Cambridge bring in tests

[Guest55]

I would not recommend Oxbridge to every bright student - there are better places for some degrees.

It does not suit everyone ...

[Daogroupie]

But all should be given the option to decide for themselves. They should know about the opportunities. I know of students who think they can't apply to certain secondary schools and then are encouraged to and are thrilled when they get in.

All bright students should be encouraged to make their own minds up to apply or not.

It is not the right place for many courses but students should match their interests to courses and then decide. DG

[Guest55]

They do decide for themselves - I suggest they go and look. They need to be FULLY informed and not just believe the 'hype' about Oxbridge - it's not the best for every degree or every very bright student.

In some schools, the most able students are made to feel 'guilty' if they don't apply to Oxbridge - that is pretty disgusting imho.

[Amber]

In some schools, the most able students are made to feel 'guilty' if they don't apply to Oxbridge - that is pretty disgusting imho.

I would second that, sadly. In some schools the interest in a student spikes once it is realised that they are potential Oxbridge material, with words like 'waste' being bandied about if they say they aren't interested. In other schools, where I think the balance is right, students are taken to have a look if they express an interest/potential, as of course for some reason Oxford and Cambridge have different admissions procedures from 'lesser' (sic) universities so students need to be aware of that. Polarises opinion, this one, but I long for a day when the words 'my son is at Cambridge' aren't followed by a pregnant pause in which the interlocutor is supposed to bow down and pay homage.

[shootmenow]

The Oxbridge tutorial/supervision system is different to other universities. It doesn't suit everyone. Finding those students who can thrive in that system is the point of their admissions process. The very low drop out figures demonstrate that they do this very well.
I read the Sutton report and had to laugh. The conclusions can be summed up as-
'Keep doing what you are already doing.'

[Daogroupie]

Did we read the same report?

It does not say that at all. It highlights many areas where state schools students are losing out on opportunities and comes up with a list of recommended changes.

You can't really think that the current situation is just fine? It may be just fine for those who have parents who can afford to send their students to private schools but our country needs to give bright students every opportunity they can get.

You can't really think that the 7% of students educated privately in the UK are securing 40% of the places at Oxbridge because by some amazing coincidence they are also the students who are the smartest. Do you not accept that your decision to spend your money educating your dd privately from the age of 4 to 18 has played a major part in her ability to secure an offer at Oxford? Or do you really think that it she did it with her natural intelligence?

Isn't it one of the clinchers for private education, the Oxbridge ratios?

There are posters on here who give higher Oxbridge numbers as their only reason for choosing a private school. Read the blog of Jenny Brown the Head of St Albans High School for Girls who complains about the parents of 2 year olds wanting only to talk about Oxbridge numbers. Would you have sent your dds to NLCS if their Oxbridge numbers were only 10%?

Bright state school students are free to choose but in my opinion the percentage of state schools students at Oxbridge is something that needs to change dramatically so it reflects far more accurately the calibre of 18 year olds in this country. DG

[SteveDH]

I have a DD who went to a state school (ok it was a grammar) and is now at Cambridge.
I'm not entirely sure she made the best choice of university, but she does like going to formals, and supervisions seem pretty good at keeping her on track.

I don't really know about Oxford, but I don't think Cambridge itself is to blame. they do take into account the kind of school you were applying from and things are upped a bit if you went to a school with a poor record etc.. although that didn't help my DD.

Going to an independent isn't a guarantee as there are plenty of independents who do worse then state schools
http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.u ... _cycle.pdf

I think the real reason for the higher percentages of independent students is more down to expectations and pushy parents.

Also I know of someone at my DD's school who was told by the school not to waste an application on Oxford as she didn't have a chance... she's now in her 2nd year at Oxford.

[Guest55]

DG - why do you think all the brightest students should go to Oxbridge?

I think SteveDH sums up why Private schools have more students there:

I think the real reason for the higher percentages of independent students is more down to expectations and pushy parents.

It is just not the right place for some students and some careers. Some students do turn down places as they know they would hate it and others can't afford to go as you aren't allowed to get a part-time job to help with costs.

[Daogroupie]

I don't think Oxbridge is to blame at all. I think they are doing their best to improve things but they can't give places to state school students who do not apply and what can they do to combat the alleged 40% of state school teachers who do not suggest to their students that they consider Oxbridge?

I also do not think it is pushy parents in private schools as a lot of the process is managed for them. One of my personal friends had a mock interview at lunchtime every week for a whole year before applying. She told me personally (not hearsay) that her interview followed exactly the format that she had been taught to respond to. She realises quite clearly that she was given advantages not available to others. Her parents are lovely people who also understand that their dd may well have got her place simply because she had been specifically prepared for the interview. They are not pushy parents. They would not have gone out and looked for this advantage, it was provided for them as part of her education.

Numbers of Oxbridge offers at St Albans High School have gone up since the arrival of Jenny Brown as Head. Mrs Brown is the ex Head of Sixth Form at St Paul's girls, the school with the highest percentage of Oxbridge offers in the country (54%).

Oxbridge applicants from St Albans are now sent down to Hammersmith for mock interviews with those oh so very experienced interviewers at St Pauls. (Not hearsay, I have spoken to the students personally about it)

This has resulted in Oxbridge offers in double figures (10) for the first time this year. There probably could be a lot more but only 20 applied.

I do not think all bright students should apply to Oxbridge, but all bright students in state schools should be given the opportunity to consider it, the same as those in private schools are. DG

[Guest55]

Many state schools do give interview prep and some even swap candidates with another school so they are interviewed by someone they don't know.

Oxbridge is NOT the 'be all and end all' - some look and don't want it! Quite a few reject places - a school should not be measured by Oxbridge places it should be measured by the number of students getting on the degree that suits them and their career destinations.

I never want any student to think that rejecting Oxbridge means they have 'let down' the school. Some people on here go on and on about how KS2 tests are 'for the school' [which they aren't] - surely 'strongly encouraging' [i.e. emotionally bullying] students to apply to Oxbridge to boost the schools's reputation is even worse?