Rejecting Oxford

Elly Nowell wrote a rejection letter to Oxford University.

Oxford University, which has sent out thousands of rejection letters in the past, has found itself the subject of a joke played by a student applicant, who decided to turn the tables.

Reporter

John McManus

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Nineteen-year old Elly Nowell from Winchester in the south of England applied to the Oxford college of Magdalen to read law, but when she was invited for interview she decided she didn't like what she saw.

Elly, who is finishing her A-levels, told the BBC that Oxford resembled the British Monarchy in that it was what she called ridiculous and elitist, but unlike the Royal Family, was rarely mocked.

Her actions may well change that. Following her interview at Magdalen college, Elly wrote a rejection letter to the University, using the kind of language that officials employ when they're trying to let somebody down gently.

Elly admits that her letter of rejection to the university was not entirely serious, but it has raised some serious points.

Oxford, and Cambridge universities are often accused of elitism, and of having entrance procedures that favour students from private schools.

Yet Oxford says it's changing, and that last year, more than half of its academic offers went to pupils from state schools.

As for Elly, she now hopes to gain a place at University College London. The Admissions staff there may well be watching the mail box very closely.

Vocabulary

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A-levels: ujian untuk siswa berusia 18 tahun di Inggris

resembled: mirip

ridiculous: konyol

elitist: elitis

mocked: diejek

rejection letter: surat penolakan

employ: pakai

let somebody down: membuat seseorang kecewa

procedures: prosedur

state schools: sekolah-sekolah yang dananya sepenuhnya dari negara