Applying to the same uni multiple times?

I'm thinking of applying to 4 courses at the same uni. They're all quite similar and all interest me but I'm worried the uni wil think I'm not serious about the courses and just want to go to that uni for some other reason. Do you think it's alright?

Reply 1

claireestelle

Original post by LizzieOh

If they are all in the same department then applying for all of them might not give you an advantage as if you dont suit one of the course then they might offer one of your other choices anyway.

University of Edinburgh

Reply 2

High Stakes

This doesn't sound quite thought out...4 courses?

I'd keep it to a maximum of 2 courses. The others should be at other universities. Otherwise your application will reflect a quality of indecisiveness which isn't looked on well.

Reply 3

tcameron

You could.
However your personal statment may lack focus and be a bit misleading if you're tailoring it to 4 different courses.

From what I'm aware, they can't penalise you for applying to more than one course - who knows they might even be flattered as it shows you really want to go to that uni and are likely to firm it.

Reply 4

username1230881

Original post by LizzieOh

It's technically possible, but I really, really don't recommend doing it, primarily because of the fact that you'd be applying for four different courses. You can only write one UCAS personal statement, so if the courses aren't linked, it would either have to be really vague (so you'd likely get rejected), or only suitable for one of the courses (so you'd likely get rejected from the other three). And even if the courses are all linked, it looks to the admissions tutor that you can't decide what you want to study, and you aren't dedicated enough to one area, and you're just desperate to go to that specific university (even if that's not the case), so you may face rejection.

Finally, as the courses will ask for similar - if not the same - entry requirements as each other, it's not advisable because you could get four rejections due to that. Unless your AS grades and predictions are above what's required (and at top unis like UCL etc. that certainly wouldn't be enough to guarantee admission), then it's very risky, and if your AS/predictions are equal/below what's required, then you would potentially face four rejections, leaving you with only one offer (maximum), and nowhere to place as your insurance.

It's natural to have a favourite university, but applying there for four courses isn't the best choice. Maybe apply for two (similar) courses as a maximum, then research other universities, with varied entry requirements, that you also like.

Reply 5

username1399980

Original post by LizzieOh

Are all these courses in Edinburgh- as you have posted in this forum?

I don't think it would be a very good idea for the reasons that others have said. How similar are the courses ? Are they all in the same department ? Do you have the right subjects/predicted grades for all the courses. If they are not in the same Department or at least similar how would you go about writing your personal statement ?

For example it would be easier to write a personal statement for say two different languages and then a joint in those languages but it would be a waste of your places because you would be better off applying for just one course and taking the other subject as an outside subject because you could then change to a joint later- assuming this is Edinburgh or at least another Scottish uni ( Of course you need to make sure that the subject you want to take as an outside course isn't really popular - like English or Politics as you wouldn't be able to take them as an outside subject)

If they are all in the same Department and very similar- you are wasting your places as you will look like you don't know what you want to do and you would be in danger of getting rejected from them all

You will have to make a choice at some point anyway- better make it now- Scottish degrees are very flexible so you will still have options if you get in

Good luck

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 6

Lawliettt

I'd keep it to 2 max. Since it's Edinburgh, if you failed to get into one then you might fail to get into all of them

Reply 7

LizzieOh

Firstly, thanks for all of your answers!
Secondly, I'm applying to Edinburgh from Belgium and it's the only UK university I'm applying to.
I first applied to two courses but I'm pretty sure I won't get accepted into them so I applied to another two (one of which I really like the look of and the other is more a safety precaution) because my mum said it would be better but I wasn't too happy with the idea of applying to the same uni four times which is why I asked.
I've now taken one of the courses away (one of the initial ones) so I'm now applying to three courses which I'm already happier with although I'm still debating wether I should remove another one but whatever.
They're quite similar so it isn't a problem for my PS.
Anyway , thanks for all your answers :smile: