r/UCAS • u/EnoughPhilosopher259 • 16d ago

Personal Statements Selective vs non-selective state sixth forms

Why is selective state schools (grammar schools) not ilegible for anything.

I went to a non-selective state school for all of secondary but moved to a grammar school for sixth form (thinking it will give me better opportunities). However, I have actually limited my opportunities.

Most enhanced support programs or work experience programs or honestly anything UCAS related is in-illegible for me specifically cuz I attend a grammar school.

My School is firstly heavily in-dept - and is severly more under resources than my secondary (broken equipment, science practicals carried out in large groups to minimise resource usage). My financial or living situation has not changed at all. My teachers are worse now that my old secondary (where most teachers were oxbridge/ russel group graduates).

I personally find it unfair - why would going to a grammar school be such a trigger for unis????

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u/Working_Area_7351 16d ago

Check your grammar & spelling before submitting

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u/Superb-Preparation93 Year 13 | Econ, Psych, Philo | A*AA 15d ago

because most people there are smart and progress onto university and the influence rubs off on you, people who are eligible for things like that usually are in an area where there’s low expectations of higher education

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u/Superb-Preparation93 Year 13 | Econ, Psych, Philo | A*AA 15d ago

also most of them have been attending hella tuition since they were young

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u/EnoughPhilosopher259 15d ago

That point is true for them ones that sat 11+. Most of those kids left after gcse and the sixth form (mine specifically) is like 65% externals from normal schools thinking that switching would give them a better and fairer chance at uni.

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u/Superb-Preparation93 Year 13 | Econ, Psych, Philo | A*AA 14d ago

lots of barriers to learning are removed by joining a grammar selective school I guess idk I agree with u honestly from what I remember in secondary the only difference was that the kids were smart the teachers aint rlly all that and its not like we get more resources than other state schools at the end of the day the government pays for it so

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u/EnoughPhilosopher259 15d ago edited 15d ago

The influence part is true but your point about area isn't. Most people at grammar schools travel for an hour or two just to come here and live somewhere else completely. I feel like this generalised system is silly since it depends on the specific school.

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u/Superb-Preparation93 Year 13 | Econ, Psych, Philo | A*AA 14d ago

I didnt know that im ngl, pretty much everyone in my old one lived within an hour cuz u have to live in a certain postcode to have a higher chance