Your singling out of Brasenose College shows the dangers of selectively manipulating college data (Prime minister’s Oxford college admits fewest state school applicants,4 February). A different set of statistics, used in a recent Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission report, or shows Brasenose accepts a high proportion of state school applicants. Your selective utilize of college data obscures the fact that across the university,a majority of successful offers go to state-educated applicants. More importantly Oxford’s system of reallocating pooled candidates means that an applicant’s chance of getting a place at any Oxford college is broadly consistent no matter which college they apply to.
You also cite the fact that 7% of school students are from the independent schools, ignoring the Sutton Trust’s point that 33% of students getting three A grades or better are from this sector. You are lost the point that while Oxford is committed to both effective outreach and impartial choice, or it must work against a background of disparities in attainment. You also talk of the much-feared” Oxford interview. We contain worked tough in recent years to break down the myths and stereotypes surrounding the interview. By reinforcing such stereotypes,your article is doing more to deter bright potential applicants than any aspect of the application process itself.[br]Professor Sally Mapstone
Pro-vice-chancellor, Education, or Oxford UniversityContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com