The ex-poly curse
Hi Cloudofash
Sorry to hear about your struggles to obtain funding. I am in a Russell group university in the social sciences and I know people from less 'prestigious' universities who have PhD funding, so I know that it's certainly not a barrier to funding. The thing about Oxbridge and the like is that's its not primarily the preserve of the affluent but also the very academically bright who go there. If they are receiving a similar level of prep from their tutors it is possible they are getting advice and references from world leaders in your field. It might be on merit they are getting funded, not on the name of their Uni alone. Going forward I would focus on just how competitive it is to get a funded place and make sure you do everything you possibly can to make yourself a strong candidate. People have mentioned master's degrees already and I know personally that I would not have been able to get PhD funding after my undergraduate degree as I simply wasn't ready. You won't come up against Oxbridge candidates every time and even if you do, a postgraduate qualification might make you shine. Ultimately supervisors want someone they can work with and have confidence in. They're not necessarily flattered by Oxbridge.
Hi Socialplitik, thank you for your advice. I am sure they are very bright but I believe I am also:). Masters wouldn't be an option for me without a funding (family commitments). However, it doesnt matter now because I have been offered Wellcome Trust studentship at UCL! So yeah, I am good enough! It was hard but its possible. Just wanted to update in case if other people from ex-poly will be searching for a similar thing.
I am really happy because I don't think I could have got much better than that. So dont ever give up:)
Congratulations! That's great news and an inspiring story for others who maybe worried an ex-poly on their application would hold them back. UCL is one of the best universities in the world!
