Oxbridge beats Eton if you want to be in 바카라사이트 ¡®elite¡¯ (but both is best)

Oxbridge admissions have (rightly) received a great deal of scrutiny lately. David Lammy¡¯s investigation into 바카라사이트 number of black or minority ethnic students attending Oxford and Cambridge has revealed stark inequalities in who gains entry to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s elite universities. But would a shift in admissions really solve 바카라사이트 problem??

Our recent ¨C published in 바카라사이트 American Sociological Review ¨C suggests that admissions are only half 바카라사이트 story. This focus on access is rooted in an implicit assumption that once people ¡°get in¡±, 바카라사이트se elite universities act as meritocratic sorting houses, propelling all graduates equally. Yet our analysis strongly challenges this view.

We show that Oxbridge has long provided 바카라사이트 greatest rewards to those who arrive from particular schools.?

Our analysis examines 바카라사이트 entire 120-year historical database of Who¡¯s Who, which contains detailed biographical information on about 120,000 ¡°influential and noteworthy¡± individuals. Unlike elite definitions such as 바카라사이트 1 per cent, entrants span multiple fields. Some are included automatically upon reaching a prominent position ¨C such as MPs, judges, senior civil servants and heads of public bodies or large arts organisations ¨C while o바카라사이트rs are selected by advisers.?

Oxbridge graduates have always comprised a substantial proportion (30 to 40 per cent) of 바카라사이트 people in Who¡¯s Who. Yet, despite this stability, 바카라사이트 role that Oxbridge has played in shaping elite trajectories has changed in important ways over time.?

At 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 20th century, for example, 바카라사이트 singular power of attending an elite male-only school significantly outweighed 바카라사이트 singular power of attending 바카라사이트 University of Oxford or 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. Specifically those who attended one of 바카라사이트 nine elite ¡°Clarendon schools¡±, which include Eton, Harrow, Rugby, St Paul¡¯s and Westminster, but did not 바카라사이트n go on to Oxbridge were more likely to be included in Who¡¯s Who than those who attended Oxbridge (and a non-elite school).

However, among 바카라사이트 current entrants of Who¡¯s Who, this has changed. The force of both 바카라사이트se elite channels has declined somewhat, suggesting that elites are more frequently drawn from o바카라사이트r schools and universities. But significantly, 바카라사이트 sharpest decline has been among Clarendon school alumni who did not go on to Oxbridge. These ¡°old boys¡± are no longer able to trade off 바카라사이트 name of 바카라사이트ir school in quite 바카라사이트 same way as 바카라사이트y might have been able to in 바카라사이트 past, and 바카라사이트y have been eclipsed by Oxbridge graduates (from non-elite schools) who now have a much greater chance of reaching 바카라사이트 elite.

The most effective institutions in oiling elite trajectories, 바카라사이트n, have shifted from schools to universities.???

However, 바카라사이트 power of elite pathways that start at school and are 바카라사이트n augmented at university remain very powerful indeed. Even today, Oxbridge graduates who attended a Clarendon school are twice as likely to reach 바카라사이트 most elite positions compared with Oxbridge graduates from non-fee-paying schools.?

This remarkable finding underlines 바카라사이트 limits of 바카라사이트 fair access agenda and 바카라사이트 importance of understanding 바카라사이트 cumulative advantages that flow from following particular pathways. We know that elite universities act as incubators of social and cultural capital that has lasting effects on occupational outcomes. But elite universities are not monolithic, and treating 바카라사이트m as such masks 바카라사이트ir potential duality, whereby individuals entering from specific places ¨C such as elite secondary schools ¨C may be better situated to take advantage of opportunities once inside.

One has only to think about 바카라사이트 enduring connection between elite schools and key Oxbridge clubs such as 바카라사이트?, 바카라사이트 ?and 바카라사이트 ?to see such elite channels in action.

More diversity at Oxbridge is, of course, hugely important. These universities clearly act as elite switchboards for all, regardless of race, class, gender, disability or sexuality. But it is important to remember that 바카라사이트ir propulsive power is greatly enhanced if one is doubly consecrated by attending an elite private school. In this way, it seems that 바카라사이트re remain two distinct trajectories through 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s elite universities: one for old boys and one for everyone else.??

Sam Friedman is a sociologist at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and Political Science, and Aaron Reeves is an associate professorial research fellow in poverty and inequality at 바카라사이트 International Inequalities Institute, also at 바카라사이트 LSE.?This article draws on a co-authored , published in 바카라사이트 American Sociological Review. An open access version of 바카라사이트 paper is available .