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Reply 60
Invisible
It would be good to have 2 threads, one for comprehensive schoolers and another for private/grammar schoolers, then compare them.

True.
Invisible
And these were clever people, all pretty much applying to Oxford - And you must also consider that 1 in 4 got a place for this course.


I'm off to Cambridge in October. I must be stupid!
Invisible
I went on the Sutton Trust Summer School at Oxford for Physics just recently, and the people didn't all have "10A*'s." An exceptional few had such grades, but many tended to have a few A*'s, lots of A's and a couple of B's/C's. I suppose a fair chunk had grades similarish to mine.

And these were clever people, all pretty much applying to Oxford - And you must also consider that 1 in 4 got a place for this course.

I personally don't think that the GCSE grades of people on the access schemes are indicative of the GCSEs which people who are accepted to the course will have. I got 12 GCSEs at a 7.7 average and people that I know were chosen for access schemes with <10As (and no A*s) at GCSE. Is it just coincidental that of the 4 people I know who got accepted, neither of their parent's went to uni (and mine did)? I don't think so.

Afterall, the aim of the various access schemes (Sutton Trust, OAS etc.) is to recruit people who will most benefit from it i.e. people from underrespresented backgrounds.
mobbdeeprob
I personally don't think that the GCSE grades of people on the access schemes are indicative of the GCSEs which people who are accepted to the course will have. I got 12 GCSEs at a 7.7 average and people that I know were chosen for access schemes with <10As (and no A*s) at GCSE. Is it just coincidental that of the 4 people I know who got accepted, neither of their parent's went to uni (and mine did)? I don't think so.

Afterall, the aim of the various access schemes (Sutton Trust, OAS etc.) is to recruit people who will most benefit from it i.e. people from underrespresented backgrounds.



Yes, that's the idea - The backgroud/school/etc are all considered and hence bright people whose grades may be lower than those from good backgrounds, get to apply on an equal playing field.

The more people from Sutton trust schemes who get an offer from Oxbridge, the better.
Invisible

The more people from Sutton trust schemes who get an offer from Oxbridge, the better.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with that at all.

Some of the people I know who got accepted were (in the context of a top grammar school) in the bottom of half of the ability band. Others, whilst appearing 'disadvantaged' by the fact that their parent's didn't go to uni - in reality - live in one of the most privileged areas of the UK and are anything but disadvantaged.

Appraising whether somebody is truly 'disadvantaged' is a lot more difficult than some may think.

The system is open to so much abuse, it is not funny - at least I was honest on my application form...
Reply 65
7 for me.
mobbdeeprob
at least I was honest on my application form...


Unlike most.
how do u calculate it? i did IGCSE's
i got 1 A*, 4Bs, 4Cs and a D...
kriztinae
how do u calculate it? i did IGCSE's
i got 1 A*, 4Bs, 4Cs and a D...


Your GCSE Average points Score is:

[8 + (4 * 6) + (4*5) + 4]/10 = 56/10 = 5.6
Invisible
Your GCSE Average points Score is:

[8 + (4 * 6) + (4*5) + 4]/10 = 56/10 = 5.6

hm ok thanx!
yeey! :biggrin:
kriztinae
hm ok thanx!
yeey! :biggrin:


A* = 8
A = 7
B = 6

and so on.

It isn't an official thing or anything, just something made up by sad twats from gay private schools in an attempt to over-inflate their ego's, despite the fact that they were spoon fed and paid for the grades and were on a completely different playing field as it were.
Invisible
Unlike most.

Is that your belief - or a corruption of mine?

I'm just a bit cynical about the whole 'access scheme' concept, especially knowing the academic standard (and wider backgrounds) of some of those accepted.

And just to think, with some very careful (but insignificant and totally unproovable) alterations to my application - I am almost certain it would have been accepted.
mobbdeeprob
Is that your belief - or a corruption of mine?

I'm just a bit cynical about the whole 'access scheme' concept, especially knowing the academic standard (and wider backgrounds) of some of those accepted.

And just to think, with some very careful (but insignificant and totally unproovable) alterations to my application - I am almost certain it would have been accepted.


Yes, most people compeltely bullshit their application forms. Adding things that aren't true, massively exaggerating things to the point where it is actual bullshitting, bribing their teachers to get AAA predictions when their AS Results indicate otherwise.

I mean, the "predicted grades" thing is the most pointless thing ever - Clearly it's a pack of lie. Of course, when the GCSE and AS grades suggest otherwise, suddenly it's completely obvious.

And it isn't just a belief, it's a reality.
Reply 73
Invisible
It isn't an official thing or anything, just something made up by sad twats from gay private schools in an attempt to over-inflate their ego's, despite the fact that they were spoon fed and paid for the grades and were on a completely different playing field as it were.


Wow, bitter or what. :smile:
Invisible
Yes, most people compeltely bullshit their application forms. Adding things that aren't true, massively exaggerating things to the point where it is actual bullshitting, bribing their teachers to get AAA predictions when their AS Results indicate otherwise.

I mean, the "predicted grades" thing is the most pointless thing ever - Clearly it's a pack of lie. Of course, when the GCSE and AS grades suggest otherwise, suddenly it's completely obvious.

And it isn't just a belief, it's a reality.

I agree with what you are saying, especially seeing as I have several examples to prove this scenario! Although my only difficulty is making effective judgements by using terms such as 'most' - in regards to people who abuse the system.

I'm sure that there are several people who are truly disadvantaged who get onto the scheme, but then I wouldn't be surprised if a significant portion of people on the OAS/Sutton Trust schemes were of altogether more dubious worth (under the conditions of 'access' - whatever that is).

If I were to conform to commonly-held statistics and the views of the media, then I would have less than 5 A-Cs at GCSE, would probably have been expelled from two schools, and would be unlikely to enter HE (let alone apply to Oxbridge).

And yet I know people who have got onto the scheme through a bit of creative editing and who are hardly 'disadvantaged'.
mobbdeeprob
I agree with what you are saying, especially seeing as I have several examples to prove this scenario! Although my only difficulty is making effective judgements by using terms such as 'most' - in regards to people who abuse the system.

I'm sure that there are several people who are truly disadvantaged who get onto the scheme, but then I wouldn't be surprised if a significant portion of people on the OAS/Sutton Trust schemes were of altogether more dubious worth (under the conditions of 'access' - whatever that is).

If I were to conform to commonly-held statistics and the views of the media, then I would have less than 5 A-Cs at GCSE, would probably have been expelled from two schools, and would be unlikely to enter HE (let alone apply to Oxbridge).

And yet I know people who have got onto the scheme through a bit of creative editing and who are hardly 'disadvantaged'.


True. For example, I got a place on this Sutton Trust thing and I wouldn't consider myself disadvantaged.

The majority of people on the Sutton trust seemed fairly normal state schoolers, like myself. However, you shouldn't go too far and say "less than 5 A-C's and expelled" - This isn't the idea, the idea is to select people they consider as bright, with pretty good to excellent grades, but from schools and backgrounds that aren't perhaps akin to many who typically go to oxbridge. i.e.) They're picking bright state schoolers.

I wouldn't class myself as disadvantaged though in any respect, yet I'll be able to apply for the Oxford Access Scheme when I apply.
Squishy
Wow, bitter or what. :smile:


Not really, just true and straight to the point.
Reply 77
Invisible
Not really, just true and straight to the point.


Interesting view of the truth though...there are some very bright private school students who think for themselves and refuse to be spoon-fed: many of them are poor, but they have won scholarships. Yes, there are a fair few twats who do suck up to the teachers, but Oxbridge do generally consider how much you've had to work to get your grades, not just whether you have them or not.

And how exactly are you eligible for the Access Scheme?
Invisible
the idea is to select people they consider as bright, with pretty good to excellent grades

Hmm, perhaps

but from schools

Haha, I would cast doubt on that! Were that the case, nobody from my school would have got in - and if you combine all the schemes together - about 12 people did.

and backgrounds that aren't perhaps akin to many who typically go to oxbridge. i.e.) They're picking bright state schoolers.

Hmm, perhaps.

I wouldn't class myself as disadvantaged though in any respect, yet I'll be able to apply for the Oxford Access Scheme when I apply

I think that the whole thing is laughable if they take people in from the top state schools (and even those in the top streams/sets of other state schools) - which, arguably, provide a comparable education to the best schools in the private sector (with the exception of certain unteachable things, such as social skills and contacts).

I seriously don't believe that any of the 12 people accepted on the scheme, from my school, were really 'disadvantaged'.

I wouldn't say that I'm disadvantaged either (certainly not in economic terms), but when pushed, I can produce a set of personal characteristics which might suggest otherwise. :biggrin: Although I didn't bother going overboard on the application form, which (with hindsight) maybe I should have done. :biggrin:

I honestly believe that the vast majority of people who would most benefit from the access schemes, often do not actually apply to the schemes or, in the final analysis, to Oxbridge.

A situation therefore occurs where people who clearly are not 'disadvantaged' (other than, maybe, on paper) tussle for the spoils - the winners are usually those who produce the most 'creative' applications.

This isn't access - it's a joke. The sad thing being, that certain people will gain an undoubted boost to their CV (and perhaps, their application*) as a result of doing this.

*Why else term it an 'access scheme' if it doesn't present those on it with an advantage when it comes to Oxbridge application success? :confused:
Reply 79
mobbdeeprob
Hmm, perhaps

Haha, I would cast doubt on that! Were that the case, nobody from my school would have got in - and if you combine all the schemes together - about 12 people did.

Hmm, perhaps.

I think that the whole thing is laughable if they take people in from the top state schools (and even those in the top streams/sets of other state schools) - which, arguably, provide a comparable education to the best schools in the private sector (with the exception of certain unteachable things, such as social skills and contacts).

I seriously don't believe that any of the 12 people accepted on the scheme, from my school, were really 'disadvantaged'.

I wouldn't say that I'm disadvantaged either (certainly not in economic terms), but when pushed, I can produce a set of personal characteristics which might suggest otherwise. :biggrin: Although I didn't bother going overboard on the application form, which (with hindsight) maybe I should have done. :biggrin:

I honestly believe that the vast majority of people who would most benefit from the access schemes, often do not actually apply to the schemes or, in the final analysis, to Oxbridge.

A situation therefore occurs where people who clearly are not 'disadvantaged' (other than, maybe, on paper) tussle for the spoils - the winners are usually those who produce the most 'creative' applications.

This isn't access - it's a joke. The sad thing being, that certain people will gain an undoubted boost to their CV (and perhaps, their application*) as a result of doing this.

*Why else term it an 'access scheme' if it doesn't present those on it with an advantage when it comes to Oxbridge application success? :confused:

Sorry if I sound slightly ignorant on the matter, but do you not have to provide some sort of proof that you are disadvantaged, like some evidence of your parent's incomes?? Most scholarship schemes, or bursary schemes of a similar sort work on this basis. if they don't then I can see how easy it is to get round the system.