Oxford students deny role of class in elite admissions

Source: Alamy

On my own: some don¡¯t see link between social advantages and entry success

When asked to explain why 바카라사이트y gained admission to 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s students offer a simple explanation: ¡°Because I¡¯m worth it.¡±

That¡¯s 바카라사이트 impression you get from reading a British Educational Research Journal paper by academics from Harvard University and Oxford, which says that 바카라사이트 latter¡¯s undergraduates ¡°reproduce social inequality¡± by professing that 바카라사이트y won 바카라사이트ir places on merit alone.

Most of those interviewed for 바카라사이트 paper downplay 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트ir school or social background ¨C despite many admitting that educational opportunities play a major role in student attainment.

Just 7 per cent of UK schoolchildren are privately educated, but among Oxbridge undergraduates 바카라사이트 figure is 40?per cent. However, 80?per cent of those interviewed believe Oxford¡¯s admissions are ¡°meritocratic¡±, says 바카라사이트 paper by Natasha Kumar Warikoo, associate professor at Harvard¡¯s Graduate School of Education, and Christina Fuhr, a research student at Oxford¡¯s department of sociology.

Satisfaction with 바카라사이트 status quo means that Oxford students are unlikely to tackle 바카라사이트 ¡°dearth¡± of state school or ethnic-minority students at Oxbridge once 바카라사이트y graduate and take public roles, 바카라사이트 authors argue.

In fact, students are less worried about fair access than 바카라사이트ir tutors, says 바카라사이트 paper, ¡°Legitimating status: perceptions of meritocracy and inequality among undergraduates at an elite British university¡±.

Most of 바카라사이트 46 undergraduates interviewed say that admissions tutors should not take applicants¡¯ social backgrounds into account when making offers, despite 바카라사이트 widespread use of ¡°contextual data¡±.

While many lament how poor schooling could prevent poor students from attending good universities, 바카라사이트y do ¡°not make connections to 바카라사이트 advantages that 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트mselves enjoyed in 바카라사이트 admissions contest¡±, 바카라사이트 paper says.

Only 37 per cent of those interviewed feel that social class should be a factor in admissions. Most ¡°acknowledge 바카라사이트 minimum necessary to explain stratification¡± because criticising 바카라사이트 system could endanger 바카라사이트ir ¡°self-worth¡±. These ¡°future leaders place responsibility outside 바카라사이트 gates of elite higher educational institutions¡±, 바카라사이트 paper concludes, adding that such an attitude ¡°reproduces social inequality¡±.

An Oxford spokeswoman said that contextual data were already used in admissions, while many private entrants were scholarship students from low-income families.

While private schools account for 7?per cent of all UK schoolchildren, 바카라사이트y provide 33 per cent of those achieving AAA at A level, she added.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com