DD is state educated, we could have gone private but chose not to, nor are we widening participation. Our friendship group is split between those DC's went private and those whose DC's went state. In the last 12 months DD looked at Durham. It made a strong impression but not the best impression. When we arrived in Durham the first students we met were handing out the student newspaper. They were helpful and normal, and a pleasant surprise, given the stereotype associated with Durham. We looked at a couple of colleges in the town. The impression was very much middle to upper middle private school alumnae and not inclusive. Our guide was polite but not engaging. The message seemed to be we (colleges) are old, very much sought after and if you are lucky enough to get in to this college there are x number formal dinners per week on a first come first served basis. By this point we were regretting visiting, but on we pushed. We walked to the colleges on the hill, which were much further than we thought. The students here created a much better impression. They were engaging and talked about what they enjoyed about being at Durham, what made it great. Even an attempt to address the stereotypical views that people have. A big contrast to the town. They almost persuaded us that sharing was not that bad. I wished we had seen these first, it might has lessened the 'them' and 'us' feel.
The Economics lecture we sat in on was an eye opener. The lecturer, was deeply uninspiring. His attitude was somewhere between I am here because I have to be and I don't need to sell because this is Durham. He was asked if were any plans to change to course to a BSc. His response was a effectively 'we could be a BSc if we wanted to, and we'll probably do that do that at some point'. Okay... A on switched lecturer of Economics would surely speak to the benefits of the structure and content of the course at Durham and why it being a BA did not diminish the course in any way, but no. He then handed over to a student for a Q&A session, leaving the room as quickly as he could and certainly before anyone could ask any other questions of him. The lecture was not helped by some of the worse advocates for fee paying schools I have even seen. I say that as someone who lives in an area serviced by a number of good private schools. It looked like only one of them was considering Economics the others had just come to sit with him. He was sat toward the front with one of his friends sat next to him and another sat a level down, directly in front of him. All three about three and four rows from the front, directly in front of the lecturer. Throughout the lecture the one in front was turned around chatting to the other boy that did not look like he was considering Economics. To make matters worse about twenty minutes from the end another of the friends turned up, walked bold across the lecture room, sat down with his mates and proceeded to show them things on his phone. After the lecturer left the one who was considering economics monopolised the student, to the extent that those with DC's waiting to ask questions gave up and left.
We ate in the town before leaving. I got to enjoy a nice bit of racial profiling with my gourmet burger as we watched numerous tail coated young men and ball gowned women head out for what I presumed was dinner. It was a surreal experience, and one I am glad not to have to repeat.
Everyone I know who has been there or whose DC's have been there loves its. We just didn't get to see or experience the Durham that they did. If not for the amazing students on the hill, it would tie with LSE for being the worse Open Day.