How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Indeed.
But as it happened, he was turned down & then reapplied using a scheme for deprived inner-city kids, backed up by a call from his Dad to a former colleague who was a Fellow at Corpus.
That was Toby Young, wasn't it? He went to my school in the 6th form, got poor A level results, then used his Dad to get into Oxford.
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
Bloody hell. Were you at BNC too Charles? Reckon that makes three of us on PB.
Nah - I was at New (like @Icarus); my brother at BNC. Vernon was my external tutor.
Only the best were at New. Sad news about the passing of Harvey
Very sad. He was a good Warden. Better than the last two incumbents, although not as good as Bill Hayter* Rather looking forward to Miles Young taking over from Curtis though.
* Although he used to joke that, as a diplomat, his middle name would have been better: Goodenough Hayter.
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Indeed.
But as it happened, he was turned down & then reapplied using a scheme for deprived inner-city kids, backed up by a call from his Dad to a former colleague who was a Fellow at Corpus.
That was Toby Young, wasn't it? He went to my school in the 6th form, got poor A level results, then used his Dad to get into Oxford.
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
Toby Young, another BNCer!
Wasnt his story that he was sent an offer in error, but that it was honoured nonetheless?
Bloody hell. Were you at BNC too Charles? Reckon that makes three of us on PB.
Nah - I was at New (like @Icarus); my brother at BNC. Vernon was my external tutor.
Only the best were at New. Sad news about the passing of Harvey
Very sad. He was a good Warden. Better than the last two incumbents, although not as good as Bill Hayter* Rather looking forward to Miles Young taking over from Curtis though.
* Although he used to joke that, as a diplomat, his middle name would have been better: Goodenough Hayter.
I didn't enjoy his 8.30am tutorials on Contract Law on Saturdays. But his Warden's Concerts (with Pippa's ice cream) made up for it!
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Indeed.
But as it happened, he was turned down & then reapplied using a scheme for deprived inner-city kids, backed up by a call from his Dad to a former colleague who was a Fellow at Corpus.
That was Toby Young, wasn't it? He went to my school in the 6th form, got poor A level results, then used his Dad to get into Oxford.
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
His father was a Labour life peer so no surprise in the nepotism.
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Indeed.
But as it happened, he was turned down & then reapplied using a scheme for deprived inner-city kids, backed up by a call from his Dad to a former colleague who was a Fellow at Corpus.
That was Toby Young, wasn't it? He went to my school in the 6th form, got poor A level results, then used his Dad to get into Oxford.
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
Toby Young, another BNCer!
Wasnt his story that he was sent an offer in error, but that it was honoured nonetheless?
I believe parental phone calls were also involved.
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Indeed.
But as it happened, he was turned down & then reapplied using a scheme for deprived inner-city kids, backed up by a call from his Dad to a former colleague who was a Fellow at Corpus.
That was Toby Young, wasn't it? He went to my school in the 6th form, got poor A level results, then used his Dad to get into Oxford.
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
Toby Young, another BNCer!
Wasnt his story that he was sent an offer in error, but that it was honoured nonetheless?
I believe parental phone calls were also involved.
Hah! I thought you were responding to @AndyJS's comment at 11:40
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Indeed.
But as it happened, he was turned down & then reapplied using a scheme for deprived inner-city kids, backed up by a call from his Dad to a former colleague who was a Fellow at Corpus.
That was Toby Young, wasn't it? He went to my school in the 6th form, got poor A level results, then used his Dad to get into Oxford.
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
Toby Young, another BNCer!
Wasnt his story that he was sent an offer in error, but that it was honoured nonetheless?
I believe parental phone calls were also involved.
Hah! I thought you were responding to @AndyJS's comment at 11:40
Lol. I think Her Majesty has people that call on her behalf!
THE ONLY THING STOPPING THE EURO FROM BEING THE STRONGEST CURRENCY IN THE STAR SYSTEM IS THE POSSIBILITY IT MIGHT COLLAPSE TONIGHT
Realistically the strongest currency in the universe is gold, by nature of it's physical properties and relative rareness, I think every civilization in the whole universe would value gold very highly. Certainly more than euro's.
It's indestructible
Nope! Look up aqua regia, dissolves gold. Used to be smuggled around the world in tanks marked toxic
THE ONLY THING STOPPING THE EURO FROM BEING THE STRONGEST CURRENCY IN THE STAR SYSTEM IS THE POSSIBILITY IT MIGHT COLLAPSE TONIGHT
Realistically the strongest currency in the universe is gold, by nature of it's physical properties and relative rareness, I think every civilization in the whole universe would value gold very highly. Certainly more than euro's.
It's indestructible
Nope! Look up aqua regia, dissolves gold. Used to be smuggled around the world in tanks marked toxic
Tony Hadley said it was indestructible. I think he knows what he's talking about since he also went to Brasnose college on EE to study psychology and crooning. Apparently vermin Bogdanor said he made the best flapjacks.
(note vermin was a peach of an autocorrect and had to be kept)
THE ONLY THING STOPPING THE EURO FROM BEING THE STRONGEST CURRENCY IN THE STAR SYSTEM IS THE POSSIBILITY IT MIGHT COLLAPSE TONIGHT
Realistically the strongest currency in the universe is gold, by nature of it's physical properties and relative rareness, I think every civilization in the whole universe would value gold very highly. Certainly more than euro's.
It's indestructible
Nope! Look up aqua regia, dissolves gold. Used to be smuggled around the world in tanks marked toxic
Tony Hadley said it was indestructible. I think he knows what he's talking about since he also went to Brasnose college on EE to study psychology and crooning. Apparently vermin Bogdanor said he made the best flapjacks.
(note vermin was a peach of an autocorrect and had to be kept)
THE ONLY THING STOPPING THE EURO FROM BEING THE STRONGEST CURRENCY IN THE STAR SYSTEM IS THE POSSIBILITY IT MIGHT COLLAPSE TONIGHT
Realistically the strongest currency in the universe is gold, by nature of it's physical properties and relative rareness, I think every civilization in the whole universe would value gold very highly. Certainly more than euro's.
It's indestructible
Nope! Look up aqua regia, dissolves gold. Used to be smuggled around the world in tanks marked toxic
Tony Hadley said it was indestructible. I think he knows what he's talking about since he also went to Brasnose college on EE to study psychology and crooning. Apparently vermin Bogdanor said he made the best flapjacks.
(note vermin was a peach of an autocorrect and had to be kept)
I know that much is true.
Nah, he would never have got through the barricades.
Just thinking about David Cameron, and looking at a mirror image of EM, I have to agree.
Oh, Cameron is no intellectual either. But, unlike Ed, he doesn't claim to be. Thank God. Spare us intellectual politicians. Cameron claims to be a pragmatic One Nation Conservative, with a fairly shrewd Chancellor.
He is also a much better politician, and smarter election campaigner, than Ed Miliband, as it turns out.
Ah! Nope, luckier I will agree. Even with a First from Brasenose College iI would not say that he was an intellectual, or even street smart.
Cameron got fairly average O levels at Eton, Ed Miliband AABB at A Level and a 2.1, David Miliband BBBD, none are exactly intellectual titans
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
I imagine he gained entry via the Entrance Exam and Interview .2 E grades at A level would then suffice.
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Indeed.
But as it happened, he was turned down & then reapplied using a scheme for deprived inner-city kids, backed up by a call from his Dad to a former colleague who was a Fellow at Corpus.
That was Toby Young, wasn't it? He went to my school in the 6th form, got poor A level results, then used his Dad to get into Oxford.
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
I disagree with that. It was then much more difficult to achieve a given grade at A level. Many of those awarded Cs in the early 1980s could reasonably expect to obtain an A nowadays.
This is just crazy!! I was really torn between choosing a Scottish college nursing course, or going to Uni to follow my second passion, history. As it was, I decided to do nursing, and Aberdeen at the time was a very sought after Nursing College. So they were not only asking for very tough exam results, but they also asked you to go through a pretty tough interview to get on their entrance waiting list as well!
I will always remember going through to Aberdeen that day for the interview, my best friend and her Mum, who just happens to be my Mum's best friend came with us. We decided to go out for a meal afterwards before leaving Aberdeen, and we ended up getting caught up in the most incredible celebrations as the Aberdeen Football team paraded down Union Street in their bus after their European Cup win in Gothenburg.
Just thinking about David Cameron, and looking at a mirror image of EM, I have to agree.
Oh, Cameron is no intellectual either. But, unlike Ed, he doesn't claim to be. Thank God. Spare us intellectual politicians. Cameron claims to be a pragmatic One Nation Conservative, with a fairly shrewd Chancellor.
He is also a much better politician, and smarter election campaigner, than Ed Miliband, as it turns out.
Ah! Nope, luckier I will agree. Even with a First from Brasenose College iI would not say that he was an intellectual, or even street smart.
Cameron got fairly average O levels at Eton, Ed Miliband AABB at A Level and a 2.1, David Miliband BBBD, none are exactly intellectual titans
How on earth did David Miliband get into Oxford with such mediocre O levels. When I was looking at Oxford they wanted nothing less than straights As.
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.
Didn't know they used to make offers with 2 E grades based on a good entrance exam result.
The two 'E's' were to make sure you qualified for the tuition grant by the local authority iirc - but it is a rather long time ago...
Comments
But it was much easier back then in the early 80s generally. I got into Brum on an unconditional offer, so did no work subsequently and ended up with 3 Cs.
* Although he used to joke that, as a diplomat, his middle name would have been better: Goodenough Hayter.
Wasnt his story that he was sent an offer in error, but that it was honoured nonetheless?
(note vermin was a peach of an autocorrect and had to be kept)
He was turned down and his Dad made some calls.
I imagine he gained entry via the Entrance Exam and Interview .2 E grades at A level would then suffice.
I will always remember going through to Aberdeen that day for the interview, my best friend and her Mum, who just happens to be my Mum's best friend came with us. We decided to go out for a meal afterwards before leaving Aberdeen, and we ended up getting caught up in the most incredible celebrations as the Aberdeen Football team paraded down Union Street in their bus after their European Cup win in Gothenburg.
Miliband, D applied to Oxford in the days of the entrance exam and the 2 E offer. A good number of people got in with less than stunning grades - because they had already proved their worth through the exam and at interview.
There are those - like myself - who applied from a state school and chose a college with a reputation for affirmative action with regards to people from my background. I was offered a place - on a BBB offer. So I didn't really have to push myself - and ended up with BBBD - and a place to read jurisprudence.