Are top private schools getting fewer oxbridge offers?

[Ijustwanttoask]

Just read in the papers about the drop in Oxbridge offers to Eton in the last few years. Is there a same trend for other big name public schools and top London day schools too?

In the past years, these schools generally happily announce the numbers of Oxbridge offers they get around this time of the year but I haven't seen much for 2021.

* Title edited by MNHQ by request* **

@SouthLondonMommy Feels similar to Eton who really can offer proper bursaries rather than piecemeal ones?

@SouthLondonMommy Do you think it is mostly privately educated or state educated children who are going to the big US universities? If more swayed to the fee paying schools why do you think that is? Information? Contacts? Interest?

@Musicaldilemma - I think this is spot on. A big change (both at private schools and unis) is that lots of kids are international students. That means they might not be aiming for Oxbridge but the US or elsewhere.

If the question, is whether OP's child should apply for private in order to increase their chances of getting into Oxbridge then yes they should. You clearly get a massive leg up.

If this is about the general standard of students etc that a whole other question. Looking at our students (top uni) - most of the British ones have gone private/grammar but many have also been spoon-fed and tutored and are not as bright as their grades would suggest. The very few that we do get from state schools and who actually got here on merit - they are the ones who are actually the really smart ones. But they dont have the sense of entitlement and swagger of the privately educated ones and probably won't go as far even if their grades at uni might be better.

So really that question points to many different things - i.e. what has been the impact of international students at top private schools on their leavers' university choices, what chances do privately educated students have in getting into Oxbridge and whether it is easier from the state sector and perhaps the bit that I care about what happens to them thereafter - privately educated ones often end up with lower grades but better job prospects.

@dipdips - it's the international students who will go to the US - the US unis are still top in the world. So Chinese/Russian/etc will go to the US ahead of the UK

[quote dipdips]@nolanscrack I got there in the end, thanks for hand holding. Really interested in this. Do you think that many state school students are accessing these free places at top US universities?[/quote]
Some will be but it will be mainly private school pupils,and by that I mean pupils from the top private schools,ds3 has been liasing with his schools US admissions tutor since year 10 ,its a more complicated admissions system,it doesnt just depend on academics,you have to build your brand,that takes time and knowledge,they arent going to be interested in you if you just offer top academic results

Can the title be changed to 'fewer'?

@DoubleTweenQueen Do I report it and ask for an edit? Never done it before!

At Harvard 55% of students are on financial aid and 63% come from state school.

www.harvard.edu/about-harvard/harvard-glance

I went to Columbia and the majority of students came from state schools way back then as well (I'm old).

@Ijustwanttoask I don't know, sos

@SouthLondonMommy sorry I meant UK students. Would there be more fee paying or state school children from UK accessing free education at Yale et al?

@nolanscrack private school pupils are over represented but are the minority not the majority at Ivies.

The interesting thing about US uni applications from my sons school is that the recent growth has come from UK families,not dual nationals or foreign parents but UK parents,foreign parents etc are less than 10% of the parental body.
Eton parents can spot a bargain when they see one..

Oh, almost certainly private @Dipdips

I don't have the stats but its hard enough to get state school pupils with stellar grades to apply to Oxbridge (many who have the grades don't because they don't think its for them).

I think the complex maze of applying to the Ivies without lots of handholding is beyond most parents / kids over here and probably wouldn't even occur to most.

@nolanscrack so in some ways it isn't actually needs blind from our (UK) end at least if only children in top fee paying schools are accessing the necessary support from staff who know the system?

@nolanscrack - not sure if it's just spotting bargains as much as knowing quality. US unis are much better than British ones - they are far superior facilities, much better equipment etc - and as lots of people have pointed out by now really dont cost that much more than the British ones.

@nolanscrack

The interesting thing about US uni applications from my sons school is that the recent growth has come from UK families,not dual nationals or foreign parents but UK parents,foreign parents etc are less than 10% of the parental body. Eton parents can spot a bargain when they see one..

I can totally imagine this to be true. I think its an increasing niche for British parents at indies. There is a lot to recommend it. I personally (as an American) think the broad based approach is better rather than specialising so young.

Needs blind obviously refers solely to the ability to pay,nothing to do with whether or not a school in the uk knows how to help pupils apply..they arent exactly short of applicants..

[quote dipdips]@nolanscrack so in some ways it isn't actually needs blind from our (UK) end at least if only children in top fee paying schools are accessing the necessary support from staff who know the system?[/quote]
It is needs blind to all applicants. I know of bursary students at top UK indies who have accessed free places at Harvard. But in general, like with most things, more affluent people put themselves forward for opportunities.

Its these networks and knowing how to find out what you need to do that in part perpetuates disadvantage.

The broad based approach appeals to lots of the boys,some apply to Liberal Arts colleges that would mean nothing to 99.9% of people in the UK but are world class.

This thread has taken an interesting turn - my girls are a few years away yet, where can I get a grounding on US universities and process?

@Ijustwanttoask You got the title changed! Impressed 💐

www.fulbright.org.uk/going-to-the-usa

@Ijustwanttoask

@DoubleTweenQueen Agreed! Will be sharing this with the network of state schools I work with, sounds about time that this knowledge about amazing opportunities is being accessed by a broad spectrum of students. Perhaps an advisor who can be shared across state schools. Definite food for thought.

Top private schools these days are very diverse in nationality so they are as likely to be applying to Harvard as Oxford with the advantage that with the us college system money talks! My (very wealthy) American friend couldn't get her head around the fact that everyone applies for university centrally here and your parents/friends can't influence the application.