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Poor Lives Matter

I am utterly fed-up of seeing students from leading state and private schools take up the vast majority of places for elite courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, courses at Oxbridge and other leading UK universities.

When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?

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We won't. However there's no point crying and whinging, we all gotta try our best and make the most out of what little we have (e.g. my dad did over 100 thousand miles with his toyota)
Original post by StarLinyx
I am utterly fed-up of seeing students from leading state and private schools take up the vast majority of places for elite courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, courses at Oxbridge and other leading UK universities.

When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?

I'm sure university accept/decline students based on their exams not their parent's income or area. More time if they take your parents income and area than they give that poorer student a flexible offer to enter a prestigious uni.
It is more to do with personal work ethic, ambitions, intelligence and self-control than anything else.
I know many people who were raised by young single mothers on low incomes or were orphaned before the age of 9 and grew up in very unpleasant conditions who have obtained places for some of the most competitive courses at the most prestigious unis in Britain and the USA.
They put their academic & career ambitions first long before their teenage years began; studied hard, worked hard, networked hard and their efforts have led them to thrive.
Amazing academic achievements, phenomenal career success, six figure+ annual salaries and experience of working in multiple continents.
In high-level US universities it is often honoured if the applicants manage to do exceptionally well in studies and engage themselves in extracurriculars despite their poor background. It shows that the applicant has a true motivation in the things he does, unlike other people who do them because they have nothing better to do but aren't truly motivated.

I'm not sure about Oxbridge but I can't believe that they would not support bright and hard-working applicants with a poor background, as they would lose students with a high potential. The problem is that many people from poor backgrounds just resignate in their fate and don't try to change their situation. In some cases, these people aren't able to improve their situation and - of course - they should be helped to discover their potential. However, the majority of them probably just doesn't deserve a place at Oxbridge.
Reply 5
Avatar for dyelbro
dyelbro
13
Original post by StarLinyx
I am utterly fed-up of seeing students from leading state and private schools take up the vast majority of places for elite courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, courses at Oxbridge and other leading UK universities.

When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?

life is unfair
Reply 6
Avatar for Joleee
Joleee
19
what causes 'the vast majority of places' for 'Oxbridge and other leading UK universities' to come from certain socio-economic status in your opinion?

in my country, university is literally based on socio-economic status because, unless your parents are paying for it, you have to take out a student loan you have to start paying back after 6 months of graduation with interest that you never get to write off, not ever in your life. so poor students don't ever go to university. they can't even go to a 'bad' university. what's going on in the UK?
Original post by StarLinyx
I am utterly fed-up of seeing students from leading state and private schools take up the vast majority of places for elite courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, courses at Oxbridge and other leading UK universities.

When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?


Perhaps I am lucky and in a fantastic situation now, but I worked very hard for it. As mentioned, universities will honour those with less fortunate backgrounds if you work very hard and achieve. I am arguably one of the poorest people in my school, and yet I don’t achieve any less, because I do the best I can with what I have. Obviously you are at a disadvantage, but that shouldn’t stop you from achieving what they do, it hasn’t stopped me from getting to where I am today!
Original post by dyelbro
life is unfair


You can say that again, life is full of toxic people who all mix on certain websites. Life isn't meant to be all fun and games, but there will always be people who put others down for pleasure. Just remember that life is life.
Reply 9
Avatar for A_J_B
A_J_B
19
Original post by StarLinyx
I am utterly fed-up of seeing students from leading state and private schools take up the vast majority of places for elite courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, courses at Oxbridge and other leading UK universities.

When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?


You know what, life's not fair all the time. There is something about the environment you are brought up in which shapes you up as a person.
Social mobility is the real problem in the UK, what with everything else it gets glossed over without any significant scrutiny. I should stress that by scrutiny, I am of course talking about the level of media exposure. I believe it is more of a general strategy to keep us plebs from reaching too far and enacting real change within the UK. How much of that is conspiracy? I do not know, but it is becoming increasingly true, what with the countries continuing brain rot. We are screwed.

The real take home message is that you should help yourself, arm yourself with knowledge, work your butt off, and then when in a position of power lift those around you. The change we want to see what happen for a couple generations. Eventually we will get there, hopefully!
I come from a council estate and i went to one of the worst secoundary schools in my area but I worked hard passed my GCSE and got the grades I needed to get to uni..... People with money do have alot of advantages but even though we may not have alot of money we will get where we want to be if we work for it 😀
Original post by londonmyst
It is more to do with personal work ethic, ambitions, intelligence and self-control than anything else.
I know many people who were raised by young single mothers on low incomes or were orphaned before the age of 9 and grew up in very unpleasant conditions who have obtained places for some of the most competitive courses at the most prestigious unis in Britain and the USA.
They put their academic & career ambitions first long before their teenage years began; studied hard, worked hard, networked hard and their efforts have led them to thrive.
Amazing academic achievements, phenomenal career success, six figure+ annual salaries and experience of working in multiple continents.

This is one of the best, and one of the most wholesome answers I have seen in a while :yep:
It's incredible that you see beyond people's misfortunes, and understand who they truly are.
Original post by Roses_Dreams
This is one of the best, and one of the most wholesome answers I have seen in a while :yep:
It's incredible that you see beyond people's misfortunes, and understand who they truly are.

Agree being rich does not you great neither does being poor mean your a lowlife
Some of the worst people ive met have been from incredibly wealthy families
Original post by Goldie-Is-King
Agree being rich does not you great neither does being poor mean your a lowlife
Some of the worst people ive met have been from incredibly wealthy families

True, people automatically prejudice against you because they think that if you are from a poor family, you will go nowhere. The reality is that some parents do not choose their situation and do the best they possibly can to keep their children's aspirations alive, whilst others have the money to buy those aspirations. Either way, I believe it should be your personality who defines you, and not the situation you have come from. I always have, and always will, maintain that opinion. :moon:
Original post by Roses_Dreams
True, people automatically prejudice against you because they think that if you are from a poor family, you will go nowhere. The reality is that some parents do not choose their situation and do the best they possibly can to keep their children's aspirations alive, whilst others have the money to buy those aspirations. Either way, I believe it should be your personality who defines you, and not the situation you have come from. I always have, and always will, maintain that opinion. :moon:

Good for you roses im from working class family(more poor than rich) but still brought up to have manners/respect for people
Original post by StarLinyx
I am utterly fed-up of seeing students from leading state and private schools take up the vast majority of places for elite courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, courses at Oxbridge and other leading UK universities.

When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?

agree , opportunities for working class are limited
Original post by Joleee
what causes 'the vast majority of places' for 'Oxbridge and other leading UK universities' to come from certain socio-economic status in your opinion?

in my country, university is literally based on socio-economic status because, unless your parents are paying for it, you have to take out a student loan you have to start paying back after 6 months of graduation with interest that you never get to write off, not ever in your life. so poor students don't ever go to university. they can't even go to a 'bad' university. what's going on in the UK?

As you know it's different in the UK so the cost of uni shouldn't really be offputting to poorer students. Though psychologically the idea of taking on that much debt may be scarier to them and their family.

I would say in the UK it is more that richer students tend to go to better schools which translates into better grades which is what the leading unis/most prestigious courses are looking for. Their parents can afford to send them to private schools or to buy houses in the catchment area for the best state schools.

Also middle class parents tend to assume their children will go to uni so they grow up with that expectation - reinforced by the sort of schools they attend. This will not be the case with all families/all schools.
Reply 18
Avatar for mgi
mgi
20
Original post by StarLinyx
I am utterly fed-up of seeing students from leading state and private schools take up the vast majority of places for elite courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, courses at Oxbridge and other leading UK universities.

When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?


The first problem is, i suspect, to get the required top grades whichever type of school you go to! Get those outstanding grades and then complain afterwards!
Original post by StarLinyx
When are we going to see students from poorer backgrounds who grew up on high rise council estates and attended the very worst schools in the UK be given a fair chance in getting places on these competitive courses?

They have a fair chance. Do something about the "very worst schools". They cannot be given places for which they don't have the foundations. Allowances are made, but there's no point in admitting students that will fail their course either - that would be a waste of a place.

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