State School Quotas??

I found that everyone who applied for Oxbridge at my state school got an interview, but it looks like no one has received an offer. I was surprised by some interviews (some didn't even meet the entry requirements - wrong subjects, lack of a 4th AS, average grades etc)

Have universities actually started positive discrimination in favour of state schools this year?? I only ask because this year, my school has had an unusually small oxbridge intake, and has been quite unsuccessful at some other good universities, and there has been a similar trend among my friends from other private schools. Moreover, I know some people from state schols that were far less qualified than some of my classmates, yet they got offers instead. I'm not starting some snobbish rant... I just want to know whether anybody else has noticed this too.

If these university places you mention require interviews maybe that had an effect, however at my state school one of my friends was rejected from Imperial for engineering with great grades and they actually said it was to do with her working class accent! This isn't representative of the whole university admissions process but I was shocked as they said it to the head of year who asked for feedback.

Are you absolutely sure that really happened? If it did happen, your school should be appealing on behalf of your friend

It did happen however she doesn't want to go anymore (if they're like that at the interview then why go for the whole degree) and so is waiting to hear from Cambridge before she acts. I realise the whole thing sounds false and I obviously can't put any proof online as it isn't mine so you'll have to trust or ignore me. Also it wasn't just said to the friend but officially to the school so it isn't just her sour grapes.

That is really quite harsh!

well they still arent meeting their quotas anyway...

i agree that people should have an equal opportunity for getting into the top unis but if it means letting in less qualified/competent people then thats stupid as the workforce and professionals in the country will suffer

I don't think you understand; perfectly reasonable candidates from a few years above me in high school applied to Oxbridge and didn't even get an interview. I am aware of at least one girl who gained 10 A*s and 3 As at GCSE, 5 As at AS and was then predicted 5 As for A2, but she didn't even get an interview!

It was either because of the school we went to or maybe it was just the fact that her personal statement was poor - however, given that I've read her reportings in the school newspaper, I highly doubt it was that to fault. And that is why the "country [will] suffer" - not because they are accepting bad candidates but because they are refusing perfectly good ones.

It did happen however she doesn't want to go anymore (if they're like that at the interview then why go for the whole degree) and so is waiting to hear from Cambridge before she acts. I realise the whole thing sounds false and I obviously can't put any proof online as it isn't mine so you'll have to trust or ignore me. Also it wasn't just said to the friend but officially to the school so it isn't just her sour grapes.