[Redway]

Which do you think’s the better of the two? Strictly in uni. (aka not overall city) terms.

[Kizzy]

I don't know... how are we supposed to guage that?

I don't know about you but I'm a security guard from Leeds, I know nothing of either.

[Daniel-X]

If I was to go to one I’d probably rather go to Cambridge just judging from pics etc. but I’m very happy at Liverpool!

[Oliver_W]

I went to Bedford, which is pretty mehh overall but good for my degree. Cousins of mine went to each, and they were different enough to make it tricky to compare like-for-like.

I liked Oxford the place more though.

[Shaun]

Basing it purely on which town/city I liked the most from the one time I visited there, I'd say Oxford... but obviously have no idea what the universities are like.

[Ant.]

I visited both and applied to Cambridge. But I think a part of that is because the cobbles reminded me of Coronation Street

[Crimson Dynamo]

I voted Oxford as when the rugby game is on and you watch it in black and white, Cambridge look like Celtic

[smudgie]

Cambridge....because of the Light Blues.

[user104658]

I obviously have no idea in terms of teaching standards etc. having not been to either, but the international credibility that comes along with being Oxford alumni, either undergrad or postgrad, automatically makes an Oxford education extremely valuable. Cambridge has a great reputation in academic circles too, obviously, but outside of that the "Oxford" brand is pretty much unparalleled to this day save for a few of the most high-profile US schools (Harvard et al).

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I obviously have no idea in terms of teaching standards etc. having not been to either, but the international credibility that comes along with being Oxford alumni, either undergrad or postgrad, automatically makes an Oxford education extremely valuable. Cambridge has a great reputation in academic circles too, obviously, but outside of that the "Oxford" brand is pretty much unparalleled to this day save for a few of the most high-profile US schools (Harvard et al).

Cambridge is currently no 1 in the UK

[Ant.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Cambridge is currently no 1 in the UK

That shocked me

I always thought Oxford was marginally better?!

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Ant.

That shocked me

I always thought Oxford was marginally better?!

They chop and change, its down to Firsts!

[Ant.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

They chop and change, its down to Firsts!

Is that how it's worked out?!

I didn't actually look at the unis as a whole, just what was best for the course and that differs completely

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Ant.

That shocked me

I always thought Oxford was marginally better?!

There’s a saying that Oxford’s better for the humanities and Cambridge for the sciences.

All in all Oxford might have the tiniest bit more prestige worldwide but Cambridge is at the top of the league tables more years than not.

[Ant.]

Originally Posted by Redway

There’s a saying that Oxford’s better for the humanities and Cambridge for the sciences.

All in all Oxford might have the tiniest bit more prestige worldwide but Cambridge is at the top of the league tables more years than not.

Oxford is better for Medicine than Cambridge which is probably where I got the misconception from

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Cambridge is currently no 1 in the UK

It doesn't matter, the name is better known globally by "laypeople" and thus holds more value than the official ranking.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It doesn't matter, the name is better known globally by "laypeople" and thus holds more value than the official ranking.

Is that really how it works?

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It doesn't matter, the name is better known globally by "laypeople" and thus holds more value than the official ranking.

Absolute garbage they are both equally renowned along with Imperial College

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Absolute garbage they are both equally renowned along with Imperial College

In the UK yes. In academic circles worldwide yes. With the average person (including many potential employers) worldwide? No it is not garbage. Ask your average American and they will have heard of Oxford University, but not any other UK university. Look at any non-UK TV show or movie where they need to "consult an expert" in the UK... where does the little tag line say they went? Oxford. Need to emphasise that a character is well educated? "They studied at Oxford".

Both being equally academically prestigious does not mean that they both have the same reputation, or "PR" if you will.

Being able to say "I studied at Oxford" is a boost outside of the UK. Just literally the name drop.

[MTVN]

Oxford is slightly older which might give it a tiny bit more prestige but they tend to just swap places with each other in University rankings over the years and both are easily top 5 Unis globally

I did a postgrad course at Cambridge and loved it but its a weird world where you do feel like you're in a very privileged bubble

[Oliver_W]

I kind of wanna study Mathematics at Cambridge so I can myself a Wrangler <3

A job I do over the summer for the BBC is sometimes called Wrangler haha

[Oliver_W]

Whichever ever you go to it's basically a magic handshake.

Like my cousin did a humanities-type degree and sailed to the top of PGCE trainers (I don't know exactly what he does ). Obviously he had to put the work in, but his degree gave him some shortcuts for sure. When he was in Oxford I was doing Primary Ed, and now I have a middling job in a behaviour unit, which to be fair is what I wanted, but now he occasionally trains some of tge the secondary staff when he's never set foot in a place where he's routinely punched in the arm or sworn at

[Redway]

Anyone who seriously thinks Oxford’s better than Cambridge for anything scientific-mathematical is probably just going by the lay image of Oxford being number one in everything and that couldn’t be further from the truth as far as those subjects go.

The fact that Oxford was number one in the league tables one year doesn’t mean Cambridge wasn’t at other periods and school careers advisers are known for saying different things to different people. People smart enough to do medicine don’t usually take to them instantly.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Redway

probably just going by the lay image of Oxford being number one in everything and that couldn’t be further from the truth as far as those subjects go.

My point is that it's a mistake to not realise that "the lay image of Oxford being number one in everything" is very relevant, and very valuable, even if it's not true.

[Ant.]

Originally Posted by Redway

Anyone who seriously thinks Oxford’s better than Cambridge for anything scientific-mathematical is probably just going by the lay image of Oxford being number one in everything and that couldn’t be further from the truth as far as those subjects go.

The fact that Oxford was number one in the league tables one year doesn’t mean Cambridge wasn’t at other periods and school careers advisers are known for saying different things to different people. People smart enough to do medicine don’t usually take to them instantly.

so we shouldn't listen to anyone else and we shouldn't listen to league tables but we should listen to you?