The Student Room Group

Apply in 2015 vs Gap year vs US application

I am a 17 year old going into his A2 year.

I made the mistake of picking the wrong subjects for AS (I have only switched career routes very recently) and ended up with with results not particularly representative of myself as a student. I have struggled all year with Chemistry (my worst subject at GCSE too) and became unenthused with school as a whole before picking up my effort considerably over study leave.

My AS grades are AABB, with A's in economics and biology, and B's in chemistry and maths. The A economics and biology are high (95% and 92%), the b's not bad but in maths solely down to a statistics paper which I received a d on. I also have an a for an EPQ. I will be dropping Chemistry.

I feel quite confident about A* for Economics and Biology too and I think with a retake, maths A or even A* is not out of the question although will require a lot of effort.

I have been told today that I am not a good candidate for Oxford PPE by school, in light of my AS grades.

My interests are Politics and Economics, I think I will find pure economics too mathmatical at university though. I have not really been enjoying the philosophy I have encountered whilst reading.

I need some advice for which universities to apply for, the priority for me is the internships and eventually job offers I will receive. My advice from school is to apply for places like Nottingham and Manchester (not that there's anything at all wrong with those universities) but I am wondering if any of these are not optimal for the highly competitive job market. I am interesting in going into IB or consultancy.


Is there a big difference between LSE, UCL, Warwick and then Nottingham, Bristol, Durham ... when it comes to the top jobs? Am I right in thinking that reputation is king?

Which universities should I apply for?

Would it be better to take a gap year and retake my modules? What is the opinion on studying in America or Canada, both options that I am open too?


Thanks
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by joelross
I am a 17 year old going into his A2 year.

I made the mistake of picking the wrong subjects for AS (I have only switched career routes very recently) and ended up with with results not particularly representative of myself as a student. I have struggled all year with Chemistry (my worst subject at GCSE too) and became unenthused with school as a whole before picking up my effort considerably over study leave.

My AS grades are AABB, with A's in economics and biology, and B's in chemistry and maths. The A economics and biology are high (95% and 92%), the b's not bad but in maths solely down to a statistics paper which I received a d on. I also have an a for an EPQ. I will be dropping Chemistry.

I feel quite confident about A* for Economics and Biology too and I think with a retake, maths A or even A* is not out of the question although will require a lot of effort.

I have been told today that I am not a good candidate for Oxford PPE by school, in light of my AS grades.

My interests are Politics and Economics, I think I will find pure economics too mathmatical at university though. I have not really been enjoying the philosophy I have encountered whilst reading.

I need some advice for which universities to apply for, the priority for me is the internships and eventually job offers I will receive. My advice from school is to apply for places like Nottingham and Manchester (not that there's anything at all wrong with those universities) but I am wondering if any of these are not optimal for the highly competitive job market. I am interesting in going into IB or consultancy.


Is there a big difference between LSE, UCL, Warwick and then Nottingham, Bristol, Durham ... when it comes to the top jobs? Am I right in thinking that reputation is king?

Which universities should I apply for?

Would it be better to take a gap year and retake my modules? What is the opinion on studying in America or Canada, both options that I am open too?


Thanks

First of all, as a starting A2 student like you, I know a number of people who completely changed their career choices in the progress of the year. A friend of mine in the year above got bad grades at AS but after improving in the second year, got really good results the next year. It's a tough ordeal, I admit, but the chances of success are still appropriate.
Secondly, I don't see how the school considered you unworthy for Oxford. My friend got ABCE and he's still being considered for Oxford. So don't be so quick to dismiss it, and raise this issue with your teachers, if you can get them to reconsider.
Thirdly, if you're doing OCR Chemistry, you have good reason to drop it. I got AAAD, the D being in Chemistry, the As being in Physics, Maths and Further Maths. A lot of my friends did even worse in Chemistry; several were expecting Bs and receiving Es, some Us. Throughout the year, many were openly struggling with Chemistry. So do not let this put a chink in your confidence.
Fourthly, if you do badly in your A-Levels overall, a gap year is a good idea. My cousin is currently on a gap year for this reason. If you do not feel confident in your work, apply before it's too late.
Fifthly, applying abroad is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn more. US universities are generally better than Canadian ones, so I would apply to the US over Canada, however, Canada is less expensive to live in, and the universities charge less; this is something worth considering.
Finally, I'm sorry, but I can't help you with anything course-specific, as I do not do the subject that you are applying for. However, from what I've researched into the universities in general, I'd have to say that the ones you've listed are very well renowned in academia and career span, and you're likely to get a lot back from your courses there. But as I said before, rejecting Oxford at this time would be a pity. I actively encourage you to keep Oxford in mind.
So, if I were you, my top five out of the universities you have mentioned, in no particular order, would be: Oxford, UCL, Warwick, Nottingham, Durham. Note that I have not researched LSE, as LSE does not do my subject (Physics).
I hope this was helpful. Good luck with it all, friend.
If your grades are the only thing putting you off Oxford, try the "Are my grades good enough for Oxford?" thread. Plenty of people have got in with worse AS grades.
you might as well apply to both (as in apply both this year and apply to usa/canada)

The USA and canada have later deadlines for applications, usually around january-march, so you'll lose nothing by applying here in the uk also.

However be warned, don't think not getting good enough grades for the UK course you want is magically going to be looked over if you apply to America. They're not eagerly looking to welcome you just because you're from england. They have just as much of a high standard, depening on the university/college you apply to in those countries.
So If you think you wont get into a course in the UK, its very unlikely you'll randomly get into a similar course in america. home students always come first.

Dont forget that they're going to be american students with higher grades applying for the same courses and though most unis have a set number of places for foreign students, American/canadian students are going to be considered more seriously than a foreign student, especially since they're grading system is completely different. Not to mention the cost and debt you will be in. Its unlikely you'll get a scholarship (but not impossible) and unless you do, you're going to have to consider the ****load of money required for you to study at an american university. for home (american) students, this can range from $14,000 to $30,000 a year. and it'll be twice that for international students.

Do you have that kind of money? Not to mention the living costs, costs of travel, having to get a student visa...not having family or financial support. no NHS.

In light of that, i'm not trying to discourage from applying to study in america, just be warned of the things you will have to seriously consider and be aware of.

i know some people like to think of oxbridge as the only relevant uni, with all other unis being inferior, but that simply isn't the case. oxford and cambridge are top, but so are many others.
A universities status isn't determined by the university itself but by its students.
The invention of MRI as we know it came from the work of a professor at nottingham university.

think carefully and don't let elitist myths about no other unis being as good as oxbridge wear you down. also dont forget, even if you dont get to oxford as an undergraduate, there are a lot of graduate courses available in cambridge and oxford if you want to pursue a masters or phd later in life.
Reply 4
Original post by Nuclear Ghost
First of all, as a starting A2 student like you, I know a number of people who completely changed their career choices in the progress of the year. A friend of mine in the year above got bad grades at AS but after improving in the second year, got really good results the next year. It's a tough ordeal, I admit, but the chances of success are still appropriate.
Secondly, I don't see how the school considered you unworthy for Oxford. My friend got ABCE and he's still being considered for Oxford. So don't be so quick to dismiss it, and raise this issue with your teachers, if you can get them to reconsider.
Thirdly, if you're doing OCR Chemistry, you have good reason to drop it. I got AAAD, the D being in Chemistry, the As being in Physics, Maths and Further Maths. A lot of my friends did even worse in Chemistry; several were expecting Bs and receiving Es, some Us. Throughout the year, many were openly struggling with Chemistry. So do not let this put a chink in your confidence.
Fourthly, if you do badly in your A-Levels overall, a gap year is a good idea. My cousin is currently on a gap year for this reason. If you do not feel confident in your work, apply before it's too late.
Fifthly, applying abroad is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn more. US universities are generally better than Canadian ones, so I would apply to the US over Canada, however, Canada is less expensive to live in, and the universities charge less; this is something worth considering.
Finally, I'm sorry, but I can't help you with anything course-specific, as I do not do the subject that you are applying for. However, from what I've researched into the universities in general, I'd have to say that the ones you've listed are very well renowned in academia and career span, and you're likely to get a lot back from your courses there. But as I said before, rejecting Oxford at this time would be a pity. I actively encourage you to keep Oxford in mind.
So, if I were you, my top five out of the universities you have mentioned, in no particular order, would be: Oxford, UCL, Warwick, Nottingham, Durham. Note that I have not researched LSE, as LSE does not do my subject (Physics).
I hope this was helpful. Good luck with it all, friend.



Thank you so much for your reply. That chemistry exam really screwed me over, I was expecting an reasonable a at least, given all of the work I had put into it.

I also think it is a shame to drop oxford, but my tutor (who himself studied at cambridge) told me just today that a place there would be out of the question with the as grades I've received.

If anybody has any knowledge on the ppe or politics and economics courses offered at ucl, lse or warwick I would be grateful. Any of those universities I mentioned would be ideal but I need advice on maximising my chances for them.

Do my grades give me a good enough application for this year or is a gap year advised? Shall I give up on a 2015 application altogether (as I realise I am setting my standards high). How highly do UK employers regard US institutions too?
Reply 5
Original post by LtCommanderData
If your grades are the only thing putting you off Oxford, try the "Are my grades good enough for Oxford?" thread. Plenty of people have got in with worse AS grades.


I go to a well-known private school and so anything less than all a's at this stage is considered substandard to the school and according to them to oxford too. Thanks anyways, I'll take a look.
Original post by joelross
I go to a well-known private school and so anything less than all a's at this stage is considered substandard to the school and according to them to oxford too. Thanks anyways, I'll take a look.


I know people at Oxford who went to good private schools and got in with less than that. Teachers are usually not the best source of Oxford admissions info, even teachers at schools that send a lot of students there! (Also teenagers on forums are not good sources of admissions info... but in that thread there are plenty of people who know from experience that plenty of people with your grades and background get in every year)
Reply 7
Original post by lukasthepoet
you might as well apply to both (as in apply both this year and apply to usa/canada)

The USA and canada have later deadlines for applications, usually around january-march, so you'll lose nothing by applying here in the uk also.

However be warned, don't think not getting good enough grades for the UK course you want is magically going to be looked over if you apply to America. They're not eagerly looking to welcome you just because you're from england. They have just as much of a high standard, depening on the university/college you apply to in those countries.
So If you think you wont get into a course in the UK, its very unlikely you'll randomly get into a similar course in america. home students always come first.

Dont forget that they're going to be american students with higher grades applying for the same courses and though most unis have a set number of places for foreign students, American/canadian students are going to be considered more seriously than a foreign student, especially since they're grading system is completely different. Not to mention the cost and debt you will be in. Its unlikely you'll get a scholarship (but not impossible) and unless you do, you're going to have to consider the ****load of money required for you to study at an american university. for home (american) students, this can range from $14,000 to $30,000 a year. and it'll be twice that for international students.

Do you have that kind of money? Not to mention the living costs, costs of travel, having to get a student visa...not having family or financial support. no NHS.

In light of that, i'm not trying to discourage from applying to study in america, just be warned of the things you will have to seriously consider and be aware of.

i know some people like to think of oxbridge as the only relevant uni, with all other unis being inferior, but that simply isn't the case. oxford and cambridge are top, but so are many others.
A universities status isn't determined by the university itself but by its students.
The invention of MRI as we know it came from the work of a professor at nottingham university.

think carefully and don't let elitist myths about no other unis being as good as oxbridge wear you down. also dont forget, even if you dont get to oxford as an undergraduate, there are a lot of graduate courses available in cambridge and oxford if you want to pursue a masters or phd later in life.


Thanks, I was aware of all of the downsides of the US and I realise it is a big consideration for my family. It seems though that for the top city jobs, the elitism still is in place. I do not have any connections in the family so am relying on studying at a big brand university to help me in.
Reply 8
Original post by LtCommanderData
I know people at Oxford who went to good private schools and got in with less than that. Teachers are usually not the best source of Oxford admissions info, even teachers at schools that send a lot of students there! (Also teenagers on forums are not good sources of admissions info... but in that thread there are plenty of people who know from experience that plenty of people with your grades and background get in every year)


Sure, I'll post there then thanks
Reply 9
I really want to make it to Warwick, UCL or LSE? Can I have advice please on the best way to do it, applying for a PPE or Politics & Economics course?
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 10
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