Acrosticus wrote to uk.transport.london on Sat, 9 Oct 2004:

Ah! But apparently he's at York, who turned down a mate of mine who'd also put
Oxford on his UCAS form. When my mate rang up to ask the admissions tutor why
he'd been rejected the reply was "I don't think anyone who's put Oxford on
their form would feel happy at York" (he was later accepted by Magdalen, by the
way). I find it hard to frame a more eloquent and anodyne equivalent to York's
admissions tutor's "Look, this place is an academic sink, if you've got half a
brain you wouldn't come near the place" look-alike statement (which is what it
really is when you strip the sophistry away).

I think you must be speaking of some years ago now, since when my
daughter applied, now about 6 or 7 years ago, she also applied to
Cambridge, and York's conditional offer was several points more rigorous
than most that she received.

It is therefore no surprise that spelling, grammar and syntax are probably
optional at York, even in your final year.

Well, my daughter was a history and archaeology student there, and I
think they *did* bother about it. Mind you, she graduated some three
years ago now, so times may have changed.... but she did the railway
unit, too.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 26 September 2004