[Spaz Man]

(Original post by Rainingshame)
I noticed that warwick and inperial are much more elitist but because they're not oxbridge they get away scott free

Exactly, Oxbridge are the most meritocratic of all of them. UCL may be the owrst IMO.

[Rainingshame]

(Original post by Spaz Man)
Exactly, Oxbridge are the most meritocratic of all of them. UCL may be the owrst IMO.

I don't think they can be really, they're not on par with those two academically, certainly they don't made it easy for us peeps.

[*Joanna*]

(Original post by zara55)
Would you agree though that there are a preponderance of "posh Southern" accents at Cambridge? I think I noticed that on a visit and at the interview. Maybe not hugely more than at other top universities, but a little more. Depends what you mean by "toff" - one person's toff is another persons normal.

No, I wouldn't. Sidney was overrun with Northerners when I was there, it was great

[Einherjer]

That universities talk about taking in a certain percentage of state schooled people, and, for that matter, a certain percentage of disadvantaged people of whatever group worries me. In doing so they are automatically discriminating against people who are not in those groups. As far as I'm concerned universities should care about one thing and one thing only; getting the best and brightest students. If that means getting a large share of privately schooled students, well then so be it, that is not their problem.

[wibletg]

(Original post by Rainingshame)
I think the worst thing is no one important seems to realise it's there.

To be honest, I have very little faith in politicians so even if they were aware of the problem no doubt they would cock up in trying to fix it

[tommm]

(Original post by *Joanna*)
No, I wouldn't. Sidney was overrun with Northerners when I was there, it was great

It still is

[Fat-Love]

(Original post by zara55)
I always get the impression that there's a sort of not particularly precise dividing line between the "regular middle class" student, a lot of whom went to state schools (and some to private schools) who have kind of "middle-middle" accents - they can be found in large numbers at places like Birmingham, Manchester, Warwick - and "decidedly upper-middles", with much posher accents, who mainly went to a good private school and occur in larger numbers at Oxbridge, Exeter, Durham, Bristol, Edinburgh (wave!) and UCL/Kings/RHC, etc. The latter do have a different accent.

I'm not really that great with regional accents in the uk tbh I can never tell if it's a posh accent or the fact they're just from somewhere other than london where i'm from.

I find that a great thing though, stops me from judging people by the way they speak. There is one guy here who i can definitely identify as posh but he's also a very nice guy and I have a laugh with him. Something like an accent seems like a silly thing to hold against someone.

[mckenna]

(Original post by A level Az)
Well you can't blame her, it's very funny

Actually, the poster can blame her if they like.

[zara55]

(Original post by member591354)
Yes, that is why a large proportion of their cohort are composed of state educated students. Please, don't speak about matters you know nothing about; if you keep your ignorance to yourself no one will know how ignorant you are.

They also still have amongst the highest proportions of private school students in the UK, not arguing that they haven't made changes, but that's a pittle different to them not continuing to show a bias towards the fee-paying sector.

I am not complaining as I went to private school and got rejected by Cambridge, but just to keep the record straight. Cambridge has the second highest ratio of private-to-state school students in the country, only beaten by Oxford.

[wibletg]

(Original post by member591354)
Most stated educated individuals are complete imbeciles. What is wrong with selecting the best candidates? After all, if private schools do not increase your chances then they are not doing a very good job or worth the cost!

Don't be such an idiot.

[Pandin]

(Original post by member591354)
Most stated educated individuals are complete imbeciles. What is wrong with selecting the best candidates? After all, if private schools do not increase your chances then they are not doing a very good job or worth the cost!

Partly agree on that, although you should bear in mind that it's not all about school results but academic potential to succeed in the course.

[moogoomonkey]

Yes, I went to an open day, first other applicant I saw was wielding on of those uber expensive Jermyn St. umbrellas talking to papa about his recent conquests at the boat house..

Edit: Bear in mind that this was in JULY. No reason to be toting an umbrella around

[member591354]

(Original post by moogoomonkey)
Yes, I went to an open day, first other applicant I saw was wielding on of those uber expensive Jermyn St. umbrellas talking to papa about his recent conquests at the boat house..

Edit: Bear in mind that this was in JULY. No reason to be toting an umbrella around

So the actions of one individual determines the elitism or non-elitism of an institution? You have a lot to learn...

[Eboracum]

I think it is to an extent. I think the admissions process is heavily weighted in favour of private school kids and I'd like to see a government do a lot more to ensure more state school kids can get in. Bristol or LSE will do fine for private school kids, Oxbridge should be for state school kids.

Generally I'm not necessarily in favour of equal results being essential, but what is essential is equal opportunities. One of the problems for me is that Westminster politicians will never change it because they all came from that background, but it is one of the very few issues that I'm very left wing on.

[Sarah1313]

(Original post by Ilyas)
They have no choice, naturally the best pupils come from private schools so there will be more rahs.

Hmmm well explain how my public school brother met the queen this week due to his grades? and most of his friends from our neighboring grammar school ended up going to poly's?
Some uni's will prefer public schools as they have had to work harder for their grades.

[Bobifier]

(Original post by member591354)
Yes, that is why a large proportion of their cohort are composed of state educated students. Please, don't speak about matters you know nothing about; if you keep your ignorance to yourself no one will know how ignorant you are.

Did you know that there is a psychological phenomenon by which we judge ourselves to be good at things in which we have no experience? Specifically, it enables someone who knows absolutely nothing about a subject to feel that they are an authority in that subject because they know so little that they are unable to recognise how much they don't know.

[Bobifier]

(Original post by Sarah1313)
Hmmm well explain how my public school brother met the queen this week due to his grades? and most of his friends from our neighboring grammar school ended up going to poly's?
Some uni's will prefer public schools as they have had to work harder for their grades.

Well, if the queen thought his grades were super-fantastic he MUST be clever!

I don't even disagree with you, but the evidence you offer is utterly ridiculous.

[wibletg]

(Original post by member591354)
What have I said that is idiotic? It is a fact that most individuals are complete morons. Sorry, the truth is cold and brutish. Before you start criticising me for stereotyping or being a snob, I am state educated too. I know the horrors of it all too well...

They wouldn't have gotten in if they were morons.

[TimmonaPortella]

(Original post by Eboracum)
I think it is to an extent. I think the admissions process is heavily weighted in favour of private school kids and I'd like to see a government do a lot more to ensure more state school kids can get in. Bristol or LSE will do fine for private school kids, Oxbridge should be for state school kids.

What is this I don't even

No.

Oxbridge's admissions system is weighted towards the best candidates. Private schools often do a better job of creating the best candidates. This is not Oxbridge's problem. The problem is state education.

[member591354]

(Original post by Bobifier)
Did you know that there is a psychological phenomenon by which we judge ourselves to be good at things in which we have no experience? Specifically, it enables someone who knows absolutely nothing about a subject to feel that they are an authority in that subject because they know so little that they are unable to recognise how much they don't know.

And that phenomenon is called?