This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- how to deal with annoying siblings?
- Would you be annoyed?
- Girls on our lads holiday - am I being sexist?
- TSR says I don’t have permission to post on a thread?
- The guy I met on tinder is non stop making bad jokes
- Hello and can anybody advise me on this weird restless thing I do?
- complaining about neighbours
- My mum is trying to control my life
- asian preference getting annoying
- Guy I like
- Annoying student from another school keeps annoying other people on the bus
- Has my bf lost interest in me?
- How would I go abouts asking to move forms.
- HELP how do I fix myself?
- are these teachers being islamophobic?
- Flatmate being rude or just me?
- undecided about course/ uni
- Why don’t people care about other cars now
- Big bang theory
- 39% similarity score.
this is just annoying
Scroll to see replies
Jc1990
Because confidence comes through practise. Private Schools are a lot better equipped to prepare their students for interviews. In my college, they've selected the students who had the best score at GCSE into an "Oxbridge" class, which get preferential treatment. I didn't do as well as these people, neither do I have the intention of going to Oxford, but there are people who do, with similar / slightly better grades, but they are not given the practise that they want, and thus cuts their chance dramatically. There is a girl in my form who had 7 A*s and 2 B's and she doesn't have these opportunities because of her two "B" results. 
I've been told plenty about them from some of my friends in there, and considering in my form we get taught next to nothing, it would be nice for other people rather than the 10A* people to learn about this sort of thing.
I've been told plenty about them from some of my friends in there, and considering in my form we get taught next to nothing, it would be nice for other people rather than the 10A* people to learn about this sort of thing.
It's the case with some private schools. Some in my year group at school did not receive any endorsement from their UCAS referees when they applied to Oxbridge and they too face "discrimination". I know of a friend who was not allowed to apply to Oxbridge and went on to get a first at the LSE - raw deal?
As for preparation for Oxbridge, I repeat it is just one big orgy punctuated with the occasional philosophical musing.
As for confidence, surely that's down to the individual?
Jc1990
Because confidence comes through practise. Private Schools are a lot better equipped to prepare their students for interviews. In my college, they've selected the students who had the best score at GCSE into an "Oxbridge" class, which get preferential treatment. I didn't do as well as these people, neither do I have the intention of going to Oxford, but there are people who do, with similar / slightly better grades, but they are not given the practise that they want, and thus cuts their chance dramatically. There is a girl in my form who had 7 A*s and 2 B's and she doesn't have these opportunities because of her two "B" results.
I've been told plenty about them from some of my friends in there, and considering in my form we get taught next to nothing, it would be nice for other people rather than the 10A* people to learn about this sort of thing.
I've been told plenty about them from some of my friends in there, and considering in my form we get taught next to nothing, it would be nice for other people rather than the 10A* people to learn about this sort of thing.
That is just one example, many schools that do 'oxbridge' classes are open to all applying, not selected on basis of results i.e. if you want to apply you turn up to them.
Plus i heard Oxbridge did some sort of schemes to attract state school pupils e.g. summer schools? surely that is trying to equal it out
AND they do take into account that some schools do these training sessions. they state at open days that they don't want set/practiced answers, and given the totally off the wall questions asked it;s not like schools can tell you what to say.
it seems if you want to apply to oxbridge, regardless of background, and you have good grades do it. and if you want to study a subject your enthusiasm should come through anyway.
aster100
You come across as the type who tries to fit in a joke they hear and nly themselves find funny into something completely irrelevant.
Come again? There is a break in your sentence and I do not wish to make any assumptions as to what message you wish to convey.
Amy_J
Get over it. If you're good enough and they think you can handle life at such an institution, you'll get in, whatever kind of school you went to.
ohh shut-up will you!
do you even know what your talking about?
get over what exactly
- i was merely asking a question in which i was genuinely looking for an answerI think its because people from crap state schools really aren't the type who aspire to go to a top university. 99% of my school just want to smoke weed and listen to rap music.. probably why the pass rate is so low also.
dealbreaker
What do you imagine takes place in "Oxbridge Classes"? They're just one big excuse for an orgy punctuated with the occasional philosophical musing.
lol
well undoubtedly in in these classes they must taught tricks of the trade so to speak, whether that be a whole load of potential questions which they may be asked for particular subjects or full on interviews
they have sort of had 'practice' is what i'm getting at so its abit unfair when it comes to the actual oxford interviews - hence my question as to whether oxford take this into account at all
I don't know how these things work in England.....I'm attending Warwick in the fall but when it comes to Universities at home in Canada there is a slight advantage for private school students
The marks requirements and extra curriculars are the same, but there isn't an interview process so the uni knows little about you when you are either accepted or declined.
At private school in Canada if a student doesn't receive an offer from the university of their choice (which is usually for a good reason: because they are not suitable for the institution) the school will call in a favour or contact the university about the issue. 99.9% of the time the university will let the student in if they have been contacted by their private school. As for the students in public school who didn't receive offers, they're **** outta luck. sorry.
Private schools in Canada also give out extremely generous grades to ensure their students get into reputable universities when they leave.....so that their own reputation is maintained.
In Canada I attend a small but high ranked university. My main concern in not whether they have an easier time getting in or not....because I could care less.....its how many people fail out of their program/don't finish/float from one program to another. I've seen a lot of people from my program fail out because they aren't suitable for it (ie.; I proof read for classmates who write like 7th graders all the time). The university maintains the same standard for everyone.....there is no special treatment once you get there......so I think people should save themselves the trouble (of failing out and wasting their parents money) and choose the right university. Mainly, I would like it if they didn't bring my university down with them....this affects our stats and reputation. thanks.
I have nothing against people from private school or those who pull strings to get into their program....... but they'll soon realize that they'll have to work 5 times as hard as everyone else (who got in by merit) to keep up.
The marks requirements and extra curriculars are the same, but there isn't an interview process so the uni knows little about you when you are either accepted or declined.
At private school in Canada if a student doesn't receive an offer from the university of their choice (which is usually for a good reason: because they are not suitable for the institution) the school will call in a favour or contact the university about the issue. 99.9% of the time the university will let the student in if they have been contacted by their private school. As for the students in public school who didn't receive offers, they're **** outta luck. sorry.
Private schools in Canada also give out extremely generous grades to ensure their students get into reputable universities when they leave.....so that their own reputation is maintained.
In Canada I attend a small but high ranked university. My main concern in not whether they have an easier time getting in or not....because I could care less.....its how many people fail out of their program/don't finish/float from one program to another. I've seen a lot of people from my program fail out because they aren't suitable for it (ie.; I proof read for classmates who write like 7th graders all the time). The university maintains the same standard for everyone.....there is no special treatment once you get there......so I think people should save themselves the trouble (of failing out and wasting their parents money) and choose the right university. Mainly, I would like it if they didn't bring my university down with them....this affects our stats and reputation. thanks.
I have nothing against people from private school or those who pull strings to get into their program....... but they'll soon realize that they'll have to work 5 times as hard as everyone else (who got in by merit) to keep up.
Inter-Company
lol
well undoubtedly in in these classes they must taught tricks of the trade so to speak, whether that be a whole load of potential questions which they may be asked for particular subjects or full on interviews
well undoubtedly in in these classes they must taught tricks of the trade so to speak, whether that be a whole load of potential questions which they may be asked for particular subjects or full on interviews
actually no my oxbridge classes essentially took the form of lectures on randomly chosen topics relating to the subjects we were applying for. nothing that was covered, literally nothing, came up in either the entrance test or the interview. in terms of direct help (e.g. excluding the general expectation that top students from private schools give oxbridge a shot), the only other thing was they recommended a mock interview and had teachers who had done the subject volunteer to interview interested students--which frankly is not hard to arrange yourself, from teachers or friends of parents.
Inter-Company
lol
they have sort of had 'practice' is what i'm getting at so its abit unfair when it comes to the actual oxford interviews - hence my question as to whether oxford take this into account at all
they have sort of had 'practice' is what i'm getting at so its abit unfair when it comes to the actual oxford interviews - hence my question as to whether oxford take this into account at all
I've heard that yes this is taken into account, and they do not want people that have polished answers, they want you to think on your feet
Stuff like 'oxbridge applications' offer the same sort of 'classes' but imo you are wasting your money
I mean just get friends/parents to ask stuff with your ps if you don't have practice interviews.
But, a lot of the time the interview questions are predictable so just go for it..
so basically, yeh, my understannding is that this factor is taken into account
sla54
By discriminating against those who arent confident you will be disriminating against the shy, and those who are ill prepared compared to others. Effectively you are saying lets let in the well prepared students who know what to expect and are chatty and confident. That doesnt necessarily mean intelligent.
But state school students receive ample support from the Access schemes of many Oxbridge colleges and, believe you me, they appear to have received a better heads up on the application process than I did. What sort of preparation do students want or need?
In my case, I chose one of the best and toughest Colleges to get into, talked to my teachers about it (and that's about it really), and went in with very little knowledge about the College other than what I was told about it and based on what I grasped during a visit in the Autumn of the year I applied.
I didn't prepare for the test that my College set and just got on with it. I must admit I felt I did quite well in it.
What more do you need to know about the application process? To be frank, I would get bored sitting in a classroom being told about what to do on the day, etc. Do you really want to know what did it for me? The secret to my Oxbridge success? I was an arrogant and cocky know-it all!
aster100
im saying i fancy you loads
But you don't know me enough to fancy me loads... I'm losing focus now... Tell me what you want me say and I'll say it.
Inter-Company
ohh shut-up will you!
do you even know what your talking about?
get over what exactly - i was merely asking a question in which i was genuinely looking for an answer
do you even know what your talking about?
get over what exactly
- i was merely asking a question in which i was genuinely looking for an answerI've had first hand experience in such a school, so yes.
And Oxford and Cambridge do tend to consider these things when considering a prospective student's performance in an interview, I believe.
Now pipe down.
dealbreaker
It's the case with some private schools. Some in my year group at school did not receive any endorsement from their UCAS referees when they applied to Oxbridge and they too face "discrimination". I know of a friend who was not allowed to apply to Oxbridge and went on to get a first at the LSE - raw deal?
As for preparation for Oxbridge, I repeat it is just one big orgy punctuated with the occasional philosophical musing.
As for confidence, surely that's down to the individual?
As for preparation for Oxbridge, I repeat it is just one big orgy punctuated with the occasional philosophical musing.
As for confidence, surely that's down to the individual?
Oxbridge is a bit over the top yes. ;p
But although confidence is down to the person, their confidence is certainly influenced by extra interview practise, right? I'd be happier if I knew anything at all about University interviews :]
Inter-Company
lol
well undoubtedly in in these classes they must taught tricks of the trade so to speak, whether that be a whole load of potential questions which they may be asked for particular subjects or full on interviews
they have sort of had 'practice' is what i'm getting at so its abit unfair when it comes to the actual oxford interviews - hence my question as to whether oxford take this into account at all
well undoubtedly in in these classes they must taught tricks of the trade so to speak, whether that be a whole load of potential questions which they may be asked for particular subjects or full on interviews
they have sort of had 'practice' is what i'm getting at so its abit unfair when it comes to the actual oxford interviews - hence my question as to whether oxford take this into account at all
Oxford and Cambridge dons are not stupid - they will see right through someone if they believe that they sound "polished". For the more technical subjects, there's no way you can bull**** your way through an interview.
Jc1990
Oxbridge is a bit over the top yes. ;p
But although confidence is down to the person, their confidence is certainly influenced by extra interview practise, right? I'd be happier if I knew anything at all about University interviews :]
But although confidence is down to the person, their confidence is certainly influenced by extra interview practise, right? I'd be happier if I knew anything at all about University interviews :]
Univeristy interviews- oxbridge can ask off the wall questions
they want you to be enthusiastic
and be able to think
know about stuff in your personal statement. read books that you've said you've read. but they might not ask you anything
And there are some past interview questions on that oxbridge applications site
I voted yes as the question is open to interpretation.
The poll title was:
'Do you think state school students are disadvantaged when appling to oxbridge?'
I believe that state school students are disadvantaged as they do not always provide students with the required academic standards that oxbridge desire.
The poll title was:
'Do you think state school students are disadvantaged when appling to oxbridge?'
I believe that state school students are disadvantaged as they do not always provide students with the required academic standards that oxbridge desire.
bored*star
Univeristy interviews- oxbridge can ask off the wall questions
they want you to be enthusiastic
and be able to think
know about stuff in your personal statement. read books that you've said you've read. but they might not ask you anything
And there are some past interview questions on that oxbridge applications site
they want you to be enthusiastic
and be able to think
know about stuff in your personal statement. read books that you've said you've read. but they might not ask you anything
And there are some past interview questions on that oxbridge applications site
I didn't bother too much with enquiring into past interview questions. I just focused on topical issues and making sure I thought about my answers to technical questions logically and articulated them clearly.
There's a belief that interview practice is crucial somehow. Private schools put forward disproportionately more students and so how would you explain the disproportionately large numbers of private school candidates who were in the end rejected despite the tuition/preparation afforded to them by going to a private school?
bored*star
Univeristy interviews- oxbridge can ask off the wall questions
they want you to be enthusiastic
and be able to think
know about stuff in your personal statement. read books that you've said you've read. but they might not ask you anything
And there are some past interview questions on that oxbridge applications site
they want you to be enthusiastic
and be able to think
know about stuff in your personal statement. read books that you've said you've read. but they might not ask you anything
And there are some past interview questions on that oxbridge applications site
Yeah. I realise it's not all down to grades, it's just my college puts such an emphasis on it
I've seen some past questions, I'm looking at doing Mathematics, and I knew that some universities expect you to do questions which would not have been taught in classes before, and all sorts of other things, sometimes not even related to the subject, things you don't really expect. But, at the same time, there is some structure to interviews, right? Anyway, thanks for that.
Related discussions
- how to deal with annoying siblings?
- Would you be annoyed?
- Girls on our lads holiday - am I being sexist?
- TSR says I don’t have permission to post on a thread?
- The guy I met on tinder is non stop making bad jokes
- Hello and can anybody advise me on this weird restless thing I do?
- complaining about neighbours
- My mum is trying to control my life
- asian preference getting annoying
- Guy I like
- Annoying student from another school keeps annoying other people on the bus
- Has my bf lost interest in me?
- How would I go abouts asking to move forms.
- HELP how do I fix myself?
- are these teachers being islamophobic?
- Flatmate being rude or just me?
- undecided about course/ uni
- Why don’t people care about other cars now
- Big bang theory
- 39% similarity score.
Latest
Trending
Last reply 22 hours ago
Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust (WHT) Scholarship Notification (2024-2025)Last reply 1 day ago
Oxbridge applicants for modern languages - 2025 entry (applying in 2024)Last reply 1 week ago
Will I get into Oxford with my GCSE results? - EngineeringLast reply 2 weeks ago
will 5 a levels give me a better chance at getting into oxford?Trending
Last reply 22 hours ago
Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust (WHT) Scholarship Notification (2024-2025)Last reply 1 day ago
Oxbridge applicants for modern languages - 2025 entry (applying in 2024)Last reply 1 week ago
Will I get into Oxford with my GCSE results? - EngineeringLast reply 2 weeks ago
will 5 a levels give me a better chance at getting into oxford?
