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| State school 'applications gap' | State school 'applications gap' |
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| Bright state school pupils are less likely than independent school pupils to apply to the most prestigious universities, suggests research. | Bright state school pupils are less likely than independent school pupils to apply to the most prestigious universities, suggests research. |
| The Sutton Trust charity, which promotes access to university for poorer pupils, is to publish research suggesting a lack of self-confidence. | |
| It suggests that guidance from schools needs to be improved. | It suggests that guidance from schools needs to be improved. |
| Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has urged universities to do more to promote social mobility. | Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has urged universities to do more to promote social mobility. |
| This included suggestions that universities should adapt their admissions systems to increase the number of disadvantaged pupils. | |
| Elitism | Elitism |
| But the Sutton Trust argues that a key barrier to getting into leading universities is pupils' own fears about not fitting in and a lack of support from state schools. | But the Sutton Trust argues that a key barrier to getting into leading universities is pupils' own fears about not fitting in and a lack of support from state schools. |
| "What we've found is that independent school pupils with similar grades to state school pupils are far more likely to apply to leading research universities," says the charity's research director, Lee Elliot Major. | "What we've found is that independent school pupils with similar grades to state school pupils are far more likely to apply to leading research universities," says the charity's research director, Lee Elliot Major. |
| "One of our concerns is that there is a confusion between excellence and elitism in many state schools - that often the prestigious universities are perceived to be 'not for the likes of us'," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "One of our concerns is that there is a confusion between excellence and elitism in many state schools - that often the prestigious universities are perceived to be 'not for the likes of us'," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| Encouraging more state school pupils to apply to leading universities was a longer-term challenge, he argued, which needed an improvement in careers advice. | Encouraging more state school pupils to apply to leading universities was a longer-term challenge, he argued, which needed an improvement in careers advice. |
| "We have for a long time been raising concerns about the poor advice and guidance in schools - some research has suggested that half of advice and guidance in state schools is poor," said Dr Elliot Major. | "We have for a long time been raising concerns about the poor advice and guidance in schools - some research has suggested that half of advice and guidance in state schools is poor," said Dr Elliot Major. |
| "We're also concerned about teachers - that half of state school pupils, even if they had the brightest pupils in their class, they wouldn't advise them to consider Oxbridge." | "We're also concerned about teachers - that half of state school pupils, even if they had the brightest pupils in their class, they wouldn't advise them to consider Oxbridge." |
| The latest admissions figures show that state school pupils accounted for 55% of entrants to Oxford University and 59% of those admitted to Cambridge University. | The latest admissions figures show that state school pupils accounted for 55% of entrants to Oxford University and 59% of those admitted to Cambridge University. |
| The Sutton Trust research is set to be published later this week - along with a response from the government. | The Sutton Trust research is set to be published later this week - along with a response from the government. |
| Last month, Lord Mandelson also warned against confusing excellence with elitism - and of his own experience of young people in his former constituency saying that university was "not for the likes of them". | Last month, Lord Mandelson also warned against confusing excellence with elitism - and of his own experience of young people in his former constituency saying that university was "not for the likes of them". |
| There have been calls for a "head start" in admissions system for poorer pupils to promote social mobility. | There have been calls for a "head start" in admissions system for poorer pupils to promote social mobility. |
| But Lord Mandelson has given little indication he wants universities to engage in positive discrimination. | But Lord Mandelson has given little indication he wants universities to engage in positive discrimination. |
| "I'm less interested in social engineering than getting a supply of good engineers," he told journalists. | "I'm less interested in social engineering than getting a supply of good engineers," he told journalists. |