Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Oxford English Dictionary records the first use of the word Oxbridge in Virginia Woolf's 1929 essay A Room of One's Own. This specific instance predates the word's entry into standard dictionaries by over a century.
Universities of Oxford and Cambridge remained England's only universities until the nineteenth century. Their exclusive status was actively protected through legal and political means until that time.
The deadline for applications to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge falls in mid-October. Applications must be made at least three months earlier than to other UK universities.
Westminster School, Eton College, Hills Road Sixth Form College, St Paul's School, Peter Symonds College, St Paul's Girls' School, King's College School, and Magdalen College School sent a disproportionately large percentage of students. Out of 19,851 places during those three years, eight schools accounted for 1,310 spots.
Cambridge was founded by scholars taking refuge from hostile Oxford townsmen around 1209. This event marked the beginning of a long history of rivalry between the two institutions.