The Student Room Group

Scroll to see replies

Reply 80
PS cheers for the rep!
Carl
Are you trying to prove a point? Since you seem to have no experience of private education I suggest you **** OFF!!

I think anyone would be out of their mind to turn down a private education unless the alternatives (ie comps) were any good (which in Wrexham they are not).

Why did you turn the cam place down? Have you got something better? It seems crazy to turn down a place at a private school and then at Cam. Are you still "going it alone"?



because i felt embarrassed! i was at private school for a bit, in primary school but by secondary school iwas sick of how toffee nosed everyone seemed, my family aren't posh but my dads business really made it big! i feel so proud of him, and now of myself for 'going it alone'! so yes i know private school and i wasn't welcome for being 'new money'! makes me sick!
Reply 82
skatergirlannie
because i felt embarrassed! i was at private school for a bit, in primary school but by secondary school iwas sick of how toffee nosed everyone seemed, my family aren't posh but my dads business really made it big! i feel so proud of him, and now of myself for 'going it alone'! so yes i know private school and i wasn't welcome for being 'new money'! makes me sick!

Well I don't think you should tar every school with the same brush. One or two people people were very toffee nosed (and I despised them) but my private school was by and large very down to earth, with twenty (of seventy two) pupils in my year on some form of assistance. By and large those who were well off had self made parents, and at all times during the seven years I was there I was made to feel welcome.

I think your problem is that you had a bad experience of public school and are resentful towards those who can make it through and can benefit from any extra opportunities we can or can't have. By the sounds of it though you can make it on your own, which is cool.

PS gonna cut the nasty comments from this and the other thread now I understand why you don't like private schools :smile:
Reply 83
oh and while we're on the subject of new money-I didn't apply to go to Cam or Oxford because I didn't think I'd fit in. I went to Oxford to see a friend and didn't feel comfortable around his new mates.

I could have worked harder for my A's and got better grade-was prepared to work for at least two As to get into Edinburgh but they rejected me-how that for an opportunity? Then Cardiff offered me an interview for this course and I thought I'd have to get three A's. However my offer was lower on the strength of my interview.
skatergirlannie
because i felt embarrassed! i was at private school for a bit, in primary school but by secondary school iwas sick of how toffee nosed everyone seemed, my family aren't posh but my dads business really made it big! i feel so proud of him, and now of myself for 'going it alone'! so yes i know private school and i wasn't welcome for being 'new money'! makes me sick!

So you were bullied at private school and now have decided to wage jihad on all private schoolers you can lay your hands on? Primarily through this forum?
Reply 85
Originally Posted by skatergirlannie

"because i felt embarrassed! i was at private school for a bit, in primary school but by secondary school iwas sick of how toffee nosed everyone seemed, my family aren't posh but my dads business really made it big! i feel so proud of him, and now of myself for 'going it alone'! so yes i know private school and i wasn't welcome for being 'new money'! makes me sick!"

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience of public school, however, I can assure you we are not all pompous 'snobs', 'toffs' and 'rahs'. I went to Eton college (Manor house, House master Dr. Gailey) and I am certainly not pretentious or 'snobby' in any way. At Eton we were taught to treat others with respect regardless of their socio-economic background or political standing and thus pretentiousness was frowned upon. I do hope you won't go through life judging people by which school they went to, otherwise you could miss out on many opportunities and friendships, and become more narrow-minded and bigotted as a result.
Reply 86
Mart21

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience of public school, however, I can assure you we are not all pompous 'snobs', 'toffs' and 'rahs'. I went to Eton college (Manor house, House master Dr. Gailey) and I am certainly not pretentious or 'snobby' in any way. At Eton we were taught to treat others with respect regardless of their socio-economic background or political standing and thus pretentiousness was frowned upon. I do hope you won't go through life judging people by which school they went to, otherwise you could miss out on many opportunities and friendships, and become more narrow-minded and bigotted as a result.


While I would not say it applies to you, nor the majority of privately educated people I've spoken to, "judging people by which school they went to" is certainly more of a private-school trait than the other way around. This is not to say it is the fault of the school - it's more likely just the type of people they attract - in that the stereotypical "toffee nosed" snobs and the like would baulk at the very thought of attending or sending their children to a state school. So inevitably, said creatures end up at private schools - and given their corresponding rare to non-existant numbers in the state sector it is easy to see how stereotypes have formed.
Reply 87
calumc
While I would not say it applies to you, nor the majority of privately educated people I've spoken to, "judging people by which school they went to" is certainly more of a private-school trait than the other way around. This is not to say it is the fault of the school - it's more likely just the type of people they attract - in that the stereotypical "toffee nosed" snobs and the like would baulk at the very thought of attending or sending their children to a state school. So inevitably, said creatures end up at private schools - and given their corresponding rare to non-existant numbers in the state sector it is easy to see how stereotypes have formed.

Again, a gross generalization. The majority of my friends went to state schools and I in no way look down on them. The reactions I get when I tell people I'm privately educated however, its pretty embarrassing. I'd go as far as to say if you do not know someone who's privately educated then certainly you have this perception that they are all toffee nosed and well off. I've spent the summer working in several factories and when people ask me where I went to school the second question I usually get asked is "what do my parents do". So before you start judging those of us who went to private school, remember those in the state sector are no better.
Reply 88
Ok, I've attended both public and private schools, and yes private school kids are more arrogant. But that's mainly because most of them were millionaires living in huge houses. Literally millionaires...

It depends on the private school though--I do believe my public school gave a better education than the comparative private. However some preparatory schools are really good.
Reply 89
SlyPie
Ok, I've attended both public and private schools, and yes private school kids are more arrogant. But that's mainly because most of them were millionaires living in huge houses. Literally millionaires...

It depends on the private school though--I do believe my public school gave a better education than the comparative private. However some preparatory schools are really good.

I think private schools in the US are a whole different ballpark from here aren't they? As are the public schools come to think of it?
Reply 90
Going to a top Private School myself, whilst it doesn't necessarily turn you into an ungrateful toff; it turns most people into stupid toffs with no view of the real world; and makes them snooty as anything (of course there are exceptions, I'd like to think myself :wink:). We are practically spoon-fed places at good universities, practically told/forced/given/whatever to do the wide variety of extra-curricular activities (its impossible not to have a CV/personal statement not embelished with such activities: school won't let you not take that opportunity) and good exam results through excessive tutoring whilst playing the system. The whole impression of student happiness the school web-site etc. gives is a complete lie.

I wouldn't think twice about sending my kids to a fairly decent grammar school; where student happiness would be inevitably a lot higher although their exam results/university places would be poorer; rather than the school im going to at the moment. Of course, thats my narrow experience and obviously most private schools aren't like that.

But, speaking to others who have gone to some (emphasis some) private schools; there are lots who share my experiences and have been turned into ****s by the spoon-feeding mentality others share...
Reply 91
Carl
I think private schools in the US are a whole different ballpark from here aren't they? As are the public schools come to think of it?


Hmm by different ballpark, you mean better eh...

But yes supposedly more people in the UK attend privates than in the US, which means it's not as drastic of a difference compared to private vs. public here.
Reply 92
I don't think deserving is a sensible option. I think lucky would be better.

You can't help being born.
Reply 93
Sleep
Going to a top Private School myself, whilst it doesn't necessarily turn you into an ungrateful toff; it turns most people into stupid toffs with no view of the real world

I went to one too, and i wouldn't agree it turns most people into "stupid toffs," certainly there are some, but it depends on the school and far more on the upbringing and lifestyle of the kid and their parents. I wouldnt say any of my friends were stupid toffs at all.

Some of them are not particularly street wise, but in all honesty, if they're then going on to uni and then some high paying job in London, i doubt it'll ever catch up with them.
Reply 94
I count all my current friends from private school = 0
I count all my current friends from state school = plenty.

It all went out the window when I never had a BMW 3 series at the age of 18!
I worked hard and got a new car that cost 11k when I was 21 because my Mum worked hard to pay for my attendance at private school and could not willy nilly afford such luxuries.

As for thios comment 'At Eton we were taught to treat others with respect regardless of their socio-economic background or political standing and thus pretentiousness was frowned upon', but friends with the old state school down the road was Ni impossible because a) we all ived in fancy areas b) there is no amalgamation between state and private schools.

When there is a sports event, it isn't Eton V state school. Its Eton v Harrow or the alike. Same with the one I attended.
Reply 95
walshie
I count all my current friends from private school = 0
I count all my current friends from state school = plenty.

It all went out the window when I never had a BMW 3 series at the age of 18!
I worked hard and got a new car that cost 11k when I was 21 because my Mum worked hard to pay for my attendance at private school and could not willy nilly afford such luxuries.
Sounds like you had some pretty rubbish friends. Yeah I was (still am) one of the minority who can't drive, but I haven't lost any friends over it, am I'm not too proud to take the bus or even cycle.

As for thios comment 'At Eton we were taught to treat others with respect regardless of their socio-economic background or political standing and thus pretentiousness was frowned upon', but friends with the old state school down the road was Ni impossible because a) we all ived in fancy areas b) there is no amalgamation between state and private schools.

When there is a sports event, it isn't Eton V state school. Its Eton v Harrow or the alike. Same with the one I attended.

Your point? I wasn't friends with any people from the state schools around Kings because there were no links, but we all have friends from our jobs and our old schools who are state educated. You say you have lots of friends with a state background-you must have met them somewhere.
Reply 96
^ My point is that although Eton proclaim non-discriminatory views, its impossible to get out of this environment whereby you can meet anyone from a state school background.
My state school friends are plentiful - why? Their more outgoing, you meet them at the chippy, the newsagents, the market place, football matches at Underhill etc. Are you seriously telling me that Privately educated people do this. I don't think so.

There Ma and Pa will inform them that such activities are a time waste and you should be looking for this job and writing letters protesting about why there are not speed measures in there street. My point is, they don't have time to socialise with joe public because Mum and Dad won't let them as they have had a major say in their education. Don't mean offence by the way. I am quite happy to be tarnished as a snob at first hand until people then know who I am and understand me.
Reply 97
walshie
^ My point is that although Eton proclaim non-discriminatory views, its impossible to get out of this environment whereby you can meet anyone from a state school background.
My state school friends are plentiful - why? Their more outgoing, you meet them at the chippy, the newsagents, the market place, football matches at Underhill etc. Are you seriously telling me that Privately educated people do this. I don't think so.

This thread is just one big set of generalisations.

No its not the case that all private school people are rich spoilt brats

No its not the case that no privately educated people do the things you list (you do and you said you were)

The main reason why your state school friends are more plentiful is most likely to be the fact that 93% of people are State educated, so by sheer law of averages you are more likely to have more state educated friends.

It really irritates me the way people have such big chips on their shoulders over state vs private education, if you meet someone in a pub, you won't necessarily know whether they've been state educated or private, and if you later found out they were privately educated you wouldn't care unless you were just being incredibly prejudiced.

If you go to uni noone knows who has been to private school or state, and noone cares.

If you don't like the people you met at private school then fine, thats your life, your opinion, but don't paint 7% of the country's school age population with the same brush.
Reply 98
walshie
I count all my current friends from private school = 0
I count all my current friends from state school = plenty.

It all went out the window when I never had a BMW 3 series at the age of 18!
I worked hard and got a new car that cost 11k when I was 21 because my Mum worked hard to pay for my attendance at private school and could not willy nilly afford such luxuries.

As for thios comment 'At Eton we were taught to treat others with respect regardless of their socio-economic background or political standing and thus pretentiousness was frowned upon', but friends with the old state school down the road was Ni impossible because a) we all ived in fancy areas b) there is no amalgamation between state and private schools.

When there is a sports event, it isn't Eton V state school. Its Eton v Harrow or the alike. Same with the one I attended.



I partly sympathize with you here. At the private school I attended, when they turned 16, they got brand new Lexuses and Mercedes for $50,000. They never thought for a second about buying a 30 dollar chapstick. They took much for granted. (However, most of them ended up at crappy universities.)

I myself prefer to socialize with middle-class kids; not just because we have more in common, but because the ones who are literally millionaires who own sh*tloads (and I have family like this)...are annoying and have no idea what reality is.

They attend university to earn a worthless degree and thus live off their parents for life...Others who attend university actually attend it to get professions, and to earn a living--not for "fun."
Reply 99
My true friends taught me reality and I'm thankful for that. It was a hard long bump down to earth, but I'm grateful for it. :smile:
I got called harsh names such as pompous, arrogant and people thought of me as somewhat rude. Its true my lifestyle treated me as such, and my time spent with (and gods honest truth), fans at Barnet FC taught me how life was. My first attendance was by myself at 14 years of age, and I mingled with Joe Public for the first time. Joe Public who bought me pints of beer because I was not old enough, and there welcoming and invitations to travel with them to away games etc. We travelled on busses and trains, not a BMW X5 with TV screens on the back of the headrests for the first time in my life. I loved it, and will always remember that part of my childhood more than any other.

If the thread was really aimed at brandishing Privately educated people as ar.se holes, I would be the first person to stand up and defend my position :smile: I am what I am as a result of socialising with normal folk, and its not right to 'tarnish' everone with the same brush, because I believe I am living proof of a fine example :biggrin:

Latest

Trending

Trending