Why I sent Oxford a rejection lette

Why I sent Oxford a rejection letter
A little over a month ago, I sent Oxford a rejection email that parodied the thousands that they send each year. Much to my surprise, it has become a bit of an Internet hit, and has provoked reactions of both horror and amusement.
In my letter I 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 realize 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."
I sent the email after returning from my interview at Magdalen College, Oxford, to prove to a couple of my friends that Oxbridge did not need to be held in awe. One of them subsequently shared it on Facebook because he found it funny.
I certainly did not expect the email to spread as far as it has. Varying between offers of TV interviews and hundreds of enthusiastic Facebook messages, it has certainly been far-reaching. Many of my friends and undoubtedly many strangers were unable to comprehend that I'd sent such an email to this bastion of prestige and privilege. Why was I not afraid of damaging my future prospects as a lawyer? Didn't I think this might hurt my chances with other universities?
For me, such questions paint a picture of a very cynical society. I do not want to study law because I want to be rich, or wear an uncomfortable wig and cloak. Perhaps optimistically, I want to study law because I am interested in justice.
To me, withdrawing my application to an institution that is a symbol of unfairness in both our education and the legal system (which is so dominated by Oxbridge graduates) makes perfect sense, and I am reluctant to be part of a system so heavily dominated by such a narrow group of self-selecting elites.
So, why did I apply in the first place? If you're achieving high grades at A-level (or equivalent), you can feel quite a lot of pressure to "prove yourself" by getting an Oxbridge offer. Coupled with the fact that I grew up on benefits in council estates throughout Bristol – not a type of heritage often associated with an Oxbridge interview – I decided to give it a try.
It was only at the interview that I started to question what exactly I was trying to prove. I was well aware that fantastic candidates are often turned down, and I did not believe that this was a true reflection of their academic potential.
Although I share concern that not going to Oxbridge gives you a "chip on your shoulder", I did not write to Oxford to avoid the risk of being labeled as an "Oxbridge reject": I already am one. Last year I made an (admittedly weak) application to Cambridge and was inevitably rejected post-interview.
A year ago, I was in awe of the beautiful buildings of Oxbridge, but today I am in awe of the sheer number of people who, like me, have managed to not take it so seriously. Ultimately, I am not harming Oxford by laughing at it, and it is an amazing feeling to realize that so many people are enjoying my email. Actually, I was amazed to know how many people of different ages bothered to read it and even to leave their comments about it in Facebook. I had fun reading some of them, too.

Результаты (ирландский) 1:

Cén fáth chuir mé Oxford litir diúltaithe
Is beag níos mó ná mí ó shin, chuir mé Oxford ríomhphost a dhiúltú Go parodied na mílte Go sheoladh siad gach bliain. I bhfad chun mo choinne, TAR sé Bí i do beagán de bhuail Idirlíon, agus TAR ÉIS A Imoibrithe de Provoked . horror agus siamsaíochta araon
I mo litir a scríobh mé: .. "An bhfuil mé anois a Breithníodh do bhunú mar áit a léamh Dlí (Dlí-eolaíocht) oth liom go mór in iúl duit go mbeidh mé A BHEITH tharraingt siar m'iarratas realize mé Go raibh tú A BHEITH díomá ag an Chinnidh, ach An raibh tú i gComórtas le go leor Fantastic Ollscoileanna agus Tar ar do Agallamh, Tá eagla orm nach bhfuil tú ag freastal go maith ar an gcaighdeán na hOllscoileanna An mbeidh mé A BHEITH Smaoineamh.
"Chuir mé an r-phost tar éis filleadh ó mo Agallamh i gColáiste Magdalen, Oxford , a chruthú le cúpla mo chairde Nach raibh Oxbridge gá chun TABHAIRT Ar siúl i awe. Ceann de Them Ina dhiaidh sin roinnte sé ar Facebook Toisc fuair sé greannmhar é.
mé cinnte nach raibh súil leis an r-phost a scaipeadh chomh fada agus TAR ÉIS sé. éagsúla idir tairiscintí na n-agallamh teilifíse agus na céadta teachtaireachtaí Facebook díograiseach, tá sé cinnte forleathana. Go leor de mo chairde agus gan amhras bhí go leor strainséirí ann a thuiscint gur mhaith den sórt sin a r-phost a sheol mé chuig an Bastion ar gradam agus pribhléid. Cén fáth go raibh agam nach eagla ar dochar mo Ionchais sa Todhchaí mar dhlíodóir? Ní raibh a cheapann liom bhFéadfadh sé seo Gortaítear mo seans le hOllscoileanna eile?
Maidir liom féin, péint Ceisteanna SIN pictiúr de Chumann an-ciniciúil. Níl mé ag iarraidh an dlí a staidéar Mar ba mhaith liom a BE saibhir, nó a chaitheamh ar wig míchompordach agus clóca. B'fhéidir optimistically, ba mhaith liom an dlí Staidéar Toisc Tá suim agam i ceartais agam.
Chun liom, tharraingt siar ar mo Iarratas chun institiúid Go IS siombail de Éagothroime sa dá Ár Oideachas agus an córas Dlí (Cé acu IS sé chun tosaigh amhlaidh Céimithe Oxbridge) Ciall foirfe, agus tá mé Drogall a BE Cuid de chóras faoi smacht amhlaidh mór ag SIN grúpa caol de Scothaicme féin-roghnú.
Mar sin, cén fáth go raibh mé iarratas isteach sa chéad áit? Má tá tú 'ath grád ard a bhaint amach ag A-leibhéal (nó a chomhionann), is féidir leat a bhraitheann go leor leor de brú a "chruthú duit féin" ag dul le tairiscint Oxbridge Maraon leis an bhfíric gur fhás mé suas ar an sochar in eastáit comhairle fud Bristol -. Ní i ndáil le cineál Oidhreachta Bhaineann minic le Agallamh Oxbridge -. Chinn mé a thabhairt dó iarracht
WS sé ach ag an Agallamh Go Started mé a cheistiú cad é go díreach WS mé ag iarraidh a chruthú go WS mé ar an eolas go maith Go iarrthóirí Fantastic An bhfuil iompaithe Is minic a síos,. agus ní raibh mé Creidim Go WS sé seo le léargas cruinn a n-Poitéinseal Acadúil.
Cé go roinnt mé Concern Go nach bhfuil ag dul go dtí Oxbridge Tugann tú "sliseanna ar do ghualainn", ní raibh mé ag scríobh chuig Oxford chun Seachain an Riosca Á lipéadaithe mar "Oxbridge dhiúltú": .. Tá mé cheana féin amháin An bhliain seo caite rinne mé (Admittedly lag) Iarratas chun Cambridge agus WS dhiúltaigh Dosheachanta iar-Agallamh
A bliain ó shin, WS mé i awe de na Foirgnimh álainn Oxbridge, ach inniu tá mé i Is awe de líon fórsa na daoine a, cosúil liomsa, a bhainistiú a ní ghlacfaidh sé chomh dona. I ndeireadh na dála, tá mé nach bhfuil dochar Oxford trí gáire ar sé, agus é a mothú iontach a thuiscint go bhfuil an oiread sin daoine ag baint suilt as mo ríomhphost. I ndáiríre, bhí mé amazed a fhios cé mhéad daoine d'aoiseanna éagsúla bothered a léamh agus fiú a gcuid tuairimí a fhágáil mar gheall air i Facebook. Bhí mé spraoi a léamh cuid acu, freisin.