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My parents didn't go to university......

and nor did anyone else in my family. However, I do got to a private school in which almost everyone progresses to university.

I was told by someone that applicants whose family haven't been to university can stand a higher chance of receiving an offer from Oxbridge. I have read about the special access schemes but they seem to be only if your school has a poor record andyour family haven't been to university.

So do I need to mention this anywhere or will it not make any difference?

Thanks!

Reply 1

Gary2688

I'm in the same position as you, looked into it and I think it makes no difference whatsoever. I did get an offer though, but I think it only counts anyway if you apply through a special access scheme - someone who has done so may be better to answer this

Reply 2

sebbie

15

My parents didn't go to university either.... Who cares, what possible difference to you does it make?

If you go to a private school you have enough of an advantage without needing to apply through the special access schemes!

Reply 3

x.lily.x

sebbie

My parents didn't go to university either.... Who cares, what possible difference to you does it make?

If you go to a private school you have enough of an advantage without needing to apply through the special access schemes!

that's not necessarily true. i've been to a private school for 1 year and to an underaverage comprehensive school for the previous 5 years, so i don't think that this one year has been a massive advantage in terms of applying to university. plenty of kids from poorer backgrounds gain scholarships to private schools, and plenty of kids from more advantaged backgrounds just go to their local comprehensive. which one is at a greater advantage is arguable.

Reply 4

WokSz

17

Oxbridge are trying to widen their intake of annual applicants. However, to say that just because you're from a disadvantaged background, you have a higher possibility of entering isn't entirely true. The main objective of Oxbridge is to take in students who have the best academic potential and record. So, as long as you can show this you're fine.

Reply 5

allymcb2

8

May as well mention it. The worst that can happen is it won't make any difference.

Reply 6

Epicurus

15

My parents didn't go to Uni but my brother and sister did. I also go to a school that is terrible. But I don't knoe whether I'll be able to apply through any scheme as my siblings went to Uni.

Reply 7

ad absurdum

2

Epicurus

My parents didn't go to Uni but my brother and sister did. I also go to a school that is terrible. But I don't knoe whether I'll be able to apply through any scheme as my siblings went to Uni.

I'm the same (except I only have one older sibling who is at uni). I don't think the siblings will make much of a difference to be honest. I don't know if I'm going to go for the special access scheme anyway, I don't understand what difference it actually makes.

Reply 8

thefish_uk

14

I think that on the Cambridge form at least they ask you about your parents - whether it's about whether they went to uni or what their occupation is I've forgotten.

I wouldn't make an effort to mention it otherwise, it'll just make you look like you're after sympathy or something.

Reply 9

allymcb2

8

thefish_uk

I think that on the Cambridge form at least they ask you about your parents - whether it's about whether they went to uni or what their occupation is I've forgotten.

I wouldn't make an effort to mention it otherwise, it'll just make you look like you're after sympathy or something.

Yes but could get your teacher to say it in your reference. They are quite experienced at phrasing such things delicately.

Reply 10

Epitomessence

12

It shouldn't.

Reply 11

yorkshirelass

14

I was involved with the Oxford Access Scheme and I don't think it gives you a leg up over other applicants. It just meant I got support through summer schools and a mock interview day, which made it a bit fairer coming from a poor school. The criteria for the Access Scheme seem to be 'or' rather than 'ands'. My Dad went to University (but nobody else in my family has), but I got involved with the scheme because of going to a poor school more than anything else. One girl on a summer school had been educated privately all her life, but nobody in her family had been to University. As long as there is little or no University history in your family OR you are from a poorly achieving school, you should be able to go through the Access Scheme and get the help you need when you apply.

Reply 12

Chewwy

17

allymcb2

Yes but could get your teacher to say it in your reference. They are quite experienced at phrasing such things delicately.

surely they'll have something more relevant to say than that? my mum left school at 16 with no qualifications, my dad spent his childhood in south africa commiting petty crime/lying in fields/being racist. i go to private school. i don't see why the hell though i would want my referee to say "shaun's parents are well thick, let 'im in".

Reply 13

allymcb2

8

chewwy

surely they'll have something more relevant to say than that? my mum left school at 16 with no qualifications, my dad spent his childhood in south africa commiting petty crime/lying in fields/being racist. i go to private school. i don't see why the hell though i would want my referee to say "shaun's parents are well thick, let 'im in".

No, I wouldn't either. But if cambridge care so much about it they ask it on the application form (which seems pretty rude to me), this would indicate oxbridge might look more favourably (justified or otherwise) on someone who had achieved similar grades etc from a less academic background.

I was jammy, though, and went to a decent state school, meaning I got the allowances made for crap school and decent teaching. Plus a lot more recognition for getting in despite doing half the work of the private school people. :p:

Reply 14

Chewwy

17

most academic institutions want to know what your parents do, it's not a huge thing.

i should also point out that the vast, vast majority of the population's parents didn't go to university...

Reply 15

allymcb2

8

I think its a personal question they shouldn't really be asking.

Reply 16

imageofreality

they are looking at you for YOUR eagerness and ability anyway, i shouldn't think that anything your parents do have or haven't done would affect that. mine didn't go to university either, only my uncle did... to oxford too strangly enough :p:

Reply 17

Quistis

chewwy

most academic institutions want to know what your parents do, it's not a huge thing.

Do they? I know that, in the year I applied (2004, for 2005 entry) the UCAS form asked for my parents' professions, but it was stressed that that data was for UCAS monitoring purposes and would not be passed on to the universities. Do most universities ask separately what your parents do? That just doesn't sound likely to me - surely they wouldn't get away with asking that?

Reply 18

FadeToBlackout

15

Whether or not your university knows exactly what your parents do, they will know from the amount of financial aid they recieve from your LEA and the amount of loan and support you get how much they earn, which iin my opinion is a far more personal thing. Does it really matter if they know what job your parents did too? Personally, neither of my parents entered higher education, although my Dad wishes he had rather than doing college at night and a full-time job during the day. Anyway, asa someone said there are obviously a lot of people of the parent's generation who didn't, so its hardly going to be a shock or horror to them.

Reply 19

shady lane

16

I'm not British but at my university, someone close to me was the first person in her family to attend university. She mentioned it in her PS and she had done a lot of community service to encourage other students from disadvantaged backgrounds apply to university. I don't know if it makes an explicit difference but if you mention that you are striving to achieve a place at Oxbridge and wish to help advance your family, etc, that might be nice.

My parents didn't go to university......

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