Industry News
Oxbridge 'not biased towards independent pupils'
Posted on 29th November 2007
The Oxbridge universities have defended themselves against criticisms that they are biased in favour of private school pupils.
Currently, around 56 per cent of Cambridge undergraduates are state educated and 54 per cent of Oxford students, the Independent reports.
Professor Alan Ryan, warden of Oxford University's New College told the newspaper academics are not "country gentlemen" seeking equally privileged students.
"Most academics are rather hard-pressed lower middle-class people like me. Those who went to Eton and Winchester tend to go off to the City and make money," he said.
The Independent suggested that media reports that top universities are too snobbish to accept state educated pupils actually puts them off applying.
However, figures recently released by the Independent Schools Council revealed nearly two-thirds of its students who applied achieved places at the country's top 20 universities.
The Daily Telegraph reports that this is more than five times the national average.
© Adfero Ltd