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Getting into Oxbridge through family connections

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Reply 80
Avatar for Dijobla
Dijobla
17
Donnchadh
I know, I know, but you can't go making accusations that you simply don't know are true. The edited version is fair enough; it was the suggestion that a 'whole load' of deserving applicants are missing out due to nepotism that I objected to, when interviews and so on (whatever their flaws) in fact seem a deliberate attempt to make the system as meritocratic as possible.

I wasn't making that suggestion or accusation at all. It was a case of syntax and unclear wording on my part, which I've fixed. I don't really have any major problems with the Oxbridge system; well none that don't apply to all universities in general. So it's all good.
HEJ92
My friend told me that grade 5 is like getting a GCSE.. so I felt it was relevant lol :smile:


Fair enough, but Grade 5 only gives you UCAS points (in terms of academia, obviously music and stuff helps in other ways) which some Unis (including Ox) ignore.
Dijobla
I'm probably going to get a load of negs or people disagreeing with me, but be realistic guys, this happens.


The difference with the Cambridge admissions system compared to most other universities is that the decision to accept or reject is, independently, that of the tutors at a college.

I can well believe that nepotism occurs, but since the admissions decisions are generally made by people who do much of the teaching, I can't believe it is widespread.

I imagine some of the dons might be impressed that a child of a well known politician wanted to study his subject at his college, but since he's not dependant on the government for funding, he probably wouldn't have many issues with rejecting them if they weren't good enough.
indirectly,
many top boarding schools ask f you have any link to the school on the admission form. getting in or not could decide what university you go to.
Reply 84
Avatar for Dijobla
Dijobla
17
Arrogant Git
The difference with the Cambridge admissions system compared to most other universities is that the decision to accept or reject is, independently, that of the tutors at a college.

I can well believe that nepotism occurs, but since the admissions decisions are generally made by people who do much of the teaching, I can't believe it is widespread.

I imagine some of the dons might be impressed that a child of a well known politician wanted to study his subject at his college, but since he's not dependant on the government for funding, he probably wouldn't have many issues with rejecting them if they weren't good enough.

Can't say I really disagree with anything you said there.
Innately_Hedonistic
You are a tool. I also go to a public school, one equal in academia and history to almost any other.

The reason they ask about these "connections" is for the utterly opposite reason to which you suggest. They discriminate against those with successful parents and those from privilidged backgrounds in order to give those with less privilidged backgrounds, but perhaps more potential, a chance.

As to why, in an almost patriotic way, you think nepotism "is a great thing", I shall never understand.


I know for a fact they do. Its not just me guessing, one of my mates is the son of the headmaster, and when I want to know something about the school (don't ask me why things like this interest me) I ask him. And I'm sorry, but it is the case. Actuallly my school also seems to go after money aswell - helps with fundraising.

They also use it so they can put me in the same house as relatives of mine, and indeed I was put in the same house my uncle was 40 years ago.
Reply 86
Avatar for ooh_harry
ooh_harry
To be fair, I dont know why you guys are looking so deep into familial conections. As alot of you have mentioned, these complex relationships have changed considerably in the last century. However, you are failing to appreciate another back door that has emerged. Funding, particularly government, NGO and corporate.

The top 100 universities in the world have so much external funding that the nepotistic relationships have inevitably chnaged and expanded. Its no longer just the case...where did mummy and daddy go but essentially an issue now of 'money talks' especially at post graduate levels of education and in the Ivy league
Reply 87
Avatar for Teebs
Teebs
16
Who the **** are all the people posting on here with their 'massive' knowledge of the nepotism in the Oxbridge admissions process? They certainly aren't actual Oxbridge students.
Teebs
Who the **** are all the people posting on here with their 'massive' knowledge of the nepotism in the Oxbridge admissions process? They certainly aren't actual Oxbridge students.


you don't understand; there was an article all about it in a reputable newspaper this year. you should keep up to date with these oustings.

source:

Kenyatta
It's true, it happens,

there was an article all on it for the 09 cycle IIRC from a respectable paper.


we should also note that society is not a meritocracy, as we have been educated to believe. also, oxbridge=society iirc.

source:

Podgeykins
Yes this happens :/ society is sadly not based on meritocracy as your educated to believe.
Reply 89
Avatar for TerryTerry
TerryTerry
Teebs
Who the **** are all the people posting on here with their 'massive' knowledge of the nepotism in the Oxbridge admissions process? They certainly aren't actual Oxbridge students.


No one has claimed to have a 'massive' knowledge of nepotism at Oxbridge.
Reply 90
Avatar for Teebs
Teebs
16
Tyrotoxism
you don't understand; there was an article all about it in a reputable newspaper this year. you should keep up to date with these oustings.

source:



we should also note that society is not a meritocracy, as we have been educated to believe. also, oxbridge=society iirc.

source:


Ok, I think you're being sarcastic, but it is two in the morning and some of the idiocy I've seen on these forums has been hard for me to believe so I can't be sure...

terryterry
No one has claimed to have a 'massive' knowledge of nepotism at Oxbridge.


You make a wonderful go at nitpicking my use of language without addressing the blatantly obvious actual complaint behind my post.
Teebs
Ok, I think you're being sarcastic, but it is two in the morning and some of the idiocy I've seen on these forums has been hard for me to believe so I can't be sure...



You make a wonderful go at nitpicking my use of language without addressing the blatantly obvious actual complaint behind my post.


i thought the irrefutable nature of my sources would have given away my earnestness.
Reply 92
Avatar for cpchem
cpchem
14
Teebs
Ok, I think you're being sarcastic, but it is two in the morning and some of the idiocy I've seen on these forums has been hard for me to believe so I can't be sure...



You make a wonderful go at nitpicking my use of language without addressing the blatantly obvious actual complaint behind my post.


We should be able to set an entrance exam for the Oxbridge forum...
cpchem
We should be able to set an entrance exam for the Oxbridge forum...


:rofl:

If only. That would be such fun :cool:
Reply 94
Avatar for ogloom
ogloom
9
Complete rubbish. The only thing oxford/cambridge care about is your academic prowess. This myth is just perpetuated by oxbridge rejects who use it as a coping mechanism.. "I would've gotten in if my parents went to oxbridge/were rich." pathetic
Reply 95
Avatar for Kenyatta
Kenyatta
I do love how offended these Oxbridge students have become at mere facts.
Reply 96
Avatar for Dijobla
Dijobla
17
Do we have to be Oxbridge students to comment on the universities? :puppyeyes:
Reply 97
Avatar for Dijobla
Dijobla
17
Athena

Wrong. With very, very few exceptions, everyone who comes to Oxford has AAA+ at A level, regardless of school background. Most, if not all, subjects have at least semi-centralised admissions - you are interviewed by two tutors at a time, and generally at more than one college, and then all colleges rank all the applicants and decide which to take. Having 'connections' might help you get through the vagaries of the admissions process (like choosing what written work to submit), or give you confidence in the interviews because your 'contacts' have given you a mock interview, but that will be it. Anyone who says they got in because of who Daddy knows is ************ you - it doesn't go on in Oxford any more.

Okay, but that's basically what I was trying to say? By mediocre, I'm not talking about students with average grades, I'm not saying that happens at all. I'm talking about students that might not have particularly shone out without the help of their connections or whatever. So yes, that's mock interviews, lots of help in the early admissions process like personal statements etcetera... and I never said I knew anyone who got in because of their Daddy? All I've been saying in this thread is that IMO it's unlikely that nepotism(I'm beginning to hate that word) and family connections doesn't play any part in admissions, and I did try and point out that I think it's the same in all universities.

Alright, I'm just going to unsubscribe from this thread. I don't know why I never learn my lesson about commenting on Oxford/Cambridge themed threads seeing as I'm not a student and clearly can have no opinion about the universities. Sorry guys.
Reply 98
Avatar for Teebs
Teebs
16
Dijobla
Do we have to be Oxbridge students to comment on the universities? :puppyeyes:


Put it this way, you don't see us Oxbridge students going off to the... UCL (random example) forum and informing everyone of our knowledge of the corruption in its admissions process, the general weakness of its degrees and the nature of its students. Well I hope you don't anyway.
I think it's possible that it happens in cases where the candidates have the required grades (hardly a difficulty, you only need 3As in half decent subjects) so there'd be no questions asked when they were accepted. I think it's unlikely Oxbridge would turn down people from massively rich philanthropic families that have given millions to the institutions over the years if they could just as easily let them in.

That said, these people are likely to be smart anyway; if your parents went to Oxbridge then you probably live in an environment that fosters achievement and were encouraged to work hard at school and actually apply there in the first place. You're also almost certainly more likely to have gone to a public school so statistically more likely to end up there. All of which means it's difficult to tell whether someone's family background directly influenced their acceptance whilst it almost certainly did indirectly.

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