University Challenge
Pea1
Posts: 383 Forum Member
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Does anyone know anyone who has appeared on this? What I don't understand is how such young people have such a broad range of knowledge on virtually everything. If it was their specialised subject I could maybe understand it but when someone studying art history is answering challenging questions on quantum physics - it just doesn't make sense. Are they given a heads up months beforehand on what subjects they're likely to be asked questions? 
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I suppose teams are put together that can answer a wide variety of questions.They also know the types of questions that come up regularly.
You certainly don't get a "heads up" on what is to be asked, in fact the researcher (who had all the subjects in his papers - not the actual questions, just the topics) told us that if we saw them in advance we wouldn't be able to go ahead with the programme.
The first time you find out what is to be asked is when Paxman asks it.
Each university/college no doubt has a different way of selecting their team. When I was there they put an advert in the student paper, fortunately for me only six people turned up for the selection! We had to fill in a quiz and the top four scores were picked for the team.
Once we had selected our team we had to get chosen by the producers. We went to Granada Studios and had to do another test, this time the questions were read out from a tape rather than being on paper (although we did write the answers down rather than speak them).
I don't remember any kind of screen test, unlike on Eggheads when we had to do a short piece to camera as individuals and as a team.
They probably read lots of books. Books most of us find boring. Also the questions are very academic which overlaps into their studys.
No Oxbridge. lol
Papaphilippopoulos:D
They also had something like Tsychuk Smith (I have no idea how to spell his first surname).
Manchester, who - incidentally - were the defending champions. (And beaten by UCL during the series.)
Manchester.
Glad they lost. He looked gutted:D
She was the one who was driving them to the gig and back.
I always look forward to the opera and classical music questions. :-), the only time I know more than they do. One of the good things about growing older (I'm 53) is you're more likely to get some questions that the youngsters don't. (Though that's small compensation I admit).
I don't think there is the elitism now that existed in the Bamber Gascoigne days.
Bamber Gascoine always favoured the Oxbridge teams and you could tell he wasn't happy if they were beaten by a lesser university.
Paxman's just as bad, actually.
Just goes to show what you can achieve when you pay attention at school
OR your parent have the money to pay for your education..
There are good schools and not-so-good schools, the majority in the state system. Someone who wants to learn will learn regardless.
Privilege doesn't come into it.
Just look at most of our politicians.
Agreed, plenty of people have come from quite humble backgrounds through average schools but worked hard and done well. Of course the move to comprehensive schools meant that many lost the opportunity to go to a grammar school on a scholarship.
YOU - the pupil - still have to pay attention and learn the lessons. An expensive education doesn't magically make you clever. It still takes a great deal of hard work and long, long hours to get as good as the U.C. contestants. No matter where you were educated. They deserve our respect and admiration.