Chip on shoulder against Oxbridge

[slipware]

Has anyone else noticed that many people have a chip on their shoulder about oxbridge?

This is especially true for those of whom who have been rejected by the institutions/go to universities seen as the next best thing.

Through my post uni life, I have noticed that many people tend to be blunt about Oxbridge. For example, “Which university did you go to?” “Oxford” “OH.” What is it with the stigma?

Has anyone else encountered this?

[RedHelenB]

No cant say that I gave.

[RedHelenB]

have I mean.

[Holenewme]

I’ve never noticed this

[SarahAndQuack]

Of course; people have chips on their shoulders about all sorts of things.

I also notice many people are enormous snobs about Oxbridge. There's a certain kind of person who will always just happen to drop into the conversation that they went to Oxbridge, or their son's been to Oxbridge, or whatever. To some extent, I expect the two types ('chippy' and 'braggy') wind each other up.

[pizzaparty5]

No. Why, do you want everyone to be enthralled that you went to Oxford?

[Biscuitsneeded]

To be honest I am well past the stage of life where I know or care where anyone went to university. I have some very dear friends who were Oxbridge-educated and of course part of the appeal is that they are thoughtful, intelligent, informed, witty, articulate people. All these things I suspect they were before, and even would have been without, their Oxbridge education. Then again... Boris Johnson!

[MamaMumMama]

It's down to jealousy pure and simple
I think it's a great achievement to have been there and they are doing more to take in kids from disadvantaged backgrounds and BAME which is a step in the right direction.

[BubblesBuddy]

There are people in life who expect everyone to be like them. So they query anyone with a different life experience. In general, I’m old enough not to care. I’ve certainly worked with people who were educated at Oxbridge and the vast majority were very intelligent but not all. It’s like anywhere else, there are all sorts at these universities and I prefer to judge people on what they are like as opposed to where they went to university.

[Xenia]

Most of us don't. I didn't try and my siblings tried and both got in and we've all done well. I never felt my life was any different for not going there. I went to a good univesrity, was top of year, won prizes, earn a fair bit - it's not important.

If you get in you are both very bright but also lucky too as plenty who are bright and try to get in don't.