A prestigious Cambridge college is facing a fierce backlash from its own alumni after revealing a controversial shift in its admissions strategy. Trinity Hall has decided to target students from elite private schools for recruitment in certain subjects, a move described by former students as a 'shameful' step away from meritocracy.
Alumnus Fears Return to 'Culture of Advantage'
Joseph Oakley, who attended Trinity Hall after a comprehensive school education in the Midlands, expressed dismay at the new policy. He argued the college risks confusing the opportunity afforded by privilege with genuine academic ability. 'I arrived with little understanding of the educational privilege enjoyed by many of my peers,' Oakley wrote. He credited the college's past inclusive ethos with seeing his potential, leading him to graduate with a double first.
Oakley, a former state school teacher, warned that framing privately educated pupils as uniquely 'ready' for Cambridge overlooks the constraints of large, mixed-ability classrooms. He posed a poignant question: Would the 17-year-old version of him be admitted today without the benefit of mock Oxbridge interviews or the cultural familiarity often mistaken for intellect?
State-Educated Graduate's 'Anger and Sadness'
Daisy Shaw, a recent state-educated Cambridge graduate, reacted with anger but 'not surprise'. She depicted the university experience for state students as being 'allowed into a party where everyone is dancing to a routine... and never being taught the steps'. Shaw highlighted the financial disparity, noting her privately educated peers often received funding for postgraduate study while she worked multiple jobs.
Despite her criticism of the 'regressive' policy, Shaw confessed to loving her time at Cambridge and urged prospective state-school applicants not to be deterred. 'You belong at Cambridge University. Please do not give up the fight,' she concluded, acknowledging the transformative opportunities she received.
Alumnus Professor Threatens Funding Withdrawal
Professor Douglas Robinson, who attended Trinity Hall from 1978 to 1981, called the policy 'an extraordinary step away from equality of opportunity'. He benefited from the college's earlier decisions to admit women and select on academic merit regardless of school background.
Robinson criticised the college's justification that private school students arrive with aligned 'expertise and interests', arguing that instilling such qualities is a core purpose of a Cambridge education. He warned the move projects an image of the college as 'a finishing school for the rich' and urged fellow alumni to reconsider donations and bequests until the situation is rectified.
The controversy centres on Trinity Hall's reported move to focus on private school recruitment in some subjects, despite already admitting 26% of its students from private schools, a figure vastly higher than the 6-7% national average. The college's master has stated the policy applies only to a few subjects, but critics insist the principle is inexcusable and betrays the college's historic mission to champion potential over background.
