There is a common belief that Russell Group universities regarded as prestigious- particularly those of Oxford and Cambridge- are almost exclusively reserved for the children of the elite and upper classes; this notion can put many young people from working-class backgrounds off from applying to them- but is it really true?
The University of Cambridge’s Girton College recently opened its doors to students from several secondary schools, including state schools based in the Midlands such as Phoenix Collegiate and Shireland Collegiate Academy.
Its aim was to provide insight into the admissions processes involved in obtaining a place at high-ranking universities like Cambridge and Oxford, and to foster an accurate understanding of what life is like for students enrolled within them.
There was an emphasis on the wish of Cambridge’s administration that students from working-class backgrounds should not be dissuaded from aspiring to attend the university purely because of concerns regarding financial status alone, and that when deciding on who would be given a place, their interests lay exclusively in the ability and potential of applicants.
Factors such as socioeconomic background, or the question of whether they were privately or state educated, would not put students from more privileged backgrounds at an advantage compared to others, professors said.
During their visit to Girton College- Britain's first residential college to offer degree level education to female students, founded in 1869- students attended an introduction lecture in the Old Hall providing them with an overview of the academic profile (as well as engagement in extracurricular activities outside of A-levels) that the University of Cambridge looks for in potential candidates.
They were then given the opportunity to attend a lecture relating to a course of study of their choosing, with options including sociology, psychology and anthropology, mathematics, engineering, organic sciences, and history and modern languages.
One student from Phoenix Collegiate attending this trip said: “If I got accepted into Cambridge, I would absolutely go. But it would be about actually getting in. I’d apply just to see if I would, but I wouldn’t honestly expect to be accepted.”
Moreover, concerns about not ‘fitting in’ or not being ‘smart enough’ are still quite common among students considering applying to red brick universities, particularly if they are from working-class backgrounds.
However, schools, teachers, and the universities themselves are making an effort to alleviate such worries and boost the confidence of students by providing them with the opportunity to visit colleges for themselves.
Enabling students who are capable and passionate enough to get into Russell Group universities, but who would have initially dismissed the idea of attempting to enroll in them because of a lack of confidence and social/financial/cultural barriers, to see the potential benefits of raising their aspirations is therefore vital in promoting equality of opportunity for all, and ensuring that they are provided with the means to succeed in their chosen career paths, regardless of their start in life.
