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Why did YOU choose Oxford or Cambridge over the other?
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When I was applying for undergrad, I picked Oxford because they would let me study the ancient languages from scratch in a combined honours degree, whereas Cambridge wouldn't, so the decision was made for me.
When applying for postgrad, I applied to both, and was rejected from one and accepted to the other, so again, the decision was made for me. If I'd been accepted to both, I suppose I probably still would have gone to Oxford - it's a beautiful city, it's closer to home than Cambridge, I have friends there and I hear the nightlife is livelier
When applying for postgrad, I applied to both, and was rejected from one and accepted to the other, so again, the decision was made for me. If I'd been accepted to both, I suppose I probably still would have gone to Oxford - it's a beautiful city, it's closer to home than Cambridge, I have friends there and I hear the nightlife is livelier
I agree, Cambridge all the way! 
For me, the decision wasn't hard. Oxford doesn't do Vet Med, Cambridge does. Hmmmm tough one....
But aside from that, if I had been applying to medicine which is similar and both uni's do, I still would have gone for Cam because:
a) has a better reputation for science
b) is ranked no. 2 in the world after Harvard i.e. better than Oxford
c) prettier smaller city - I've always lived in country so I'm not used to big city life
d)Cambridge is better for shopping - god i'm shallow!
xxxxxx
For me, the decision wasn't hard. Oxford doesn't do Vet Med, Cambridge does. Hmmmm tough one....But aside from that, if I had been applying to medicine which is similar and both uni's do, I still would have gone for Cam because:
a) has a better reputation for science
b) is ranked no. 2 in the world after Harvard i.e. better than Oxford
c) prettier smaller city - I've always lived in country so I'm not used to big city life
d)Cambridge is better for shopping - god i'm shallow!
xxxxxx
I preferred Cambridge as a place to live in and the course is a lot better so it wasn't a difficult choice for me.
two22
I agree, Cambridge all the way! For me, the decision wasn't hard. Oxford doesn't do Vet Med, Cambridge does. Hmmmm tough one....
But aside from that, if I had been applying to medicine which is similar and both uni's do, I still would have gone for Cam because:
a) has a better reputation for science
b) is ranked no. 2 in the world after Harvard i.e. better than Oxford
c) prettier smaller city - I've always lived in country so I'm not used to big city life
d)Cambridge is better for shopping - god i'm shallow!
xxxxxx
For me, the decision wasn't hard. Oxford doesn't do Vet Med, Cambridge does. Hmmmm tough one....But aside from that, if I had been applying to medicine which is similar and both uni's do, I still would have gone for Cam because:
a) has a better reputation for science
b) is ranked no. 2 in the world after Harvard i.e. better than Oxford
c) prettier smaller city - I've always lived in country so I'm not used to big city life
d)Cambridge is better for shopping - god i'm shallow!
xxxxxx
Oh yeah. I forgot. Oxford didn't offer Chemical Engineering. They offered a retarded "Engineering with Chemistry" degree which quite frankly sounds like a crock.
I picked Oxford because when I went to one of those careers fair things with my school where you cram a bag full of as many prospectuses and free stationary as you can, you could just take one from the Oxford stand, whereas the Cambridge one had a massive queue and was surrounded by nerdy looking types. At that point, I had no idea even what subject I was going to do and wasn't bothered about applying to either really. But then I went down to my cousin's wedding down in Oxford and thought it was really pretty but not as overly stuffy and pretentious as I imagined it would be. And when I got better than expected AS levels, I thought there was no harm in applying there although I wasn't one of these people that have had a lifetime ambition to go to one or the other.
I did 5 A-levels but my offer was based on three. Isn't it disadvantageous to those doing extra subjects to have to meet more onerous requirements?
Huw Davies
I did 5 A-levels but my offer was based on three. Isn't it disadvantageous to those doing extra subjects to have to meet more onerous requirements?
Maybe the reason they got the offer in the first place was that they were doing five A-levels?
It's the same with doing four, most people's offers are based on three but some people's are based on four, so they are disadvantaged in their offer condidtions but advantaged in getting the offer in the first place. Quote form Cam website: 'On the other hand, more challenging offers may be set to ensure that an applicant can cope with pressure and the demands of exams.' Maybe those with tougher offers are ones who the uni are not sure will cope??
Firstly, because Cambridge is a better university, especially in the subjects that I am interested in. I also thought that the general atmosphere was less conservative and that the city was much more pleasant to walk around.
Oh, and we got Newton and Darwin.
Oh, and we got Newton and Darwin.
Hmmm, first reason I picked Oxford is mainly because it's closer to where I live, and the ease of access is important to London etc. Also, I'm doing a more arty subject, (even though the stereotypes don't actually mean anything) and Oxford has better shopping!
If you want to know my exhaustive list of reasons, I chose Cambridge for my undergrad because...
1) I'd always seen myself as a bit of a scientist, so Cambridge was my preference before I really knew what I was applying for.
2) Cambridge ran my course on a larger scale, and based on newspaper league tables it was supposed to be harder to get into.
3) I visited Cambridge and loved the place, but unfortunately I never visited Oxford so I couldn't compare.
4) The Oxford prospectus had a picture of a goth sitting on a grass lawn, which really put me off.
5) Oxford were making AAB offers for nearly every subject, whereas Cambridge made AAA offers, giving an impression that Cambridge was just better generally.
6) My friend decided to apply for the same course but at Oxford, and I didn't want it to seem like I was copying him by changing my mind, so I stuck with my initial decision!
And then I moved to Oxford because...
1) It was better for the course.
2) I wanted a change of scenery.
3) It's closer to where I live, which seemed important because I would have very few holidays so I might want to go home in some of the weekends.
4) With most of my Cambridge friends leaving, I actually had more good friends at Oxford.
I think both unis are great, but to a large extent it probably depends on which college you end up at. Cambridge is a nicer town but there's very little variety when it comes to nights out. On the other hand, the sobering walk back home is invariably much shorter.
1) I'd always seen myself as a bit of a scientist, so Cambridge was my preference before I really knew what I was applying for.
2) Cambridge ran my course on a larger scale, and based on newspaper league tables it was supposed to be harder to get into.
3) I visited Cambridge and loved the place, but unfortunately I never visited Oxford so I couldn't compare.
4) The Oxford prospectus had a picture of a goth sitting on a grass lawn, which really put me off.
5) Oxford were making AAB offers for nearly every subject, whereas Cambridge made AAA offers, giving an impression that Cambridge was just better generally.
6) My friend decided to apply for the same course but at Oxford, and I didn't want it to seem like I was copying him by changing my mind, so I stuck with my initial decision!
And then I moved to Oxford because...
1) It was better for the course.
2) I wanted a change of scenery.
3) It's closer to where I live, which seemed important because I would have very few holidays so I might want to go home in some of the weekends.
4) With most of my Cambridge friends leaving, I actually had more good friends at Oxford.
I think both unis are great, but to a large extent it probably depends on which college you end up at. Cambridge is a nicer town but there's very little variety when it comes to nights out. On the other hand, the sobering walk back home is invariably much shorter.
the open day was so nice and sunny even though it was september and i met some lovely people and all my friends were like "you do realise they won't be there when you attend, don't you?" and i was like "yeah, i know" but secretly i still live in hope.
i absolutely fell in love with oxford when i went there as well. ive visited cambridge in the past and it was nice but there seemed to be less of it, lol. i liked how at oxford the colleges sort of blended in to the city but it was still very much a city. if you look at my other choices im such a city lover, i just love the buzz you get.
ummmm there seemed to be very little between them realistically so i just went with my heart, lololol.
i absolutely fell in love with oxford when i went there as well. ive visited cambridge in the past and it was nice but there seemed to be less of it, lol. i liked how at oxford the colleges sort of blended in to the city but it was still very much a city. if you look at my other choices im such a city lover, i just love the buzz you get.
ummmm there seemed to be very little between them realistically so i just went with my heart, lololol.
Angelil
That's a harsh Oxford offer you've got there JH08!
I think it is my own fault for taking 5 A-levels. I suppose in the offer letter they just wanted to address all of my subjects. It was worded really oddly:
"A in History, A in English Literature, A, at least B, B at A-level"
It took me a while to work out exactly the conditions....
I think they just wanted to address all of my other subjects - I know another law applicant who is taking 4 A2's and was given AAAB. I presume they are just giving the standard 3 A's and then recognising the other subjects with B's.
It would have been even harsher if they had set 5 A's
I chose Oxford after visiting both on consecutive days with my college. We went to Trinity, Cambridge, and I got told off for not scraping my leftovers off my plate quickly enough after lunch.
Also, although I liked Cambridge and found it pretty, it seemed too touristy. When we travelled to Oxford it seemed to have a lot more going on and I saw less tourists - I could imagine myself living in Oxford, but I couldn't in Cambridge. Conveniently, Oxford offer pure Chemistry and I wasn't overly keen on the Cambridge NatSci course.
Also, although I liked Cambridge and found it pretty, it seemed too touristy. When we travelled to Oxford it seemed to have a lot more going on and I saw less tourists - I could imagine myself living in Oxford, but I couldn't in Cambridge. Conveniently, Oxford offer pure Chemistry and I wasn't overly keen on the Cambridge NatSci course.Oxford because:
1) you could do the joint honours course Philsophy and Theology
2) the philosophy syllabus seems much less heavily focussed on purely analytical philosophy
3) my dad went to oxford...
4) oxford is a more vibrant city
5) i preferred it on the open days
6) oxford is generally said to be better at humanities anyway, and, although they might be considered unreliable, the league tables done by subject all place oxford as number 1 for both theology and philosophy (with one exception - one of the times' tables puts oxford as 2 for theology...)
1) you could do the joint honours course Philsophy and Theology
2) the philosophy syllabus seems much less heavily focussed on purely analytical philosophy
3) my dad went to oxford...
4) oxford is a more vibrant city
5) i preferred it on the open days
6) oxford is generally said to be better at humanities anyway, and, although they might be considered unreliable, the league tables done by subject all place oxford as number 1 for both theology and philosophy (with one exception - one of the times' tables puts oxford as 2 for theology...)
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