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Rejected from Oxford, Reapply to Cambridge?

Noogles16

Hello!

I applied for History at corpus christi and got rejected 2 weeks ago, without even been offered an interview. Despite my best efforts at my personal statement, history admissions test and written work I sent in. I was predicted an A* in history, and 2 A's in politics and economics additionally. Needless to say I was shattered when I found out and still am.

If you're really desperate to go to Oxbridge, then get your predicted A-levels, take a gap year and reapply. I had a few friends at Ox who were really top students but didn't get offers in the last year of school, so they took gap years and reapplied to different colleges and were successful. Also, I (coincidentally) did my degree at Corpus in History and it has gotten really really competitive as last year two historians came in top 10 in the year from Corpus (out of about 200 students), also Corpus was 4th in the Norrington Table last year so its standards are getting quite high. But given your predicted grades, you must not have faired very well on the HAT or with your written work if you didn't even get an interview...easy enough to fix if you want to reapply next year...

Reply 61

User188463

17

Noogles16

Hello!

Basically, Its been a childhood ambition of mine to go to oxford or cambridge, particuarly oxford. I have sub cousciously spent my entire
life working towards that goal - every test, exam, hour Ive spent studying has always been to help bring one step closer to oxford. This year, I finally was going to apply to oxford and find out if I was competent enough to go the clandestine elite intelluctual paradise that is oxford. I applied for History at corpus christi and got rejected 2 weeks ago, without even been offered an interview. Despite my best efforts at my personal statement, history admissions test and written work I sent in. I was predicted an A* in history, and 2 A's in politics and economics additionally. Needless to say I was shattered when I found out and still am.

All my friends and teachers were shocked when they found out. My History teacher told me that it was probably my college choice that let me down. He said applying to oxford can be a bit of a lottery sometimes and corpus was a competitive college, more so this year as so many cambridge hopefuls applied to oxford due to cam increasing its standard conditional offer. He said that corpus might have been mathematically ruthless by rejecting anyone who didnt get above 90% in their AS scores. I did get A's in my four AS subjects but % wise, I was just under 90%.

Anyway, I dont what to do now...ive already got an offer from warwick, leciester and waiting for lse to respond. My hist teacher told me to simply reconfigure and just go to warwick or lse and do a postgrad at oxbridge if I reallly wanted to go there. But, my dream is to go oxbridge and the rejection still stings...I just feel Im giving up too easily.

So Im considering taking a gap year and reapplying to cambridge...is this too risky? are reapplications usually sucessful? should I just go to warwick? I just feel i would have a greater chance at cam if given an interview, and they interview pretty much everyone who applies...help!

sorry for the long message...

xxxx

I think you should reapply to Cambridge. I got rejected after interview for theology at Pembroke, Oxford. I'm applying for anthropology and archeology at Cambridge this year, and I'm so glad because I've got a lush offer from LSE as a back-up and am going on an amazing expedition to India with Raleigh international and then across Indochina for 5 months.

Think of the benefits of having a gap year. Also, applying with your grades might help your chances, particularly if you get 1 or more A*'s at A level. I'l tell you how I get on (I got a 96% average in A2 Theology, History, and Dra/Theatre studies, and a distinction at AEA Critical thinking. Also 2 A's in AS music and crit think. 4A* 6A for gcse).

LSE is really good for history, so if you get an offer then you might want to think about taking it (if you don't want a Gap year). However, if you're up for working hard at your A2's then I think reapplicants have a better chance.

Reply 62

hobnob

14

You can't reapply to Cambridge, you can only apply there. :wink:

Seriously, though, I'd suggest that you take your time to think this through carefully and don't make a rash decision. I love Oxford to bits, and obviously it's a good university, but it isn't the only good university, and it isn't some sort of fairyland, and if you expect a "clandestine elite intelluctual paradise" (whatever you mean by that exactly) you're very likely to be disappointed even if you do get in. Wait until you've heard from all of your other choices and then try to put your bruised ego aside for a moment, have another look at the universities you've had offers from and try to figure out whether you could conceivably be happy at one of them while you're waiting for your feedback to arrive. If the feedback suggests that whatever went wrong is something you can easily fix, if you genuinely can't imagine choosing any of the courses you have offers for, and if you can think of something sensible to do during a gap year, then reapply. Keep in mind, though, that the majority of reapplicants are rejected a second time and you can't take it for granted that you'll be one of the lucky 30% or so. Whatever you do, do not pin all your hopes on it, or you could end up even more disappointed next year than you are now. (And of course the same goes for swapping sides and applying to Cambridge).

Reply 63

BJack

19

Noogles16

well if you must know, my gcse grades were 5 A*'s and 5 A's and 2 Bs, do you think that that was the basis of my rejection?

Your GCSE grades are fine.

and i was told told by the people who handle oxford applications at my sixth form college that oxford dont request ums scores but they have covert methods of finding out....

Oh dear. Had they also taught you the secret handshake and how to catch the rugby ball that gets thrown at you when you walk into the interview room? To be honest, it's no wonder so many students get confused when their university application coordinators are so badly misinformed. :frown:

I didnt think that hat was awful...hard to know with the hat as there isnt really a definitive marking scheme for such an exam...and they never tell you the results...

I guess you'll just have to wait till January, then, to see if it was your HAT performance that let you down. Forget about it until then and just enjoy the holidays. :h:

Reply 64

d123

17

Wait and apply to Oxford for postgrad

Reply 65

jimbogab

your hat was probably bad

Reply 66

ferdi.g

10

Noogles16

a little insensitive wouldnt you say? clearly you dont
know the pain of rejection...

I'M in the same situation as you (almost).

I was rejected by Oxford for failing the exam and I have 2 offers (from York and Glasgow)...

Here is my plan:

If I get an ffer from St. Andrews or Edinburgh, I'm definitely going. If I don't, I will work very hard to achieve good grades at my final exams.

If I achieve grades that are enough for Oxford, I will apply again, but this time I will send an "open application" and I will pick a course where I have more chances in succeeding, such as languages.

Reply 67

User188463

17

invictus_veritas

Also my best friend is at Cambridge and hated it last year, so you could take a gap year, get in and hate it but have to stay there because you've already taken one gap year.

The danger of not liking it is a terrible reason to go to a different uni. That danger is always going to be there whichever or whenever you go to Uni. (And actually on student satisfaction levels on league tables oxbridge is among the highest so its b******* anyway).

invictus_veritas

If you don't take a gap year then in some ways you have a second chance because you could start at Warwick/ LSE/ other choice and then drop out and reapply if you didn't like it.

...and pay an extra years accommodation and tutoring? Yeah, greeeat idea :p:

invictus_veritas

So bear this in mind, but remember your other chioces are excellent and you might not be fortunate enough to get offers from them next year if you decline offers this year.

As long as he/she does well in A2's then he/she is more likely to get the offers next year as the grades are already achieved. I got offers from Nottingham, Durham, Bristol, and Heythrop College last year for competetive courses. I turned them all down, and now have a much better offer from LSE.

So yeah, whilst I respect your decision, don't let your misleading arguments hold other people back

Reply 68

taheki

13

I'd go for it.. as long as you get your grades I can't see how you'd be at a disadvantage next time you apply. You could do something really great in your gap year, and even improve your application.

Reply 69

annab1684

15

ferdi.g

I'M in the same situation as you (almost).

I was rejected by Oxford for failing the exam and I have 2 offers (from York and Glasgow)...

Here is my plan:

If I get an ffer from St. Andrews or Edinburgh, I'm definitely going. If I don't, I will work very hard to achieve good grades at my final exams.

If I achieve grades that are enough for Oxford, I will apply again, but this time I will send an "open application" and I will pick a course where I have more chances in succeeding, such as languages.

why would you apply for a different course?
You don't go to university to go to a particular one, you go to study a subject you love. They'd take into account you already knew french aswell, it wouldn't give you a great advantage, I don't think. :s-smilie:

Sorry, I just can't understand this idea that a specific uni takes priority over their subject choice for some people.... :confused:

Reply 70

BigFudamental

13

Cambridge students are generally brighter, more interesting and physically better endowed than their Oxford counterparts so it might be a long shot...

Reply 71

angie45

11

You can't say it was a childhood ambition of you, when I was 10 I didn't even know Oxbridge existed!!!

Reply 72

TigerJack

9

beatleboar

Depends on how much you want to go to oxbridge, but an offer from warwick and if you can get one from LSE that is something to be really proud of.
I am sort of in the same boat as you. I am also considering a gap year and re-applying for the best universities if they reject me this year.
So if I was you I would re-apply and take that gap year as it maybe something you regret for the rest of your life. I know I regret not applying to Cambridge and its only been about a month lol.
If you were to have a gap year what would you do? More A levels?

Hey, I'm from Hull too :smile:

, which school/college you go to?

Reply 73

spacepirate-James

18

shincup

Whats the big deal with Oxford/Cambridge? My sis went Cambridge but I couldn't give a t0$$ coz I earn twice her wage. Uni is a uni. Is it coz you want everyone to say "ooooh he's at Oxford, must be clever". I went to a Sh1t uni and I'm on very good money IMO. I smashed my AS and A-levels too (Bio, Chem, Phys & Maths) getting nothing less than 90% in most, if not all modules!

My bro went to uni (not one of those elite), he came back with sweet FA, no degree no nothing and now he's on 3 times what I'm on.

You would't happen to have long hair and glasses would you lol.

Wow!

What do you do?

Reply 74

beatleboar

13

TigerJack

Hey, I'm from Hull too :smile:

, which school/college you go to?

Used to go to Hymers but have moved now lol.

Reply 75

ferdi.g

10

annab1684

why would you apply for a different course?
You don't go to university to go to a particular one, you go to study a subject you love. They'd take into account you already knew french aswell, it wouldn't give you a great advantage, I don't think. :s-smilie: