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Which is 'posher'?

Reply 20

Erradhadh

Chill: there's enough Pimm's, croquet, and Versace for everyone.

Reply 21

qgujxj39

17

There's only one way to find out.

FIIIIIIGHT!

Reply 22

nexttime

22

tommmmmmmmmm

There's only one way to find out.

FIIIIIIGHT!

the uni that refuses to fight and ask for a duel instead wins.

Reply 23

Kolya

17

What does the term "posh" mean?

Reply 24

hobnob

14

generalebriety

Oxford seems posher to me, but of course I am biased. This whole Oxford vs. Cambridge rivalry seems very one-way (outside very serious groups of boaties).

There's precious little rivalry at all, really.

Reply 25

aspiringlawyer

OP

hobnob

At least two of the people who have posted on this thread "attend Oxbridge", as you call it.

Fair enough - wasn't immediately clear from people's lack of sigs ect.. and saying they based their views on the media.

Reply 26

generalebriety

16

hobnob

There's precious little rivalry at all, really.

I suppose my previous post was little other than anecdotal. Two people from my school in my year ended up at Cambridge, two at Oxford; the rivalry always happens, and it's always Oxford on Cambridge.

Reply 27

Turdburger

16

I would say Oxford is slightly posher, its slightly more private school and slightly more formal -- gowns for exams etc. Its colleges tend to be older and more traditional on average as well i guess.

Not much in it.

Reply 28

Huw Davies

11

aspiringlawyer

Does anyone who attends oxbridge have anything to say?

Doubtful, since there is no such place.

I'm not being facetious - you won't get a good answer since nobody attends both, and the small number who do won't provide a good comparison either (as they'll be undergrads at one and grads at the other).

nexttime

on my very limited experience of attending open days at both and interviews at oxford, probably oxford.

however, i would imagine i would be in the minority, having attended a state comprehensive, at either tbh

Comparing rahness on the basis of going to both open days is about as useful as comparing the weather of the two cities on that basis: you're getting a random, unrepresentative and limited slice.

People from state comprehensives are definitely a relatively small minority; however, it's never been something I've felt particularly self-conscious about. If anything, public-school people take a greater degree of mocking (and generally take it very well).

In class terms the vast majority of Oxford students, whether privately-, grammar- or comprehensive*-schooled, are middle-class and fairly indistinguishably so. There are a small but noticeable subset who are very upper-class and form a bit of a distinct social sphere. There are people who went to genuinely bad schools. And there are foreign people.

I would think the same applies to Cambridge, based on the demographic similarities and the fact that people's reasons for choosing one or the other are almost never reasons that would affect this sort of thing.

It should also be noted that private and grammar school pupils form a disproportionate part of the intake of top universities in general, not just Oxbridge.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article569331.ece

*probably went to "good" comprehensive schools.

Reply 29

Turdburger

16

and it's always Oxford on Cambridge.

My experience is almost the exact reverse, although most people from either dont give a ****.

Reply 30

Turdburger

16

The “performance indicators” from the agency showed that Oxford admitted 53.8 per cent of students from state schools in 2003-04, against 55.4 the year before. Admissions at Cambridge also fell from 57.6 per cent to 56.9 per cent.

Backing up my earlier point about Oxford being marginally more private school

Reply 31

hobnob

14

generalebriety

I suppose my previous post was little other than anecdotal. Two people from my school in my year ended up at Cambridge, two at Oxford; the rivalry always happens, and it's always Oxford on Cambridge.

Well, for what it's worth, I've heard more anecdotal "evidence" of Cambridge banter directed towards Oxford... Anyway, what I meant was that there isn't any actual rivalry - there's a bit of banter, but that's all, really. :dontknow:

It's mostly for show and nobody takes it seriously, apart from a few earnest first-years who believe they have to.
I don't know any blues rowers, but I doubt even they are serious about the supposed rivalry between the universities (rivalry between two boat clubs is another matter, obviously, but that's restricted to a sporting context, so it's not quite the same thing).

Reply 32

Kashya

13

I go to neither but I would percieve Oxford to be the "posher" one,

Reply 33

aspiringlawyer

OP

Huw Davies

Doubtful, since there is no such place.

I'm not being facetious - you won't get a good answer since nobody attends both, and the small number who do won't provide a good comparison either (as they'll be undergrads at one and grads at the other).

*Really - I didn't know that!*

You sounded just a little facetious don't ya think?

Reply 34

Erradhadh

aspiringlawyer

*Really - I didn't know that!*

You sounded just a little facetious don't ya think?

And the glove is thrown down.

Reply 35

fisherman

16

I think oxford is a posher sounding name, and it's also easier to say in a posh accent.

Reply 36

Mos Def

17

Comparatively, from the people i know in either uni, Oxford school the posh-er ones.

Reply 37

Turdburger

16

There is a misconception that a majority of Oxbridge students come from private schools. They do not. State-schoolers are in an appreciable majority, though this does, in fairness, include state grammars.

Hmm, this depends on college though. Over here, (Brasenose) private schools are in (a fairly large) majority. I think we are about 30-35% state school. Us and Trinity are the worst though, goes up to about 70% at somewhere like mansfield or Johns. College majes a large difference

Reply 38

Huw Davies

11

Solemn Wanderer

I would be surprised if there were any substantial difference between Oxford and Cambridge in this regard. In all honesty the culture of the universities is "posh" by general standards but, by and large, it's quite approachable. A close relative of mine absolutely loved his time at Oxford having grown up as a working-class boy on a council estate - and this was around 1970!

A friend of mine has commented that "summer in Oxford is when all the state-school pupils go punting and drink Pimm's, and the public schoolboys get mashed on lager and cider".

aspiringlawyer

*Really - I didn't know that!*

You sounded just a little facetious don't ya think?

It was in fact very facetious, so good on you for taking it in good humour. The point still stands that you will not get a very useful answer to the question from anyone on this thread.

Reply 39

Helenia

20

I'm at Cambridge (from a private school, not that it matters) and my boyfriend was at Oxford, so I've seen a reasonable amount at both - though obviously haven't actually been a student there. To be honest in terms of class/poshness/rahs or whatever you want to call it, I don't think there's much of a difference. Both are extremely middle-class, regardless of the actual school people went to; you'd struggle to find many at either who came from a sink comprehensive and whose family live on a council estate. There are elite circles of stuck up public school types at both - the Bullingdon and the Pitt Club are the classic examples. However, your average student is just that - a student. Granted, probably more intelligent than your average at most other universities, but not necessarily richer or more snobby. I think they're more similar than they are different.

I wouldn't take the fashion pages of either as a particularly good indicator of anything. I know very few people who dress and act like "Johnny and Lucinda" or whoever - they're fulfilling a stereotype, like most fashion photography!

Which is 'posher'?

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