Rejected from LSE and UCL, looking for alternatives

Hello,

I had applied for Actuarial Science at LSE and Economics and Statistics at UCL. I got an AAB for my AS levels. So then I received news today I was rejected from these two and the other 3 universities have given me offers are Queen Mary, Royal Holloway and CASS.

Is CASS Actuarial decent to be compared to LSE's actuarial science? One side of me tells me I could get my three As, take a gap year and apply again to those Russell Group universities and another side of me tells me I should just go for CASS Actuarial Science.

Are the job prospects considerably worse? Which would be better, take a gap year or go to CASS ?

Reply 1

Potally_Tissed

19

Bear in mind that if you take a gap year and do some resits, if you then end up with AAA (or better) you'll achieved them over three years, not two. Some places might not accept grades gained outside the normal two years, and even if they do, AAA by taking a gap year to do resits isn't as strong as AAA first time around.

Reply 2

neverloggedin

OP

1

Thanks for the quick reply. This is my first around and I aim to get AAA. The problem I am facing is whether I should get these grades first time round, take a gap year, apply to LSE/UCL again? Or should I just go CASS this year when I get my grades

Reply 3

Potally_Tissed

19

Original post by neverloggedin

Thanks for the quick reply. This is my first around and I aim to get AAA. The problem I am facing is whether I should get these grades first time round, take a gap year, apply to LSE/UCL again? Or should I just go CASS this year when I get my grades

You'd be taking bit of a gamble on LSE not putting their requirements to A*AA. UCL's course is already "A*AA-AAA" so it's possible even AAA wouldn't be good enough, and I'd also guess that it's different enough from actuarial science that your personal statement wasn't completely suitable.

If you took a gap year, what would you be doing? Spending a year travelling is unlikely to impress admissions tutors.

Reply 4

neverloggedin

OP

1

I guess I could be helping with my father's business. So it seems I should go to CASS instead?

Reply 5

Potally_Tissed

19

Original post by neverloggedin

I guess I could be helping with my father's business. So it seems I should go to CASS instead?

You could put it as your firm choice, it still doesn't commit you to going there even if you meet the offer, they can't force you to take up a place. By results day you might have changed your mind, or you might get better results than you were expecting and decide you've got a good chance if you reapply. I can't tell you what the "best" thing to do is, but putting CASS (or one of the other two unis) as your firm choice doesn't close any doors.

Reply 6

AK0001

6

Original post by neverloggedin

Hello,

I had applied for Actuarial Science at LSE and Economics and Statistics at UCL. I got an AAB for my AS levels. So then I received news today I was rejected from these two and the other 3 universities have given me offers are Queen Mary, Royal Holloway and CASS.

Is CASS Actuarial decent to be compared to LSE's actuarial science? One side of me tells me I could get my three As, take a gap year and apply again to those Russell Group universities and another side of me tells me I should just go for CASS Actuarial Science.

Are the job prospects considerably worse? Which would be better, take a gap year or go to CASS ?

I'm not sure by I don't think your under any legal obligation to attend a course after you have firmed their offer. You could work hard and get AAA and decide in August that you do indeed wish to go and study at CASS, or alternatively you may wish to reapply the following year and therefore withdraw your application from UCAS. Ask UCAS about this though. :smile:

Reply 7

Potally_Tissed

19

Original post by AK0001

I'm not sure by I don't think your under any legal obligation to attend a course after you have firmed their offer. You could work hard and get AAA and decide in August that you do indeed wish to go and study at CASS, or alternatively you may wish to reapply the following year and therefore withdraw your application from UCAS. Ask UCAS about this though. :smile:

Yeah there's no obligation, you just ask the uni to release you :yes:

Reply 8

yakuzakitty

11

Have you visited CASS? You may go and end up really liking it. It's a really good uni it its own right, so you won't be going to a university with a bad or lesser reputation if you go there.

Reply 9

neverloggedin

OP

1

Thanks for all the replies.

Nope, I haven't visited CASS, I will be going there on Open day. But isn't it much lower in ranks than UCL and LSE? So doesn't that significantly affect my job prospects ?

Reply 10

Kenan and Kel

19

I'd go for Cass, it is 2nd best in the country for Actuarial, LSE and UCL are very competitive and the chances are you probably won't get in next year either.

Can always do a postgrad at LSE or UCL after.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 11

STOmelody

I've got the same problem, I want to apply to Oxford/Warwick if I don't get into Warwick this year for Q300, but because this year they put the tuition fees up to £9k, there are less people applying, and next year applications may well rise. Additionally, they may rise the grades, as they do change from year to year. Also, there is no guarantee that LSE will accept you next year - you just might not be what they're looking for, irrespective of grades.
Unis this year know that less people are applying, and are in a way scrabbling for students - some courses haven't been filled - so this year would have been your best shot. I think you should just go to CASS, and to be fair, as fair as affecting job prospects goes, I think by and large it's an urban myth.

Rejected from LSE and UCL, looking for alternatives

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