Student writes rejection letter to Oxford

But Elly Nowell,19,who went to a state-funded school in Hampshire rather than an elite private school,parodied the admission process and sent a letter of rejection to the university,which has been widely read.

Nowell,who was put off by the admission interview that is seen by many as daunting and intimidating,wrote: I have 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.

Nowell warned the university not to reapply.

You may believe your decision to hold interviews in grand formal settings is inspiring,it allows public-school applicants to flourish8230; and intimidates state-school applicants,distorting the academic potential of both, she said,criticising Oxfords traditions and rituals and a perceived gulf between minorities and white middle-class students.

A university spokesman dismissed the claims.