It’s common knowledge that the majority of Durham’s student body are Oxbridge rejects. It all came out within two days of freshers that you’d all applied but were “so glad you didn’t get in.” By now you’ll have realised that Durham is basically Cambridge but you actually have a life – we asked a few of you about your rejection stories:

Nick Whitehead, First Year, Hatfield, Economics and Chinese

“Sydney Sussex, Cambridge. I didn’t know there was a test on arrival.”

James Pollard, First Year, Collingwood, Sociology

“King’s College, Cambridge. I accidentally mentioned anthropology, which they then questioned me on relentlessly. I know nothing about anthropology.”

India Footer, First Year, Hatfield, Liberal Arts

“St Catherine’s, Cambridge. They gave me a poem I had never read. After bullshitting about it, the interviewer closed her book and said: ‘You haven’t read it have you.’ I replied with: ‘I had to give it a go’.”

Alice Phillbrook, Second Year, Van Mildert, Geography

“King’s College, Cambridge. I knew from 10 minutes in that it wasn’t going well. They laughed at all of my answers.”

Toby Woods, First Year, Trevs, Physics

“St Edmund’s Hall, Oxford. Whilst I was waiting for my interview, I heard them saying that they already had all the people they needed.”

Henry Baird, First Year, St Chad’s, Ancient History

“Corpus Christi, Cambridge. They saw straight through me. I’m not actually that clever.”

Fran Howard, First Year, Hatfield, English

“St Catherine’s, Oxford. They questioned me on a book in my personal statement that I hadn’t read for two years. They asked me really detailed questions on it. Funnily enough, I couldn’t remember what colour a flower was in chapter three.”

Charlotte Turner, First Year, Hild Bede, Law

“Jesus College, Cambridge. They said that they wouldn’t ask me about my legal knowledge. They lied.”

Sam Osman, First Year, Trevs, Law

“I’d rather shit in my hands and clap than go to Oxbridge.”