University choices - evaluation?

I'm not an expert, but I think that's a really good selection! Good luck with your exams/ results!

Reply 82

kath_r

I could do with some advice too.

Do you think I've got a good enough range of entry requirements/a chance of being excepted? I've not had much advice on applying to university, so sorry if I'm being daft.

You've done really well there, better than me (6A* 1A 2B) :p:

The sport and music won't help with the Oxford application particularly but several others will be very impressed if you have those achievements. So you're certainly not being daft, yours will be a very good application!

One question though - why Kent? It's not an especially good department or university, and if you have such good grades and need a more 'insurance' choice, you already have Royal Holloway who give offers in the AAB-ABB region. Have a look at somewhere like Leeds, it has a very good English department.

Reply 83

Neutral_Tones

^^ Wow that's sensible. I'm shallow enough to want to apply to University (if I do apply for Durham) because I may possibly have a slight chance of living in the Castle! Actually, it's not just me - maybe my friends and I are just incredibly shallow! (Ok don't answer that :p:

)

Yes, I've had that urge to apply to University College as well. Problem is, it would have its drawbacks (though the castle bit could outweigh them) - i.e. horrendous application ratios and though you get to live in the castle, I wouldn't envisage the accommodation being particularly good. I don't really have any extra-curricular spectacularities to impress them with either, so it might make more sense for me to apply for a less popular college.

The thing is, I would certainly have applied for Durham if there were still six UCAS slots. I'm just slightly doubtful about formulating a choice of five prestigious universities for English - perhaps Cambridge and York are enough.

Reply 84

Franc Vouloir

OP

11

Wildebeest

Yes, I've had that urge to apply to University College as well. Problem is, it would have its drawbacks (though the castle bit could outweigh them) - i.e. horrendous application ratios and though you get to live in the castle, I wouldn't envisage the accommodation being particularly good. I don't really have any extra-curricular spectacularities to impress them with either, so it might make more sense for me to apply for a less popular college.

The thing is, I would certainly have applied for Durham if there were still six UCAS slots. I'm just slightly doubtful about formulating a choice of five prestigious universities for English - perhaps Cambridge and York are enough.

Does college choice affect your overall chances of getting into Durham? I think it's a separate procedure, though I could be wrong; sorry if I'm misinterpreting you.

I'm in the same position with regard to UCAS slots, and will probably forgo Durham in the end, on account of my GCSEs.

Reply 85

LGoddard

Does college choice affect your overall chances of getting into Durham? I think it's a separate procedure, though I could be wrong; sorry if I'm misinterpreting you.

I'm in the same position with regard to UCAS slots, and will probably forgo Durham in the end, on account of my GCSEs.

No, college choice doesn't affect the chances of getting in because you get accepted by the department first. I just know that you can get pooled a couple of times before the central admissions people allocate you to a college (forcefully?) - and that sort of pooling might depress me a bit.

By the way, what are your GCSEs like in relation to your school, i.e. what others achieved?

Reply 86

Franc Vouloir

OP

11

So, I suppose you could get allocated to one of the less desirable colleges. Might be better to get your first choice, as you said.

As for my GCSEs, they're probably in the top 10% of the school. Perhaps a little higher, but I couldn't be sure. I know people who got 11 A*s, and I know people who struggled to get the five Cs necessary to enter the sixth form.

Reply 87

LGoddard

So, I suppose you could get allocated to one of the less desirable colleges. Might be better to get your first choice, as you said.

As for my GCSEs, they're probably in the top 10% of the school. Perhaps a little higher, but I couldn't be sure. I know people who got 11 A*s, and I know people who struggled to get the five Cs necessary to enter the sixth form.

The thing is, I know Oxford and Cambridge (and indeed other universities) look at results in the context of your school. They're not in any way poor results and if you are roughly in the top 10% or something, then they will be aware of that achievement. Besides, there are always the AS levels to overshadow them with. :smile:

Reply 88

Franc Vouloir

OP

11

Yeah, I'm not too worried about them; best just to concentrate on A-levels now.

Reply 89

Of course it had to be our year that were reduced to 5 options only!

I'm hoping that if I do apply to Durham, the fact that I do a lot of music will help me out. I guess I'd have to be pretty optimistic to apply to University, but meh, I'll see!

Hmm the difficulty which I find is the number of insurance unis. I was going to apply to 4 AAA unis and 1 AAB, but after all the horror stories of people being rejected from their insurance, I don't know what to do!? The other alternative would be to have two insurances? :s-smilie:

Ah it's so confusing - what are you guys going to do?

Congratulations on both your GCSEs btw :biggrin:

and good luck for AS!

Reply 90

Yes, but you have every chance of getting into University College - your GCSE results and extra-curricular stuff is a lot better than mine! :biggrin:

Just apply there if you want to - you get accepted by the English department first and then if you don't get into University, then another college WILL have you. So there isn't that much to lose really.

Well, it's difficult to define what an 'insurance choice' exactly is. Cambridge and York for me would be AAA offers (if I got them), and after that - Warwick, Leeds and Nottingham would be AAB. Out of those, I imagine Nottingham is marginally easier to get into.

Reply 91

Hehe thanks for the emphasis on the "will" bit - it's very reassuring! :smile:

Is it just at my school that most of the year went to a Leeds/ Manchester Open Day? This is a bit of a random comment, but on Fri only about 20 people in the year were left at school!

Ooh I'm sensing a Midlandsy theme there. I'm afraid I don't know much about Nottingham Uni, except the course is called "English Studies." Erm, I would avoid accommodation in the red light area next to my school though :wink:

Reply 92

Yes, 'tis a Midlandsy theme :biggrin:

Leeds and Manchester don't seem to be so popular for my school. However, everyone (literally) cleared off to Exeter last week. There's also a lot of interest in Durham and, surprisingly, Loughborough is proving to be quite a popular choice. :confused:

Reply 93

Heh I love the way that you're likely to be applying to loads of unis near me and I'll be going your way (Exeter, Cardiff, maybe Bristol etc.) Getting the hell away from home seems a familiar theme!

Wow... we have zero interest for Loughborough. I suppose there are really only so many 'good' universities, so no wonder patterns are emerging.

Reply 94

krankenhaus

Neutral_Tones

Of course it had to be our year that were reduced to 5 options only!

I'm hoping that if I do apply to Durham, the fact that I do a lot of music will help me out. I guess I'd have to be pretty optimistic to apply to University, but meh, I'll see!

Just one or two comments about the Durham application process. Whichever college you apply to the decision on whether or not you are offered a place at the university is taken by the academic department - not the college. Once you have been offered a place by a department you will be found a place in a college. Therefore any extra curricular activities such as music or drama will play little or no part in whether or not you are offered a place. However they may very well be a factor on whether or not your chosen college offers you a place - they are all looking for people who will play an active part in college life. There is, however, another factor that comes into play - each college has an allocation for the number of people taking each subject eg lets say that University College has an allocation of 15 English students each year - once that figure is reached then no matter how good your extra currics are you will be allocated to another college whose allocation has not been filled (obviously they will have to offer more places than this because some people who have offers will miss grades, turn down their offers etc - judging how many offers to make in order to get roughly the right number of people must be more like a black art than a science!) This works both ways of course - people are sometimes allocated to University College instead of their preferred college. Like all things in the university application process it is a bit of a lottery. Also, whichever college you go to you will almost inevitably end up thinking that it is the best!

Reply 95

Thankyou very much for that! :biggrin:

Yes, sorry, I meant that comment relating to college choice - it was a reason for hoping that I had at least a small chance of getting into University! So does the application to colleges happen on a first-come-first-served basis or do they consider applications as a whole and then decide?

Rep forthcoming! (Although TSR tells me my rep power is pathetic :eek:

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Reply 96

krankenhaus

Neutral_Tones

Thankyou very much for that! :biggrin:

Yes, sorry, I meant that comment relating to college choice - it was a reason for hoping that I had at least a small chance of getting into University! So does the application to colleges happen on a first-come-first-served basis or do they consider applications as a whole and then decide?

Rep forthcoming! (Although TSR tells me my rep power is pathetic :eek:

)

I'm sorry I don't know whether or not applications are dealt with on a first come, first served basis. My guess, judging from the number of threads on the Durham forum complaining about the length of time it takes Durham to process SOME applications, is that some places are allocated fairly early on in the application process but in order to maintain fairness some places must be left open until after the 15th January deadline. Also, applying to a 'popular' college should not prejudice whether or not you get an offer from the university, because as i said whether or not you get an offer is decided by the department - the college bit only starts after that. Because of this there is really no reason why you shouldn't apply the University College - you stand as good a chance as anyone else. :smile:

- but don't let your choice of college just be decided by the fact that you MIGHT get to live in a castle - there are lots of other things to take into consideration eg how close do you want to live to your department where you will be taught, do you want an en-suite room, do you want to be fully catered, partly catered or fully self catered. It's all great fun :wink:

Reply 97

Thanks!

Heh I realise that I'm being shallow ( :rolleyes:

), I've only done minimal amounts of research on Durham at the moment so I should come to a more sensible decision closer to application time! I've read somewhere that only 100 people get to live in the Castle? I think I'm only clinging on to the castle idea for the time being, I will be more mature in future (I promise!) :smile:

Thanks once again :biggrin:

Reply 98

MrKite

Hi all -

To cut a long story short, I have a conditional offer from Sussex uni this year, to study English, and want AAA from me. If I don't make the grade (and acquire something along the lines of AAB or ABB), where should I aim for in clearing? I've been told Leeds is a good one to go for - any other recommendations? I'm after the best English course I can get into with those grades, really.

Uh...anyone?

Reply 99