The Student Room Group

Durham and old boys network/ties?

Why do i often hear Durham associated with an "old boys network" or having "old boy ties"?

I didnt think Durham was that prestigious, it used to be D ox bridge, but Durham has slipped to 10th now in the rankings (times) and im worried that its not as prestigious as it once used to be.

Durham appealed to be because eventually i want to go in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which is why i was asking about the old boy network?

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Reply 1
Why are you asking when your signature seems to imply that you haven't even applied to Durham? :confused:
dobbs
Why are you asking when your signature seems to imply that you haven't even applied to Durham? :confused:


because my signature has 5 courses that i have applied for, hence i still have one more that i can put in.
Reply 3
futureaussiecto
because my signature has 5 courses that i have applied for, hence i still have one more that i can put in.


But your signature says that you have interviews and offers from certain places. Surely if you have interviews and offers then you can't apply to Durham now, since you have to apply to all of your preferred universities at the same time through UCAS?

Or is there something I'm missing here?

Though on the Old Boys thing - I'm not too sure, I know Durham has some strong links with their alumni and now and then they have the "Old Boys" come back to various colleges for reunions and things like that. If you're looking to get work somewhere simply by knowing people in high places then go for Oxbridge, if you want to actually work your way into a position of responsibility then come to Durham :wink: :smile:
dobbs
But your signature says that you have interviews and offers from certain places. Surely if you have interviews and offers then you can't apply to Durham now, since you have to apply to all of your preferred universities at the same time through UCAS?

Or is there something I'm missing here?

Though on the Old Boys thing - I'm not too sure, I know Durham has some strong links with their alumni and now and then they have the "Old Boys" come back to various colleges for reunions and things like that. If you're looking to get work somewhere simply by knowing people in high places then go for Oxbridge, if you want to actually work your way into a position of responsibility then come to Durham :wink: :smile:


You dont have to apply at the same time :p:

I am looking to work hard- but sometimes knowing people counts more than what you know...........
Reply 5
futureaussiecto
You dont have to apply at the same time :p:

I am looking to work hard- but sometimes knowing people counts more than what you know...........


I know it counts more, but I really don't want to be offered a good job because my Daddy is the CEO of the company, or my Mummy happens to be a good friend of the Human Resources Manager. I want to get a job based on what I have done and what I am capable of :smile:
Reply 6
Rahrahrahrah, daddy owns Hampshire don't you know?
Sorry, I was distracted for a minute there-Jeeves really isn't being as efficient these days.
First off don't expect the University you go to, to get a foot into the FCO.

It's so competitive now since they opened up their applications, and i'm sure that's the same with the publicly advertised vacancies at MI5/6. But i know two people who were rejected for the FCO, one currently at Durham, and one now teaching English in Italy(nice job methinks!) but who went to Bath and did a French and Russian degree!

I've never felt the atmosphere of an old boys club within the University itself though.
Reply 8
If you're another one of these godawful people who never shuts up about their private school and how wonderful it was and who is always eager to tell everyone how you know the chairmun of airbus then feel free to have the worst opinion of Durham imaginable - please don't come here. If having a lot of "old boys" ties makes a place prestigious then the less Durham is, the better.
Reply 9
You should have gone to Hatfield...
Reply 10
...and not seen the pope.
pikaboo
You should have gone to Hatfield...

I'm not a boy and I'm not old!

I'm sure there is an old boy's network for people who want/need there to be, ie between people who in later life want to be able to say 'I was at prep school/Eton/Magdalen with so and so, he's a terribly nice chap and I'll put in a word for you'. But I'm fairly sure none of us on here is into that kind of thing...
Reply 12
Did you ever meet Euan Blair's g/f? Apparently she's of that sort ._.
pikaboo
Did you ever meet Euan Blair's g/f? Apparently she's of that sort ._.

No, but wasn't she at Castle, not Hatfield?
Reply 14
I heard she was at Hatfield! Oh well, shows how reliable my sources are :p:
Reply 15
My school's very active in the whole "Old Girl/Senior" thing, but it isn't really for networking as such, more nostalgia/fundrasing etc which is quite good. And since it was a boarding school and people came from all over the world its apparently a useful way to keep in touch, so don't completely knock the "old boy network". :wink:
pikaboo
Did you ever meet Euan Blair's g/f? Apparently she's of that sort ._.


Arguably, Euan has better networking connections though, given that his Dad is the PM!

Which is why he's now working for an American Senator.... i'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong.

But if that's not using your connections to get somewhere i don't know what is :wink:

Seconded to what Kathryn said too: i'm not old, and i'm not a boy-hence the female symbol in the corner of all my posts! :p:
Reply 17
Because the collegiate system in Durham is very strong a lot of the alumni are very loyal to it (alhtough not as much as at Oxbridge). I think the old boys system is stronger in colleges and societies than in the university as a whole, and you can be as involved in it as you want to be.
Reply 18
pikaboo
Did you ever meet Euan Blair's g/f? Apparently she's of that sort ._.

I heard she was at Hild Bede!!
Becca
I heard she was at Hild Bede!!


Do you think she ever actually was at Durham, or are we going to go around and continue to guess from all the colleges? :wink: