By Mia Raso
Approximate reading time: 5 mins
LSE is one of the best and most competitive universities in the world, so surely one would expect the students here to have the biggest egos? Surely they never experience that relentless, gnawing feeling that they don’t belong, or don’t deserve to be in this environment? At a school filled with academic egoism, surely we are all doing fine?
Well, beneath the veneer of excellence, many state-educated students at LSE grapple with feelings of being out of place. While statistics indicate that 67% of LSE students from the UK come from state-educated backgrounds, compared to a national average of 93%, the experience of these students is far from uniform. This article explores the reasons why state-educated students at LSE may feel out of place, and the pervasive issue of imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is the feeling of constant inadequacy, and is something I have struggled with as a state-school student coming to LSE. In my first year, it felt like everyone just knew what they were doing and how to do it, and I couldn’t seem to find many students from my background. When I conducted a survey of over 70 students here, I did not expect to find that so many students (from all educational backgrounds) feel so out of place here. However, I was not surprised to find that imposter syndrome hits state-educated students the most out of any demographic.
One LSE student, reflecting on their experience, admitted, “I had huge imposter syndrome [doing my undergrad]. I ended up getting a First-class degree and working for two years […] (where I realised that I was good at my job thanks to feedback) […] and now I feel so much better.” This narrative illustrates the initial feelings of inadequacy many state-educated students encounter, which can gradually be alleviated through validation and success.
Another student stated, “I no longer feel like an imposter at LSE, […]. After working with LSE Life Study Advisers and getting feedback from [teachers], I started getting Firsts – which validated my academic ‘ego’.” Again, this shows the importance of support systems and positive reinforcement.
Moreover, the statistics from my survey show that the mean for feeling like an imposter among state-educated students is 3.6, while the overall mean for respondents is 3.1.
Not only do state-educated students at LSE feel more out of place on average, but coming from a state-school is a significant predictor of feeling like an imposter (being state-educated increases your chances of feeling like an imposter when you get to university by 1 point on the 5 point scale).
One of the challenges state-educated students face at LSE is the lack of differentiation between non-selective state schools and grammar schools. The statistics provided do not offer a breakdown between these two categories, even though they vary significantly in terms of funding and opportunities. From my experience, a lot of the state-educated students I have met here have come from grammar schools (selective on academic ability), and therefore had more resources and opportunities at their disposal in order to adjust to life at LSE.
This lack of differentiation can perpetuate feelings of inadequacy among state-educated students. Many grammar schools offer a more tailored educational experience, which can result in students feeling better prepared for the challenges of a university like LSE. Conversely, non-selective state schools often face resource constraints and have not had the same level of academic support and extracurricular opportunities.
The testimonies of LSE students highlight another issue – the lack of support for state-educated students. As one student shared, “I started at LSE being really confident in my academic abilities. Over the past two years I have felt increasingly stupid. […] I often feel like LSE made a mistake accepting me given the lack of support on offer for people from my background.”
So, what can be done to help combat this? State-educated students can join societies like the 93% club or become student ambassadors to connect with like-minded peers. I’m in my second year of being a student ambassador for LSE, and it has helped me in a few ways. Firstly, it allows you to meet individuals from similar backgrounds as you work with the universities widening participation team (a team dedicated to ensuring people from diverse backgrounds have equal opportunities to study at top universities). This means that a lot of the prospective students you work with are from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and it is really rewarding to show them that they do belong at LSE.
For anyone battling imposter syndrome, the university’s wellbeing services, peer and teacher support, and LSE Life workshops are valuable resources. LSE is an amazing university, and whilst we are lucky to study here, it is amazing because of us – we should never forget that.
