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positive discrimination by uni's

When it asks for any disabilities etc could it be actually a advantage that you put one down (if you actually have one of course!). Could be called positive discrimination but as i have dyslexia and put it down do you reckon that the uni actually cares?
I experienced a instance where a place of work required a certain amount of ethnic minorities on their graduate programme etc so could this be a similar in a way.

Reply 1

foxo

17

I love positive discrimination. The company I work for have a very skewed way of dealing with it - they clearly weren't meeting the quotas so what they did was enlist a bunch of people with disabilities at once, and they were all trained at the same time. The group consisted of a few midgets, a couple of people with Marfan's Syndrome, someone with an ageing disorder and three wheelchair users.

Reply 2

L i b

19

foxo

I love positive discrimination. The company I work for have a very skewed way of dealing with it - they clearly weren't meeting the quotas so what they did was enlist a bunch of people with disabilities at once, and they were all trained at the same time. The group consisted of a few midgets, a couple of people with Marfan's Syndrome, someone with an ageing disorder and three wheelchair users.

Bet that was a fun day for all concerned...

Reply 3

Llamaaa

15

I don't think universities really do positive discrimination- it's against their best interests to take a worse candidate just because he is disabled ahead of a better candidate without any exciting features. I know that at Cambridge the form you fill in with your ethnicity and disabilities doesn't go to the admissions people- they take the form out and send it on for their research on the types of people that apply, which I think is better, but that's probably because I don't have anything to work in my favour!!

Are you a diagnosed dyslexic? I ask because one of my friends is and when he came here they gave him a laptop, a stand, speakers, keyboard, printer and software all free because of his dyslexia. It's worth looking into anyway. It didn't come from the university, but rather from the government.

Reply 4

Reue

20

Johnni

I experienced a instance where a place of work required a certain amount of ethnic minorities on their graduate programme etc so could this be a similar in a way.

Isnt that illegal?

Reply 5

Johnni

OP

8

Llamaaa

I don't think universities really do positive discrimination- it's against their best interests to take a worse candidate just because he is disabled ahead of a better candidate without any exciting features. I know that at Cambridge the form you fill in with your ethnicity and disabilities doesn't go to the admissions people- they take the form out and send it on for their research on the types of people that apply, which I think is better, but that's probably because I don't have anything to work in my favour!!

Are you a diagnosed dyslexic? I ask because one of my friends is and when he came here they gave him a laptop, a stand, speakers, keyboard, printer and software all free because of his dyslexia. It's worth looking into anyway. It didn't come from the university, but rather from the government.

I was thinking what foxo said. Do uni's have to fill a quota of certain types of people. I know there is one for the workplace but i doubt all places of work give a monkeys. There's no disabled people where i work, just all lazy gits :p:

I was diagnosed by my last uni, i was hoping that i could blag some sort of grant etc but they only do as you said provide certain materials but better than nothing

Reply 6

username156343

15

L i b

Bet that was a fun day for all concerned...

Reply 7

Fillette

14

I reckon Bristol positively descriminates. My AS weren't fabulous at all, but my education has been rubbish, secondary school after secondary school that has been on special measures and I've had to move three times. But I work hard, and am predicted 3 As. They gave me a History offer. My friend, who is an Etonian is predicted 6As for A2 and didn't get in for the same course...

Reply 8

Johnni

OP

8

Fillette™

I reckon Bristol positively descriminates. My weren't fabulous at all, but my education has been rubbish, secondary school after secondary school that has been on special measures and I've had to move three times. But I work hard, and am predicted 3 As. They gave me a History offer. My friend, whose an Etonian is predicted 6As for A2 and didn't get in for the same course...

Maybe uni's are quite aware of stats on their students.i.e how many from state/private schools. As when uni guides come out sometimes uni would prefer a mixture of students backgrounds rather than being seen as one dimensional.

Or maybe in your case they put alot of emphasis on other factors apart from academic reasons.

Reply 9

Fillette

14

^^ Well, I wrote a really good PS, but then so did everybody probably!

Reply 10

MGT_90

10

Fillette™

I reckon Bristol positively descriminates. My AS weren't fabulous at all, but my education has been rubbish, secondary school after secondary school that has been on special measures and I've had to move three times. But I work hard, and am predicted 3 As. They gave me a History offer. My friend, who is an Etonian is predicted 6As for A2 and didn't get in for the same course...

That's been identified though. It's generally known that universities will be sensitive to the situations of the applicant and their performance relative to the schools attended. Getting As at an under-performing comprehensive is, relative to the average performance of the school, going to be impressive. Getting As at Eton, I would assume, is quite a regular occurrence.

There's always some element of chance as well. That's why some people get into Cambridge and get rejected at Bristol/Manchester/etc.

Performing well above and beyond the school's average measured performance and sensitivity to that is a different matter to taking an applicant because they're dyslexic.

The most probable impact putting down a notable medical condition would be the institution attempting to address any special needs. Admission, would most likely not be one of them. Mobility issues, for example, probably would be.

Reply 11

GodspeedGehenna

3

foxo

I love positive discrimination. The company I work for have a very skewed way of dealing with it - they clearly weren't meeting the quotas so what they did was enlist a bunch of people with disabilities at once, and they were all trained at the same time. The group consisted of a few midgets, a couple of people with Marfan's Syndrome, someone with an ageing disorder and three wheelchair users.

Do you work at a Circus?

Reply 12

foxo

17

GodspeedGehenna

Do you work at a Circus?

Unfortunately not - that's infinitely more interesting and probably pays more than this ****ty call centre. :p:

Reply 13

leeming

14

Reue

Isnt that illegal?

I dont think so, my brother got kicked outa asda for not been an ethinic minority (the store was not meeting its quota for ethnic minorities), and i was also turned down for not having a physical disability.

Also ive been informed by quite a few people that Bradford Uni discriminates against dyslexia. And positive discrimination to international students.

Are you a diagnosed dyslexic? I ask because one of my friends is and when he came here they gave him a laptop, a stand, speakers, keyboard, printer and software all free because of his dyslexia. It's worth looking into anyway. It didn't come from the university, but rather from the government.

Ya, its funded by your local authority. But you need to be diagnosed before filling in the forms, which then send you off to an assessment centre, so that they know what freebies to give you =)

Reply 14

Llamaaa

15

I think discrimination against people with dyslexia sometimes occurs not because of the condition, but rather because of the bad spelling and grammar that comes with it. Universities are renowned for discarding people whose personal statement is riddled with errors, so I do think it would be worthwhile putting on your form that you are dyslexic so at least they can see that you are not just lazy or careless.

Reply 15

Good bloke

19

Dyslexia is hardly a good reason for such errors in a document that you have so much time to prepare, get comments on and use automated spell/grammar checks on, is it? It is not a spontaneous peice of writing.

Reply 16

Johnni

OP

8

Good bloke

Dyslexia is hardly a good reason for such errors in a document that you have so much time to prepare, get comments on and use automated spell/grammar checks on, is it? It is not a spontaneous peice of writing.

People with Dyslexia would probably check their work more than someone without dyslexia possibly. In my exams and coursework i would check my work many times as i knew my grammar was poor, most people would check what they have written in the exam maybe once or twice but i did it maybe 3-4 times if i had the time.

Reply 17

Reue

20

leeming

I dont think so, my brother got kicked outa asda for not been an ethinic minority (the store was not meeting its quota for ethnic minorities), and i was also turned down for not having a physical disability.

That is most certainly illegal and you can take them to court for it.

Reply 18

Denny Crane

13

Reue

That is most certainly illegal and you can take them to court for it.

Well he cant and he wouldn't since that's a BIG lie, maybe thats reason he told his family he was fired, but in reality he was probably coming in late, skiving off work and probably wasn't a good employee. Its agiants the law but a big organsation like ASDA wont risk being taking for something like that since it would damage their reputation. I also doubt that the person who wrote that post was telling the truth! :tsr2:

Reply 19

raption

1

In terms of race ... I don't think many universities partake in it. I applied for ancient history at Durham this UCAS cycle. Accoriding to Durham's own statistics (available freely on their website), I was the only mixed black/white or black applicant to the classics department since 2001. Even predicted AAA at A2 and with AAAA at AS AND being mixed black/white (as stated on my UCAS form) didn't seem to matter though! Still rejected :frown:

positive discrimination by uni's

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