Odd algebra
Sir: It is ridiculous of Roderick Smart to argue (`Cutting the old school tie', 21 August) that the Oxbridge admissions sys- tem is prejudiced against public schoolboys, and the author himself unwittingly reveals this by two of his comments.
First, whilst independent schools harbour only seven per cent of the nation's pupils, they populate 45 per cent of Oxbridge. For the benefit of those whose algebra is not strong, such as Mr Smart, this means that independent schools have proportionately more than six times as many successful Oxbridge applicants as state schools.
But secondly, and more important, Mr Smart claims that 'public school boys and girls are strikingly less successful at getting good degrees at Oxbridge than their con- temporaries from other schools'. If true, this is clear evidence that the admissions system is letting in lower-quality public school boys in favour of their higher-quality state-educated competitors, notwithstand- ing absurd theories that ex-Eton boys 'see through the pretence' of poor teaching.
Robin Nuttall
St John's College, Cambridge 032
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