Postby Hanleymoore » Tue Aug 02, 2022 11:27 pm
Statistically, there is last time I checked still a better chance of getting into oxbridge from a private school. Just.
Having interviewed 100s of people for Mayfair jobs, what do we look for? Grit. Hard work. Holding down a job while studying. So if someone presents with a manner of speaking and “air” that implies they won’t cut it, and have never dealt with hardship or hard work, they’ll be disadvantaged. Are we actively seeking a candidate pool that represents the population? Absolutely. Does this mean people have to perform not just have a private education? Yes.
But I don’t think a private education disadvantages. Does an eton child have a harder time of getting through interviews? Maybe. But not when they’re taught upward mgmt, persistence. And time and time again I see at first glance they are put “on par” initially with state school kids. But then you start to see what they’ve been taught that is life skills and they are more persistent, present their relevant capabilities more clearly, more persistent (again) more likely to negotiate on salary, more likely to be better at dealing with senior mgmt than state school graduates. And more likely to look out for themselves and not just be taken advantage of in the workforce.
The takeaway? Teach your kid the above and they’ll go far regardless. Do they need a private school education if you teach them this? No. Give them a flat deposit instead. But give them confidence and risk taking capabilities. That’s the actual key to it all.
And yes - people game the system. Private to 5th form then sixth form state colleges. That’s partly how some sixth forms get such good results. Similarly, the private schools are bringing in 6th form girls, international kids, and scholarships for underprivileged postcodes for a reason.