Oxford or Cambridge - What Type of People are Inclined to Apply to Which?

Let's say we have a typical student from an expensive private boarding school, with excellent grades, who is interested in studying modern British history at either Oxford or Cambridge. Let's also say that student comes from an affluent, Home Counties family, and has had all the advantages money and priviledge provide. This person's circle of friends are usually just like them: White, British, Protestant, affluent with money stretching back several generations. Now, knowing this limited background information, if you had to guess, which of the two universities do you think this person would most likely apply to and be more keen in attending?

Reply 1

iPad User

Cambridge is good.

(edited 12 years ago)

Oxford

There is no straightforward answer to this question.

Demographic statistics at both wouldn't tell you about individual circumstances, personality, geographical location, course preferances, friends at either, preference of town, hobbies, and a lot of other factors. It shouldn't be surprising to know people from my year are pretty wide-ranging in terms of combination of all these factors, with people to represent almost every socio-economic status and worldview.

So, yeah, there are no ways to generalise Cambridge and Oxford personalities. Apart from the very vague suggestion of generally high grades/intelligence/work-ethic.

Having said that, Oxford let in a SLIGHTLY higher % of private/public schoolers.

Reply 4

hobnob

14

Original post by Timon

Let's say we have a typical student from an expensive private boarding school, with excellent grades, who is interested in studying modern British history at either Oxford or Cambridge. Let's also say that student comes from an affluent, Home Counties family, and has had all the advantages money and priviledge provide. This person's circle of friends are usually just like them: White, British, Protestant, affluent with money stretching back several generations. Now, knowing this limited background information, if you had to guess, which of the two universities do you think this person would most likely apply to and be more keen in attending?

Still working on your 'realist' novel, I see? :rolleyes:

Reply 5

User188463

17

Oh its for a novel? Oxford novels are overdone, but Oxford tends to represent the 'institution' in most people's eyes, so it will probably sell better.

Reply 6

Timon

OP

10

Original post by hobnob

Still working on your 'realist' novel, I see? :rolleyes:

No, just curious. Now give me a legitimate answer right now, pal. :tongue:

Oxbridge

OP

Original post by z0tx

Oxbridge

Hey, you're a funny guy. Now give a real answer.

Reply 9

hobnob

14

Original post by Timon

No, just curious. Now give me a legitimate answer right now, pal. :tongue:

There is no legitimate answer, pal.

Reply 10

z0tx

12

Original post by Timon

Hey, you're a funny guy. Now give a real answer.

There is none. Why are you asking? You're not going there anyway, judging by the nature of your questioning.

Reply 11

Timon

OP

10

Original post by hobnob

There is no legitimate answer, pal.

How about an educated guess, then, pal? :tongue:

Reply 12

Timon

OP

10

Original post by z0tx

There is none. Why are you asking? You're not going there anyway, judging by the nature of your questioning.

Because I'm asking a question, now answer it. :tongue:

Reply 13

hobnob

14

Original post by Timon

How about an educated guess, then, pal? :tongue:

Again, no such thing, pal. :tongue:

I could make an uneducated guess and say Cambridge. Or Oxford. But what good would that do? You might as well flip a coin.

Reply 14

z0tx

12

I may be a 'funny guy' but you're absolutely hilarious:

I say Why are you asking? you say

Original post by Timon

Because I'm asking a question

I say There is no answer you say

Original post by Timon

now answer it. :tongue:

Reply 15

kerily

15

Is Oxford not meant to be slightly more 'known' for history? (Not that I'm suggesting this has any basis in fact. Just that I've had a couple of people say to me in real life that Oxford is 'best' for humanities and Cambridge is 'best' for sciences. I could pick a couple of holes in this myself and I'm well aware that it's not exactly well-founded, but it does seem to be what people think.)

Reply 16

Etoile

20

Original post by Timon

Let's say we have a typical student from an expensive private boarding school, with excellent grades, who is interested in studying modern British history at either Oxford or Cambridge. Let's also say that student comes from an affluent, Home Counties family, and has had all the advantages money and priviledge provide. This person's circle of friends are usually just like them: White, British, Protestant, affluent with money stretching back several generations. Now, knowing this limited background information, if you had to guess, which of the two universities do you think this person would most likely apply to and be more keen in attending?

Well it depends on their actual personality! However I would be inclined to say Oxford as they have a slightly higher percentage of privately schooled pupils.