From: Fiona Moore nydersdyner@yahoo.co.uk and Avon to a newer university that was probably better academically but less well respected (say the equivalent of Hull).
I'd suggest the Australian "bushland" classification, but there are only two of those and Macquarie is pretty well respected. Well, more than Newcastle (if you ignore the reputation of the medical faculty there).
"Bushland" can also equal mozzie infested, sadly. Might explain why Avon's a bit snappy.
Regards Joanne
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From: Fiona Moore and Avon to a newer university that was probably better academically but less well respected (say the equivalent of Hull).
I think he went to St Andrews through clearing.... and thus learnt mistrust and grudges (as an outsider in a strange community), but also how to appear quite posh when he needed. Also the inferiority complex because of the attitude to the clearing contingent. Maybe not though...
Emma
emma wrote:
[re Avon's alma mater] I think he went to St Andrews through clearing.... and thus learnt mistrust and grudges (as an outsider in a strange community), but also how to appear quite posh when he needed. Also the inferiority complex because of the attitude to the clearing contingent. Maybe not though...
It might also be why he acquired a taste for leather clothing, leather being warm and St Andrew's being perishing cold. The wind cuts across those golf courses.
Kat W
From: "Katharine Woods" <> > [re Avon's alma mater]
I think he went to St Andrews through clearing.... and thus learnt mistrust and grudges (as an outsider in a strange community), but also how to appear quite posh when he needed. Also the inferiority complex because of the attitude to the clearing contingent. Maybe not though...
It might also be why he acquired a taste for leather clothing, leather being warm and St Andrew's being perishing cold. The wind cuts across those golf courses.
And his appreciation of beautiful women, the scots quines being the most goygeousest of all, of course..
Emma
Emma said (apropos of Avon):
I think he went to St Andrews through clearing.... and thus learnt
mistrust
and grudges (as an outsider in a strange community), but also how to
appear
quite posh when he needed. Also the inferiority complex because of the attitude to the clearing contingent. Maybe not though...
What is "clearing"? We don't have that in the U.S. unless we call it something else.
We know that there are Ph.ederated Ph.D.s so to speak (Dr. Plaxton, Dr. Kendall of the Ortega, Dr.Bellfriar in Killer, unless he's a medical doctor like Kayn and Renor). However there is no canonical reference to Avon being among their number. He seems to me (like Hamlet) to be someone who clearly spent a LOT of time in graduate school. If he got kicked out for being caught nicking the cricket club money, they wouldn't have let him anywhere near the banking system. So: *did he get fed up before taking his doctorate and went out to earn some money * he has an MBA instead *in the minds of the screenwriters, action heroes don't have Ph.D.s?
BTW there's an Executrix story in which the University of Kentib wants to show its rebel sympathies by awarding Blake an honorary doctorate--they have some difficulty deciding what in (Avon suggests Architecture, in reverse) but settle on PPE.
-(Y)
Dana wrote:
Emma said (apropos of Avon):
I think he went to St Andrews through clearing.... and thus learnt mistrust and grudges (as an outsider in a strange community), but also how to appear quite posh when he needed. Also the inferiority complex because of the attitude to the clearing contingent. Maybe not though...
What is "clearing"? We don't have that in the U.S. unless we call it something else.
Clearing is (was?) the system whereby applicants who have not got into their choices of university on getting their A-level results are picked up by universities with places to fill.
Una
Una said:
Clearing is (was?) the system whereby applicants who have not got into
their
choices of university on getting their A-level results are picked up by universities with places to fill.
Thank you! However, I'm sure if Avon's A-level results weren't brilliant when he wrote the papers, they were by the time the results were posted.
-(Y)
Dana:-
What is "clearing"? We don't have that in the U.S. unless we call it something else.
Clearing is the process you go through to get a place at uni if you didn't get good enough grades for your pre-selected choices - basically matching the vacant places with the homeless students. Most places are awarded 'provisionally' on attaining high enough grades before the resukts come out. Clearing takes place in... June/July??... after the results are out.
St Andrews has a reputation, not sure how deserved as I have no stats at all, in Scotland, for being the place that the 'posh' English kids who didn't make the grade down south go to through clearing, as it seems very heavily populated with English compared to other Scots universities. Not a racial slur, btw - I'm half English and half Scots parentage for the record - just observation from walking through the streets in freshers week & also endless rag mag jokes.
(should point out that entry age/qualifications for england/scotland are different, possibley cos a scottish honours is 4 years as opposed to english at 3 years. And a school leaver in England is about a year older and the qualifications get more 'points' in the system, cos the exams are harder.)
Hence at my (slightly lower class perception) uni, the first question on meeting an English person at St Andrews uni (particularly if opposing them in debates/sports etc and wanting to wind them up) was often 'I suppose you came through clearing', the subtext being 'you were too thick to get in down south.'
All of which are cultural observations and not the opinion of the writer. A lot of people choose to go to St Andrews from England because 1. It's quite good 2. It's an extra year's beer before you have to start work 3. It has a nice view of the golf course and of course now 4. You might get to snog royalty
But if Avon was busy messing about with computers and flunked his other subjects, he might not get the grades he needed for his first choice, and so go to St Andrews rather than resit.
Umm. Ok, proper academic people leap and correct any glaring mistakes I've made now, please.
Good grief, how did I get started on serious posts? Going into retirement now.
Emma
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