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Why did YOU choose Oxford or Cambridge over the other?
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Cambridge because:
a) It has four mature colleges as opposed to Oxford's one. (I'll be a mature student.
)
b) More importantly, I wanted to do Politics and Sociology - Cambridge do this in HSPS, Oxford don't.
a) It has four mature colleges as opposed to Oxford's one. (I'll be a mature student.
)b) More importantly, I wanted to do Politics and Sociology - Cambridge do this in HSPS, Oxford don't.
Original post by CloakedSpartan
Would you say Oxford is more famous/well-known in the USA then Cambridge?
I am not American but German and here the majority of the people is more likely to know Oxford than Cambridge, I don't know why.
For me the decision between Oxford and Cambridge was a really easy one. I wanted to do PPE and Oxford does it - Cambridge doesn't. I looked at HSPS at Cambridge but I just liked the subjects of PPE a lot more. :-)
Original post by jneill
Conversely, in the UK it would be (among the general public):
1) Harvard (by miles)
2) MIT
3) nobody cares... except watchers of TBBT
1) Harvard (by miles)
2) MIT
3) nobody cares... except watchers of TBBT
Not for anyone who cares about STEM subjects!
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Original post by square_peg
"among the general public"
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Cambridge because it is better for maths.
Original post by Camisthebest
Cambridge because it is better for maths.
Username checks out.
Cambridge because I visited Oxford and in my opinion it was basically just a noisy bus route with a town huddled around it. Cambridge is much more up my street! Also, I applied for English back when Oxford had the ELAT and Cambridge didn't (I prefer interviews to standardised testing), and Oxford's course includes ASNAC stuff like Beowulf which is of dubious value and Cambridge's course doesn't. Finally, Cambridge is more liberal/progressive than Oxford's bloody royalists. #ImWithCromwell
On the other hand, Oxford's colleges are prettier on average imo and the name recognition's higher than it is with Cambridge, so if you're into dick-waving then that's a bonus.
On the other hand, Oxford's colleges are prettier on average imo and the name recognition's higher than it is with Cambridge, so if you're into dick-waving then that's a bonus.
Original post by Parliament
Actually, Cambridge is more conservative based on the last election.
Also, you could have gone to the one parliamentarian college. Rebels only.
Every time I'm talking with Americans and I'm reminded of Oxford's superior reputation, I get a pang of regret over having applied to Cambridge. I wouldn't have gotten into Oxford! I was forced into applying to Cambridge because my GCSEs suck!
Even if I get into Cambridge, I'll have this feeling of 'Meh, it's not Oxford...'
Even if I get into Cambridge, I'll have this feeling of 'Meh, it's not Oxford...'
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Abstract_Prism
Every time I'm talking with Americans and I'm reminded of Oxford's superior reputation, I get a pang of regret over having applied to Cambridge. I wouldn't have gotten into Oxford! I was forced into applying to Cambridge because my GCSEs suck!
Even if I get into Cambridge, I'll have this feeling of 'Meh, it's not Oxford...'
Even if I get into Cambridge, I'll have this feeling of 'Meh, it's not Oxford...'
Do you think a Stanford (or Princeton or Caltech or MIT) student visiting the UK would be regretful that Harvard is the only university most people here know about?
Original post by jneill
Do you think a Stanford (or Princeton or Caltech or MIT) student visiting the UK would be regretful that Harvard is the only university most people here know about?
If they're anything like me, yes.
'I go to this really good university in America!'
'Ooh, is it Harvard???'
'No, it's Dartmouth...'
'Dart-what?'
'
'Original post by Abstract_Prism
If they're anything like me, yes.
'I go to this really good university in America!'
'Ooh, is it Harvard???'
'No, it's Dartmouth...'
'Dart-what?'
''
'I go to this really good university in America!'
'Ooh, is it Harvard???'
'No, it's Dartmouth...'
'Dart-what?'
'
'Dartmouth is a small (former naval) port in Devon - quite nice
But yeah that's the point - and perhaps Oxford is better known in the US to John Doe (probably because of the OUP and the OED specifically) - but to academics and major employers in the US Cambridge and Oxford are well respected.
I that kind of thing matters to you...
I've just had an experimental psychology interview at Brasenose, Oxford. I don't know if I'll get an offer, but my choice between the two was very easy for these reasons:
1. Much closer to me (30 minutes compared to an hour and a half)
2. Much preferred the city and architecture
3. Much preferred the colleges I went round on the Open Day (particularly Brasenose)
4. Much preferred the course (Cambridge do "behavioural sciences" rather than psychology)
5. Much preferred the examination system (about half as many exams each year for EP compared to behavioural sciences)
6. I thought it was more prestigious, particularly for psych, with far more notable psychologists.
7. The psychology building at Cambridge (Sidgwick site) is run-down and looks like it hasn't been given a lick of paint for about 50 years.
8. The Open Day psych presentation was about 10 times better at Oxford.
A very simple choice to make for me. Cambridge let me down somewhat, whilst Oxford far surpassed expectations. I love that city.
1. Much closer to me (30 minutes compared to an hour and a half)
2. Much preferred the city and architecture
3. Much preferred the colleges I went round on the Open Day (particularly Brasenose)
4. Much preferred the course (Cambridge do "behavioural sciences" rather than psychology)
5. Much preferred the examination system (about half as many exams each year for EP compared to behavioural sciences)
6. I thought it was more prestigious, particularly for psych, with far more notable psychologists.
7. The psychology building at Cambridge (Sidgwick site) is run-down and looks like it hasn't been given a lick of paint for about 50 years.
8. The Open Day psych presentation was about 10 times better at Oxford.
A very simple choice to make for me. Cambridge let me down somewhat, whilst Oxford far surpassed expectations. I love that city.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Abstract_Prism
'
'No, it's Dartmouth...'
'Dart-what?'
''
'No, it's Dartmouth...'
'Dart-what?'
'
'Where men are men. And the sheep are scared...
I applied to Cambridge over Oxford mostly because I preferred the course content for languages at Cambridge - there's a lot more oral focus than at Oxford and there's more cultural options than just literature (like History or Linguistics) whereas those options at Oxford are much more limiting.
I'm an applicant for 2017 entry and I chose to apply to Cambridge over Oxford because I liked how the city is a lot smaller and is basically the university. I also liked the content of the History course more and the structure of it.
Plus I have bad GCSEs and better A-Levels
Plus I have bad GCSEs and better A-Levels
Original post by SteamboatMickey
I'm an applicant for 2017 entry and I chose to apply to Cambridge over Oxford because I liked how the city is a lot smaller and is basically the university. I also liked the content of the History course more and the structure of it.
Plus I have bad GCSEs and better A-Levels
Plus I have bad GCSEs and better A-Levels
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I originally wanted Oxford (because my brother went to Cambridge and I didn't want to look like a me-too!) but as well as slightly preferring Cambridge's course, they're much more appropriate to my situation - I'm a mature student with terrible antique GCSEs doing an Access course. Oxford would have required me to do English Lit A level in addition to my Access course, and I didn't find that out until it was too late to start the A level. Oxford seems less friendly to mature students in general. And when I visited the Cambridge college I've applied to, it instantly felt like somewhere I could live and somewhere I belonged. Such lovely people.
I applied to Oxford over Cambridge for medicine, because I didn't want to stress about my UMS. I regret it massively! My BMAT was the only reason that I didn't make it from their initial shortlist of 575 to the final shortlist of 425. If I had applied to Cambridge I would have gotten an interview with my BMAT score because people with lower ones did. People with worse UMS than me also got interviews. At least then I would have had a second chance to prove myself at interview. Unless you're guaranteed of a perfect BMAT score don't apply to Oxford for medicine!
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