Does going to a good high school in Cambridge give an advantage to getting an offer?

Honestly, It depends what college you are going to, All colleges in this day and age have to accept some from less well off backgrounds so there is always hope but privately educated people will always get the leg up first.

Whether this is the way camebrige select applicants or just the amount of attention they get in the applications process being better than other schools is an argument for another day however.

What a complete load of rubbish! 60% of students come from state schools. There is no difference in eventual degree success between those from different backgrounds at Cambridge. They specifically flag disadvantaged applicants and give them more leeway if they think they have potential to do better than their results suggest. I could go on.

Ill informed comments like this dissuade people from applying which is the main reason why more state pupils are not admitted.

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/admissions/research/school_background.html
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/admissions/research/docs/offa_pi_report.pdf

It's a fact that a disproportionate amount of people are accepted from private schools. I don't think it's that Cambridge have any favoritism, they just want the best students and private schools can often teach and train people better.

Honestly, It depends what college you are going to, All colleges in this day and age have to accept some from less well off backgrounds so there is always hope but privately educated people will always get the leg up first.

Whether this is the way camebrige select applicants or just the amount of attention they get in the applications process being better than other schools is an argument for another day however.

What a complete load of rubbish! 60% of students come from state schools. There is no difference in eventual degree success between those from different backgrounds at Cambridge. They specifically flag disadvantaged applicants and give them more leeway if they think they have potential to do better than their results suggest. I could go on.

Ill informed comments like this dissuade people from applying which is the main reason why more state pupils are not admitted.

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/admissions/research/school_background.html
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/admissions/research/docs/offa_pi_report.pdf

It's a fact that a disproportionate amount of people are accepted from private schools. I don't think it's that Cambridge have any favoritism, they just want the best students and private schools can often teach and train people better.

It's only disproportionate if you won't look at the facts, you didn't look at the links. As a proportion of those leaving school who have the grades (an average of 2.75A* at A level) and the right subjects such as further maths for science and Economics, and who apply, and who don't only apply to the very most competitive courses there is no disproportion. Cambridge go out of their way. To attract state educated or less advantaged candidates and ill informed comments like yours are very unhelpful.


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Can I ask you, if someone gets 4 a stars at a level, be it from grammar, boarding, private, private candidate, comps do they have a great chance of getting in regardless.

They really don't go out of the way though, I have friends in Eton who say that they have alums and what have you regularly encouraging them to apply to Oxbridge, my other friends who attend bad comps don't have this luxury ceteris paribus.

People don't usually realise quite how academically selective Eton is. Eton only take about 1 in 5 of those who apply-most of whom will be from the scholarship streams of selective prep schools. 42% of all A levels sat achieve A*, it's not rocket science to realise that an Oxbridge application is a possibility. Eton have about a 50% success rate despite the fact that those who are not predicted A*A*A+ will usually be dissuaded from applying. So it's good, but equally 50% are rejected, most with very high grades.
I agree though that there are too many teachers and parents who try to put people off from some schools telling people that Oxbridge is not for the likes of them. Which is why comments implying Cambridge are prejudiced are so unhelpful.

If you get 3 or 4A* you have an excellent chance from any school but an even higher chance if you have educational disadvantage such as coming from a school or postcode that doesn't send many to Cambridge.

Cambridge want the best, not the most polished.

One of the best and most helpful posts I have read for a long time.

How do you get admitted into Eton then, just be rich and get 10+A* at GCSE.

Also is it possible for one to get a full ride at Eton hence no fees?

You sit a test for Eton at about age 10-11 for entry at age 13. It involves a computer IQ type test plus an interview. Then at 13 you sit another full exam on all subjects.
A handful enter at 16 on scholarships. So you don't do GCSEs till after you arrive. The sixth form scholars come from state schools and have typically done incredibly well, often from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Over 20% receive some fee assistance either through bursaries or scholarships (academic, & music). There are some who pay nothing & even get their uniform paid for. There are some scholarships only available for boys who have not been at private prep schools and these pay for two years in a prep school age 11-13 to enable boys to catch up before they come. The scholarship standard at 13 is a bit above GCSE level, the music scholars typically are Grade 8 at age 13.

Some of the parents are very rich, some are rich but there are plenty who are not.

It's only disproportionate if you won't look at the facts, you didn't look at the links. As a proportion of those leaving school who have the grades (an average of 2.75A* at A level) and the right subjects such as further maths for science and Economics, and who apply, and who don't only apply to the very most competitive courses there is no disproportion. Cambridge go out of their way. To attract state educated or less advantaged candidates and ill informed comments like yours are very unhelpful.


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