Tonyblair,
Yes you're right, I suspect some applicants for the OAT APP will have applied for sponsorship and not been successful. That is not to frown on anyone who has not made it through a sponsorship selection like the vast majority of wannabe's do.
I understand that it is probably not in their interests to make the entrance requirements on selection that high...initially.
If we think carefully about the APP procedure then it is not in their interests to take on any one who should be sitting in the corner with a dunce's hat on either, for consider:
OAT APP have come up with an arrangement with a high street bank. Apparently, passing the selection procedure and embarking on the APP course makes a statement to the banks that this student 'is not only extremely likely to complete the course but is also quite likely to get employed'. Now either:
1. OAT don't care about the loan being repaid, as long as they will give it to the cadet so they can embark on the course. or
2. OAT have persuaded the bank (banks are not easily persuaded to part with money might I hastely add) to give the dosh by disclosing something to the banks about the chances of employment that they won't tell us yet.
Now if people start failing the course left, right and centre because they never had the aptitude in the first place then the banks are going to get a bit pissed off that the 'carefully screened' student can't start paying the loan back. Additionally if people start coming off the course and there is absolutley no improvement in employment stats then the banks are also going to get very pissed off. In fact with a double wammy like that they may just pull their support all together and so the APP will go down the toilet. So it is not directly in OAT's interests to let Tom, Dick or Harry through.
Let's face the whole point of the APP is like a sponsorship without the airline. It's to let people that haven't got the money a chance to get into the airlines by helping them get the money.
How do they help them get the money, by convinving the bank that they are likely to pass the course (this may be true). They have also convinced the banks that the cadets are more likely to get employed at the end of the APP (I'm still not convinced on this one).
ARRRRGGGGH!
I just don't understand it. What is the extra 12k for?
PT