Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxford'

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drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxford'

Post by drummer »

It seems that State school students with straight A grades are less likely to win places at Oxford University than those from private schools (with the SAME grades):

Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxford' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/un ... xford.html
goinggetstough
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 3:54 pm

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by goinggetstough »

This may or may not be the case. The reason I suggest that this report is not conclusive is because:
- there was no evidence to show that the A levels taken were similar eg similiar difficulty and relevant to the courses applied for.
- there has been previous data to show that state school pupils tend to apply for medicine, PPE etc which are incredibly popular courses. The data in this article is averaged across the courses so the conclusions may be distorted.

Why can't reports like this one use data that compares like with like and other factors instead of using selective data that can be used to fuel historical stereotypes!
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by Guest55 »

Not everyone thinks that Oxbridge is to place to be!

There are better courses elsewhere in some subjects.
Yummiemummie
Posts: 160
Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 9:02 pm

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by Yummiemummie »

Totally agree with Guest55. Aim for the best place for the course you want to do....that may not be Oxbridge!
magwich2
Posts: 866
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by magwich2 »

DD is at Oxford ( at a college which is supposed to be "posh" but isn't ) Most of her fellow students are from state schools with a further number from minor public schools. They are a very varied collection, many with the morals of your average alley cat (but that's another story).
What they do have in common though is more than A grades. For a start the admissions decisions are made on the basis of GCSE grades and AS modules, not A2 grades and almost every subject has an entry exam. Almost everyone has AS modules with UMS in the 90's and very few people have less than 2 A*s despite all having received an offer from Oxford of AAA.
For example (for history) anyone with even 5 GCSEs can put Oxford on their UCAS form and they will then sit the HAT (history aptitude test). The top 80% of candidates will then be invited to interview at which point its up to them not which school they attended. So it really is ridiculous that the media still harp on about stereotypes.
yoyo123
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by yoyo123 »

I never thought I would see the day when I whole heartedly agree with you Magwich
:lol:
Pushy Dad
Posts: 302
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:12 pm

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by Pushy Dad »

Once a term DS's indie issues a newsletter. Joe Smith wins U12 Cross Country. School wins U15 Water Polo etc etc.

These boys, come Uni application time, will probably have an easier time distinguishing themselves from the other boys with AAA from indie OR state schools.

IMO Oxford & Co favour pupils from indies, not because of elitism or snobbery, but because they provide opportunities that may not be available to state school pupils, opportunities that allow them to stand out.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by Guest55 »

Sorry - what 'opportunities' are these?

Please elaborate.

I cannot think of anything that my DC's state school doesn't offer ...
Looking for help
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by Looking for help »

Pushy Dad wrote: These boys, come Uni application time, will probably have an easier time distinguishing themselves from the other boys with AAA from indie OR state schools.

IMO Oxford & Co favour pupils from indies, not because of elitism or snobbery, but because they provide opportunities that may not be available to state school pupils, opportunities that allow them to stand out.
I'm not sure this is true. I've no experience of Oxbridge, but my three children, one of whom did a lot of extracurricular activity, and the other two who did not, all secured 5 good offers from Russell Group and 1994 group top universities, making me believe that the admissions departments at these universities are interested in one thing only -results. We even asked one person at Exeter, I think, how much weight was given to personal statements etc, and he replied not much :lol: Though that may depend on the course being applied for.My daughter spent a great deal of time on her PS for English - we felt it might have much more weight than an application say for Maths, due to the fact that you need to be able to show that you can write :lol:

As far as opportunities - I agree with G55, I do not believe that my children have been denied opportunity by attending state schools, and I'm far more ready to believe that if there is a bias (and from what I have read recently, I don't know that there is anymore), it will be because of the old boys network and/ or elitist behaviour.
Rob Clark
Posts: 1298
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:59 pm

Re: Bright state school pupils 'less likely to get into Oxfo

Post by Rob Clark »

IMO Oxford & Co favour pupils from indies, not because of elitism or snobbery, but because they provide opportunities that may not be available to state school pupils, opportunities that allow them to stand out
Complete rubbish, I’m afraid.

I was lucky enough to attend a Clarendon Group school myself; DS attends a high-achieving boys GS and has exactly the same opportunities that I did, either within the school itself or, in the case of some extracurricular activities, outside it. Whether he chooses to avail himself of them is another matter entirely, of course :D

In fact, in my particular field of expertise you could argue that the truly talented will have greater opportunities away from the independent sector as they will not find the required level of competition within school.
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