Unfair bias against private schools

The fit one.

Exactly - The Oxford access scheme is a prime example of some sort of loose boundary that will inevitably affect decisions as regards to the offers given out. We can't really deny that.

The fit one.

Whoever did best in the interview, you can't get more than an A so you can't say that an A from someone who has had little teaching is better than someone with an A from a better school because an A grade contains a wide range of results.
Furthurmore, many subjects now have aptitude tests which will be another discrimanting factor when choosing students.

Yes, but to get an A with little/no teaching requires a lot more work and ability on the behalf of the student - I can certainly vouch for that!

apparently male tutors are likely to have a subconscious preference for women as they are attracted to them

(vi) My school reported the matter to the TES - against my wishes - but they weren't interested.

(vii) I'm looking forward to getting into Oxbridge

Talking of fit, apparently male tutors are likely to have a subconscious preference for women as they are attracted to them, even though they are now aware of it as it is so slight!

Well that's not on. You could have been named against your wishes and been made a scapegoat, "Oh, another public schoolgirl bitching about not getting a place". Apparently Laura Spence never wanted to make a fuss, and as a result of the media storm a lot of people dislike her.

Erm... 10 out of 10 for confidence!!

Talking of fit, apparently male tutors are likely to have a subconscious preference for women as they are attracted to them, even though they are now aware of it as it is so slight!

This is true for all interviews. Studies in job interviews have shown that attractive people, regardless of gender, are slightly more likely to get jobs over those with equivalent qualifications. It remains a sad but true (and inevitable) fact that we are subconsciously affected by such things.

I don't think being fit is important as looking good i.e. smart - clean cut, well dressed, etc.

This post is evidently false. Of course, most of it sounds extremely dodgy and unlikely, but in the last sentence there is a clear non-truth. "I have applied again this year, here's hoping". UCAS does not accept applications before September 1st, making this impossible. Combined with the unlikelihood of the rest of this post, I think it is best to ignore it entirely; in fact, I think a mod should really delete it, lest it deter potential applicants who may well have already heard rumours of quotas, be they according to schooling, sex, or another facet of one's background.

I don't think being fit is important as looking good i.e. smart - clean cut, well dressed, etc.

ah yes..i read that - the study was based on medical students i think?

(& blonde, female " attractive" ones..ahem.. )

Hi,
I went to a private school - not a very good one - because I won a scholarship and I needed to board for (serious) family (medical) reasons. I got all A* at GCSE and AAAAA at A-level last year. I applied to Cambridge, LSE, Durham, etc and got none!
The Cambridge admissions people were very nice. I was told, almost one year later when the admission tutor visited the hospital I work in, that I had done well at interview, but their quota for private schools was "over-filled". Can this be fair? My total family income is less than £35k p.a. and we struggle to keep me in private education. My folks haven't had a hol in 5 years, don't drink or smoke, and we have sold our car to reduce our weekly spend.
Please can we have some fair recognition that not all private school students are useless toffs. Why do we not have anonymous, needs-blind admissions?

I have applied again this year; here's hoping.

toni

I agree - it is more a matter of all around appearance. However, if you are fat and ugly (regardless of how well dressed), you are less likely to fit a manager's 'image' of who he wants to hire.

How reliable was this study?

Oh, so that's how you got in then

Well, not being blonde or attractive, I'm just the one that they let in by mistake Actually, of the 7 female Clare medics, only one of them is really blonde, with another one sort of mousey browny-blonde. How reliable was this study? But then, we do have one female interviewer.