Oxbridge: tradition and misunderstanding
On a day like today I feel it is very important that I break from discussing school and discuss the next step: university. I have, as an Oxford PostGraduate, sat and cheered my university on as they fought a tight race and eventually won. However, in watching the race and following Twitter comments, the unpleasantness that surrounds peoples' (admittedly often warranted) views of Oxford have overshadowed my enjoyment of the event and I feel that it is important that this is put into context. This view of Oxbridge as high and mighty and out of reach does nothing to encourage our students to apply to these great institutions.
My own school background is unremarkable: village primary schools, a greatly below average high school and whilst I attended a red brick university, I came away with a simple 2:2; certainly not Oxbridge material. During my 3rd year at university I applied for a PGCE and honestly put Oxford and Cambridge down just to see what they would see. Imagine my surprise when both offered me a place! I eventually chose Oxford; the course suited me better, and it is from this situation from which I write this post.
Most of what has been on Twitter today has been condemning these great institutions for being elitist, upper class snobs that are inaccessible to those less fortunate in life, yet I, admittedly in the minority, am proof that those from modest backgrounds can still be fortunate enough to attend such places, and benefit immensely from them. Constantly portraying these institutions as unreachable and inaccessible harms our students; we, in school, continually try to push our students and try and encourage them to aim for the stars, to apply for Oxbridge, yet in our private lives we berate the same places behind their backs. Are we honestly silly enough to believe the two worlds never cross? That the students know nothing of our 'hidden' distate for the very place which we wish them to attend? I don't believe this can be the case. 5 students, on average, apply to every 1 place at Oxford, why aren't more of our students applying? Because we portray it as out of their reach!
Oxford and Cambridge have their problems: all places do. But their traditions and standards are built on the very best education this country has to offer and we should embrace and encourage this in both areas of our life: work and private. It is only through this that we can expect our future to be brighter.
- A below average schooled student.
My own school background is unremarkable: village primary schools, a greatly below average high school and whilst I attended a red brick university, I came away with a simple 2:2; certainly not Oxbridge material. During my 3rd year at university I applied for a PGCE and honestly put Oxford and Cambridge down just to see what they would see. Imagine my surprise when both offered me a place! I eventually chose Oxford; the course suited me better, and it is from this situation from which I write this post.
Most of what has been on Twitter today has been condemning these great institutions for being elitist, upper class snobs that are inaccessible to those less fortunate in life, yet I, admittedly in the minority, am proof that those from modest backgrounds can still be fortunate enough to attend such places, and benefit immensely from them. Constantly portraying these institutions as unreachable and inaccessible harms our students; we, in school, continually try to push our students and try and encourage them to aim for the stars, to apply for Oxbridge, yet in our private lives we berate the same places behind their backs. Are we honestly silly enough to believe the two worlds never cross? That the students know nothing of our 'hidden' distate for the very place which we wish them to attend? I don't believe this can be the case. 5 students, on average, apply to every 1 place at Oxford, why aren't more of our students applying? Because we portray it as out of their reach!
Oxford and Cambridge have their problems: all places do. But their traditions and standards are built on the very best education this country has to offer and we should embrace and encourage this in both areas of our life: work and private. It is only through this that we can expect our future to be brighter.
- A below average schooled student.
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