yes, it's a generalisation. yes, oxbridgians put both legs into a trouser. however the system does build up palpable differences in ability between a general oxford student and someone just as smart who ends up somewhere else.
But the bulk of the post is about the effect of working with well schooled individuals - if you're not as smart then copying their mannerisms can often be a world of hurt for all.
> the system does build up palpable differences in ability between a general oxford student and someone just as smart who ends up somewhere else
I think this is just plain false. There are plenty of truly smart people at all universities and the quality of teaching doesn't vary much across universities. The only real difference between Oxbridge and rest is that they're harder to get into. Once you're in they're much the same.
The benefit you will get out of any teaching institution will directly correlate with the effort you put in.
So, moving away from the point of the post- yes there are many smart & cool CTOs, CEOs & MDs that didn't go to Oxbridge.
But what you learn at uni is proportional to delta^2 in the intelligences of the people around you. If it's harder to get in, the people are smarter, and you learn more. There's less drag, classes move faster. You don't need to be a-CEO-level-handshaker to meet the right people, because there are so many. Oxbridge have obscene resources - classes to print your own chips or 1:2 tuition that the next layer of universities down don't get.
There is a mini-valley-effect going on there, that makes it much more likely for someone to act smart if they've been to an elitist university.
Congratulations and welcome to the club. I was rejected too and to be honest I think they made the right decision. When I applied 5 years ago I definitely wasn't the academic they were looking for.
Anyway my point is just that I wouldn't put too much stock in the fact that just because these institutions are filled with arguably the brightest people in the land that this will automatically propel you upwards. I personally feel that the value of a university is very closely tied to its curriculum, not its resources or people.
(anecdotal evidence: I know some people who went to universities with more stringent entry requirements and left there only knowing how to program in Pascal. In my university they now teach Haskell, Prolog and Java in year 1).
If you still feel very strongly about the benefits of networking in Oxbridge you can always apply to do an MBA.
But the bulk of the post is about the effect of working with well schooled individuals - if you're not as smart then copying their mannerisms can often be a world of hurt for all.