A girl who fled war-torn Afghanistan three years ago has failed to win a university place – despite gaining six A* and A grades at A-level.
Rohilla Maarij, 18, was rejected by four medical schools and fears she may now have to give up her dream of becoming a doctor.
The teenager – described as 'outstanding' by staff at her sixth form - had only been learning English for two years when her family left Kabul and claimed asylum in the UK.
But she achieved her GCSEs in just one year, winning a full set of A* and A grades at Manchester Academy.
Rohilla, of Fallowfield, moved on to William Hulme Grammar School, in Whalley Range – where she learned yesterday she had gained a A* in maths and As in biology, chemistry, physics, further maths and Persian.
But her applications to study medicine at Manchester, Cambridge, University College London (UCL) and Queen Mary's had already been turned down.
Full round up of A-level results school-by-school
Rohilla – who lives with her parents and three sisters – said: "I am really pleased with my results but very disappointed not to get into any universities.
"My parents have seen how upset I am and have said I should think about doing something else.
"But I really want to be a doctor - so I think I will take a gap year and re-apply next year."
Rohilla – who is fluent in four languages - had already been predicted top grades when she was rejected by the universities.
Manchester and Cambridge both said her interview had not been good enough, while UCL did not give a reason.
Queen Mary's said Rohilla's score in the UK Clinical Aptitude Test - the entry exam for all medical students - had not been high enough, despite her scoring above national average.
Nigel Veevers, head of sixth form at William Hulme, said he was baffled by the rejections.
"We are so proud of Rohilla,” he said. “She's had total dedication ever since she arrived here.
Surprised
"We were very surprised when we were told she hadn't got into medical school and I think they should have taken her background into account."
Withington MP John Leech said: "You would think universities would be queuing up to offer someone with grades like this a place.
"Rohilla has done outstandingly well and achieved so much considering the circumstances and clearly deserves a place to study medicine.
"It worries me that someone who gets these grades can't get into university."
A spokesperson for Manchester University said: "The number of applicants for medicine with good grades far exceeds the number of places available.
"If this student had been made an offer at the time she would have been accepted."
Cambridge University declined to comment.
Rohilla's plight comes after a record 27 per cent of A level papers was given an A* or A grade. That – combined with an all time-high 379,411 successful university and college applications – has left scores of high-flying students missing out.
A second Greater Manchester teenager – Meera Mistry, 18, from Ashton Under Lyne – was also rejected from four medical schools after gaining three A*s and two As.
Full round up of A-level results school-by-school
Girl survived the horrors of Afghan war and got 6 A-Levels at Grade A - but still can’t get into university
August 20, 2010
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Why should she get into a British university over a British person ?
Wow, what an inspiration Rohilla, very well done. Just goes to show what can be achieved if you're willing to put your mind to it.
I bet your parents are very proud of you, and so they should be!
I thought the number of students wanting places exceeds what is available? Isn't that what has been reported in the media the last few weeks? She was turned down by three universities so I would assume the other applicants are highly exceptional students. She can always apply now for a place next year and take time out.
Give her a place at University to study medicine, and where do you suppose she'll want to go - quite rightly, and entirely understandably - when she's qualified?
Well done to her - excellent results......
But I'm not sure the angle of the story the MEN is trying to show.....
Do they have evidence that British students with less results are getting in on the course she wants to, or are plenty of other British kids being denied places too. If that is the case, then where is the story?
Can we have the whole story please, not just an isolated case without any other details about who is getting on these courses?
what exactly were these "Horrors" she survived in Afghanistan ?
Fantasic results!!! It does explain in the article some reasons why Rohilla didnt get the places though, such as the interview process which is difficult at a top 5 university and the clinical aptitude test but it is still a great shame. Unfortunatly other are in the same position. Best of luck to everyone!!
Such opportunities wouldn't have been open to her in her native country under the previous regime because she is a woman. I hope that the work our forces are doing out there might mean at some point in the future people from Afghanistan will be able to have such opportunities without having to leave their homes and families. I'm proud that we have a country where she can come and develop her talents and I am proud of her for making the most of that opportunity.
How many of these places are being kept aside for foreign students paying humungous fees who ''quaify'' because they [or their parents] cough up these amounts?
aww what a shame
Great results but there are British students in the same position and to be honest, they should come first!
Just shows that because the A levels and the teaching of have been over engineered to specifically pass as many students as possible rather than to identify the intelligence and skills of the student.
If you look back 15 years grades using the A level system show that students must have been thick as a plank compared with today students.
Hmm not sure this is relected in the nations IQ levels though.
It's got in such a situation that A levels need to be replaced with a system that doesn't become so diluted in a few years because of targets that in the end make them not worth the paper they are written on.
Its called "Integration" Welcome to britain now join the rest of the clever people trying to get a place at Cambridge etc.I wish people would stop trying to use a race card and a sob story to try and get ahead of others who work just as hard and cannot get in the news with a sob story,or the "Look at how well ive done since claiming asylem" She should be thanking britain for the education she has been given.
Very soon our education will not be worth the paper its written on,at one time we had the best education system in the world recognised as the best,but now its being dumbed down you just watch how it undervalues our education system.
Lovinthebanter.
It was Panzer who brought up race, anyone with a modicum of intellignce would see that, so I fail to understand why you......
OH YEAH!
Like I said then "Anyone with a modicum of intellignce "
"if this is racism then racism is not a bad thing"
COMPLETELY DISGUSTING REMARK.
I am surprised it has even beem allowed
Why are we concentrating on the negatives instead of celebrating that many young people from Greater Manchester including Zoe Li and Jack Collier, who as reported in the MEN have gained places at Cambridge, are going to university. I can understand Rohilla's and Meera's feelings of disappoitment at not gaining a place but they are obviously very intelligent young people who I am sure will succeed in their ambitions. Its just a pity that we haven't the number of university places to accommodate all those who need them.
45 written comments and men shows 33?!!!!
theres thousands of british teenagers who cant get into university, only in the uk would this be news where we put everyone ahead of our old people, young people, workers etc. believe me theres not a lack of foreign students in british universitys-theres plenty of them
I applaud anyone, regardless of race or religion, who triumphs over adversity and knuckles down. Too many people thought it was cool to be non attentive at school, are now in the gutter they richly deserve to occupy and are blaming everyone else for it.
Panzer 391, Salford
Why should she get into a British university over a British person ?
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Why should the UK be in Afghanistan stealing the resources when they belong to the Afghans?
Rohilla, do what my friend did - she didn't get into med school, so she went and did a chemistry degree. That's a related subject (plus points on the med-school application), so then she went back and applied to med-school again. Her experience on the first degree gave her a head start, and years later she's now qualified and just started in paediatrics. Good luck!
uk nationals come first, end of!
University places should go to the top 5% in the country. She should be in.
Medicine is hard to get into anyway so this is really a non story...I know somebody who has tried to get in these last 2 years and has failed...so what. Choose a B subject next time, that is the course my friend has ended up with because at the end of the day you can't keep just reapplying and not getting anywhere...