Universities must also set challenging targets designed to increase the number of students admitted from deprived backgrounds, poor-performing schools and ethnic minority families, it said. <\/p>\n
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Prof Ebdon said: One of the underlying reasons for the under-representation of ethnic minorities in some highly-selective universities is because they apply for medicine and law both highly competitive courses and a significant amount of that is parental pressure. <\/p>\n
Colleagues tell me these students may not always be personally committed to medicine or law as a career but that is the career their parents want for them. <\/p>\n
Prof Ebdon, former vice-chancellor of Bedfordshire University, said that the pressure could take a major toll on students. <\/p>\n
Deans of medical schools tell me some students face this terrible dilemma of a strong push from their parents but actually they then decide that medicine is not for them. <\/p>\n
Last year, Prof Ebdon insisted that schoolchildren should ignore the dreadful snobbery that puts pressure on them to push for places at elite universities. <\/p>\n
He said pupils should be encouraged to pursue the most appropriate route into the workplace, including taking up vocational courses and apprenticeships. <\/p>\n
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Ethnic minority students 'forced into medicine and law'<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Universities must also set challenging targets designed to increase the number of students admitted from deprived backgrounds, poor-performing schools and ethnic minority families, it said. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Prof Ebdon said: One of the underlying reasons for the under-representation of ethnic minorities in some highly-selective universities is because they apply for medicine and law both highly competitive courses and a significant amount of that is parental pressure Continue reading