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Rejected by 4 of my 5 universities...

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Reply 40
Original post by OnADarklingPlain
Hi everyone -

I'm really struggling to get to grips with having received 4 rejections - I've only been accepted by my safety-net-uni, the one I didn't want to go to.

I applied to Cambridge, Durham, Warwick, UCL and York to study English, and was interviewed by Cambridge, UCL and Warwick. Only York has accepted me. I know that the unis I chose are really hard to get into, and that York is still pretty good, but I'm still really disappointed - I feel like I've failed. :frown:
I was wrecked after Cambridge turned me down, but I got used to it, happy that I still had Warwick, and then BAM, got the rejection letter on Wednesday.

I know that it could be for all kinds of reasons, but I'm wondering if my AS grades have let me down. I got AAABC - the As being for History, English Lit and English Language, the B for Theatre Studies and the C for French.

Anyway, I just feel a bit down, and I wondered if anyone else has had a similar turnout regarding their own university application.


Honestly do not worry about it. English is very competitive and York has one of the best english departments in the country.

Also remember York is now being added to the Russel Group in September 2012 and so employment prospects will hopefully go up for you as employers will now look at York seen as it is in the RG.

Yes, the universities you applied to are VERY competitive but it doesn't mean there was something wrong in your grades. Your grades are good. There may have been other things that affected your application such as PS, interviews?

It could have also depended on the UMS that you got in those As because Cambridge do focus on them much more than GCSEs and so if you just scraped them that maybe why, but hey, YOU STILL GOT As so do not feel let down.

I have HEARD(not certain) UCL and Warwick focus on GCSEs quite a bit, so if your GCSEs were under par, which they probably aren't seen as you got an interview at Cambridge,UCL and Warwick, it could have affected you.

If you want take a gap year and try and get your A2 grades as fantastic as they can be and then re-apply with solid grades and not just predicted.
Reply 41
Original post by OnADarklingPlain
Thank you, and the best of luck for when you apply :smile:


I'm loving the Mathew Arnold reference in your username btw! :smile:
Reply 42
Original post by OnADarklingPlain
I did have 3 As at AS level, plus a B and a C. But thanks all the same - hope you get into the uni that you want.


Yeah, I originally read it as AABC and noticed the third A afterwards. Apologies. :redface:

Now that I've seen your results correctly it makes me more surprised that you didn't get a couple of your other offers and I suppose you'll never really know the reason. I suspect that the C in French, depsite being an extra AS Level, may have dragged you down slightly. As mad as it seems, many Admissions Officers (and other people too) would see AAAB as better than AAABC. It seems wrong as you have one more AS Level than many other people but because it's not the same as your other grades it seems to have brought you down. Is it at all possible for you to resit one or two parts of the French AS Level to bring it up to a B?

Either way, if you want to reapply to the same or different universities, definitely do it. Otherwise, York is a great uni (but I would say that :tongue:) and you should still consider it. Good luck whatever you choose. :smile:
Original post by Kalliope
I'm loving the Mathew Arnold reference in your username btw! :smile:


Thanks for noticing! :biggrin:
Original post by saim101
Why would you apply to such high universities???
I got AAAA (maths, physics, chemistry and biology). I'm a level 8 at piano and at the violin and i didn't apply to 4 of the top universities because i knew i wouldn't get in.
You should've really thought about your choices.
On a positive side you can go through something called adjustment if you want to go to a better university.


This is absolutely ridiculous. I got AAABC at AS level. I have an offer from Oxford. My friend who got AAAA (all 90% above) and all (12) A*s at gcse got rejected post interview. If you think that only your grades count towards your application and not getting absolute perfect grades will exclude you from applying, you probably didn't listen very well enough at open days and/or didn't do enough fairly simple research on each university. In which case, perhaps the top universities aren't for you.

It's great that you're grade 8 piano and violin. Again, you obviously didn't research individual universities properly, as the admissions tutor at the Oxford day says they don't care about your extra-curricular activities unless they are related to your subject and you could be an international basketball player and they still wouldn't care much unless you could link this to your subject (I'm grade 7 violin but that wouldn't have counted for **** unless I hadn't linked music with biology/the brain in my PS)

OP, you had nothing to lose for applying and I'm sorry you didn't get more offers :hug: But in the end, you have one offer from a really well respected university that you'll probably love. If that's really not what you want though, maybe take a gap year and do something that may enhance your application :smile: Best of luck whatever happens :smile:
Original post by PatrickD
Yeah, I originally read it as AABC and noticed the third A afterwards. Apologies. :redface:

Now that I've seen your results correctly it makes me more surprised that you didn't get a couple of your other offers and I suppose you'll never really know the reason. I suspect that the C in French, depsite being an extra AS Level, may have dragged you down slightly. As mad as it seems, many Admissions Officers (and other people too) would see AAAB as better than AAABC. It seems wrong as you have one more AS Level than many other people but because it's not the same as your other grades it seems to have brought you down. Is it at all possible for you to resit one or two parts of the French AS Level to bring it up to a B?

Either way, if you want to reapply to the same or different universities, definitely do it. Otherwise, York is a great uni (but I would say that :tongue:) and you should still consider it. Good luck whatever you choose. :smile:


Don't worry about it :wink:

Thanks, and I think you're probably right - I knew that the C would come back to bite me!
Reply 46
Yorks feckin amazing. Visit it a few times and see if it works for you. If not the fact is you may have to reapply next yizzer

Good luck
Reply 47
English is a popular subject. To be honest you played a very risky game and you're lucky you came out with such a good place. Just put York as your firm and forget about the rejections.
:hugs: they're tough unis to get into so even if you've got the grades, there's plenty more hurdles to fall at. And anyway, it might not be because you were a bad candidate, it might be that there were some that were better than you so they got the places.
Original post by Chaofan88
This is absolutely ridiculous. I got AAABC at AS level. I have an offer from Oxford. My friend who got AAAA (all 90% above) and all (12) A*s at gcse got rejected post interview. If you think that only your grades count towards your application and not getting absolute perfect grades will exclude you from applying, you probably didn't listen very well enough at open days and/or didn't do enough fairly simple research on each university. In which case, perhaps the top universities aren't for you.

It's great that you're grade 8 piano and violin. Again, you obviously didn't research individual universities properly, as the admissions tutor at the Oxford day says they don't care about your extra-curricular activities unless they are related to your subject and you could be an international basketball player and they still wouldn't care much unless you could link this to your subject (I'm grade 7 violin but that wouldn't have counted for **** unless I hadn't linked music with biology/the brain in my PS)

OP, you had nothing to lose for applying and I'm sorry you didn't get more offers :hug: But in the end, you have one offer from a really well respected university that you'll probably love. If that's really not what you want though, maybe take a gap year and do something that may enhance your application :smile: Best of luck whatever happens :smile:


Thanks :smile: And well done about Oxford!
I feel quite bad for you, with people like myself doing nothing getting generally rubbish grades, still got 5/5 and the lowest offer for my course ever at Manchester, I was told however at the interview at Manchester that it was due to my reference and PS that I was ever called to go... maybe if you decide not to go this year, work on those? your AS grades seem sound, and it's not as though you're applying for medicine...so good luck to you sir!
Reply 51
Original post by OnADarklingPlain
Hi everyone -

I'm really struggling to get to grips with having received 4 rejections - I've only been accepted by my safety-net-uni, the one I didn't want to go to.

I applied to Cambridge, Durham, Warwick, UCL and York to study English, and was interviewed by Cambridge, UCL and Warwick. Only York has accepted me. I know that the unis I chose are really hard to get into, and that York is still pretty good, but I'm still really disappointed - I feel like I've failed. :frown:
I was wrecked after Cambridge turned me down, but I got used to it, happy that I still had Warwick, and then BAM, got the rejection letter on Wednesday.

I know that it could be for all kinds of reasons, but I'm wondering if my AS grades have let me down. I got AAABC - the As being for History, English Lit and English Language, the B for Theatre Studies and the C for French.

Anyway, I just feel a bit down, and I wondered if anyone else has had a similar turnout regarding their own university application.


Not what you asked, but York is a nice place.
Reply 52
The fact you got an Interview at three of the universities proves your grades were not the deciding factor. Work on interview technique is all i'll say. Cambridge do interview a vast amount of applicants, but they weight their offers heavily on the interview. I think you should perhaps have only done 4 AS levels if i'm honest, its important to understand your own limitations. This is maybe your learning curve, if you had say 4 A's at AS you put yourself on a par if not above grade wise with most other applicants. The time you put in to get the C in French could have been spent on the other subjects?
Don't beat yourself up about it, a degree is a degree, there are people out there with 5 rejections...
You can still do very well at York, there's a target for you become the best English student at York, in my opinion you don't necessarily have to have been to the best University to get a good understanding. Cambridge is a very self orientated study, you can still self orientate yourself at York, the surroundings may just be different. Also lecturers at various universities will have gained their own degree from somewhere else, maybe even more prestigious that York.
Best of luck :smile:
Original post by OnADarklingPlain
Don't worry about it :wink:

Thanks, and I think you're probably right - I knew that the C would come back to bite me!


Hey,

I have pretty much the same grades as you AAA in History, English Literature and English Language B in French and C in Chemistry and I got an offer from warwick so I'm surprised you didn't. I think that if you are considering taking a gap year and reapplying maybe work on your Personal Statement and interview technique because they are more likely to have let you down in my opinion.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by OnADarklingPlain
Hi everyone -

I'm really struggling to get to grips with having received 4 rejections - I've only been accepted by my safety-net-uni, the one I didn't want to go to.

I applied to Cambridge, Durham, Warwick, UCL and York to study English, and was interviewed by Cambridge, UCL and Warwick. Only York has accepted me. I know that the unis I chose are really hard to get into, and that York is still pretty good, but I'm still really disappointed - I feel like I've failed. :frown:
I was wrecked after Cambridge turned me down, but I got used to it, happy that I still had Warwick, and then BAM, got the rejection letter on Wednesday.

I know that it could be for all kinds of reasons, but I'm wondering if my AS grades have let me down. I got AAABC - the As being for History, English Lit and English Language, the B for Theatre Studies and the C for French.

Anyway, I just feel a bit down, and I wondered if anyone else has had a similar turnout regarding their own university application.


just reapply
Reply 55
Original post by Mr Young
Honestly do not worry about it. English is very competitive and York has one of the best english departments in the country.

Also remember York is now being added to the Russel Group in September 2012 and so employment prospects will hopefully go up for you as employers will now look at York seen as it is in the RG.


Don't be to be too critical but feel I must mention this.

Most employers don't pay a great deal of attention to university name. Even those that do, they are unlikely to know the membership of the Russell Group. Not being in the Russell Group (until this recent expansion) never hurt universities like Durham (or, to a slightly lesser extent, York) prior to this recent expansion. So I really don't think employers are going to a) be aware York is now a RG member (many who have a vague knowledge of what it is probably mistakenly believed York is a member anyway) or b) care.

I have HEARD(not certain) UCL and Warwick focus on GCSEs quite a bit, so if your GCSEs were under par, which they probably aren't seen as you got an interview at Cambridge,UCL and Warwick, it could have affected you.

If you want take a gap year and try and get your A2 grades as fantastic as they can be and then re-apply with solid grades and not just predicted.


lol, it's quite refreshing to see UCL and Warwick mentioned there and not the usual "GCSE Nazi", Durham. But, yes, universities do often use GCSE's as a filter for competitive courses, though they will vary in the extent and way in which they are used.

I think her A-level grades were a possible problem (not having that A*) and, of course, her personal statement though, as she was interviewed by Cambridge, it could just be bad luck. English is one of the most competitive subjects and it happens to many.

The OP might be able to try adjustment come results time. If not, then the only two options are to go to York or withdraw and re-apply. Personally I wouldn't re-apply as the same result (four rejections) is likely. So, providing the OP really doesn't like York and just applied to it for the sake of it, then I'd recommend going there. It's unlikely the undergraduate experience would be any different at universities like Warwick, Durham or UCL. In fact, I've frequently heard of complaints about poor contact hours within the English department at Durham (yes, I realise this is a common complaint at many research intensive universities in particular, but seems particularly prevalent in Durham's English course).
OP, don't listen to anyone who tells you that your AS results were not up to scratch. This probably isn't what you want to hear right now, but I go an unconditional at UCL to study Psychology (which is just as competitive as English) with poorer AS and GCSE grades than you. So please don't feel like you have failed or that you aren't good enough. I would contact the admissions team at each university and find out why they rejected you. They may say it was purely because of your performance at the interview. In which case it has nothing to do with your grades. I would also avoid taking a gap year and retaking simply because universities like the ones you have mentioned tend not to accept retakes (I know UCL definitely don't). IMO work your butt off at A Levels and try through Adjustment if you're seriously not that happy about going to York. Indeed, York is a very good uni, but if you're heart isn't set on it then chances are you'll find it hard to settle in and make the most out of your experience there :frown:
Original post by OnADarklingPlain
Hi everyone -

I'm really struggling to get to grips with having received 4 rejections - I've only been accepted by my safety-net-uni, the one I didn't want to go to.

I applied to Cambridge, Durham, Warwick, UCL and York to study English, and was interviewed by Cambridge, UCL and Warwick. Only York has accepted me. I know that the unis I chose are really hard to get into, and that York is still pretty good, but I'm still really disappointed - I feel like I've failed. :frown:
I was wrecked after Cambridge turned me down, but I got used to it, happy that I still had Warwick, and then BAM, got the rejection letter on Wednesday.

I know that it could be for all kinds of reasons, but I'm wondering if my AS grades have let me down. I got AAABC - the As being for History, English Lit and English Language, the B for Theatre Studies and the C for French.

Anyway, I just feel a bit down, and I wondered if anyone else has had a similar turnout regarding their own university application.



Despite what you think, I don't think that your grades were the problem. I applied to Oxford for History - one of the most competitive courses, with pretty average grades for an Oxbridge applicant - I was pretty surprised to get an interview, and even more so when I got an offer. I asked the current students there what their AS grades were like, and they were similar to mine, a mix of As and Bs. What they're looking for is the way you think, rather than how well you can memorise verbs and tenses for your French AS. That said, Cambridge is notoriously picky about the subjects you study and your grades - although the fact you had an interview testifies against that.

I know its hard to be rejected - my friend was rejected by all 5 of her choices - but you need to remember you haven't failed, there is a place out there for you, and despite York not being your first choice, it might really surprise you.

You're obviously a very clever person, so I'm sure you'll be able to make the most of wherever you end up - and remember, taking a gap year, retaking modules and re-applying is not the end of the world!
Reply 58
Original post by Spungo
Unless you're doing music (unlikely given A level choices), almost no Universities will care about what instruments you can play, and certainly not the more demanding ones.

As for not even applying, if you didn't want to go there then fair enough, but if you didn't apply simply because you didn't think you were good enough, you need to work on your confidence.


Music distinguishes you from the other hundreds of people who also have 3A*s :biggrin:. Also i believe that being a grade 8 in an instruments is an A* at GCSE so bringing my grand total of 14A* :smile:. They are also worth some UCAS points i think.

I don't like Oxbridge because my parents went there :/ ; hence i did not apply to them
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 59
Original post by River85
Don't be to be too critical but feel I must mention this.

Most employers don't pay a great deal of attention to university name. Even those that do, they are unlikely to know the membership of the Russell Group. Not being in the Russell Group (until this recent expansion) never hurt universities like Durham (or, to a slightly lesser extent, York) prior to this recent expansion. So I really don't think employers are going to a) be aware York is now a RG member (many who have a vague knowledge of what it is probably mistakenly believed York is a member anyway) or b) care.

Ah yes I understand your point. I can see how im applies to most universities but say if there were two candidates, one from lets say Oxbridge, one from London Met, I'm sure employers would choose Oxbridge candidate over London Met, mainly on the basis of "prestige." I was just thinking this may apply to other universities such as UCL/Durham/LSE etc.

lol, it's quite refreshing to see UCL and Warwick mentioned there and not the usual "GCSE Nazi", Durham. But, yes, universities do often use GCSE's as a filter for competitive courses, though they will vary in the extent and way in which they are used.

I think her A-level grades were a possible problem (not having that A*) and, of course, her personal statement though, as she was interviewed by Cambridge, it could just be bad luck. English is one of the most competitive subjects and it happens to many.

The OP might be able to try adjustment come results time. If not, then the only two options are to go to York or withdraw and re-apply. Personally I wouldn't re-apply as the same result (four rejections) is likely. So, providing the OP really doesn't like York and just applied to it for the sake of it, then I'd recommend going there. It's unlikely the undergraduate experience would be any different at universities like Warwick, Durham or UCL. In fact, I've frequently heard of complaints about poor contact hours within the English department at Durham (yes, I realise this is a common complaint at many research intensive universities in particular, but seems particularly prevalent in Durham's English course).


Well yea I think UCL and Warwick could be classed as GCSE Nazis mainly because competition is getting SO high now for these very good universities and they would have to try and distinguish candidates who have got AAA- A*A*A* predictions and same LNAT/BMAT/UKCAT score etc.

And yes I agree, there will be many people with A*AA, A*A*A predictions and so forth and so that could have hindered as well. But Cambridge must have seen something to even interview and get pooled so I don't think her grades were absolutely LACKING in that respect, I may be wrong!

I also think OP should take York because yes rejection 4 times around next year could happen and York is a very good university. I was just thinking if OP has set in stone grades it could enhance their application.

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