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Pupil Sends Oxford University Scathing ‘Rejection Letter’
A student disillusioned by the snobbishness in her University of Oxford interview has sent one of the most prestigious colleges in the UK a ‘rejection letter’.
A prospective student of one of the most prestigious colleges in the UK has sent the University of Oxford a damning ‘rejection letter’, telling officials that she was not impressed by the way they intimidated state school pupils in an interview process that she described as ‘torture’.
Elly Nowell, 19, said she felt like “the only atheist in a gigantic monastery” when she visited Magdalen College for her interview. She subsequently decided to withdraw her bid to read Law at the university.
The Telegraph reports that in a ‘parody’ of the kind of rejection letter universities often send to unsuccessful applicants, Miss Nowell launched a withering attack on the college whose alumni include Oscar Wilde, King Edward VIII and George Osborne, which she later posted online.
The college has a fierce reputation. In 2000, Magdalen refused a place to Laura Spence, a former comprehensive pupil with five As at A-level to her name. The decision was described by the then-chancellor Gordon Brown as an “absolute scandal”.
Miss Nowell, a former pupil of Brockenhurst College, Hampshire, wrote:
“I have now considered your establishment as a place to read Law (jurisprudence).
“I very much regret to inform you that I will be withdrawing my application.
“I realise you may be disappointed by this decision, but you were in competition with many fantastic universities and following your interview I am afraid you do not quite meet the standard of the universities I will be considering.”
A spokesman for the university said Miss Nowell had withdrawn her application on the UCAS system shortly after her interview and emailed the college informing them of her decision.
“The application was withdrawn before she would have been aware whether or not her application had been successful.”
In the letter, Miss Nowell made it clear that it was her experience at her interview that had put her off. Under the subheading “Guidelines for Re-application”, she wrote:
“While you may believe your decision to hold interviews in grand formal settings is inspiring, it allows public school applicants to flourish and intimidates state school applicants, distorting the academic potential of both.
“It was while I was at interview that I finally noticed that subjecting myself to the judgment of an institution which I fundamentally disagreed with was bizarre.
“I spent my entire time there laughing at how seriously everything was being taken.”
She added, dryly:
“Perhaps offer a glass of water in your interviews next time; it is rude to torture guests.”
An Oxford University spokeswoman said:
“Despite what the candidate said, we would point out that the actual admissions figures speak for themselves: of the seven UK students who received offers for law and joint school courses at Magdalen, only one was from an independent school.”
Nowell said she hopes to study at University College, London instead.
Monday
January 23rd, 2012
Filed Under
Magdalen College Oxford University UK College Admissions UK Higher Education UK Universities
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Comments
A woman went to the interview, saw that she didn’t measure up and rather than accept that gracefully, she basically threw a very public hissy-fit. The only think being “damned” by this letter, is the writer.
Joe, you might be unfamiliar with the education situation in Britain, but students from public (they are known as state schools over there,) even those with excellent qualifications, have a huge disadvantage when applying to “Oxbridge” to those who attend private schools. This is not due entirely to the quality of education in public schools, but also due to the rigid class divisions in Britain. To us Americans it might seem that an accusation that Oxford is trying to make public school students uncomfortable during the interview process might be overblown, this isn’t such a shocking thing for someone from that country.
If a cultural institution has value, it is probably better if the would-be participant in that cultural institution tries to fit into it, rather than overthrow it. Of course if the cultural institution lacks value, then the obvious course of action is the one that was taken here – withdrawal of participation. Only time will tell whether Oxford or University College, London, have provided the UK with a statistically determined better output of legally trained personnel.
That would hardly apply in the case where the cultural institution’s value is mainly in alienating the plebes.
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