what are people at oxford university like?
this year i’m only going into year 10 but i want to plan ahead. i decided a few months back that i want to go to oxford uni to do the modern languages course. i’ve read a fair few articles about things that people who go to uou say that could be considered quite offensive. i don’t
know how to put it without seeming like i’m proper generalising everyone but are people who go to uou snobby? i don’t have a problem with people being rich and privileged because they can’t help with that but i don’t like the kind of people who always talk about their privilege. i go to a private school now and i have to deal with that a lot. it’s just the fact that everyone says people make their best friend for life at uni and i just want to meet nice people and i might reconsider depending on what answers i get.
know how to put it without seeming like i’m proper generalising everyone but are people who go to uou snobby? i don’t have a problem with people being rich and privileged because they can’t help with that but i don’t like the kind of people who always talk about their privilege. i go to a private school now and i have to deal with that a lot. it’s just the fact that everyone says people make their best friend for life at uni and i just want to meet nice people and i might reconsider depending on what answers i get.
Original post by es0408
this year i’m only going into year 10 but i want to plan ahead. i decided a few months back that i want to go to oxford uni to do the modern languages course. i’ve read a fair few articles about things that people who go to uou say that could be considered quite offensive. i don’t
know how to put it without seeming like i’m proper generalising everyone but are people who go to uou snobby? i don’t have a problem with people being rich and privileged because they can’t help with that but i don’t like the kind of people who always talk about their privilege. i go to a private school now and i have to deal with that a lot. it’s just the fact that everyone says people make their best friend for life at uni and i just want to meet nice people and i might reconsider depending on what answers i get.
know how to put it without seeming like i’m proper generalising everyone but are people who go to uou snobby? i don’t have a problem with people being rich and privileged because they can’t help with that but i don’t like the kind of people who always talk about their privilege. i go to a private school now and i have to deal with that a lot. it’s just the fact that everyone says people make their best friend for life at uni and i just want to meet nice people and i might reconsider depending on what answers i get.
I have a place at oxford uni for this October so hopefully I will be going! I obviously do consider myself to be a nice person and the vast majority of people I met at interview were all lovely. You always get some people who are *******s but you get those at every university. I honestly wouldn’t worry about it at all! 55% of people come from state schools, myself included, so it isn’t just the home of the ‘elite’.
Original post by ruthflame57
I have a place at oxford uni for this October so hopefully I will be going! I obviously do consider myself to be a nice person and the vast majority of people I met at interview were all lovely. You always get some people who are *******s but you get those at every university. I honestly wouldn’t worry about it at all! 55% of people come from state schools, myself included, so it isn’t just the home of the ‘elite’.
thank you for answering! also i just want to ask you what gcse and a2 grades did you get?
Original post by es0408
thank you for answering! also i just want to ask you what gcse and a2 grades did you get?
At GCSE I got 3 A*s 4 As 4 Bs and 1 C (not fantastic I know). At AS I got an A in Law and results day is next week so I need 3 As to get in.
Original post by Bobo344
Hmm
Interesting
Original post by ruthflame57
At GCSE I got 3 A*s 4 As 4 Bs and 1 C (not fantastic I know). At AS I got an A in Law and results day is next week so I need 3 As to get in.
how come you have 12?
Original post by es0408
how come you have 12?
12 GCSEs? I just did 12 at my school.
Original post by es0408
how come you have 12?
Just so you know, it really doesn't matter if someone does loads of GCSEs. However many you're taking, it's probably fine. I have 12 but one was taken a year early and the other a year late.
Original post by ruthflame57
12 GCSEs? I just did 12 at my school.
at mine i only do 9 for some reason..
Keep dreaming. Oxford students are just odd humans.
Original post by es0408
at mine i only do 9 for some reason..
I wouldn’t worry about that at all!
In my experience (I've just finished first year), the snobby students are few and far between. There are plenty of people who very obviously come from more privileged backgrounds, but they don't tend to fit the Oxford/private school stereotypes that much. Most people (myself included) were equally wary before they started that everyone else there would be the kind of student you describe!
N.B. Keep in mind that it depends to a certain extent which college you go to. I'm at a modern college with a relatively high ratio of state to private school students, but someone at one of the more 'traditional' colleges might have a different experience (or, then again, they might not. It really depends who you mix with).
N.B. Keep in mind that it depends to a certain extent which college you go to. I'm at a modern college with a relatively high ratio of state to private school students, but someone at one of the more 'traditional' colleges might have a different experience (or, then again, they might not. It really depends who you mix with).
Original post by ruthflame57
At GCSE I got 3 A*s 4 As 4 Bs and 1 C (not fantastic I know). At AS I got an A in Law and results day is next week so I need 3 As to get in.
AAA for Oxford??
Original post by Bill Nye
AAA for Oxford??
Yeah, that’s the standard offer for Law.
Original post by ruthflame57
Yeah, that’s the standard offer for Law.
Really? Thought it was higher.
Original post by Bill Nye
Really? Thought it was higher.
No surprisingly it isn’t! My offers from UCL, KCL and LSE were all higher!
You mostly couldn't tell who was privae schooled and who wasn't. Mostly people would just be very high achieving and often extrordinarily multi-talented, as well as nice people. Definitely one of the best things about uni.
And the rich friends thing would have perks. Sometimes you'd go to a friend's house in the vac expecting them to be completely 'normal' - turns out they live in a multi-million pound mansion!
But remember it actually won't be so different from other top unis. Bristol and Durham have approximatly equivalent private school intakes, but lack the rigorous admissions process to actually make sure they're admitting the best students. Even if you go down the league tables 20-30 places you'll still be finding 30+% private school intake. Rich people are over-represented at top unis, its just fact.
And the rich friends thing would have perks. Sometimes you'd go to a friend's house in the vac expecting them to be completely 'normal' - turns out they live in a multi-million pound mansion!
But remember it actually won't be so different from other top unis. Bristol and Durham have approximatly equivalent private school intakes, but lack the rigorous admissions process to actually make sure they're admitting the best students. Even if you go down the league tables 20-30 places you'll still be finding 30+% private school intake. Rich people are over-represented at top unis, its just fact.
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