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Oxford University OR Cambridge University?

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Reply 40
Avatar for RichE
RichE
15
Original post by XxxvatxxX
What are you teaching? :h:


Maths
Original post by RichE
Maths


Wow! So could give a VERY brief outline of the maths course at Oxford?
Reply 42
Avatar for RichE
RichE
15
Original post by chinkilicious
Wow! So could give a VERY brief outline of the maths course at Oxford?

I don't think it's possible to provide a brief outline and in any case all the course material is on the web, and a 2-page outline does exist in the prospectus

https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/system/files/attachments/introbook18_0.pdf
It depends what you're looking for. Oxford, for a short while, had Dr Jon Swift who was a world expert on extracting sunlight from plants such as cucumber. Cambridge, meanwhile, had Professor Cook who gained a Nobel prize from his work in ornithology teaching ravens to fly underwater.
(edited 6 years ago)
University:
* Both internationally renowned and the best of the best and so my decision wasn't made on the course so much.
* Cambridge, in my opinion, is much more beautiful and diverse amongst the architectural styles. Each college is like an exploration into history and excitement.
* Cambridge is full of some of my favourite academics/authors and it felt surreal that they could potentially be teaching me.

City:
* Cambridge is much smaller than Oxford and that appealed to me as Oxford gave off to much of a big city busy vibe, whereas for me Cambridge felt so much more cosy and friendly.

Personally:
Cambridge just felt like a better fit aswell, I had fallen in love with the course, the colleges and the city itself from a very young age.
Reply 45
Avatar for JT_888
JT_888
20
Original post by chinkilicious
What were the reasons that made you to apply to either Cambridge or Oxford? Are there any specifics that helped sway your mind, or any bad experiences at either university? This also applies to current undergraduate prospective students, and why YOU are applying to this university...


Currently, in Year 12 and I'm interested in applying to Cambridge for History & Politics mostly because they focus less on your GCSEs when they look at your examination. Though I guess it's more to do with teacher influence tbh because of their advice to consider applying there and having visited the uni twice, I do like the area and the uni. Though I haven't visited Oxford so I won't comment on that.

Personally, I would try to visit both if you can and compare the courses because that can be one of the biggest deciding factors. :smile:
Reply 46
Avatar for Doones
Doones
21
Original post by Picnicl
Cambridge, meanwhile, had Professor Cook who gained a Nobel prize from his work in ornithology teaching ravens to fly underwater.


[video="youtube;lbnkY1tBvMU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbnkY1tBvMU[/video]

PS. Swift went to Trinity, Dublin not Oxford.
Original post by mah1000000
University:
* Both internationally renowned and the best of the best and so my decision wasn't made on the course so much.
* Cambridge, in my opinion, is much more beautiful and diverse amongst the architectural styles. Each college is like an exploration into history and excitement.
* Cambridge is full of some of my favourite academics/authors and it felt surreal that they could potentially be teaching me.

City:
* Cambridge is much smaller than Oxford and that appealed to me as Oxford gave off to much of a big city busy vibe, whereas for me Cambridge felt so much more cosy and friendly.

Personally:
Cambridge just felt like a better fit aswell, I had fallen in love with the course, the colleges and the city itself from a very young age.


What do u study there at the moment?
Original post by CoffeeAndPolitics
Currently, in Year 12 and I'm interested in applying to Cambridge for History & Politics mostly because they focus less on your GCSEs when they look at your examination. Though I guess it's more to do with teacher influence tbh because of their advice to consider applying there and having visited the uni twice, I do like the area and the uni. Though I haven't visited Oxford so I won't comment on that.

Personally, I would try to visit both if you can and compare the courses because that can be one of the biggest deciding factors. :smile:


As regards to courses, I would like to study maths. I've skimmed both universities' prospectuses on their maths course outline and both seem pretty enjoyable, with various bits of statistics and mechanics incorporated throughout the years. I dont really think course content will be a, if not at all, significant deciding factor, but maybe more the general vibe and feel of both places. I havent been to visit either places you see...
Original post by chinkilicious
What do u study there at the moment?


I don't study there at the moment. These were just my thoughts when deciding which to apply for. At the end of this year, with a gap year since I'm in year 13, I'll be applying to Cambridge.
Original post by mah1000000
I don't study there at the moment. These were just my thoughts when deciding which to apply for. At the end of this year, with a gap year since I'm in year 13, I'll be applying to Cambridge.


Ah ok. Hopefully I'll be able to go on 2 Cambridge summer schools this year and have a feel. Regretfully, I missed the Oxford summer schools deadline. I've heard Cambridge is pretty much just the uni itself and the atmosphere is a bit 'dead' so to speak. In contrast, oxford 'seems to be' much bigger and there's a lot more going on. I think that suits me more...
I applied Cambridge because it is better for my course and generally better for stem stuff. I applied for engineering but I had gone to oxford and stayed at the university for a few days (was invited there) and quite liked it so initially I wasn't sure where to apply but at the end chose Cambridge .
Original post by Doonesbury


PS. Swift went to Trinity, Dublin not Oxford.


Before I wrote it, I was praying that there'd be an Oxford connection with Swift to suit my 'embellishment' because, although the fiction work of Lewis Carroll, to name one Oxford possibility , would have also been able to supply a half-surreal nature, the extracting sunbeams from cucumbers bit in Gulliver's Travels tickled me more. To my surprise and delight, I found an Oxford connection with Swift so I went with Swift.

Swift graduated from Trinity,Dublin, I know. But lesser known is that he was sent by them to Hart Hall (now called Hertford College) , Oxford University to get his MA. (hence why I put 'for a short while'.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by chinkilicious
Ah ok. Hopefully I'll be able to go on 2 Cambridge summer schools this year and have a feel. Regretfully, I missed the Oxford summer schools deadline. I've heard Cambridge is pretty much just the uni itself and the atmosphere is a bit 'dead' so to speak. In contrast, oxford 'seems to be' much bigger and there's a lot more going on. I think that suits me more...


It's great to have a look around but it doesn't have to be for a formal event. One can turn up at the city and look around and generally can easily gain admittance to the colleges to have a wonder if you tell them you are a prospective student they may even waive the admissions fee. There are also so many open days, faculty, college and university ones in the summer which I highly recommend. Yes, Cambridge is smaller and subsequently quieter than Oxford, and if you are at the centre it is heavily dominated by the University. But, while it may be 'dead' compared to other universities there is plenty to do and it is what you make of it. Remember you are there to work and Oxbridge are at the top of the most challenging environments to be in, but yes, there are places to unwind and have fun in both Cambridge and Oxford.
Reply 54
Avatar for Doones
Doones
21
Original post by Picnicl
Before I wrote it, I was praying that there'd be an Oxford connection with Swift to suit my 'embellishment' because, although the fiction work of Lewis Carroll, to name one Oxford possibility , would have also been able to supply a half-surreal nature, the extracting sunbeams from cucumbers bit in Gulliver's Travels tickled me more. To my surprise and delight, I found an Oxford connection with Swift so I went with Swift.

Swift graduated from Trinity,Dublin, I know. But lesser known is that he was sent by them to Hart Hall (now called Hertord College) , Oxford University to get his MA. (hence why I put 'for a short while':wink:.


Good sleuthing :smile: Although I prefer Wilde to Swift if you are looking for Irish writers at Oxford...
Reply 55
Avatar for JT_888
JT_888
20
Original post by chinkilicious
As regards to courses, I would like to study maths. I've skimmed both universities' prospectuses on their maths course outline and both seem pretty enjoyable, with various bits of statistics and mechanics incorporated throughout the years. I dont really think course content will be a, if not at all, significant deciding factor, but maybe more the general vibe and feel of both places. I havent been to visit either places you see...


I agree about the vibe and the feel of both places also being important.
Original post by Anonymouspsych
I applied Cambridge because it is better for my course and generally better for stem stuff. I applied for engineering but I had gone to oxford and stayed at the university for a few days (was invited there) and quite liked it so initially I wasn't sure where to apply but at the end chose Cambridge .


did u get into cambridge?
Original post by chinkilicious
did u get into cambridge?


got an offer yea
Original post by Doonesbury
Good sleuthing :smile: Although I prefer Wilde to Swift if you are looking for Irish writers at Oxford...


Coincidentally , my surname is Wilde, that side of the family from Greater Manchester / Cheshire / Lancashire which have long been the most popular English counties for the name so we don't seem to travel too much . I'm not a big reader of fiction but I did like the film of Dorian Gray.

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