Oxford or LSE

[cristalclear]

My DS has to take the gruelling decision between Oxford- Geography and LSE -Geography and Economics.How should I advise him?

Geography and Economics is a much more interesting course choice than Geography alone.

Would he live at home if he went to LSE as you live in London? That would swing it in Oxford's favour for me as living away from home Is part of the experience? Does he get in college accommodation in year 1 and year 3 at Oxford?

DS chose to apply to a PPH at Oxford and got in (pending this summer's results). He loved the size, friendliness and fact that it is all subjects linked with his own.

He feels that he will get the PPH family but will also have the wider University. Also, his tutor pushes them out to other colleges for study so he will meet others.

I know nothing of the subjects or LSE...but Oxford! Wow!

Sounds like he'd prefer LSE. It's one of the few places that's on a par with Oxford and Cambridge.
The PPHs are no less fun than the big colleges, though, and you end up hanging around the colleges where your friends are. There's a bit of jokey snobbery but it's silly and only lasts while you're there. Once you're out in the world, your degree is from Oxford University and that opens all sorts of doors and fast tracks you in all sorts of ways. But so does LSE. Congratulations to him.

What a very nice problem to have.

I would tend to go for for the course he prefers given the options. I am not sure that a PPH would be a bad experience as Ds seems to have friends from lots of other colleges and socialises with them ( and he isn't a mega enthusiastic society joiner, but does a few things where he meets others from other colleges - Onion eaters and others ) . I am not sure also that a less than completely Brideshead experience of Oxford is that bad. that said - I am one who also thinks London is great ( yes it can be expensive - of course) but it can be a fantastic experience. If LSE means living at home , then that would be a thing to think about - it would perhaps makes for a different experience - but by and large - with those choices , I'd go for the course he prefers. I don't think it's a "no brainer".

Chat nanny. The LSE guarantees hall accommodation for all first years wherever their home is. It is on the website.

One other thing I would say - and I am sure it is true of other cities - One of DS's friends (who positively chose UCL over Cambridge) - his mother lives in London. Living in London as a student if you are in your own accommodation (even if your parents live there ) is a world away from living at home.

Sorry,I've been away for a while.After all the very good advice, now I'm more puzzled ;it's not always a blessing to have more choices.
To be fair ,LSE was always my DS first choice- I was the one pushing Oxford.Now I have to let it go and support him in his decision,whatever will be.

Cristal - for what it is worth - if it were my DS - I do not think he can go far wrong either way ( other platitudes are available). My Ds always said - it is not just a matter of securing the place - you actually have to do it for 3 years or whatever - so given the options he has I would say go with where he feels is the right place for him - Good luck to him.

I did undergrad at Oxford (PPE), masters at LSE. I loved Oxford, and found LSE a let-down afterwards. It is a very different experience. At Oxford, I lived in college for three years, surrounded by (now lifetime) friends. At LSE, although I had a place in Halls, there was no atmosphere as the place was so cramped.

That said, academically, LSE was a cut above, but just overall a less enriching life experience. Oxford also opens doors, though most of the LSE grads went into merchant banking.

But Masters is an entirely different experience anyhow, the more so if you shift universities.

My friend's son has a Geography offer at a PPH. He was quite unsure about it for similar reasons. He went up and looked at it again on a normal day to get a feel for the atmosphere and really liked how friendly it was.
I went to a uni in a city of comparable size to London where halls were spread out and social life was only there if you worked hard for it. I don't feel you make the same intimate friendships. I feel like I missed something by not being in a campus/college atmosphere. Uni should be a buffer between school and real, grown up life. Doing silly student things is a bonding experience and there's plenty of time to be a grown up in London.

Don't advise. Let them make their first adult decision.

Advice to DC at this (or any) stage doesn't in any way imply taking the decision making away from the DC.

On reading your title, I thought Oxford, no contest- for everything except Economics.

So having read your OP in full, plus your updates, I would say LSE- but only if he is sure he will stick with the Economics part (not switch to single Geography).

Beyond that, it depends what he wants to do. If he wants a degree that will open a variety of doors due to prestige- Oxford. The I reputation/perception/strength of brand is so strong. If he wants to work in an Economics related field, then definitely LSE.

Also sounds very strongly to me like LSE/London would suit him more. That's huge.

I was an undergrad at the LSE and am currently a postgrad at Oxford.

Oxford any day. I wish I had been an undergrad here.

For the same degree, I would choose Oxford, but with the courses he is choosing between I would pick LSE.

Oxford also opens doors,

Do you think? - I think in this day and age the world works differently and I speak as one whose DC is at Oxford. There are well regarded universities which may be more helpful in post grad jobs etc.

mooncuppy, why?

It is a decision DS may have to make as he has applied to both. He leans towards LSE because he has built relationship with key staff, likes the course structure, which follows more naturally from his UG degree, and knows several other who plan to stay on. Plus the course is one year as opposed to two years for Oxford. He has been very happy at LSE. Its odd. People talk a lot about Oxbridge for UG and the great student life, but there is little about the broader advantages there might be for post grads. The problem perhaps is that the reputation (Mays Balls, punting, Union) is skewed towards the sort of things UGs might be interested in, but which never really appealed to DS. If he gets an Oxford offer, I assume I can encourage him to go and visit?

On the door opening, I would agree with Basilisk. It depends which doors. The reaction of other parents at school leavers events was interesting. British parents often appeared to see an Oxbridge place as better than alternatives, regardless of subject. This was not the case with Europeans and others. My impression was that if you were seeking a job internationally, LSE economics would carry greater status than, say, Oxford geography. (Unless obviously you were applying in a geography related field.) But not if you were looking for something British based.

Needmoresleep

For my postgrad degree, I applied to all three, Oxford, Cambridge an the LSE, but I always had my heart set on Oxford from the outset.

• My degree at Oxford is 2 years, and as someone undertaking a postgrad degree to facilitate a much needed career change, the 9 month degree offered everywhere else was just not enough. A quick recap of undergrad, a few optional modules and a mini-thesis written in a month, and back on the job market before I knew it just wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted an in-depth exploration of core theory, plenty of time to specialise in optional modules and the chance to take on a fully-fledged original research project.

• The whole two years at Oxford worked out to be about 20% cheaper than the 9 months at the LSE, even as a UK student.

• As an undergrad in London, I felt I missed out on what student years are supposed to be all about. Extra-curriculars, going out, everything was just to expensive and harder to come by. Obviously, as a postgrad, the experience is not the same as that of an Oxbridge undergrad, but the undergrad scene of drinking/balls etc. never appealed to me anyway. As someone who is very sports/activity/leadership oriented, I was attracted by the access to both college and varsity level sports teams, a close-knit postgrad-only college community and an endless number of activities/talks/clubs/societies/events all within a short cycling distance from me.

• Oxford is a beautiful town, steeped in history and uniqueness, and only an hour from London. I've spent the last 8 years living/working a stones throw away from the LSE, so it really wouldn't be an experience worth shelling out for.

• The LSE is way, way, way too focussed on banking/finance/city as the only viable career choice. People go the the LSE to land banking jobs. I was swayed the first time, and ended up embarking on a long and boring investment banking career after uni. It wasn't for me, and having been there, done that, I didn't want to be constantly surrounded by people obsessed with landing that exalted banking job all over again. I assumed, rightly, that Oxford would attract people with slightly more diverse interests and ambitions.

Thank you. Interesting. DS is also not interested in banking as a career, especially after being surrounded by droves of ambitious would-be bankers. Curiously this has helped him at LSE, as academics seem to like those who are primarily interested in the subject and who don't base their options choice on what they think will appeal to Goldman Sachs. As a result he seems to have had more attention and support than he might have had elsewhere. There is then probably an advantage to stay on for Masters where you are known and where the course dovetails with your UG degree, though some green might do him good.

I also agree that two years at Oxford cost roughly the same as a year at LSE, due to the extortionate fees LSE changes for its Masters.

In terms of cost, I suspect the things that interest him ok then, gaming cost no more in London than out. And LSE students work very very hard.

They are two very different Universities. Should he get two offers, it will be up to DS which he chooses. OP's son similarly has an interesting choice. it is not a no-brainer, particularly if her son does want to go into banking.

The MSc economics at LSE is overrated. It's a real money spinner for the LSE and too crammed and short. I don't believe my lecturers very knew my name. An MPhil from Oxford would be better and also better regarded.

If he does want to stay at LSE, then then MSc in Econometrics is the way to go, and is more highly regarded. The LSE PhD is a very different experience though.

Thank you. Interesting.

OP did your DS come to a decision? What? Why?

DS has been offered Oxford (MPhil Economics) and expects to be offered LSE (both MSc Econometrics and Economics).

Now for a naive question. He knows an awful lot about the LSE and the courses, but relatively little about Oxford other than what is on the website and what he has heard from current contacts. He is very happy where he is, but that does not mean that he might not be happy elsewhere. Do Universities have "offer days" for prospective post grad students?

Well done to your DS, NeedMoreSleep.

All things being equal (which of course they never are), would your DS not prefer a change of scene?