Grammar Schools and Bristol

[Hughman]

Just want to open up an opinion/question to you guys, especially those now studying in Bristol.
Is it true that Bristol has a vehement hatred of grammar-school educated students?
My head of sixth form repeatedly tells us this and has show us 'statistics' showing that grammar school educated pupils are way underrepresented at Bristol. As a result, he advises us strongly not to apply for Bristol.
Does he have a point?
PS Apparently again he contacts their admin regularly to gt an answer, but they always deny prejudice and quotas.

[angelic]

3 interviews from our local grammars i know about and 2 offers this year - but previously a real problem - one girl got in as a post a level applicant a couple of years ago- who knows how their minds work -

[ayotab]

I can confidently say Bristol has a high proportion of grammar, private and publc school students and it will be unfair to say their is a discrimination against them. Honestly i feel like every other Bristol student went to a non state school.

[Hughman]

Grammars are state - and yes, about 30% of of Bristol students are public educated.
Maybe my teacher just has bias against them.

[Singh.Simran]

Someone's said it on FB before - to be honest noone knows for sure and those who do wont tell us but i would put my money on that they don't. It's more likely that some schools put out the type of people they don't like and then the posh nob teachers assume its discrimination rather than that their application prep vis a vis bristol is shite... or that there is no trend whatsoever other than that most people who apply most places don't get in.

Something perfectly innocent.

[Hughman]

My head of sixth form is the opposite of posh. He's from a Geordie council estate- but he obviously has something against them. But I'm going to see the uni and I might ask admissions about their policies.

[cat_bach]

I dont know about grammar school, but I read an article in the Guardian that said that minor public school student could be increasingly coming off worse with some unis desperatly trying to ditch their elitist image by reducing their % private intake. This would benefit grammars though. This doesnt concern me in the least because as a student of a bog standard comp, a bit of discrimination against grammar/private would suit me fine. Btw, can anyone tell me whats the difference between a pritave school and a public school. Plus, on the subject- why do posh males wear rings on their little fingers??? Its really bugging me

[Hughman]

^There is no difference - 'public school' is just an archaic term. And the ring is perhaps a family signet ring? Or they're just being pretentious fools.

[moonshine]

i have no idea about bristol for medicine but they do love their private school students for everything else...

BUT u shouldn't feel forced to not aply to bristol cos of what a teacher said. [ i did and regret it] For competitive courses such as med u can't easily judge discrimintation esp when there will be a handful applying from ur school anyway. And they may be likely to have similar applications cos they've been checked by the same people?

basically: what simran said.

[cat_bach]

I agree with moonshine- I was cajoled into applying for Manchester by a teacher and I regret doing so. Manchester has an excellent course, but I dont think I would`ve been happy there. Apply where you want to go- it you satify their basic admission requirement (and having seen what you`ve posted up regarding GCSEs ect, I suspect you do) and have a decent personal statment there`s no reason why you wont be asked to interview. I think theres a lot of discrimination myths going around, but recent equality laws mean that unis wouldnt dare to give unfair advantage/disadvantage to grammar school kids. The hard thing to take with medicine is if you dont get in then its probably because you`re not good enough (or certainly don`t tick the right boxes) rather than any discrimination.