In article , Julian
Fowler wrote:
Some are. some aren't ... I have first hand knowledge, though,
of teachers who have advised pupils not to even think about
applying to Oxbridge because of the perceived "elitism" of
those institutions.

At my school the standard advice to anyone of uncertain academic
prowess was to apply for engineering at Jarrow or somesuch place
as you were guaranteed a place on 2 E's. All the school was
interested in was the proportion of pupils who got places at
university: if you dropped out after one term that was your
problem not theirs. Fortunately most of us who were given such
advice ignored it.

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