The Student Room Group

Why do people think...

That if you study at university X for undergraduate, you cannot study at Oxbridge/Imperial/LSE/elite university of your choice for postgraduate?

I see threads like this constantly on TSR. It's not something that would ever have crossed my mind. Do people just assume this, or is there some kind of horrible misinformation?

I've actually seen people from places like Edinburgh and Durham wondering if they can get onto a course at Oxford :eek:

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Reply 1
Don't ask me. Obviously it's utter nonsense.:rolleyes: I think it's all those league table/prestige-driven threads that tend to get to people after a while, but maybe people outside TSR have such odd notions as well...
Reply 2
Millions of people wonder millions of things. Unless you're already in LSE/Oxbridge yourself, you will always wonder 'what if' because the lack of inside information. Some misconceptions too. It's like Alevel students ask around about their choices of subjects, people at uni ask about the choices of their degree and so on.
There are so many urban myths surrounding those 'prestige' universities. I do know of at least two people, who went to different universities, and achieved first class honours degrees but were not accepted into Oxford for Master's degrees. One of these was in Philosophy, and instead became a rather embittered MA student in my own university before progressing onto a PhD in the US, and the other was in English, and was accepted into Cambridge.

I assume that it was their research proposals, which may have been outside the interests of the members of the respective faculties, rather than their grades or undergrad university.
Because if just anyone could get in, such people wouldn't feel nearly as special.
Because most people on TSR don't know their arse from their elbow when it comes to postgraduate education. You will notice that many of these questions come from people who have yet to begin their undergraduate studies.
Reply 6
Presumably they think (and I disagree but can see why people think this).
Oxford and Cambridge are the best universities and the hardest to get into for undergraduate. Therefore the same must be the case for PhDs/postgraduate generally. As Oxford and Cambridge are the hardest to get into they already have the best students and best teaching, therefore my degree at Edinburgh/Durham isn't as good as a Cambridge degree and therefore I won't get in.
Reply 7
Think it boils down to the whole element of univeristy prestige and how it's perceived to be that if you're not studying at a Russel Group university, you're doomed to utter failure and may as well give up now - not just from the opinionated "league tables are the god" twits on TSR, but to some extent schools as well - they can be very pro-reputation/league rankings (I know mine was).

So the continous debates on here regarding reputation, ranking and old but ever used RAE report fuels the question every week or so when it's asked. I know I asked it a couple of months ago, purely out of interest, but also to back up my own feelings about the subject (coming from a small relatively unknown uni) that when it does come to PG courses, it's just not all about where you studied for your UG.

Regarding Oxford and Cambs, it's not until you hear the experiences that say the_alba has experienced for her Mst, or when you get told by your own head of research that some of the worst PG students he had ever had, had come from Oxbridge, that you do begin to realise that the stereotypical reputation of a university doesn't always live up to the every day scenario.
I knew the thread was going to be about this before I came in, lol.
Reply 9
To be fair there are lots of courses on par with Oxford and suchlike. It's a matter of kudos of being at the uni so they are super picky about students to hold face.

I considered this option and really, the postgrad courses at I think it was Cambridge were quite plain and uneventful
misinformation/people have a pre-conception - and fail to question/query it.

i know that it's not the case -cos i know 3 people who have graduated from red brick universities and offered and the one was offered a placeat ox, the other at camp and the other at imperial for their postgraduate
Reply 11
Isn't it true that unless you're an Oxbridge graduate you have to go through an application process (interview, test etc.) for Oxford and Cambridge that is similar to the undergrad one?

Also, my lectuer told me (Cambridge grad himself) that because of the tripos system at Cambridge they don't really like outside research appplicants.

Can't really see why people would be too bothered about applying to Imperial or LSE though.

But really, a postgrad should not care about the pretige of their uni! They should be over it.
Cowz
Isn't it true that unless you're an Oxbridge graduate you have to go through an application process (interview, test etc.) for Oxford and Cambridge that is similar to the undergrad one?

No, that is not true. Whether you're from Oxbridge or not, you have to go through the same process.

Also, my lectuer told me (Cambridge grad himself) that because of the tripos system at Cambridge they don't really like outside research appplicants.


Your lecturer is talking nonsense.

Can't really see why people would be too bothered about applying to Imperial or LSE though.


Because they're both excellent unis. Why else?
Reply 13
Pernell Whitaker
Your lecturer is talking nonsense.


And from what experience base are you talking?
Cowz
And from what experience base are you talking?


Well, unless I've misunderstood you, your lecturer is saying that Cambridge don't like to take students for PG study from anywhere but Cambridge. Given the size of the place, I would say that such an assertion is, in the most part, rubbish.

If we are talking about mathematics, then yes, your lecturer is onto something. But for other subjects, particularly arts subjects, it is nonsense.
Cowz
Isn't it true that unless you're an Oxbridge graduate you have to go through an application process (interview, test etc.) for Oxford and Cambridge that is similar to the undergrad one?

This is categorically not true. The process is very much dependant on the individual procedures of the academic department (and perhaps college) you are applying to.


Also, my lectuer told me (Cambridge grad himself) that because of the tripos system at Cambridge they don't really like outside research appplicants.


As pernell said, unless your game is maths or mathematical physics then this is a load of cobblers - I have several classmates at Cambridge (3 out of 30) and I had the opportunity to go there myself.
Reply 16
I know three people on research courses at Cambridge from my undergraduate university.
Reply 17
Someone in the US Study forum just asked if a UCL degree is good enough for postgrad at an Ivy.

I'm going to lose it.
shady lane
Someone in the US Study forum just asked if a UCL degree is good enough for postgrad at an Ivy.

I'm going to lose it.


What I hate is that they don't say what they want to study. The guy you are refering to is talking about Imperial's reputation in medicine then talking about LSE's reputation in social sciences, but for the individual student talking about both is pointless!
Reply 19
When I went into undergrad, postgraduate studies weren't on my mind at all. Perhaps a vague notion of considering law school, but that was it. Same for the pre-meds. But it seems like in the UK, students are increasingly wanting to do postgraduate studies, without knowing anything about them.

There's another guy who posted in the Cambridge forum, who hasn't even started his degree yet, asking what marks he needs in his Imperial course to get into a Cambridge masters. I mean, that's just absurd.

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