“Leopold”, in discussing university applicants, uses the word “child” twice and the words “offspring” and “children” once each (“Parents have a right to attend open days”, Letters, 15 September).

It would be a strange university, currently or historically, that regarded and treated prospective students as “children”. Indeed, some legislation might deem such behaviour to be illegal.

In 1834, when William Thomson – subsequently Lord Kelvin – attended the University of Glasgow at the age of 10, he was not treated as a child.

Iain Smith
University of Strathclyde

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