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University choices - evaluation?
Hi,
I was wondering if anybody could evaluate my current list of choices for English in 2008 (roughly in order of preference):
Cambridge (St. Catharine's)
UCL
Durham
KCL
York
My GCSEs were A*AAAAAABBB (the A* in Eng. Lit.), and I expect to get AAAA/AAAB at AS and AAA as A2. Am I aiming too high? If so, could anybody recommend some other choices?
Thanks,
Louis.
I was wondering if anybody could evaluate my current list of choices for English in 2008 (roughly in order of preference):
Cambridge (St. Catharine's)
UCL
Durham
KCL
York
My GCSEs were A*AAAAAABBB (the A* in Eng. Lit.), and I expect to get AAAA/AAAB at AS and AAA as A2. Am I aiming too high? If so, could anybody recommend some other choices?
Thanks,
Louis.
Scroll to see replies
Even though your GCSE's are FANTASTIC, I doubt you'd have much look with Durham. I emailed them and they generally ask for seven A*'s and above. I might try and dig out the email later.
York's course is fantastic (I'm hoping to go there), as is Cambridge, and neither of those Uni's will prejudice against you massively on the lack of A*'s.
York's course is fantastic (I'm hoping to go there), as is Cambridge, and neither of those Uni's will prejudice against you massively on the lack of A*'s.
Thanks -- I've heard similar things about Durham from others, and don't want to waste a slot on my UCAS form, so will probably consider replacing it with something else. Any suggestions? I was thinking about Warwick, but don't really like the look of their campus that much.
Also, any comments on the two London universities? I'd love to go to London, but again don't want to waste space on my form.
Also, any comments on the two London universities? I'd love to go to London, but again don't want to waste space on my form.
Both KCL & UCL are very well-respected Unis, obviously - UCL having the upper hand (by quite sme way). UCL has a ferocious reputation for English, and I know a LOT of people who have got into Cambridge but been rejected by UCL. The interviews there, for everyone I've spoken to about it (only about 30 people, admittedly), were 'harder' than their Cambridge ones.
You might find that some, like Durham & UCL, are more bothered by your lack of A*s. But it's difficult to say, really - every application is different, and there are always different tutors looking at them every year.
You might find that some, like Durham & UCL, are more bothered by your lack of A*s. But it's difficult to say, really - every application is different, and there are always different tutors looking at them every year.
epitome
Both KCL & UCL are very well-respected Unis, obviously - UCL having the upper hand (by quite sme way). UCL has a ferocious reputation for English, and I know a LOT of people who have got into Cambridge but been rejected by UCL. The interviews there, for everyone I've spoken to about it (only about 30 people, admittedly), were 'harder' than their Cambridge ones.
Really? That makes me feel sooo much better about being rejected by Cambs
Actually, though, I found my UCL interview easier, mainly because I found it more relevant to English literature - at Cambridge they kept asking me questions that weren't strictly related and it felt as though they were trying to trip me up. UCL questions revolved mainly on texts I'd mentioned in my personal statement and the interviewers were sat close to me in this little office, not on sofas in some gigantic room whilst I was on a tiny armchair in the middle of the floor! Though admittedly I was put off a little by the lady sat next to me's stomach rumbling for most of the interview ...
Jelkin
There's a thread like this on the Durham forum at the moment, and someone said she got in for English with only one A*. If you really like Durham then I think it's worth a shot!
I think that thread might also have been by me, actually -- the one about the automatic rejection without a certain number of A*s?
@epitome: I have been having doubts about UCL, actually, though quite like the idea of them interviewing (admittedly only for a select few). I think the personal statement and interview (if available) are going to be crucial parts of my application anywhere. Obviously you can't say for sure, but do you think they'd be quite likely to reject me without interview, based on my GCSEs? Please be honest, as I'm considering replacing UCL with somewhere else -- perhaps Edinburgh, St. Andrews or Leicester.
Thanks again,
Louis.
Really? That makes me feel sooo much better about being rejected by Cambs
Actually, though, I found my UCL interview easier, mainly because I found it more relevant to English literature - at Cambridge they kept asking me questions that weren't strictly related and it felt as though they were trying to trip me up. UCL questions revolved mainly on texts I'd mentioned in my personal statement and the interviewers were sat close to me in this little office, not on sofas in some gigantic room whilst I was on a tiny armchair in the middle of the floor! Though admittedly I was put off a little by the lady sat next to me's stomach rumbling for most of the interview ...
Actually, though, I found my UCL interview easier, mainly because I found it more relevant to English literature - at Cambridge they kept asking me questions that weren't strictly related and it felt as though they were trying to trip me up. UCL questions revolved mainly on texts I'd mentioned in my personal statement and the interviewers were sat close to me in this little office, not on sofas in some gigantic room whilst I was on a tiny armchair in the middle of the floor! Though admittedly I was put off a little by the lady sat next to me's stomach rumbling for most of the interview ...
Yep, really!
Glad to hear your UCL interview was a more pleasant experience! These things are totally hit and miss - depends on who you are, who your interviewers are, if you/they are having a good or bad day...etc. Can be a bit frustrating. I assure you that it's very unlikely the Cambridge interviewers were trying to trip you up - though the stomach-rumbling must have been really annoying! Out of interest, which college were you interviewed at? (Sorry, I know this is off-topic)
@epitome: I have been having doubts about UCL, actually, though quite like the idea of them interviewing (admittedly only for a select few). I think the personal statement and interview (if available) are going to be crucial parts of my application anywhere. Obviously you can't say for sure, but do you think they'd be quite likely to reject me without interview, based on my GCSEs? Please be honest, as I'm considering replacing UCL with somewhere else -- perhaps Edinburgh, St. Andrews or Leicester.
Interviews are, as you probaby realise, more of an advantage than a disadvantage for most people - it's a chance to shine rather than another opportunity to make a fool of yourself (most of the time!). But obviously if you're rejected before interview it's irrelevant. I'm absolutely not qualified to say, or even to guess, if you're likely to be in that situation. Sorry.
All I can say is that you should make sure that you have at least one choice which is a safe bet, and which you can see yourself going to. It might be your last choice, but it should be as well-considered (if not more so) as your first. There is no guarantee, even if you had 10A*s, that you would get in where you really want to - as there is no guarantee that UCL will reject you pre-interview. So just make sure you have a good backup, with which you would be genuinely happy. As you say, however, your Personal Statement and Interview (where applicable) will be extremely important - so concentrate on those. Similarly your AS Levels - a good clutch of As, with high UMS, will help you (if disclosed in your references, which you could ask for). It's not ALL about GCSEs - though I understnd your concern.
Sorry, that's all a bit rambling and possibly didn't make much sense. Ask for clarification if it's incoherent, and I'll try again! *rollseyes*
No need for clarification, that was very helpful -- thanks. I'm trying to find something for a 'safe bet' at the moment, actually. Leicester looks good -- ABB-BBB offer, but still approx. 700 applicants to 100 places, so perhaps it's not that safe. Better than the 2000:100 that I've been seeing in other places, though!
LGoddard
I think that thread might also have been by me, actually -- the one about the automatic rejection without a certain number of A*s?
@epitome: I have been having doubts about UCL, actually, though quite like the idea of them interviewing (admittedly only for a select few). I think the personal statement and interview (if available) are going to be crucial parts of my application anywhere. Obviously you can't say for sure, but do you think they'd be quite likely to reject me without interview, based on my GCSEs? Please be honest, as I'm considering replacing UCL with somewhere else -- perhaps Edinburgh, St. Andrews or Leicester.
Thanks again,
Louis.
@epitome: I have been having doubts about UCL, actually, though quite like the idea of them interviewing (admittedly only for a select few). I think the personal statement and interview (if available) are going to be crucial parts of my application anywhere. Obviously you can't say for sure, but do you think they'd be quite likely to reject me without interview, based on my GCSEs? Please be honest, as I'm considering replacing UCL with somewhere else -- perhaps Edinburgh, St. Andrews or Leicester.
Thanks again,
Louis.
On the GCSE results I wouldn't worry too much. I got 2A* and 1A, and got interviewed and offered a place at UCL. You should definately consider it, it's a really great course, with excellent teaching and rep, including 1:1 tutorials as the central part of the course for the 3 years.
It's all so difficult to predict for English - I got three offers and three rejections. It's quite common apparently. On the Cambridge application, my advise would be to research the college in order to maximise your chances. Having said that, it's pretty much a variable year-on-year. Good luck with the AS Levels!
empfrench
On the GCSE results I wouldn't worry too much. I got 2A* and 1A, and got interviewed and offered a place at UCL. You should definitely consider it, it's a really great course, with excellent teaching and rep, including 1:1 tutorials as the central part of the course for the 3 years.
It's all so difficult to predict for English - I got three offers and three rejections. It's quite common apparently. On the Cambridge application, my advise would be to research the college in order to maximise your chances. Having said that, it's pretty much a variable year-on-year. Good luck with the AS Levels!
It's all so difficult to predict for English - I got three offers and three rejections. It's quite common apparently. On the Cambridge application, my advise would be to research the college in order to maximise your chances. Having said that, it's pretty much a variable year-on-year. Good luck with the AS Levels!
Interesting -- perhaps I will keep UCL on my list, and maybe drop KCL.
As for Cambridge, I agree -- I've been doing lots of research these past few months, and have changed my choice of college a number of times. Catz seems good, though, and has had a consistently low applicant
lace ratio over the past few years (about 3:1).epitome
Yep, really!
Glad to hear your UCL interview was a more pleasant experience! These things are totally hit and miss - depends on who you are, who your interviewers are, if you/they are having a good or bad day...etc. Can be a bit frustrating. I assure you that it's very unlikely the Cambridge interviewers were trying to trip you up - though the stomach-rumbling must have been really annoying! Out of interest, which college were you interviewed at? (Sorry, I know this is off-topic)
Glad to hear your UCL interview was a more pleasant experience! These things are totally hit and miss - depends on who you are, who your interviewers are, if you/they are having a good or bad day...etc. Can be a bit frustrating. I assure you that it's very unlikely the Cambridge interviewers were trying to trip you up - though the stomach-rumbling must have been really annoying! Out of interest, which college were you interviewed at? (Sorry, I know this is off-topic)
I'm afraid the stomach rumbling was at UCL
I had 4 separate interviews at Cambridge altogether:
King's: a written test, a discussion group and an interview
Pooled to New Hall: two interviews
Gap year (not just for Cambs!), then Trinity: an essay, a discussion group and an interview
Pooled and rejected.
I can honestly say that every interview was TOTALLY different and I find it hard to believe that the same sort of student gets into Cambridge from each interview, making me slightly disillusioned as to the effectiveness of interviews in general. (Though obviously I was rejected, so it's easy for me to say.) I find it hard to believe they weren't trying to trip me up; my first interview asked me what extra-curricular reading I'd done for subjects other than English, and in another I was fired with, "what's your favourite pre-1900 painting?" In a way I can't blame them as it must be tough to choose, but really - it felt quite unfair.
In my experience UCL are very considerate about gcse results - KCL rejected me outright. Mine were 1a* (art!) 4a (including English Lit/Lang) and 6b, however I did apply after my alevel results so have no knowledge about how they'd have affected an application in year 13. My gcse results are probably the 'worst' in my year by a long shot, but this disparity only shows that they weren't/aren't a major or decisive factor in the decision making process. I know one person with 12a* who was rejected after interview, for example. Because of the small size of the department I think they are more inclined to consider each application by its own merits. The same goes for alevel subject choice - I know one person with Latin, another with Photography. If they think you are well suited to the level and style of teaching and will interact intelligently with the content of the course, I think they'd make you an offer regardless of your gcse results.
London/UCL is a fantastic place to study English btw.! You can follow an Old English seminar on Beowulf with a 5 minute walk down the road to see the Sutton Hoo exhibition in the British Museum, or a reading of The Waste Land with a glass of wine, listening to young poets at the Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden in the evening! There is so much here to complement your studies and much more besides.
London/UCL is a fantastic place to study English btw.! You can follow an Old English seminar on Beowulf with a 5 minute walk down the road to see the Sutton Hoo exhibition in the British Museum, or a reading of The Waste Land with a glass of wine, listening to young poets at the Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden in the evening! There is so much here to complement your studies and much more besides.
enlli
London/UCL is a fantastic place to study English btw.! You can follow an Old English seminar on Beowulf with a 5 minute walk down the road to see the Sutton Hoo exhibition in the British Museum, or a reading of The Waste Land with a glass of wine, listening to young poets at the Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden in the evening! There is so much here to complement your studies and much more besides.
It does sound great, and I'd be absolutely thrilled to go there. Thanks for your comments re: GCSEs -- I'm definitely considering applying now, just in case.
In haste:
LGoddard - Please don't dwell too much on statistics. It is of too limited a use to spend time doing maths on these things. Concentrate on (a) The grades you have yet to attain, and - most vitally - (b) Your reading, learning & continued interest. Put some thought into Uni and college choice, obviously, but base it on *their* expectations of *you* (i.e. the grades they ask for; interview requirements, etc.), NOT on numbers which are often arbitrary. There is only so far you can maximise your chances statistically, or in any other way - after that it's down to luck.
Jelkin - Sorry, I misread! Interviews are, as you say, totally different - and you're one of the few people to get a really good idea of that first-hand! Just to clarify, though, there isn't a "sort" of student that gets in to these places - honestly - it's more a 'sort' of thinking than anything else, and even that can only really be defined as "open-mindedly curious". And that itself contains a massive range. It IS hit-and-miss, and the whole process is of course fallible - luck plays a massive part (a bigger part than people like to admit, often). I think the best we can say is that having an interview, in terms of getting the best idea of the applicant and their qualities as possible, is better by far than not having one. It's another chance. Hopefully your experiences will stand you in good stead for future enterprises!
LGoddard - Please don't dwell too much on statistics. It is of too limited a use to spend time doing maths on these things. Concentrate on (a) The grades you have yet to attain, and - most vitally - (b) Your reading, learning & continued interest. Put some thought into Uni and college choice, obviously, but base it on *their* expectations of *you* (i.e. the grades they ask for; interview requirements, etc.), NOT on numbers which are often arbitrary. There is only so far you can maximise your chances statistically, or in any other way - after that it's down to luck.
Jelkin - Sorry, I misread! Interviews are, as you say, totally different - and you're one of the few people to get a really good idea of that first-hand! Just to clarify, though, there isn't a "sort" of student that gets in to these places - honestly - it's more a 'sort' of thinking than anything else, and even that can only really be defined as "open-mindedly curious". And that itself contains a massive range. It IS hit-and-miss, and the whole process is of course fallible - luck plays a massive part (a bigger part than people like to admit, often). I think the best we can say is that having an interview, in terms of getting the best idea of the applicant and their qualities as possible, is better by far than not having one. It's another chance. Hopefully your experiences will stand you in good stead for future enterprises!
OP - i would definitely put a safe bet option in there as you put it. A university asking for AAB?ABB perhaps, 4/5 options all ask for AAA and you're going to be up against your strongest competition there. I think you should have a strong application but it might be worth it just in case. As others have said English admissions can be a complete lottery. xx
Definately would reccomend one, if not a couple of less...oohh, I don't know I'd even say lesser or less prestigious, just less lottery-like to get into unis...
I'm sure you've seen all the stories but you also don't know what's going to happen to your A levels (I hope this sort of thing never happens to anyone else mind you...)
I was predicted 4 A's all the way through then lost 2 teachers, one meaning I had to totally drop a subject as there was nobody else who could teach ancient history and one meaning the new teacher didn't have a clue and whose poor advice meant I got an E in coursework (when I was getting A's in all exam work) so in the end I got AAB- if I'd applied to all AAA places (which most would consider perfectly reasonable, even if I had messed up one prediction originally I would have been fine) I would have missed my offers completely.
In the end I go an offer from Warwick (originally very high in my choices, very prestigious) and Leeds (originally my 'safe bet/insurance' sort of choice.) In the end, I suprised myself and chose Leeds because I knew I'd much prefer the lifestyle of such a lively city and I'm almost 100% sure I was right, I love it and the course is still well regarded, I just am a happier up here than I would have been stuck in the middle of nowhere at Warwick!
I'm sure you've seen all the stories but you also don't know what's going to happen to your A levels (I hope this sort of thing never happens to anyone else mind you...)
I was predicted 4 A's all the way through then lost 2 teachers, one meaning I had to totally drop a subject as there was nobody else who could teach ancient history and one meaning the new teacher didn't have a clue and whose poor advice meant I got an E in coursework (when I was getting A's in all exam work) so in the end I got AAB- if I'd applied to all AAA places (which most would consider perfectly reasonable, even if I had messed up one prediction originally I would have been fine) I would have missed my offers completely.
In the end I go an offer from Warwick (originally very high in my choices, very prestigious) and Leeds (originally my 'safe bet/insurance' sort of choice.) In the end, I suprised myself and chose Leeds because I knew I'd much prefer the lifestyle of such a lively city and I'm almost 100% sure I was right, I love it and the course is still well regarded, I just am a happier up here than I would have been stuck in the middle of nowhere at Warwick!
Okay, good advice guys -- I'll probably put St Andrews in there as an AAB choice and maybe Leicester as an ABB.
Be careful of treating the grade offer as an indication of likelihood of getting an offer! Edinburgh's BBB is a notorious trap and St Andrews may be similar.
Cardiff and Leeds would be good back up choices with excellent English departments.
good luck
Cardiff and Leeds would be good back up choices with excellent English departments.
good luck
And Cardiff seem to be quite leniant with grades as well- I missed my offer last year and they still let me in, so it's definitely one worth considering for an insurance choice.
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