New College - Rival to Oxbridge

[Ed.]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jun/05/new-college-dawkins-grayling-ferguson

I read this article like a couple of weeks ago and it's quite interesting that Richard Dawkins and some others are setting up a Humanities University.

[Mathew]

Interesting, although I don't think it's fair to label it as a rival to Oxbridge. It appears that it's going to be private, very much like those in the US, so I'm guessing it won't be following the general UCAS system, as the cap on fees is £9,000 as opposed to the £18,000 asking price here. I also think that Oxbridge has a wealth of history, stemming back over 900 years and of course, this "new college" is lacking that nostalgia.

The critics couldn't be more correct about creating a wider gap between the general public and the elite, though.

[Ed.]

The thing is though, it won't necessarily be the "elite" going to New College. It'll be those that can pay to go there who won't necessarily be the brightest people that there are. Those who are extremely intelligent can get grants and bursaries at most major universities in the UK so I don't think it will hinder it.

I think we'll have to wait and see really how this new university performs.

[Charlottay!]

I really don't think it will do as well as it wants. Student's who are bright enough will be accepted into Oxford and Cambridge. worlds top universities. This college will want to have high entry requirements as well as high fees probably and are likely not to fill the places.