Is it time to shut down Oxford & Cambridge?

Oxford and Cambridge are just places for rich parents to send their kids. They discrimenate against poor people and people from comprihensive schools. Of course they should be shut down to improve social equality.

No they don't, it's not the fault of Oxford and Cambridge that a large number of the best candidates come from private schools, it is a problem within the secondary education system, not the universities. I come from a very low income household as both my parents are disabled and cannot work but I got into Oxford because I love my subject and did well in my A levels (which anyone can due to all the online resources provided by the exam boards and revision guides).

Stop spouting rubbish, how would shutting them down improve social equality? By no one in the UK being able to go to a world class university unless they can afford to go to a top Ivy League, therefore decreasing social equality.

If they discriminate against poor people, how come they took me in and ended up giving me a £10K bursary, when they could have easily rejected me (especially when I missed my offer grades)?

but I'm from a state comprehensive

and I've applied to Cambridge and they've considered my background etc (given me an interview at least)

I don't think they actively discriminate against comprehensives but comprehensives themselves do not give you much hope of getting into Cambridge at the same volume as private schools

Oxbridge should judge purely on potential, it should not matter wether or not your parents were rich enough to send you to a private school...

They have to let some in, to try and show that they are not dsicrimenating but the numbers clearly show that they are.

Oxbridge should judge purely on potential, it should not matter wether or not your parents were rich enough to send you to a private school.

They have to let some in, to try and show that they are not dsicrimenating but the numbers clearly show that they are.

I see. And what, exactly, is your hardcore evidence that they don't judge on potential?

Over half of students at Oxbridge are from state schools so it's not just a few.

They do judge on potential. The number reflect the number of people who get AAA+ and the numbers who apply from each type of school. Get a grip you're obviously bitter that you don't have the potential that Oxbridge look for.

They let a disproporshonate number of private school kids in.


But only 10% of kids go to private schools. And I am certainly good enough to get into Oxbridge.

shopping centres?

They let a disproporshonate number of private school kids in.

No i'd rather have most portentous arrogant people like the friends I know up in those places...separate from more down to earth people.

This is a pretty pathetic comment....

There are both down to earth people and posh arrogant people at oxford and cambridge, just in the same way that there is a mixture of different types of people everywhere. That being said, when i went to oxford for interviews i was overwhelmed by how many people i met to be quite snobby, but then i looked at the actual undergraduates, all of whom i spoke to, were very nice and normal. Ofcourse your going to have a disproportionately large number of private school students apply, but only the clever ones get in (as they deserve to regardless of their personality). But the type of applicants and the type of undergrads you find are quite different!

21% of 6th form students go to private school, a larger proportion of students who get AAA+ go to private school, the number of private and state school applicants that get in is similar to the number that apply and have high enough grades, there is some disparity due to subject choice.

So why are you so bitter?

Disproportionate to what exactly? The stats apparently show (I've never looked at them but I am reliably informed) that the proportion of state school applicants is in line with the proportion who apply. Same with the private school applicants. But obviously private school applicants are in a better position to apply a lot of the time, and Oxford can only take those who apply. A lot of state school students get put off by people like you spreading bull**** around. A bit ironic, given your outrage at the lack of state school students at Oxford

Most not all is true for everywhere
Thing is private school candidates are much more likely to have more resources and tutors 1 to 1 time giving them a massive advantage to be "clever"
This is a never ending cycle, especially as long as private schools exist.

Oxford and cambridge look for potential. They offer places to who they think will do best with the resources they can provide to them....not with the resurces they already have.

I'm not bitter, what do you think I'm bitter about?



What stats? I bet this is just some numbers manipulated to make Oxbridge look better, I would really like to see the raw numbers.

Oxford and Cambridge are just places for rich parents to send their kids. They discrimenate against poor people and people from comprihensive schools. Of course they should be shut down to improve social equality.

Exactly and this is influenced by so many privately educated people, because they have gained the "best skills" through the advantage of wealth that the majority does not have.
You don't disagree with that, because you just said you saw loads of private school kids, I also know because loads of Harrow boys end up going there as well.

Apart from some decent grammars not many state schools produce students like this due to lack of aspiration and social immobility, stemmed from the lack of money in the first place.