Is university ranking important?

Once you're outside of Oxbridge the rankings aren't as important as people here say they are.

Even oxbridge isn't that special, and the only times it is are when people are specifically looking for the brand name.

Oxbridge isn't that special? Nah. Just two of the best universities in the entire world. Means absolutely nothing.

Define 'best'.

I suggest you read this before you just hit the reply button: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/University_League_Tables_-_A_Users_Guide

I've just read that nonsense. Look, Cambridge University only aims to take the top 2% of students in that year's cohort. They now ask for A*A*A for science subjects and A*AA in arts subjects although their students typically achieve much higher grades. Oxbridge only accepts those who are the most academically brilliant as it is extremely competitive. And before you say that 20% of people who apply to Cambridge get an offer, yes I know that - it is a self-selected sample. Only those who are bright bother applying because there is no point otherwise so you will, therefore, be competing against the very best students. Look at the entry standards - that gives a good indication of the calibre of students bearing in mind that it takes into account pointless endeavours e.g. music grade, general studies, Duke of Edinburgh award, etc.

Cambridge and Oxford have the supervision/tutorial system which promises lots of contact hours with leading academics. You could be sitting in your supervisor's room and discussing an area of your discipline that they wrote award-winning and highly respectable books and research papers on. They look for more than just A Level grades. Cambridge, for instance, use measures that some other universities just ignore e.g. AS UMS, interviews, entrance exams, essays, etc. Additionally, whereas at most universities, from what I have gathered, where deadlines are usually set at 3 weeks to complete a 2,000-3,000 word essay, at Cambridge you get a measly 6 days to complete a similar length essay. Some subjects like HSPS actually require 2-4 essays a week! You are not only worked harder and encouraged to be more productive and resourceful, the content you cover and are expected to understand very well is often far more rigorous than that you would be faced with at other universities.

That doesn't mean anything when they're producing similar quality graduates to lower ranked unis though.

Just because a Uni asks for A* grades doesn't in itself make it a 'better' Uni.

Prove it. A 2.1 from Cambridge is on par with a first from other inferior institutions in terms of difficulty in attaining it.

You say that as if that matters. When employers are hiring graduates of lower ranked universities at similar or sometimes even higher rates in comparison to Oxbridge, clearly they don't find Oxbridge grads to be particularly great employees.

What do you mean by 'better'?