Oxbridge is looking for the A-Team.

Noble British universities to tighten their selection criteria - and still be elitist. Not rich ones, ones with an asterisk must be. Parents and teachers now fear that students of public schools a chance to be top universities like Cambridge are.

 

The term "elite" comes from the Latin word "Elige" for "Select". To live up to their reputation as elite universities' needs to use English top universities, therefore, special care in selecting their students. The noble Cambridge University has now announced that the access hurdles even higher - should be what is in Britain a fierce debate about equal opportunities in education triggered.

University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: "So far not a meaningful hurdle"

The best grade diploma in the UK has traditionally been an "A" and corresponds to a German one. Instead of three A-grades must be candidates for study in Cambridge in addition to at least an "A plus" to bring - one only this year introduced censorship, so to speak, a one with an asterisk. The government had repeatedly stressed that the new high-grade no benchmark for the university should be - as long as no more experience so that was collected.

The daily newspaper "Daily Telegraph" reported that several universities have announced the example of Cambridge and also to follow the eligibility criteria for a grade worse. These include the University of Bristol and University College London. The University of Oxford omitted in the selection of their students still on the new note.

Cambridge: Three A-grades are not

It is only a few months ago that the
always rival universities Cambridge and Oxford a kind of public charm offensive launched - also under pressure: The government urged that more graduates of state schools to the finest universities should, nevertheless Cambridge is about three-fifths of the state. Both universities
buhlten promptly to Unterschichtler target and the target, for example in TV soap operas like "East Enders" to be present.

But now some universities want stricter selection criteria. They justified the move by arguing that it was increasingly difficult, from the large number of school leavers with three A-grades to select suitable candidates. Geoff Parks, Director of Admissions at Cambridge, said the newspaper "The Times": "Previously we were able in the upper end of the power spectrum does not differentiate enough. The standard, which we currently have is not a meaningful hurdle." Long term, could the University of Cambridge also imagine an easy A and two "A Plus" grades as a minimum requirement for candidates to make.

Critics from the Labor Party, teacher unions and education experts now fear that graduates of private schools in the allocation of university places are favored - because the interest is quite disparate conditions apply. Barry Sheerman, a Labor MP and Chairperson of the Commission for Children, Schools and Families, said the "Times": "I'm worried that our best universities for children of normal parents house to the exclusion zone could be." Few parents could afford their children to a private school to send.

The school system in Britain is divided into a small group of elite public and private schools, the one, the other in about 3000 other schools, the connection to the leading group barely able to hold. At the University of Oxford, for instance, according to the Sutton Trust education initiative only 200 schools for more than half of all students.

"Is greed good or bad?"

While the new private schools are welcome to see the public schools, therefore the thrust with skepticism. In a statement, showed the headmaster of the 250 private schools are "delighted that Cambridge a leadership role in recognizing the 'A Plus' note taking." John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of State Colleges and Schools, believes the additional hurdle to the university for access on the other hand, not a good idea. "There are numerous other ways to select good candidates," he said of the 'Times'.

In fact, the entrance exams at the two universities of Oxford and Cambridge - the "Oxbridge" - an already legendary reputation. The Internet numerous examples of matters within the
infamous selection interviews asked. The test must be on philosophical or ethical position, it is also logical thinking and demonstrate originality.

Often the questions are bizarre, such as ...

"Would you rather be a novel or a poem?"
"Is greed good or bad?"
"How do we know that California exists, if one is not there?"
"How much percent of the global water
stuck in a cow? "
"When three beautiful, naked women before they were, what would you choose? And has any influence on the economy?"

The access barriers are not the sole cause for the high selectivity of the British education system, as critics complain. Also, the tuition help. So far, they are capped, students currently pay in Britain more than 3145 pounds (around 3350 euros) per year. Many universities but dreaming of the force to increase fees.

One study published on Tuesday that could in future to study up to 33,000 pounds of tuition. The British university rectors commissioned study predicted that students who in 2016 completed their studies to include, from 21,000 to 33,000 pounds in tuition fees alone have to pay.