English Applicants 2014

Oxford - rejected pre interview ( really bad ELAT )
Bristol - unconditional offer English a*aa
UCL - unconditional offer for English a*aa
UCL- unconditional offer for Arts and Sciences a*aa
Edinburgh - rejected Monday

Thank you! Unconditional and those are my grades

I think, in my anger, I've expressed myself clumsily. Let me just say - my grades are good, but not great. During my GCSEs, I was assaulted, etc, extenuating circumstances. I also got bullied, and went to a terrible school and ended up with okay grades. I don't at all place the most importance on grades - but just partially, like universities. And I don't think students should be judged solely on them. Sorry if I made it sound like that - because if I thought that, then heck, I should be judging the crap out of myself for getting a D in GCSE French (wasn't actually taught French).

I work, do homework etc, in my own way. I'm not one of those robots whose passion for the subject has become contrived - in fact, the passion in my personal statement has been commended by many people (which I am super proud of). I just can't do interviews - nerves, bad at public speaking, whatever. And I so, so, so wanted to go to UCL. It was basically my dream and as silly or irrational as it may sound, I see all these people around me who have actively admitted they do not care about university or even the subject they want to study, I feel like I've been robbed of a place. Like that Oxford girl I mentioned - she said to me 'I'm not sure I want to study English or even go to university, so I'm just going to be chill in my interview' and admitted she only picked English because it was the lesser of two evils. So... clearly, her passion was more contrived. She then got an offer from UCL without interview - [flawless academic record and well-crafted PS, I guess]. Feels extremely unjust to me. And I'm just using myself as an example - there are so many other people out there who've been rejected (and many more who are fantastic and obviously deserve their places). It's just sad, because I feel like I would've appreciated my place at UCL so much more than the aforementioned girl or someone who got rejected from their first choice and had to settle for UCL. And I know the only thing standing between me and that offer was my terrible interview and my lack of interview skills - and buh, that just makes me feel awful.

And I know I'll just get accused of caring too much about grades when I say this, but last year at my school, someone received an offer for English at UCL. She had ABCC at AS. Fair enough, I know, that's great - I know a lot of people go on to achieve As and A*s with grades as good as those at AS. She was not predicted AAA at A2, either (so why would they give her an offer if she was not expected to achieve the entry grades for such a competitive course?! That is beyond me.) Unsurprisingly, she didn't actually get AAA and thus got rejected on results day. Which is obviously awful for her, and she probably feels the opposite to me ('why so much emphasis on grades?') but it just reinforces how unfair the system can be.

And I'm not just talking about top-top (Golden Triangle) universities. My sister achieved CDD at A2 and got into a Russell Group university, which she effectively laughed at. She had no passion or desire to attend and fully expected rejection on results day. A friend at school has been rejected from 3/5 universities (including the Russell Group my sister got in to) and had better [Bs at AS] grades and a real, genuine desire to attend and a passion for her subject. It's just... sad.

As for work ethic, like I said, I do my work. Even if I don't see the value to it, because I respect my teachers and I trust their judgement (at my new school). But I don't sit for hours and months in advance revising for exams. Actually, I tend to cram. Bad method according to people better than be - except I do actually achieve good marks. I tend to just do what I know will work, and I appreciate anyone who does that and trusts their own judgement. However, in the cases of the people I mentioned before - they /don't do anything/. They quite literally are getting Cs and Ds this year. And no, this is not me suggesting grades are everything. This is me saying /they clearly do not give a crap/, which really, really annoys me. Because I give a crap.

tl;dr I wish I was better at social-based activities and had the charisma to be good at interviews.

Hey! We’ve spoken before about UCL and I just had to reply to this. I also didn’t get into UCL, and as heartbreaking as that was, I am over it. It’s not because I didn’t care, it was also my dream. I have wanted to go there since I was 8. I did my GCSEs, AS exams, PS, EPQ, work experience, 2 summer schools @UCL, to go to UCL. It was the aim. However, when my interview date came, I messed it up. Hence the rejection. HOWEVER, you get over it, and you need to get over it. Stop dwelling on what other people get and what offers they receive, it won’t make the situation any better.

In terms of grades, it isn’t all about grades yes but I think that’s fair. You can have the perfect grades and flawless record but you just aren’t right for that university or that subject. I had AAAA at AS and A*A*A* predicted, I was also English student of the year at college, but I can’t say that someone else with weaker grades doesn’t deserve their place, that’s not cool.

“I know I'll just get accused of caring too much about grades when I say this, but last year at my school, someone received an offer for English at UCL. She had ABCC at AS. Fair enough, I know, that's great - I know a lot of people go on to achieve As and A*s with grades as good as those at AS. She was not predicted AAA at A2, either (so why would they give her an offer if she was not expected to achieve the entry grades for such a competitive course?! That is beyond me.) Unsurprisingly, she didn't actually get AAA and thus got rejected on results day. Which is obviously awful for her, and she probably feels the opposite to me ('why so much emphasis on grades?') but it just reinforces how unfair the system can be.”

This is reaaaaaalllllly wrong, this mindset. This girl with ABCC, you say it’s ‘beyond’ you why she got in if she wasn’t predicted AAA. You say you had problems in the past, bullying and other things, well have you taken in mind maybe she does aswell? Maybe UCL saw her application and maybe she has a medical issue or family problems, but they still liked her and saw potential? She could be better at English than you and I, she might be the most successful journalist in the next 10 years – this might have been what UCL saw. It isn’t unfair at all, you are being unfair. Moreover, you said ‘unsurprisingly, she didn’t actually get AAA’ – that is pathetic. Really, imagine you don’t get your AAA because you didn’t have time in the exam or whatever other reason. Do you see how unfair you’re being? Very bitter.

AND, say you were the kind of student that didn’t get A’s and really wanted to go to UCL. You had a perfect record except for your grades, they were not top notch. But you were amazing at English and it was your passion – you didn’t get an offer. Someone else, with our grades, did get in, but they cared more about the university and its prestigious status than the actual subject. The person didn’t get in because why? GRADES. THAT IS UNFAIR.

Then you said this

“Someone else - gets high every day, deals drugs, barely turns up to lessons, didn't turn up to mocks, does not revise - gets ABBB at AS - gets an offer for medicine at UCL because he effectively interviewed well.”

You do know that doing drugs doesn’t mean that you are stupid or not worthy or not a good student. Bad attendance doesn’t mean that either. They get high and that is their business. You say ‘does not revise’ BUT they got ABBB, they had to revise for those grades and obviously what you have said is incorrect. People might not exam well. Take in mind that UCL actually have him an interview with ABBB, don’t you think that IS THEM BEING EXTREMELY FAIR TO THE SYSTEM? Oxford and Cambridge aren’t fair. UCL ARE FAIR. Them taking drugs at our age is irrelevant to how amazing they might be in that profession.

Personally I feel like this mindset of yours is what led to your position. You probably really prepared and wanted to show them how amazing you are at analysing language but it didn’t work. Someone else sat down and made more generalised but enthusiastic comments. WHO KNOWS, WHO CARES. Like someone said before, I would rather employ someone like the girl with ABCC than you, as harsh as that is.

I am allowed to judge like this because I too am in your position. I cried for a whole week after getting rejected. I deserved to go there, but I was not the perfect student in their eyes and that’s their loss. You should email UCL and ask for feedback, I did and I felt better. They said my interview didn’t go well, even though they were ‘very impressed’ with my academic record. They said I couldn’t answer their questions very well. My exam went well though, however, together with my interview, I was not a strong enough candidate. This is fair, I accepted it, I didn’t do as well as others and I did not amaze them.

Hopefully, if I get A*AA this year, I will be going to Durham. We both know how good this university is for our subject, and how did I get in? Grades?! Yes. When I went to the open day and saw the other English students there, I am sure half wouldn’t get accepted by UCL, no spark, and maybe I don’t have it either. UCL therefore are being the FAIR people here by not judging by grades but taking in mind other things.

To sum up, stop thinking how much more worthy you are to go to UCL and get on with life. You are not more worthy, it simply wasn’t fate for you to go to UCL. Wish you the best of luck and to that girl with ABCC at AS.



Oh and that kid who does drugs might save someone’s life one day - maybe yours.

Who's going to King's/UCL?


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Who's going to King's/UCL?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Who's going to King's/UCL?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Who's going to King's/UCL?


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Gosh, I'm so bitter.

Me - works super hard and is incredibly passionate and excited to go to UCL. Gets A* equivs at AS in both English subjects. Is consistently getting full marks and A*s this year. Isn't a good public speaker/does not interview well, probably due to the intense bullying I used to receive at my old school for answering questions or speaking out loud. Something I can work on in the future. Gets rejected post-interview. Obviously heartbroken.

Someone else - gets high every day, deals drugs, barely turns up to lessons, didn't turn up to mocks, does not revise - gets ABBB at AS - gets an offer for medicine at UCL because he effectively interviewed well.

Another girl applying for English - didn't turn up to her mock (except English in which she got a B), does not do homework ever/never writes essays - but is charming and friendly. Gets in to Oxford and doesn't even want to go.

Girl applying for engineering - took 6 AS levels, got 6 As including 4 A* equivs, does ****loads of extra curricular - didn't even get an interview at Oxford.

I hate this system and I hate the way amazing students (not really referring to myself, but other people on this thread & others from school) get rejected.

Rant over. Don't judge me.