why is everybody obsessed with Cambridge and Oxford

I didnt apply for either one, becaue they do not do my course, but my sister applied to do medicine and she got rejected at Cambridge and she got AAAA (Chemistry, Maths,Biology,History), at first i didnt get why she was so mad, she got rejected but now i can understand (she goes Nothingham).
I applied for Warwick, LSE, Bath, Bristol, Manchester, i got rejected at LSE. It really get me annoyed when people keep worshipping these two uni's afterall the students at the top 20 uni's got similar grades, and the students that have offers from either cambridge or oxford arent any special :rolleyes:

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Reply 1

Sariya

...Because they're the best Universities in the country, and have an untouchable international reputation?

Reply 2

lm_wfc

They are special, but normally a bit pretentious

Reply 3

Gesar

Well, if you get an offer from Oxbridge the admissions tutors think you can handle the course and are one of their best applicants. And if the admissions tutors think that, then it's something to be proud of.

Reply 4

2Av

Everyone? I'm not obsessed with Cambridge or Oxford. I'm obsessed with Harvard.

Reply 5

Tsukuyomi

Gesar

but the students from the top 20 unis have similar grades

Reply 6

yesioo

something to brag about :awsome:

Reply 7

ChannieAlana

Hmmm... well my college only cared about Oxbridge students. out of 50. 10 Applied and 5 got places (but 3didn't get the grades)

The rest of us had to fend for ourselves. We got no career support whatsoever. :frown:

Reply 8

Gesar

Tsukuyomi

but the students from the top 20 unis have similar grades

So? A level grades mean next to nothing when there are so many people getting A's. Some of the world leaders in your chosen subject thought you had real potential and the ability to cope at oxbridge's level, which is what you have to be proud of - the fact you'll get all A's is a given.

Reply 9

Tsukuyomi

Gesar

i personally think it comes down to luck, because you cannot differentiate between the studnets, i do not think there is any gap between cambridge and lets say Durham

Reply 10

didgeridoo12uk

Tsukuyomi

but the students from the top 20 unis have similar grades

grades mean nothing.
getting 90+% in all my subjects was a walk in the park for me, whereas other people would work very hard to get the same grades.
i obviously have a higher aptitude for the subjects than they do.

and also its enthusiasm for the subject amongst other things that they look for.

Reply 11

The_Lonely_Goatherd

I don't know why everyone is so obsessed with Cambridge. It's really not a very good uni :no:

Reply 12

Tsukuyomi

didgeridoo12uk

look a typical cambridge student bragging (A walk in the part whilst others have to work hard). One of the reasons i hate these two uni's

Reply 13

Ben77mc

Tsukuyomi

They are always in the top three unis in the world.
Why wouldn't you be obsessed?

Reply 14

Natalie*

I'm obsessed with Loughborough. I would love to go there.

Reply 15

Gesar

Tsukuyomi

i personally think it comes down to luck, because you cannot differentiate between the studnets, i do not think there is any gap between cambridge and lets say Durham

But they can differentiate. They set you questions which make you think. For instance, people can get 100% at maths A level just by practising, practising, practising. Whereas if they ever actually had to think about the maths involved and do something new, they'd crumble. Oxbridge takes people who can think, finds the best/quickest/most accurate of them and offers them a place.

Of course, you also have to like your subject.

Reply 16

ily_em

Tsukuyomi

i personally think it comes down to luck, because you cannot differentiate between the studnets, i do not think there is any gap between cambridge and lets say Durham

It is probably more luck to get into Durham and other top uni's that are not Cambridge than Cambridge because they have nothing to differentiate you other than your grades and PS. With Cambridge and Oxford the interview gives the universities an extra thing to compare students. Only the ones who are really into their subjects and will fit with their teaching style go. For Durham etc they have no way of really telling this, it is much more luck-based.

Reply 17

stainluss

Theyre the best in Europe by miles..

But chances are you would miss out on a lot of the social part of college.
(fun, getting pissed etc :smile:

)
Because everyone would have their head stuck in books

Lifes too short! You only live once :smile:

Chances are, a degree from any uni is going to get you a decent paying job.

People that go to the big unis might get big, important jobs - and all the stress that comes with them :biggrin:

A lot of people fail to see this

Reply 18

gummers

because they kick arse

Reply 19

pete1111

Who cares if they are the best unis in the world, I would much rather go to a red brick top 20 uni - the social life is so much better (I went to a cambridge open day everyone was so miserable), cambridge only has ONE club in the whole city and I live near oxford myself its a very charming city but the nightlife is no where near as good as places like Bristol and Brighton. Also the amount of pressure thats put on you at cambridge is unbelievable, my teacher told me her friend was so pressurized at cambridge he had a nervous breakdown. Ok admittedly the career benefits are huge but you can still come out with a perfectly decent job from redbrick unis, the main thing is being happy not earning £200,000 and having no life