Oxford or Cambridge?

cupcake
Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:44:53 +0000

From my understanding, being a legacy is slightly less important for Oxford or Cambridge admissions than it is for any of the elite US college admissions. I might be wrong though.



It’s illegal! It is interesting that the US has spent hundreds of years trying to cultivate the system that the UK has spent hundreds of years trying to stamp out. Namely getting into college due to your family achievements/wealth and not your own.

I’m not saying that a few people don’t get in because they know the admissions officer, they probably do covertly. But if anyone found out there would be uproar. The general consensus is don’t mention in your application/interview that anyone in your family went to Oxbridge because
a)the interviewer may reject you just to prove they’re being fair on principle
b)the interviewer might assume you’re stupid and just trying to get in on the basis of a family ‘name’.

either way, it’s considered best not to risk it. No-one will ask, and the term “legacy” means something you leave in your will in the UK. The use of the word in the US college context would mean nothing in the UK.