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Why are Oxbridge graduates supposedly more employable?
Is it because of the intellectual rigour, the 'calibre' of the people they are around, the environment, the independence, or something else?
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They do a very tough course which is renowned for being stressful and deadline driven. Although all uni is tough, I guess employers see Oxbridge as a good test of character.
An ability to think critically - Oxbridge graduates will be able to apply their style of thinking to completely new situations
An ability to work to deadlines - Oxbridge students will usually have to write 3+ essays per week to be handed in
An exceptionally broad knowledge and an exceptionally in depth knowledge, the Cambridge Maths tripos covers many topics, often borrowed from physics which by second year are probably beyond graduates of most other universities
Nepotism - Oxbridge has thousands of successful investment bankers, consultants, successful legal types in its history and a near exclusive stranglehold on public policy officials. If you're at Oxbridge and somebody from your college is big in one of these things (which is a sure thing) then you can take advantage of that link - successful graduates are always keen to wangle an interview for someone at their old college.
A cuture of careerism - despite all the talk of 'soul selling drudgery' there's a culture at Oxbridge where people try to have it all - including the high powered job. Oxbridge careers services email their students everyday offering opportunities to go and talk to potential employers in graduate driven industries.
An ability to work to deadlines - Oxbridge students will usually have to write 3+ essays per week to be handed in
An exceptionally broad knowledge and an exceptionally in depth knowledge, the Cambridge Maths tripos covers many topics, often borrowed from physics which by second year are probably beyond graduates of most other universities
Nepotism - Oxbridge has thousands of successful investment bankers, consultants, successful legal types in its history and a near exclusive stranglehold on public policy officials. If you're at Oxbridge and somebody from your college is big in one of these things (which is a sure thing) then you can take advantage of that link - successful graduates are always keen to wangle an interview for someone at their old college.
A cuture of careerism - despite all the talk of 'soul selling drudgery' there's a culture at Oxbridge where people try to have it all - including the high powered job. Oxbridge careers services email their students everyday offering opportunities to go and talk to potential employers in graduate driven industries.
Lady_Muck
I don't see why, it's so bloody insular there and the large majority come out more immature than when they went in.
How extremely mature of you to post that on a forum used by Oxbridge students without any evidence. In my experience it's an unfounded stereotype.
jokeroid
Only the best get in - and only the BEST get out
Actually you can pay lots of money and be coached to get in...
georgecrabbe
How extremely mature of you to post that on a forum used by Oxbridge students without any evidence. In my experience it's an unfounded stereotype.
Really? No evidence and unfounded.........Riiiiiight....Do you not think that it was, infact, YOUR statement that was unfounded, given that you know nothing of my background? In actual fact:
My aunt (Oxford), My dad (Cambridge), my brother (Oxford), my sister-in-law (Oxford), Cousin 1 (Cambridge), Cousin 2 (Oxford).....I could go on to list 5 more family friends.....Have all said THEMSELVES, every single one, that they loved going there, but they felt incredibly detached from the 'real world'. And all of them are relatively normal.
Lady_Muck
Really? No evidence and unfounded.........Riiiiiight....Do you not think that it was, infact, YOUR statement that was unfounded, given that you know nothing of my background? In actual fact:
My aunt (Oxford), My dad (Cambridge), my brother (Oxford), my sister-in-law (Oxford), Cousin 1 (Cambridge), Cousin 2 (Oxford).....I could go on to list 5 more family friends.....Have all said THEMSELVES, every single one, that they loved going there, but they felt incredibly detached from the 'real world'. And all of them are relatively normal.
My aunt (Oxford), My dad (Cambridge), my brother (Oxford), my sister-in-law (Oxford), Cousin 1 (Cambridge), Cousin 2 (Oxford).....I could go on to list 5 more family friends.....Have all said THEMSELVES, every single one, that they loved going there, but they felt incredibly detached from the 'real world'. And all of them are relatively normal.
Can't that be said of most universities though? I don't go to Oxford or Cambridge but my university isn't exactly anchored in the real world either.
Lady_Muck
Really? No evidence and unfounded.........Riiiiiight....Do you not think that it was, infact, YOUR statement that was unfounded, given that you know nothing of my background? In actual fact:
My aunt (Oxford), My dad (Cambridge), my brother (Oxford), my sister-in-law (Oxford), Cousin 1 (Cambridge), Cousin 2 (Oxford).....I could go on to list 5 more family friends.....Have all said THEMSELVES, every single one, that they loved going there, but they felt incredibly detached from the 'real world'. And all of them are relatively normal.
My aunt (Oxford), My dad (Cambridge), my brother (Oxford), my sister-in-law (Oxford), Cousin 1 (Cambridge), Cousin 2 (Oxford).....I could go on to list 5 more family friends.....Have all said THEMSELVES, every single one, that they loved going there, but they felt incredibly detached from the 'real world'. And all of them are relatively normal.
... detached from the real world does not equal immature.
jokeroid
Only the best get in - and only the BEST get out
Given that they have the lowest dropout rate in the country, that would indicate that most students go on to graduation, so you don't have to be anything outstanding once you've got in to get your degree. It might not be a GOOD degree though.
And I'd absolutely contest what Lady Muck says. Cambridge may not really be the real world but I'm certainly not more immature now than when I started.
Apricot Fairy
Actually you can pay lots of money and be coached to get in...
Rather tricky to do that seeing as they generally see through coaching. Not sure what exactly your dig was aimed at, but if private schools (maybe not, but if), last year the 15 who received coaching for a particular subject were rejected and the 2 who didn't opt in for coaching got in.
Sarge
People who get into oxbridge tend to be very confident and quite efficient learners this is probably more important than being exceptionally intelligent. There will be a number of people who are as intelligent as those in oxbridge but lack the confidence + efficiency to get in.
It's interesting you say that because it seems to me that to get into Oxbridge you don't need to be a particularly well-rounded or driven person in that sense, you need to be smart and passionate about your subject. This is why I'm curious as to why Oxbridge graduates become more employable.. I would have thought universities which seem to concentrate more on employability and all-roundedness (London universities come to mind, particularly LSE) would have a better record at scoring employment.
If you can survive the Oxbridge interview, a normal job interview will probably seem like a piece of cake in comparison. Also all the tutorials/supervisions are good practice for being articulate in a job/ interview situation and pobably means that the Oxbridge graduate might find talking to potential bosses easier.
I started to feel cut off from the real world after summer school at Cambridge!
Of course, i'm just bitter cos I didn't get in.
Of course, i'm just bitter cos I didn't get in.
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