University's cross-Border balancing act

It appears that Edinburgh University has, not for the first time, crossed swords with several English public schools over its admission procedures (your report, 20 March). You quote the headmaster of Brighton College as saying that of 27 applications to Edinburgh from his school, only two were successful.

Brighton College is a school with an outstanding academic record and last year succeeded in placing 18 of its students at Oxbridge. I would have thought Edinburgh would have been flattered to have received so many applications from such a prestigious school.

Edinburgh, it seems, has been favouring applicants from schools in the local area in certain subjects.

This policy was attacked by the headmaster of King's College School in Wimbledon as "anti-English" and, rather worryingly for Edinburgh, he has warned that they "will be advising students not to apply until they sort out their rather perverse admissions". As an Edinburgh alumnus, I welcome the statement from a university spokeswoman which insists that Edinburgh aims to "attract the very best students from around the world". However, I find your article less than reassuring.

KEDDIE LAW

Lunan Avenue

Montrose

DD10 9DG

I was under the obvious misapprehension that Edinburgh was the capital city of a country called Scotland. However, it would seem that the elitists of the English private school system believe they have the right to access university places in our country according to their desire and educational financial advantage (your report, 20 March).

According to your statistics English students have obtained a "mere" 40 per cent plus of the places in our capital city but since we will not give them more we are "illegal and racist". I would suggest there is not another capital city on the planet which has such a foreign occupancy, yet I do not see any comment in you opinion column defending the Scottish position.

As a mature student I recently applied to study Scottish History at Edinburgh University, only to be rejected on the basis that there were only seven places available.

As I already had a degree, I can totally accept priority being given to those who do not already have one, but seven places for Scottish History in the capital city of Scotland? Give me strength!

ALEX GRANT

Great King Street

Edinburgh

As a student at Edinburgh University, I disagree with the claim that its revised admissions policy is somehow "anti-English" because it mainly chooses to select students from the local area. Any university's primary responsibility is to provide opportunities to students from its own geographic locality, and therefore, given the cuts in the number of admissions next year, some aspiring students from other countries are bound to be disappointed.

Those headmasters from English public schools quoted in your article might gain some consolation from that fact that Edinburgh University currently plays host to a large number of what are commonly termed "yahs", namely those from English public schools whose defining characteristics are that they refuse to mix with those from other nationalities and classes, yet seek to dominate every aspect of social and academic life.

To those of us who look upon our student days as a chance to widen our experience and mix with other cultures, Edinburgh's new admission policy cannot come too soon.

SOPHIE L ANDERSON

Marchmont Road

Edinburgh