Brightest Students Not Accepted at Universities in UK: Social Engineer at Work

Private school students applying to University in the UK are often disappointed when they are not accepted into the schools of their choice, even with a history of straight-A's.

We've already been through this in the U.S. Not so long ago my son applied to the University of Texas in Austin. He was encouraged to visit the school and meet with an advisor. We made the 9 hour drive and after a very, very short meeting, he was told if he were Black or Hispanic, UT would have a place for him.  The next day, I will never forget him standing at the top of our stairs, looking down at me, and quietly saying "Mom, you've always told me if I did everything right, if my grade-point average was perfect...I could go to any school I wanted to go to."

Well, as I said, I'll never forget that day. It was quite an education for our family. He went on, got his degrees at schools he loved, and all is well. Nevertheless...

"Headmasters" in the UK cuts to the budgets have been made and the social engineering is taking the spots that the brightest students once held

Heads said the squeeze was being exacerbated by the Government’s “widening participation” policy. It encourages universities to give lower grade offers to bright pupils from poor schools showing the most potential.

It is also feared that universities are prioritising foreign students who can be charged far higher fees.

The financial pressures and the social mobility agenda are leading to a situation where children who have worked very hard to get the grades that their forebears got are finding it more difficult than their predecessors to get into university.”