How much of an advantage do the children of the richest families really have?

I used to teach maths to underprivileged kids on Saturday mornings.

3 of the kids, aged 17, were really good at mathematics, like top 5% in terms of natural ability.

I suggested they do the A-level maths in one year, not the standard two. I explained that the maths A-level should be easy for them, and they just needed to give it a go. If they did their maths A-level a year early, they could then focus on their other A-level subjects.

They were studious, wanted to do well, but told me they would not be able to do a two year course in a year - they didn't believe in themselves, and, sure, they didn't believe in me.

Now, fast-forward many years to a few years ago, my son got an A in the same exam, aged 11. He was about the same level of mathematical ability as those kids.

But the difference was my son believed in himself - because his parents have given him that confidence from an early age.

Now, sure, I’ve given some extremes - and to some extent my son was too young to know any better - but I’ve also observed that in general private school kids tend to believe in themselves way more than state school kids even if they achieve the same grades - despite it being harder for state school kids to attain those grades.

I’ve come to the view that one of the biggest things holding back the underprivileged is that less of them have role models, those around them don’t believe in them as much, so they don't believe in themselves.

The result is that they don't expect as much from themselves - in life.

Privilege isn't just access to the best resources, a helping hand, financial security, it's much more - it’s also a passed down mindset.

 

-Asim Qureshi, MA Physics, University of Oxford

{Blogger's Note:  You can change your mindset as well as life.Just learn from the people and be ready to change and be comfortable in getting uncomfortable.Please read the following books The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz and Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck.  

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