The Student Room Group

"Applying to Oxford or Cambridge"

I see this a lot in here. People who choose to go to one of these say at the start, "I will be applying to Oxford or Cambridge" or say, "I will be visiting Oxford and Cambridge". This, to me, suggests that the candidate isn't particularly arsed which one they go to, so long as they get into one, that's all that matters because it's something to slip into coversation over coffee. They aren't picking it for the course, for it's location, the people, the social life, whatever. They choose it for it's name.

I guess this is more of a rant than anything else because the majority of people don't commit to a choice, they plan on going to either. It could be argued that this could be compared with any other two universities, however, the point here is that you won't get two universities so closely compared, for example, not many people say, "i'll be applying to UCL or LSE", they usually make a choice then and there even though they could apply to both. With a lot of Oxbridge hopefuls, they always mention both even though they can only pick one at the end of this day which is a bit ironic

When you were applying, did you also use "and" instead of picking just one? Hearing from current and applying students would be great

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
since oxford and cambridge are generally the two 'best' universities, it's hardly surprising people want to apply to them. the fact you can only apply to one and hence have to make a decision between the two, while you don't for others, also leads people to say this.

i personally only ever wanted to go to cambridge, because oxford sucks.
Reply 2
Chewwy
since oxford and cambridge are generally the two 'best' universities, it's hardly surprising people want to apply to them. the fact you can only apply to one and hence have to make a decision between the two, while you don't for others, also leads people to say this.

i personally only ever wanted to go to cambridge, because oxford sucks.


I see where you're coming from and i admire that you actually chose Cambridge, but i get the impression that too many Cambridge and Oxford students for that matter sit on the fence when it comes to making this decision. I mean, you've always wanted to go to Cambridge, fair play, but the people who include both uni's in their consideration makes me think that they're really not arsed which one will accept them, so long as the pick the one which is most likely to
For the obvious reason: you can only apply to one. It's not "ironic". If I have to make a choice between Bristol and Durham at some point, I'll make it in March or April and still be weeks short of the deadline. If I have to make a choice between Oxford and Cambridge, I have to make it in September or early October, and even that is leaving it late, because most of the courses are different.

I never knew I wanted to come to Cambridge. I never knew I wanted to go to either Oxford or Cambridge, I just knew that I might as well give both a look round. It's as if there are 100 driving instructors in your town, two of whom have a very good reputation. Well, you have nothing else to go on except their names (which tells you nothing), their cars (of which you probably know very little by that point, cf. universities' facilities) and what they say in their adverts (and they all say the same thing, because they all want you to use their services). Of course you're gonna give the names you know best a decent chance, while neglecting some universities like LSE or Edinburgh which might be very good but which you might only have heard of within the last year or so when you started caring about university.
Irrelevance
I see where you're coming from and i admire that you actually chose Cambridge, but i get the impression that too many Cambridge and Oxford students for that matter sit on the fence when it comes to making this decision. I mean, you've always wanted to go to Cambridge, fair play, but the people who include both uni's in their consideration makes me think that they're really not arsed which one will accept them, so long as the pick the one which is most likely to

You're making very sweeping claims here. I first went to Oxford on a German open day (my teacher recommended it) and didn't like it, so I thought "hmm, I wonder if other universities do open days?", and looked around. What's the first other university you think of after Oxford? Cambridge! I looked round there (and Bristol, Durham and a few others), and decided I loved it. I would've gone to Oxford if I'd liked it, but after the Oxford open day and before I knew the Cambridge one existed, I knew I wasn't going to apply to Oxford.
Reply 5
chris1200
How do you expect them to know which they want to go to if they don't consider both of them????????


It's the fact that so many people consider both instead of being commited to a single choice which is what baffles me. If you end up considering both, there's no real decision there, it's more like, "Ah well, one or the other should do me just fine" due to their names and reputation alone. They don't know anything about the uni's, the courses, etc, they just want to go to either
Reply 6
Irrelevance
I guess this is more of a rant than anything else because the majority of people don't commit to a choice, they plan on going to either. It could be argued that this could be compared with any other two universities, however, the point here is that you won't get two universities so closely compared, for example, not many people say, "i'll be applying to UCL or LSE", they usually make a choice then and there even though they could apply to both. With a lot of Oxbridge hopefuls, they always mention both even though they can only pick one at the end of this day which is a bit ironic

Perhaps it's just because they know they have to make their decision sooner and once they've made it it'll be final? If someone is undecided between UCL and LSE, he can simply apply to both, and if he actually gets offers from both, he still has plenty of time to decide between the two and to change his mind a couple of times.
When you were applying, did you also use "and" instead of picking just one? Hearing from current and applying students would be great

No, I favoured Oxford from the start and never gave much of a thought to Cambridge, although I can't remember why. Some shallow reason, no doubt.:wink:

Edit: Bleh, GE got there first.:p:
chris1200
How can you be 'committed to a single choice' before considering both???


You might for specific courses like the sciences
trance addict
You might for specific courses like the sciences

Why? You might like biology and chemistry and prefer the latter, and not be sure whether to do chemistry at Oxford or natsci at Cambridge.
Irrelevance
I see where you're coming from and i admire that you actually chose Cambridge, but i get the impression that too many Cambridge and Oxford students for that matter sit on the fence when it comes to making this decision. I mean, you've always wanted to go to Cambridge, fair play, but the people who include both uni's in their consideration makes me think that they're really not arsed which one will accept them, so long as the pick the one which is most likely to


To be honest, I would go to either Oxford or Cambridge over pretty much every university in this country. You're argument really doesn't make much sense. I think passion for subject is an awful lot more important than passion for institution.
Reply 10
chris1200
How can you be 'committed to a single choice' before considering both??? It's not like you're going to instantly know the specifics of each course at each uni are you?! But you get told you're of the standard to apply to 'Oxbridge' so you follow what is the perfect advice, and look into both. So for some time people will be unsure about which to apply to. The choice was easy for me, but I made damn sure I looked at the Oxford course first.


Ah yeah, i'm forgetting i'm comparing to myself. Before i made any of my choices, i had a really thorough look at the course, how it was structured and if the course wasn't enough, i knew a few people at some of the choices so i could ask them what it's really like in there. So, in answer to your second question, i did know a fair bit about the courses, like, i chose Bradford because they had a unique 5 year programme which looked quite appealing. I left out other uni's like Manchester, Nottingham, etc due to their course

Generalebriety: Sorry for the sweeping statements, i get carried away with my opinions
Reply 11
DoMakeSayThink
To be honest, I would go to either Oxford or Cambridge over pretty much every university in this country. You're argument really doesn't make much sense. I think passion for subject is an awful lot more important than passion for institution.


If you'd go to either, then why did you mention that the passion for the subject is more important than that for the intitution? From that quote, wouldn't that mean it doesn't matter where you end up as long as you end up on your course?
I admit, I'll be applying for the name. But only because employers are so easily seduced by either name too.
Irrelevance
If you'd go to either, then why did you mention that the passion for the subject is more important than that for the intitution? From that quote, wouldn't that mean it doesn't matter where you end up as long as you end up on your course?


Your post doesn't really make sense as it is. There's no contradiction raised, you've effectively summarised my statements as "I would go to either. It doesn't matter where I go", the former being necessary to the latter. I'm going to presume you meant why did I say I would go to either over any other. Even so, it doesn't quite imply what you've said. It simply means that it's more important to be doing the subject you enjoy, than being at your first choice of institution. It should more heavily weighted in the decision, if you will.

My point was derived from what I thought would be a more suitable basis for your original criticisms, that is, those who would do any course, so long as they could do it at Oxbridge. Those, I think, are the people more likely to want to attend for the name dropping opportunities. A little similar, perhaps, to some of the accusations leveled at Tony Blair - that he didn't care which party he was a part of, he just wanted to be Prime Minister.
Reply 14
Irrelevance
I see this a lot in here. People who choose to go to one of these say at the start, "I will be applying to Oxford or Cambridge" or say, "I will be visiting Oxford and Cambridge". This, to me, suggests that the candidate isn't particularly arsed which one they go to, so long as they get into one, that's all that matters because it's something to slip into coversation over coffee. They aren't picking it for the course, for it's location, the people, the social life, whatever. They choose it for it's name.

I guess this is more of a rant than anything else because the majority of people don't commit to a choice, they plan on going to either. It could be argued that this could be compared with any other two universities, however, the point here is that you won't get two universities so closely compared, for example, not many people say, "i'll be applying to UCL or LSE", they usually make a choice then and there even though they could apply to both. With a lot of Oxbridge hopefuls, they always mention both even though they can only pick one at the end of this day which is a bit ironic

When you were applying, did you also use "and" instead of picking just one? Hearing from current and applying students would be great


So, essentially, you take umbrage with people who prioritise academic reputation, subject-choice and career-prospects (in which respect Oxford and Cambridge are equally pre-eminent)? How very petty. I rather suspect that what really piques you is the propensity of certain individuals (who are often, despite their flippancy, prodigiously talented) to approach such venerable institutions in such a blasé fashion; with no trace either of reverence or of awe. Heresy, indeed.
Irrelevance
I see this a lot in here. People who choose to go to one of these say at the start, "I will be applying to Oxford or Cambridge" or say, "I will be visiting Oxford and Cambridge". This, to me, suggests that the candidate isn't particularly arsed which one they go to, so long as they get into one, that's all that matters because it's something to slip into coversation over coffee. They aren't picking it for the course, for it's location, the people, the social life, whatever. They choose it for it's name.

I guess this is more of a rant than anything else because the majority of people don't commit to a choice, they plan on going to either. It could be argued that this could be compared with any other two universities, however, the point here is that you won't get two universities so closely compared, for example, not many people say, "i'll be applying to UCL or LSE", they usually make a choice then and there even though they could apply to both. With a lot of Oxbridge hopefuls, they always mention both even though they can only pick one at the end of this day which is a bit ironic

When you were applying, did you also use "and" instead of picking just one? Hearing from current and applying students would be great


The reason why people don't say "I'll either apply to UCL or LSE", is because they would be able to apply to both, as you've mentioned. That's really the only reason people would say either - they like both, and have yet to make up their mind.
Irrelevance
If you'd go to either, then why did you mention that the passion for the subject is more important than that for the intitution? From that quote, wouldn't that mean it doesn't matter where you end up as long as you end up on your course?

No, he of course meant that Oxford and Cambridge are two universities with a reputation of academic excellence and where he is certain that the majority of students will share a similar passion for his subject, whereas Surrey isn't quite such a sure bet. Sure, Durham will have chemistry nuts too, but the choice between Durham and Oxford comes seven months after the choice between Cambridge and Oxford in the UCAS process.
Reply 17
Profesh
I rather suspect that what really piques you is the propensity of certain individuals (who are often, despite their flippancy, prodigiously talented) to approach such venerable institutions in such a blasé fashion; with no trace either of reverence or of awe. Heresy, indeed.


Yeah, I'll admit that. I've never really understood the Oxbridge hype - i don't think i'd accept an offer at either of them to be honest
Reply 18
chris1200
So basically your real question is why is everyone so crazy about Oxbridge?


Not quite, it was orignally about the equal consideration of both based on the value of reputation in such a fashion that makes hopefuls appear they aren't really bothered which one they go to, so long as it's one of them
Irrelevance
Not quite, it was orignally about the equal consideration of both based on the value of reputation in such a fashion that makes hopefuls appear they aren't really bothered which one they go to, so long as it's one of them

Well... yes, they exist. But surely there are people out there not bothered which university they go to, provided they're doing the right subject, so long as it's one of them? I know people who aren't bothered whether they get A or B in subjects, as long as they get one of them, ditto 2.ii / 2.i at university.

Quick Reply