Callsignkilo, your BA experience mirrors mine. I suspect we went through the process side by side back in 2011 (?). FlyingTinCans' eloquently written summary of the recruitment process is fairly accurate in timescale and content, in my experience, and it has always been thus with BA. Personally, back in 2011 BA 'made sense', but now I find myself closer to 40 than 30 and with a command on a Boeing, so BA's 2011 assessment that I was 'the right sort' for their operation probably no longer applies in 2014.
As for the BMI pilots/sympathisers who vigorously defend the tupe regs, I have some empathy. However, the irony and hypocrisy of a recruitment procedure that places such emphasises on aptitude, verbal reasoning and maths tests, group and individual interviews and then (let's face it) disregards it for 300 pilots is 'curious' to say the least. Of course, I would be equally pleased if I got into BA through the tupe route!
At the end of the day, we all fly very similar aeroplanes to very similar operating procedures. Some of us work far harder for a lot less money, and naturally feel rather jealous!