bugger the alcohol, i dont drink (Muslim)



I don't care what they think of my university in the rest of the world* - I know I'm getting the best teaching in the UK - possibly in the world - for biological sciences and I'm studying in the most beautiful university town there is with wonderful people and amazing academics teaching me. Plus Cambridge's rep in the UK is definitely not going down.

*please note this is a total lie, since I care deeply and am currently planning a world tour to re-educate those heathens who think Cambridge is second-rate
Reply 13
Maybe CUSU could do something about it?


Then again maybe not!
No but, what it matters is for graduate school: THEY have to believe that Cambridge is as good as (we say) it is.
Reply 15
Engineering has been a bit (excuse my language) f**ked for a while now. There is a nice site allocated on the West Cambridge site but the university doesn't have enough money to move the department over their at the moment.

Where are you Bill Gates? We need your billions!
Generally the faculty facilities are pretty good and definitely not run-down, I can't speak for the science department but as far as John's is concerned its got excellent facilities and good accomodation, as well as a varied social scene as its the second largest college, I definitely recommend it.
Reply 17
if i seem to remember rightly, the lack of funding (according to the times) was most severe in the arts dept- the sciences, especially Natsci,seem to be Cambridge's trophies in terms of course- so they're going to be ploughing whatever money they have left into those depts i reckon.
then again i could be wrong- madnatsci may need to enlighten me?
priya
if i seem to remember rightly, the lack of funding (according to the times) was most severe in the arts dept- the sciences, especially Natsci,seem to be Cambridge's trophies in terms of course- so they're going to be ploughing whatever money they have left into those depts i reckon.
then again i could be wrong- madnatsci may need to enlighten me?



I dunno, but I hope so :biggrin:

(no offence to all you artists!)
MadNatSci
I dunno, but I hope so :biggrin:

(no offence to all you artists!)



I really don't undertstand why Cambridge is suffering a money crisis. According to some article someone posted on here recently, Trinity is as rich as Man United. If so, why cant Trinity just help the Arts departments out? I am so naive.