With its three famous streets, medieval castle, and an alumni list that includes the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the University of St Andrews has all the trappings of the most prestigious academic institutions. Indeed, when I first arrived for freshers week a few years ago, I can vividly recall my sense of awe at the place, which seemed the very embodiment of earnest academia. Yet it wasn’t long before I realised that, outside my tutorials, things were rather different. Not only was the level of privilege and wealth on show at the university overwhelming but, thanks to the number of secretive drinking societies and expensive balls, it wasn’t just the architecture that felt medieval. Kate Middleton and Prince William at St Andrews on the day of their graduation ceremony in 2005 GETTY IMAGESNow these aspects of student life are beginning to cause

Source: The Times September 02, 2020 23:03 UTC