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Well, Oxford and Cambridge are older. And an institution with thousands of dead people behind it is obviously going to be more prestigious than one with mere h

Well, Oxford and Cambridge are older. And an institution with thousands of dead people behind it is obviously going to be more prestigious than one with mere hundreds. Huge, weighty anchors biting into the benthic depths of our past - that's how you get to be a Prestigious Institution of global Renown.

eighthnate 9y ago
I disagree. There are tons of old universities in europe. University of Bologna is older than oxford, but I doubt anyone would say it is more prestigious. Prestige is determined by money and power. Oxford doesn't really measure up to harvard or yale in this regard. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/05/harvard-mit-ranked-two-most-prestigious-colleges-world/Y3r9Kc3QUYBeeJSS3Vj2pI/story.html https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/05/harvard-mit-ran... The most important and wealthiest universities in the most important country is going to be more prestigious. It's why chinese parents choose american universities for their children. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32969291 http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32969291 More importantly, it's why top chinese leaders send their children to american universities. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2012/05/harvard_and_the_chinese_communist_party_top_chinese_officials_are_studying_at_elite_u_s_universities_in_large_numbers_.html http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2...
- leggomylibro 9y ago
  Sorry, I was sort of making a facetious joke. Sometimes it's surprising how fervently people revere tradition, and you do see it a bit more often in the UK, imo. Not that I'd be a great judge, having spent less than a month or so there in total.
  - eighthnate 9y ago
    > Sorry, I was sort of making a facetious joke. Oh. I see. The joke went completely over my head.
    - leggomylibro 9y ago
      It probably just wasn't any good.

eighthnate 9y ago

I disagree. There are tons of old universities in europe. University of Bologna is older than oxford, but I doubt anyone would say it is more prestigious. Prestige is determined by money and power. Oxford doesn't really measure up to harvard or yale in this regard. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/05/harvard-mit-ranked-two-most-prestigious-colleges-world/Y3r9Kc3QUYBeeJSS3Vj2pI/story.html https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/05/harvard-mit-ran... The most important and wealthiest universities in the most important country is going to be more prestigious. It's why chinese parents choose american universities for their children. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32969291 http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32969291 More importantly, it's why top chinese leaders send their children to american universities. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2012/05/harvard_and_the_chinese_communist_party_top_chinese_officials_are_studying_at_elite_u_s_universities_in_large_numbers_.html http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2...

leggomylibro 9y ago
Sorry, I was sort of making a facetious joke. Sometimes it's surprising how fervently people revere tradition, and you do see it a bit more often in the UK, imo. Not that I'd be a great judge, having spent less than a month or so there in total.
- eighthnate 9y ago
  > Sorry, I was sort of making a facetious joke. Oh. I see. The joke went completely over my head.
  - leggomylibro 9y ago
    It probably just wasn't any good.