Students at richer Oxford colleges are more likely to succeed academically than those at poorer colleges, Cherwell can reveal this week. Cherwell’s findings show that there is a positive correlation between college wealth and academic success, as measured by the Norrington table. The top four places in the Norrington table are taken by colleges which each have an endowment of over £100 million while the bottom three have endowments of under £30 million. St John’s is Oxford’s richest College and has an endowment of £331,575,000 and ranks an average of 3rd in the Norrington Table.
Marta Szczerba, a third year student from St John’s, explained why she thought St John’s wealth translated into academic success. Szczerba said, “The correlation between academic performance and wealth of the college can be explained in two ways. Firstly, higher-ability students are attracted to St John’s College, as they know of the extensive college financial support and wonderful facilities. Secondly, the grants, new gym, subsidised hall and generous JCR provisions ensure that students are happier, translating into less welfare problems and higher academic attainment.”
The College gives £270 in book grants to each undergraduate student every year and offers a ‘College Society Asia Travel Scholarship’ that pays for a month-long all expenses paid trip around Asia to one student per year. Faise McClelland, this year’s Asia Travel Scholar, reported that, “College paid for me to travel to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and arranged for me to stay with high profile alumni.” “I feel it really helped me engage with some of the issues I’d addressed whilst studying economics.”
Another student added, “John’s wealth allows it to employ a high number of fellows and tutors that promote a strong academic environment. It also allows it to support students through a generous academic grant.” “There is already a scheme whereby some of the richer college pay into a fund which gets redistributed. John’s pay a large amount into this scheme.”
Regent’s Park, a Permament Private Hall without an endowment, does not appear on the Norrington Table. JCR President, James Fox, disagreed that college wealth was a cause of academic success. He said, “Regent’s teaching does not suffer at all (from a lack of endowment)£ If it does have an impact, it is merely on such luxuries as book and travel grants, but never to the detriment of core tutorial teaching.”
These huge disparities in wealth have lead some students to suggest that poorer colleges are unable to spend the money needed to attract the very brightest students. Adrian Hogan, a second year Geography student at Christ Church, said, “I guess some colleges have more of a reputation for academic performance, so consistently get hard working students applying to them. It becomes self reinforcing.” Brasenose College JCR President, Paul Gladwell, also agreed that brighter students would be attracted to colleges who could spend more money on admissions.
Magdalen College came top in the 2010 Norrington table, and has an endowment of almost £140 million. Andy James, a third year Law student at the College, claimed that the college’s wealth filtered through into many aspects of college life. “It certainly helps having a 120 000 book library and the beautiful surroundings of Magdalen.” “However, we work very hard, and I don’t think our academic success should be attributed to the college’s wealth.” Worcester College, which is the most academically successful given its wealth, averaged 16th on the Norrington table, despite having the third smallest endowment.
Julien Anai-Isaac, Worcester College JCR President, said, “I think that there is a good working ethos which is fostered by the community feel. This allows the College to do as well as it does. Worcester provides accommodation for almost all of its undergraduates which only adds to this. ” Anai-Isaac also claimed that a good college environment can count for more in terms of academic achievement, than wealth.
The study revealed that neither a 24 hour library nor a generous book grant has any apparent impact on a college’s Norrington Score. The amount taken off battels for academic scholarships or the cost of accommodation per term do not either. Jonathan Hinder, JCR President for Merton, suggested that the emphasis should be on the link between academic success and welfare provision, rather that overall wealth. He said, “I am not in a position to comment on any link between wealth and performance, but I believe welfare provision and academic excellence to be very much related.” “I don’t think it is any coincidence that two of the best-performing colleges over recent years, Merton and St John’s, have two of the best welfare systems in Oxford.”
Students have expressed their concern that the disparities in colleges’ wealth could create a two tier system. Kirsten Macfarlane, an English student at Lincoln said, “It worries me that the richest colleges are continually out-performing the poorest colleges.” “At Lincoln we receive a grant of up to £80 for books, which for an English student isn’t a lot, whereas at St John’s all students are given over £200.” When asked about why wealthier colleges outperformed their poorer peers academically the University declined to comment.
