The Student Room Group

Why do TSR users put so much emphasis on Cambrige?

I've been on TSR for a month, and I don't know if its just me, but the majority of users seem to be obsessed with Oxbrige, Cambrige and Oxford. Literally it's all users talk about if you head to a subject section.

Hardly ever see a post thats for a standard university/general Russell Group uni below a top 5 rank.
Definitely think TSR's made an elitist population of ninjas, bent on putting pressure on and putting down the more 'content' users.
Reply 1
It makes sense really. The people who don't care about their education don't go on websites that help you with it.
Those who do care about their education go on TSR to get advice on how to go as far as possible, and a lot want to push themselves to the very top - Oxbridge.

To be honest though, the more you go on TSR the more you notice not everyone is obsessed with Oxbridge, a lot just come on here for general advice and support from their peers :smile:
Reply 2
Oxbridge is pathetic. I'm applying for either Oxford Brookes or Anglia Ruskin, because I can and will.
Reply 3
Original post by tinman1
Oxbridge is pathetic. I'm applying for either Oxford Brookes or Anglia Ruskin, because I can and will.


Nice one. Some of these students may think they have it all, but getting A*'s doesn't give you common sense.
Reply 4
Because everyone here as 15A*s at GCSE and 5 A*s at A level, andwants either to be a Magic Circle Law Firm, an Investment Banker, or a Medic or engineer. Alternate studies are only allowed if they go to universities deemed 'good' according to vague criteria. If you fail to meet these standards, you are euthanized. Didn't you get the memo?
Reply 5
Is it wrong yearning for a place at the most prestigious universities in the world?

Things may be different to other people, I am aware of that. To the majority of people posting questions here, they seek for help and advices for their education (well, again, most of them). People want to achieve the top-notch quality of degree dont they? Or at least suitable to their level?
Reply 6
People posting in the Universities forum are mainly applicants searching for advice, and it's just that intimidating reputation of Oxbridge which attracts more users seeking for help or advice with their application than other unis might.
Oxbridge are amongst the most competitive unis in the world (not just England) and have the reputation of letting only the "best of the best" in (so they say on their website somewhere), so it's natural that people freak out about them like crazy, which is why they join here. (It was the case for me)

That's all, I think, and other than that, I haven't noticed that people on here are obsessed with Oxbridge, or that there are lots of "conceited" Oxbridge students. It all depends on which part of the forums you are lurking about in.
Original post by theking1
...getting A*'s doesn't give you common sense.


This is commonly said, and I really dislike it.

No, getting A*'s doesn't give you 'common sense' (whatever that is). But neither does NOT getting A*'s.
Reply 8
Original post by T-o dore
This is commonly said, and I really dislike it.

No, getting A*'s doesn't give you 'common sense' (whatever that is). But neither does NOT getting A*'s.


I'm gonna risk being the victim of some pretty deep sarcasm just to say: I think he was joking.
Original post by theking1
I've been on TSR for a month, and I don't know if its just me, but the majority of users seem to be obsessed with Oxbrige, Cambrige and Oxford. Literally it's all users talk about if you head to a subject section.

Hardly ever see a post thats for a standard university/general Russell Group uni below a top 5 rank.
Definitely think TSR's made an elitist population of ninjas, bent on putting pressure on and putting down the more 'content' users.


The offer you a great education, teaching you how to spell words such as Oxbridge and Cambridge.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 10
Original post by fudgesundae
The offer you a great education, teaching you how to spell words such as Oxbridge and Cambridge.

Lol. I love how he thinks 'Oxbrige' is a different university from 'Cambrige' and 'Oxford'. That said, he is right about the ninjas.
Original post by Morphius1
I'm gonna risk being the victim of some pretty deep sarcasm just to say: I think he was joking.


Whether he was or not (the humour was obviously lost on me), people say stuff like 'academia is not common sense' about Oxbridge people all the time, as if its a one-up on them. Its not.
Because they can spell it right? (Cambridge) :cool:
Reply 13
Original post by 3nTr0pY
Lol. I love how he thinks 'Oxbrige' is a different university from 'Cambrige' and 'Oxford'. That said, he is right about the ninjas.


I think he put Cambridge and Oxford there for clarification purposes. Not because he thought they were different from Oxbridge. Just a thought.
Reply 14
Original post by JustAbi
I think he put Cambridge and Oxford there for clarification purposes. Not because he thought they were different from Oxbridge. Just a thought.

Then he should have used a semicolon/colon instead of a comma. :wink:
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by QuangHa
Is it wrong yearning for a place at the most prestigious universities in the world?


Ironically, they don't even know what 'prestige' mean, yet they blab 24/7 about it.
Reply 16
Original post by 3nTr0pY
Then he should have used a semicolon/colon instead of a comma. :wink:


Aha, that I can't argue with :biggrin:
Reply 17
Original post by theking1
I've been on TSR for a month, and I don't know if its just me, but the majority of users seem to be obsessed with Oxbrige, Cambrige and Oxford. Literally it's all users talk about if you head to a subject section.

Hardly ever see a post thats for a standard university/general Russell Group uni below a top 5 rank.
Definitely think TSR's made an elitist population of ninjas, bent on putting pressure on and putting down the more 'content' users.


Wanting to go to the best university is not elitist. Infact I would say its the opposite because elitism is simply accepting the social environment you where born in (sadly not an oxbridge educated environment for most of tsr) and wanting to move to a 'higher social class'.

A impenetratable social elite is directly as the result of:
1. Discrinimation, which quite frankly as a publicly educated student, who recieved an offer from Cambridge. I have never experienced. (Infact Cambridge where apparently willing to overlook my poor GCSE's due to the school I studied at)
2. Lazy, spoilt, overfed and overlooked after lower and working class children; who just cannot be bothered to spend more than even miniscule amounts of effort on anything resembling work. Even though they fully understand their education now will effect the next ~50 years of their life.

Comments from people like you are sending Britain down the drain.
'How dare those people want to study at the best and oldest university in the country, why cant everybody just be happy studying at leeds and sheffield?'
Reply 18
Original post by T-o dore
Whether he was or not (the humour was obviously lost on me), people say stuff like 'academia is not common sense' about Oxbridge people all the time, as if its a one-up on them. Its not.


Sorry if I sounded a bit mean; I honestly didn't know that some people would use 'academia is not common sense' as a serious one-up (or excuse).

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