Fisking Elly Nowell

Following an interview at Magdalen College, Oxford, to read Law (Jurisprudence), Elly Nowell sent a spoof letter of rejection.

She made the four claims:

1. Holding interviews in "grand formal settings" allows public school applicants to flourish and intimidates state school applicants.

2. Magdalen College's traditions and rituals reflect badly on Oxford.

3. There was a huge gap between minorities and white middle-class students.

4. It was rude to not offer a glass of water, which was "torture".

She also claimed that Oxbridge was "rarely mocked"

Firstly, Elly Nowell either did not do her research probably before applying to Oxford or did not care until after the interview.

Oxford University is steeped in tradition. There are many universities which do not place much of an emphasis on ceremony. Why did she not solely apply to these?

Secondly, Oxford was founded many years ago and is hence made up of grand old buildings. It would have been a cause for criticism if interviews were held in a portacabin, but Oxford are letting potential students see what life there is like.

If Ms Nowell does not like being interviewed in grand buildings, she will struggle pursuing a career in the law.

Thirdly, Ms Nowell claims there was a huge gap between black students and white middle class students.

She is correct that black students and white working class students (the latter of whom she does not mention) are underrepresented at universities.

However, she does not offer any strategy to tackle this, such as getting Oxford University students to visit inner city schools.

She must have been aware of the disparity beforehand, as it is unlikely she could have come to a conclusion on one day's visit. Again, why did she apply there?

I would also suggest that Ms Nowell's sixth form college, Brockenhurst is hardly a bastion of working class life:

Between study sessions you can grab lunch, or just chill out with a coffee and tune into MTV at the Hard Brock Café or the Little Brock Internet Cafe.

If you are feeling energetic, why not challenge your mates to a game at the College Sports Centre, or take a walk into the local village and meet some of the locals – the New Forest ponies!

Head for a study room when it is time to focus and you can go on-line or access your files on the College-wide computer network.

Elly Nowell could take a trip to Waltham Forest or Blackbird Leys and ask sixth formers there if they have the facilities her school had.

Fourthly, Oxbridge is often mocked and there has been a great deal of criticism of people from Oxford and Cambridge universities dominating comedy and the establishment.

Fifthly, not getting a glass of water is not "torture". If Elly Nowell cannot cope with not being offered a glass of water, how will she cope with a job interview, especially in a tough career like law.

Finally, won't law firms be concerned that she will do the same to them if she does not like the company?

This self-publicity seems to have backfired. Well, either self-publicity or she did badly in her interview and thought she'd avoid getting a rejection letter.