Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

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kenyancowgirl
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by kenyancowgirl »

As Tinkers says....and also, perhaps the lower % Oxbridge schools don't have parents so desperate to push their kids that route that all sense of whether it is right or what they want to do, goes out of the window....
Catseye
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by Catseye »

I don't think 20% Oxbridge entry for QE is not all that high for one of the most selective schools in the UK, I know they have a high proportion that attend Med Schools which are arguably as competitive as Oxbridge places but still.

How does it compare to St Paul's or Westminster School?
Ladymuck
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by Ladymuck »

A slight tangent, as I agree with others that this is an odd piece of data to focus on when selecting a school.

Both Oxford and Cambridge provide details on applications and offers by school by year. If you are interested specifically in Oxbridge (and you'll have heard from others as to whether that is a good statistic to focus upon), then I suggest you look at these tables which include both state and independent schools and show the numbers applying from schools and the number gaining offers. I know for example that my ds1's school, which has lower overall Oxbridge numbers than QEs, has had 15 offers from 19 applicants in engineering in the last 3 years. Given that the courses are usually oversubscribed by 6 times the number of applicants for offers to be made, that is a statistic that I would take more comfort in, especially when I know that one of my local independents had 50 boys sit for Oxford last year gaining 10 places.

So unless you know how many boys in each cohort actually applied for Oxbridge, the number of places alone may mislead you in terms of relative success.
ToadMum
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by ToadMum »

A good school, surely, will help its students to identify the best place to take the most suitable course for them, according to their interests and ambitions (not their parents') and in achieving that place? So if your child's independent definition of the best course for them is whatever the version of it is that is offered by Oxford or Cambridge, then so be it.

But not because Oxford and Cambridge are the only universities that their aunts and uncles have ever heard of and what is important to you is that your child should impress them, no. Just no :roll: .
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
tiffinboys
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by tiffinboys »

Ladymuck has added interesting dimension to this discussion. Number of applications depends on children aspiring to go to one of these university as well as the course offered.

Do some schools restrict Oxbridge applications to improve their acceptance ratio?
Ladymuck
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by Ladymuck »

tiffinboys wrote:Do some schools restrict Oxbridge applications to improve their acceptance ratio?
Given that the pupil applies for the place, not the school, it is hard to see how the school could block this. The school may not give support, but the application would still show up as a UCAS application from a student at that school. It isn't the same with GCSE and GCE exams where it is the school who enters the candidates and can refuse to enter a candidate. The student may be advised that they are not a strong candidate, but they have 5 spaces on their UCAS form - as you can only apply to either Oxford or Cambridge, Oxbridge only takes up one option, leaving 4 other equal choices open to other universities.

I appreciate that there are some degrees where other universities excel, but for many courses, Oxbridge will often be in the top 5. I may mix in the wrong circles but I can't think of any of my or dh's contemporaries who view their Oxbridge degree to have been a hindrance to their career. Clearly you have to look at the courses actually on offer, so you see few potential vets at Oxford, but in general the message I get is that state schools tend to have too few pupils willing to apply, and teachers who are unfamiliar with the requirments; it is not that these pupils have all chosen a "better course" but often because they are put off by the requirements. Clearly that is less of an issue in these grammar schools. I note that the Oxbridge entrance exams take place this morning, which is the reason why most local independent schools are still on halfterm.
Guest55
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by Guest55 »

Ladymuck wrote: I appreciate that there are some degrees where other universities excel, but for many courses, Oxbridge will often be in the top 5. I may mix in the wrong circles but I can't think of any of my or dh's contemporaries who view their Oxbridge degree to have been a hindrance to their career.
I'm talking about the degrees offered now - engineering at Oxbridge, for example, is not industry focussed and is theoretical offering little CAD for example.

There are other examples and you need to look beyond uni to check it is the right path. I know many students who've turned down offers as it just wasn't right for them.
Orange11
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by Orange11 »

Things have changed drastically in last few years and the fierce competition in education sector globally may change the way top universities are ranked. Oxbridge certainly has distinct advantage today but we can't be sure about it down the line after 6-7 years.
ToadMum
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Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by ToadMum »

Guest55 wrote:
Ladymuck wrote: I appreciate that there are some degrees where other universities excel, but for many courses, Oxbridge will often be in the top 5. I may mix in the wrong circles but I can't think of any of my or dh's contemporaries who view their Oxbridge degree to have been a hindrance to their career.
I'm talking about the degrees offered now - engineering at Oxbridge, for example, is not industry focussed and is theoretical offering little CAD for example.

There are other examples and you need to look beyond uni to check it is the right path. I know many students who've turned down offers as it just wasn't right for them.
Yes, but with the magic words 'Oxford' or Cambridge' you can always get into Investment Banking, which appears to be the career of choice for students taking all manner of degree subjects, even Medicine and Engineering.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Sixth Form at Tiffin Boys

Post by Guest55 »

Oh of course - how silly of me!

The students I know prefer to do something useful with their lives and also try to enhance the lives of others.
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