I suppose it's interesting to speculate about the numbers of applicants, and we've all done it to some extent. However, estimates and speculation are just that. For reasons unbeknown to me the number of applicants has never been publicly disclosed. I can't speak for OAA or CTC, but based on how many FTE assessment days there were and the number of candidates in each, I would stand by my earlier estimation on how many they invited and suggest that 240 is a little on the light side. So perhaps it's a safer estimation to state that FTE invited no fewer than 240 and no more than 400 to the first round of assessments.
Whether or not that's because fewer candidates applied to FTE or that FTE are more stringent with the way they assess applications (or a bit of both), who knows? Realistically there must be a procedure in place to make sure the process is wholly objective in terms of the final outcome, even if it's difficult or impossible to ensure universal objectivity across schools. It has been suggested that one of the main reasons for a final stage at Waterside is to ensure a level playing field so that all candidates can be assessed equally on the same tests and measures. This almost implies that there is a known possibility of an unquantifiable disparity between FTO assessments. Nonetheless, it's not by default an admission of a disparity, it's only a suggestion that it might exist (if indeed that really is one of the main reasons for the Waterside assessments). And nor does it mean that one is easier than the others, because people perform well at different things. What's easy to me is hard to someone else, and vice-versa.
However, thanks to the Waterside assessments it can be guaranteed that it makes no real difference to your overall chances irrespective of which FTO you initially apply to. Even if it is marginally more likely to make it through to the final stage with one FTO over another, you're then still up against the best from the other FTOs anyway and would have to outperform most of them to make it. If you're good enough to do that without a whole lot more training, then you're almost certainly not marginal in terms of getting to Waterside in the first place. And - after all - it's getting onto the BAFPP people want; not making it to the final hurdle only to fall.
Incidentally, I agree with
Alleyesup. It's much better to focus on making your own performance the best it can be than worrying too much about how many other people there are.
