'Target Schools' scam exposed
Students filling out questionnaires promising a £10 reward from 'Target Schools' have been horrified to realise they are helping a commercial company which charges up to £800 for intensive Oxbridge interview coaching.
The Student Union is considering legal action as news emerges of a Mansfield history graduate using the guise of the access scheme Target Schools to compile research for the commercial project for Oxbridge Applications, a company the University refuses to endorse.
The Oxford Student has learned the surveys were sent out randomly to around 50 Oxford students by Nathan Lyons, an employee of Oxbridge Applications, with the promise of a £10 reward.
In emails sent by Lyons, some of which have been seen by this newspaper, it is claimed the questionnaires are for "Target Schools," implying a connection with the Student Union which does not exist.
The emails from Lyons stated: "Perhaps you will be able to help me out with this questionnaire for Target Schools. It should take no more than 45 minutes. Payment is £10, cash or cheque. Let me know now, by email or text, if you are able to do it."
Lyons was employed by Oxbridge Applications to do research for a book by asking students questions about the Oxford interview system and degree courses.
The private company offers coaching to prospective Oxbridge applicants to guide them through the admissions process and prepare them for interview.
Linsey Cole, the Student Union VP for Access and Academic Affairs is "outraged," stating: "I would be very concerned if the good name of Target Schools were to be capitalised on."
Senior Consultant for Oxbridge Applications James Uffindell denied the company was responsible for the use of the phrase "Target Schools," claiming that it was a: "Highly reputable company and did not sanction this kind of behaviour.
We would never purport to be any other organisation and fully support the work of Target Schools."
Lyons at first claimed that there had been no need to clarify that Oxbridge Applications and not the Student Union's Target Schools were behind the questionnaires and that he had used the phrase "as a hook not as branding."
Yet he later conceded when pressed by The Oxford Student that the wording was indeed "ambiguous" as to its relationship with Target Schools yet argued he did not intend to mislead students.
However, when challenged by one student who had received the email and was suspicious of the offer of money, Lyons failed to clearly establish who he was working for, stating: "It is for a Target Schools project by a private company."
Cole received a number of emails from students questioning whether the questionnaires originated from the official Target Schools scheme.
Second year Balliol historian Craig Abrahams who received a questionnaire, told The Oxford Student: "At first it sounded like a good opportunity to make an easy tenner, but as I read through it I became more sceptical. I didn't know where the guy got my email address from, the guide questionnaire was from Downing College, Cambridge and the questionnaire was not really Target Schools related - more questions on interview technique.
"It's disgusting and undermines all the good work of Target Schools. The company are deliberately deceitful in sending the questionnaire email under the guise of Target Schools - for whom I would be far more likely to co-operate to than a private company."
A St Hugh's third year Graeme Murray, told The Oxford Student he initially thought that the survey was from the admissions service and returned the questionnaire, however was concerned that the questions were about "preparing to cheat the fairness of an academic interview" and subsequently tried to email Lyons on three occasions requesting information about the origin of the survey, but has not received any reply.
18th Nov 2004