I'm Black an hoping to go to Oxbridge AMA

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Reply 60

username2769500

This is what you sound like. :biggrin:

http://youtu.be/klvCleuZ_Kg
Just make sure you paint yourself white for your interview.

Reply 61

Zacken

Original post by mercuryman

Was rejected post interview. He couldn't have prepared any more. I'm still surprised about the fact that he wasn't accepted by cambridge. He excels at anything he does. He managed to teach himself alevel FM in year 13 along with Maths, chem and bio.

Uh... was there meant to be a point to this? So he goes for an interview and doesn't make the cut, so your immediate assumption is based on race rather than uh... I dunno, the interview? I mean, c'mon - GCSE's and AS's don't say anything about how how good you are at your subject or how you respond to supervision style or etc... but no, I'm sure it's because he's black that he got rejected.

(also: lol at you asking if 98% in maths is standard)

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 62

mercuryman

Original post by Zacken

Uh... was there meant to be a point to this? So he goes for an interview and doesn't make the cut, so your immediate assumption is based on race rather than uh... I dunno, the interview? I mean, c'mon - GCSE's and AS's don't say anything about how how good you are at your subject or how you respond to supervision style or etc... but no, I'm sure it's because his black that he got rejected.

(also: lol at you asking if 98% in maths is standard)

I didn't mean it was the biggest factor, I just think that it may have played a part. Mainly, I just think the oxbridge luck got to him. And like one person commented below, the admissions tutors probably draw names from a hat when selecting people. I mean if you come across 10 beasts, and you have 5 slots left, who you gonna pick b?

and mate with all due respect, I do not know of anyone that is so well rounded enough to get 98% avg in bio, chem, maths and history. For cambridge standards that is extremely high.

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(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 63

Zacken

Original post by mercuryman

Spoiler

Isn't that a bit jumping to conclusions though? There's nothing to suggest that race played any part in the decision making process.

Admissions tutors do not draw names from a hat, they've got very good reasons for picking who they do. Not that they're always right, they certainly do make mistakes, but on the whole, they're good at what they do. Remember that the application process is more than just your intelligence, it's assessing you for how suitable you are for the Cambridge style, whether the course would suit you, whether you cope with supervisions well, on top of the more prevalent how good you are at your subject.

That said, I think the other subjects could do with a better admissions system like maths where a bunch of people get offers and duke it out over a massively difficult entrance exam like STEP. :lol:

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Reply 64

drandy76

Original post by mercuryman

Spoiler

You'd pick the ones who you'd feel would suit the teaching style the best, which is a part of the interview process, had a friend with, obviously, similar grades and performed fairly well in pre interview testing but had a horrible interview( their suggestions kept putting him off his train of though etc) so he was rejected

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Reply 65

ikhan94

Whats the point in saying your skin colour? :s-smilie:

Reply 66

Zacken

Original post by ikhan94

Whats the point in saying your skin colour? :s-smilie:

attention whore

Reply 67

Allie4

Original post by Hashtosh302

Well people, dont really think black people are smart or can go to a prestigious uni like oxbridge

Thats rubbish.

Reply 68

Aristotle's' Disciple

Original post by Hashtosh302

Sometimes I wonder if this would happen to me, and if it does then so be it,there isn't much I can do about it. And if I do make it into oxbridge, how would it feel like being the only black person there?

White people will say your skin doesn't make a difference. However, your only saying this because your white. You would't know what difference your skin colour makes when it comes to things like education.

Lmfao I promise you, you won't be the only black person there...

Reply 69

drandy76

Original post by Zacken

attention whore

It's a fairly common mentality tbf, always found it a bit weird but meh

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Reply 70

math42

Original post by mercuryman

I wouldn't expect that they are actually that random lol, but the point is that a lot is probably to do with fine margins.
Here's an interesting article that shows a bit of what goes on behind the scenes: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/jan/10/how-cambridge-admissions-really-work

Reply 71

Newcastle456

Original post by Hashtosh302

I'm Brown and just done my MPHIL at Cambridge, it's certainly a white dominated community. However, I also know many black students, so this no black students at Cambridge is a myth.

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(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 72

Zacken

Original post by Hashtosh302

And if I do make it into oxbridge, how would it feel like being the only black person there?

1. Please learn the difference between "your" and "you're". I get that this is an online forum, but those aren't shorthands, they're just wrong.

2. You won't be the only black person there, honestly. I hope you're only coming across as dumb because it's the internet, otherwise you won't stand a shot at getting into Oxbridge.