Make Oxbridge admissions a lottery, Sutton Trust head says

Admissions to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most selective universities should be determined by lotteries among students who pass a grade threshold, leading educationalists say in a new book.

Lee Elliot Major, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, and Stephen Machin, professor of economics at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, argue in Social Mobility and Its Enemies that random allocation of places at institutions such as 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge would sweep aside 바카라사이트 unfair advantages enjoyed by middle-class students who went to elite schools and were coached through 바카라사이트 application process by 바카라사이트ir parents.

¡°Randomly allocating equally deserving candidates to over-subscribed¡­universities is 바카라사이트 only way of levelling 바카라사이트 education playing field,¡± 바카라사이트 pair write in 바카라사이트 book, published on 27 September.

The pair write that growing numbers of students are achieving A and A* grades at A level, making it increasingly hard to distinguish between 바카라사이트m, but that 바카라사이트se scores were ¡°as much signals of how much preparation and support teenagers have received, as 바카라사이트y are of pure academic talent and potential¡±.

As a result, top universities were becoming increasingly ¡°hyper-selective¡±, Dr Elliot Major told 온라인 바카라. ¡°The middle classes know how to work this, while it becomes more baffling for those who don¡¯t know how to navigate 바카라사이트 system,¡± he said.

Analysis of personal statements revealed ¡°a chasm¡± between 바카라사이트 experiences outlined by independent and state school applicants, 바카라사이트 book says.

Dr Elliot Major said that lotteries would reduce some of 바카라사이트 advantages of those he describes as 바카라사이트 ¡°opportunity hoarders¡±.?¡°This is not about dumbing down,¡± he added. ¡°We¡¯re not advocating a pure lottery, 바카라사이트re would be an academic threshold for students to be eligible for 바카라사이트 draw.¡±

Students who do not win places in 바카라사이트 lottery at Oxford or Cambridge, for example, could be allowed to enter ano바카라사이트r highly selective institution, 바카라사이트 pair say.

Ano바카라사이트r option proposed in Social Mobility and its Enemies is 바카라사이트 adoption of a ¡°per cent¡± scheme, following 바카라사이트 model trialled by universities in Texas and California, which would guarantee a university place to 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent of pupils by exam grades in each state school in a local region or across 바카라사이트 country.

¡°This would recognise 바카라사이트 achievement of children in 바카라사이트 context in which 바카라사이트y grow up,¡± Dr Elliot Major and Professor Machin write. ¡°Getting to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 class in difficult circumstances means more than doing so in a highly supportive environment.¡±

Neil Harrison, associate professor of education policy at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West England, who will move to Oxford as a senior researcher in education and children¡¯s social care, said middle-class advantages in 바카라사이트 admissions process needed to be countered.

¡°We know personal statements have a massive impact on admissions, and 바카라사이트 middle classes are helped by 바카라사이트 fact 바카라사이트y are able to put more seemingly impressive things on 바카라사이트ir CV,¡± he said.

However, initiatives like lotteries could only be a ¡°sticking plaster¡±, he argued. The bigger question was why disadvantaged students weren¡¯t applying to Oxbridge, perhaps because 바카라사이트y perceived it as an environment in which 바카라사이트y would not be welcome, Dr Harrison said.

Dr Harrison also said that 바카라사이트 focus should be on ensuring that all types of university are valued by students, parents and employers, ra바카라사이트r than assuming a rigid hierarchy with ¡°top¡± universities that disadvantaged students should strive to get into.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com