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University applicant - fails twice!

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To be honest I think 3 As should entitle one to a place at university given that university is meant to be a place for the academically elite.

I mean, it's not a job application, where they want someone with a wide range of skills, some experience and perhaps some voluntary work etc., it's for a place to study a course at university and what better way to demonstrate your academic ability than by getting 3 As?

Reply 81

Acolyte

Is that guy still hanging around the forum? If so, would you mind letting us see your Personal Statement? Thanks

Reply 82

inksplodge

His A levels are fine considering he wants to study English. Those unis are really competitive though and he probably didn't show his enthusiasm for literature by displaying what he'd read and what he'd learned from it. That's the most important thing in a literature PS.

Reply 83

PJ991

ritchie888

This has already been done.

meh, I couldn't find it. If I mod wants to delete this thread, they can.

Reply 84

inksplodge

I applied for English lit, and I did english lit, english lang and psychology and yeah, two of those aren't the best subjects ever but it got me 3 offers including SHeffield. (I got 3 As) His PS probably wasn't good enough. He probably didn't show enough critical analysis in his PS which is what the unis look for.

Reply 85

tehforum

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1338768

Reply 86

CaseySD

Yep I saw this article but id say its because hes doing mickey mouse a-levels yet is still applying to top 10 unis

Reply 87

riotgrrl

I agree that his a-levels aren't the strongest for the type of unis he's applying for- lang and lit isn't as well regarded as straight literature, and I don't think theatre studies is looked on that highly either. We also have no idea what his personal statement was like.

Still a bit worrying though!

Reply 88

Titleist

I'm surprised none of the universities he applied to the first time around would accept him. Very surprised, actually. I know his subjects aren't the most academically strong, but they are relevant to the degree he intends to study.

Maybe his PS was full of errors.

Reply 89

TylerDurden

So basically over his gap year he "reworked" his personal statement and became an office b*tch.

Reply 90

rabidmonkey

Completely agree, he seems to have gone into it thinking he was guaranteed a place at a top university, it doesnt work like that. Lots of people have 3 A's, especially people who apply to those universities, in much stronger subjects.

I also noticed he played the "state school" card. When in doubt blame private schools and the government.

Reply 91

Acolyte

TylerDurden

So basically over a gap year he "reworked" his personal statement and became an office b*tch.

LOL yes, and it's all the fault of his parents for not sending him to a private school...

Reply 92

MikeyS

He's a fool, should have applied for 2 elite, 2 middle and 1 weak then would have got a offer. Also yes, mickey mouse a levels don't help, lol.

Reply 93

STARMissyB

There's already been a thread on this I think...

Reply 94

Nutta!

PJ991

So this is on the BBC site today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-10665478

Now to me, I think he's getting rejected for a number of reasons;

1) His A levels aren't the strongest and can be considered weaker subjects.

2) He's applying for a very competitive course

3) He's applied at very competitive unis; UCL, Bristol, Edinburgh etc.

Then you also consider he may have a bad set of GCSEs or a bad PS, but we can't tell that from that article.

Why do people think 3 As automatically entitles you to a place at university? There are many other factors involved.

Yeah but, doing easy A levels means more time for other subjects... so its kinda a cop-out.

Not fond these kinda people

Reply 95

jakemittle

I bet that his personal statement is pretty bad..

Reply 96

patella

He's not really the brightest spark in the box, is he? Why would he apply to better universities the second time around?

I'm not very surprised that he got rejected. His other two A levels aren't very strong subjects. But maybe it's the personal statement?

If I were him, I would have spent this year out doing another AS/A level.

Reply 97

Nayberay

CaseySD

Yep I saw this article but id say its because hes doing mickey mouse a-levels yet is still applying to top 10 unis

I don't consider Religious Studies to be "mickey mouse" to be fair.

Reply 98

Perfect_Gent

STARMissyB

There's already been a thread on this I think...

Link?

Reply 99

Acolyte

Nayberay

I don't consider Religious Studies to be "mickey mouse" to be fair.

Can you explain your reasoning please? Not saying you're wrong, but considering the fact that, like law, it's taught from scratch at uni to a much higher level, and that an A-level in RS doesn't require knowledge of Koine/ancient Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Arabic, Hebrew, I'm not sure how it deserves serious consideration *when taken at A-level*.