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Help me choose my fifth place to apply?
I'm applying post-A2. I have AAAbb (English Lit, French and Classical Civ at A2; Maths and Critical Thinking at AS). So far I've decided to apply to:
Cambridge
York
UCL
KCL
But I'm not sure what do with my last choice! I've already crossed off a few...
Warwick and RHUL - I hear they're too "campusy": small communities and not much going on outside, so in your second and third year you're living in the middle of nowhere and commuting every day.
Bristol - ridiculously competitive for English, rejected me last year, not all that interested in them anyway.
And here are a few I'm considering but not sure about...
Durham - looks quite nice, but it's soooo far away (I live right down south) and I've heard that a) the weather is horrible and b) it's full of bitter Oxbridge rejects. I'm sure the second one is just a stereotype, but it's still a bit worrying. I'm still kind of considering them anyway though...
Sussex - looks like a good fun place, but I'm not sure if that would be best for me: I'd prefer somewhere predominantly academic. They did give me an offer last year though...
Any more ideas would be greatly appreciated! In general I'd rather not go too far north (made an exception for York because it's lovely) and I'd like somewhere that isn't in a really built-up urban kind of area.
Cambridge
York
UCL
KCL
But I'm not sure what do with my last choice! I've already crossed off a few...
Warwick and RHUL - I hear they're too "campusy": small communities and not much going on outside, so in your second and third year you're living in the middle of nowhere and commuting every day.
Bristol - ridiculously competitive for English, rejected me last year, not all that interested in them anyway.
And here are a few I'm considering but not sure about...
Durham - looks quite nice, but it's soooo far away (I live right down south) and I've heard that a) the weather is horrible and b) it's full of bitter Oxbridge rejects. I'm sure the second one is just a stereotype, but it's still a bit worrying. I'm still kind of considering them anyway though...
Sussex - looks like a good fun place, but I'm not sure if that would be best for me: I'd prefer somewhere predominantly academic. They did give me an offer last year though...
Any more ideas would be greatly appreciated! In general I'd rather not go too far north (made an exception for York because it's lovely) and I'd like somewhere that isn't in a really built-up urban kind of area.
I would personally choose Leeds. It's an excellent course and has a reputation among the best. Judging by your choices in London, you don't mind large cities too much and whilst it is, in one sense, a campus, it has a central location. Royal Holloway is a stunning building, though it is isolated (though not quite as much so as Warwick).
There are certain stereotypes about Durham which float around, but then again they exist for a fair few of the more prestigious institutions. It's up to you to decide, really - there will almost certainly be embittered Oxbridge rejects there, but most likely a very small minority of people will be in that state of mind and the course is highly renowned. That said, some people I know who visited Hatfield College on the open day suggested that they had found the college life there very intense (in terms of the overall ethos and college rivalry being taken quite seriously) and I would *personally* prefer to go somewhere a little more relaxed and tolerant than that. However, I can't speak accurately for the university - Hatfield is only one college - and you will meet quite a diversity of people wherever you go. The stereotype might be a little affecting, but then the course is outstanding at Durham, as is the overall reputation of the university. I hope this helps.
There are certain stereotypes about Durham which float around, but then again they exist for a fair few of the more prestigious institutions. It's up to you to decide, really - there will almost certainly be embittered Oxbridge rejects there, but most likely a very small minority of people will be in that state of mind and the course is highly renowned. That said, some people I know who visited Hatfield College on the open day suggested that they had found the college life there very intense (in terms of the overall ethos and college rivalry being taken quite seriously) and I would *personally* prefer to go somewhere a little more relaxed and tolerant than that. However, I can't speak accurately for the university - Hatfield is only one college - and you will meet quite a diversity of people wherever you go. The stereotype might be a little affecting, but then the course is outstanding at Durham, as is the overall reputation of the university. I hope this helps.
Yep - I'd go with Leeds. You've got four very competitive unis there, and English is a very competitive subject - you need a back-up. Any of Leeds, Manchester, Southampton, Newcastle, Sheffield, etc. etc. (any of the big city unis really) are all good solid choices.
Hmm, Leeds eh? It wasn't one that I'd thought of, so thanks very much for the suggestion
I do have two London universities on my list, but London's different from most big cities in that 1) it's close to home, 2) it has a lot of my friends living there already, and 3) even though it is a big city it has a lot of green spaces. I nearly didn't apply to London because I didn't think I'd be able to handle being in such a big city, but my friends have comforted me with the prospect of the large green parks. (I'm such a country girl - I need trees around me or I feel very sad!)
I've visited RHUL and to be honest, even though a lot of people rave about the main building, it didn't do much for me - and the faculty buildings I saw were some real concrete monstrosities.
Hmm, I don't like the sound of Durham, then - I've always thought rivalries like that were such rubbish. I'm sure it's possible I could have a good time there, but I'm just not getting any kind of positive vibe from it... haha, I sound like a hippy.
Do I need a back-up when I've got AAA? That might be a naive question, but part of me would find it odd to apply somewhere that gives lower offers when you've got above them. (And now I sound like a snob. Whoops!)
Thanks for that list, I'll look into them
I do have two London universities on my list, but London's different from most big cities in that 1) it's close to home, 2) it has a lot of my friends living there already, and 3) even though it is a big city it has a lot of green spaces. I nearly didn't apply to London because I didn't think I'd be able to handle being in such a big city, but my friends have comforted me with the prospect of the large green parks. (I'm such a country girl - I need trees around me or I feel very sad!)
I've visited RHUL and to be honest, even though a lot of people rave about the main building, it didn't do much for me - and the faculty buildings I saw were some real concrete monstrosities.
Hmm, I don't like the sound of Durham, then - I've always thought rivalries like that were such rubbish. I'm sure it's possible I could have a good time there, but I'm just not getting any kind of positive vibe from it... haha, I sound like a hippy.
Do I need a back-up when I've got AAA? That might be a naive question, but part of me would find it odd to apply somewhere that gives lower offers when you've got above them. (And now I sound like a snob. Whoops!)
Thanks for that list, I'll look into them
Yeah - English is very competitive. I've got AAAA and I'm applying for a place that wants ABB, and three places that want AAB. It's tough to get into - and I'm not even applying for straight English.
(Leeds - English and Philosophy - ABB)
(Leeds - English and Philosophy - ABB)
Well, the three AAB ones are York, Bristol and Warwick, and the ABB one is Leeds. (Then there's Oxford for straight lit = AAA).
But I don't think so - I mean, Bristol is 16 applicants per place, and that's english and philosophy (it's 24 pp for english) - if that doesn't put fear in you, i don't know what will. You'll be up against a good number of people, all of whom will have about what you have - someone's got to be rejected.
But I don't think so - I mean, Bristol is 16 applicants per place, and that's english and philosophy (it's 24 pp for english) - if that doesn't put fear in you, i don't know what will. You'll be up against a good number of people, all of whom will have about what you have - someone's got to be rejected.
I didn't realise any of those were AAB, I thought they all wanted AAA! But then if you're not doing straight English, I guess the requirements are different...
Yeah, the Bristol statistics are terrifying. I'm sure as hell not going to apply there!
Anyway, I'll go and look into the unis you suggested...
Yeah, the Bristol statistics are terrifying. I'm sure as hell not going to apply there!
Anyway, I'll go and look into the unis you suggested...
I don't know how good Southampton is for English but what I can say for Southampton is that its campus is so spacious, with lovely green areas (a stream, trees, bushes and grass) breaking up all the departments and other buildings. And it's really friendly there too and a top, respected university, in a lovely art of the country too (near the New Forest, 1 of Britain's National Parks, and Dorset too). Also the town there is so lovely with everything useful and a large green public park too. And btw, I'm not from Soton uni so am not doing the hard sell! I would love to be there myself though if the modules for the course I'm interested in were different...
As you're applying post-results, I'm guessing that you wouldn't fancy a second gap year? I think it's important to have a slightly safer choice as your top 4 are all tough even for someone with your excellent qualifications.
this would rule out Bristol/Warwick/Durham. Have you considered Cardiff - English department has a good reputation and the city is really nice according to my brother who went for an open day at Royal Welsh for music. it's also a bit less urban than Leeds if that's what you are looking for.
I'm at York btw and loving it.
Good luck
this would rule out Bristol/Warwick/Durham. Have you considered Cardiff - English department has a good reputation and the city is really nice according to my brother who went for an open day at Royal Welsh for music. it's also a bit less urban than Leeds if that's what you are looking for.
I'm at York btw and loving it.
Good luck
English at Bristol is pushing -30- applicants per place, making it one of the most competitive courses in the whole of UCAS. Considering how competitive the rest of your choices are, I'd probably give it a miss, too 
I agree with Leeds, always does really well in the league tables for English, but it's still really competitive. What about Cardiff or Exeter? Exeter might be AAA but that's just a tactic to try and attract top applicants who might not necessarily consider them.
Sheffield is good for English, too, and they have a lower offer and decent overall reputation.
I agree with Leeds, always does really well in the league tables for English, but it's still really competitive. What about Cardiff or Exeter? Exeter might be AAA but that's just a tactic to try and attract top applicants who might not necessarily consider them.
Sheffield is good for English, too, and they have a lower offer and decent overall reputation.
oops, just read the first post and did a reply without reading any of the other posts so didn't see you'd already decided!
Oh, and don't be put off by Bristol's stats. It's not as bad as it seems: 28 applicants per place might seem like a crazy amount, but it's more like 5 applicants per OFFER, which is more important. My grades were nothing special and I still got offers for English and the following year for English and Philosophy.
Oh, and don't be put off by Bristol's stats. It's not as bad as it seems: 28 applicants per place might seem like a crazy amount, but it's more like 5 applicants per OFFER, which is more important. My grades were nothing special and I still got offers for English and the following year for English and Philosophy.
Hel
Durham - looks quite nice, but it's soooo far away (I live right down south) and I've heard that a) the weather is horrible and b) it's full of bitter Oxbridge rejects. I'm sure the second one is just a stereotype, but it's still a bit worrying. I'm still kind of considering them anyway though...
Oh no, if I were you I wouldn't go there. I've been for a look around and it was all big hills and coblestones. I hated it - everyone was too up themselves. They only had one pub and it's for the locals. But, I suppose you might be a rural sort of person, but I prefer cities.
I just stumbled upon this page when doing an internet search to get a vague idea of the applicants per place for English with American Studies at Exeter, and the naïveté of the thread starter has compelled me to register and post!
Firstly, I struggle to believe that Durham is full of Oxbridge rejects: Durham is renowned for being resentful of these two universities because it is often considered inferior and is likely to view those who have sent off their UCAS application before the 15th October (their only indicator of who has applied to Oxbridge) in an unfavourable light. Of all of the people I know who applied to read English at Durham last year, not one received a place.
My main point, however, is this: As others have said, getting the grades is not enough. 30% of A-Level students achieve grade A. It's nothing special anymore; universities take it for granted. The minimum amount of applicants per place that I have encountered is 5 (at Cambridge). The most is 27 (at Edinburgh). If I were you I would be assuming that at least 7 people, just as able as you, are applying for the same place as you.
To try and answer your opening question: I'd recommend you apply to a university with Entry Requirements of less than 430(ish) for your fifth choice. All of us English applicants need insurance!
Firstly, I struggle to believe that Durham is full of Oxbridge rejects: Durham is renowned for being resentful of these two universities because it is often considered inferior and is likely to view those who have sent off their UCAS application before the 15th October (their only indicator of who has applied to Oxbridge) in an unfavourable light. Of all of the people I know who applied to read English at Durham last year, not one received a place.
My main point, however, is this: As others have said, getting the grades is not enough. 30% of A-Level students achieve grade A. It's nothing special anymore; universities take it for granted. The minimum amount of applicants per place that I have encountered is 5 (at Cambridge). The most is 27 (at Edinburgh). If I were you I would be assuming that at least 7 people, just as able as you, are applying for the same place as you.
To try and answer your opening question: I'd recommend you apply to a university with Entry Requirements of less than 430(ish) for your fifth choice. All of us English applicants need insurance!
AhorrentlyPretentious
I just stumbled upon this page when doing an internet search to get a vague idea of the applicants per place for English with American Studies at Exeter, and the naïveté of the thread starter has compelled me to register and post!
Firstly, I struggle to believe that Durham is full of Oxbridge rejects: Durham is renowned for being resentful of these two universities because it is often considered inferior and is likely to view those who have sent off their UCAS application before the 15th October (their only indicator of who has applied to Oxbridge) in an unfavourable light. Of all of the people I know who applied to read English at Durham last year, not one received a place.
My main point, however, is this: As others have said, getting the grades is not enough. 30% of A-Level students achieve grade A. It's nothing special anymore; universities take it for granted. The minimum amount of applicants per place that I have encountered is 5 (at Cambridge). The most is 27 (at Edinburgh). If I were you I would be assuming that at least 7 people, just as able as you, are applying for the same place as you.
To try and answer your opening question: I'd recommend you apply to a university with Entry Requirements of less than 430(ish) for your fifth choice. All of us English applicants need insurance!
Firstly, I struggle to believe that Durham is full of Oxbridge rejects: Durham is renowned for being resentful of these two universities because it is often considered inferior and is likely to view those who have sent off their UCAS application before the 15th October (their only indicator of who has applied to Oxbridge) in an unfavourable light. Of all of the people I know who applied to read English at Durham last year, not one received a place.
My main point, however, is this: As others have said, getting the grades is not enough. 30% of A-Level students achieve grade A. It's nothing special anymore; universities take it for granted. The minimum amount of applicants per place that I have encountered is 5 (at Cambridge). The most is 27 (at Edinburgh). If I were you I would be assuming that at least 7 people, just as able as you, are applying for the same place as you.
To try and answer your opening question: I'd recommend you apply to a university with Entry Requirements of less than 430(ish) for your fifth choice. All of us English applicants need insurance!
I love how you correctly wrote "naïveté" but misspelled your own username. :P
In response to your first point, while your own experience may have shown that Oxbridge applicants are disadvantaged at Durham, it's a very small statistical sample to make a generalisation from (as was my own wondering about Durham being full of Oxbridge rejects, but I admitted that it was potentially inaccurate). I know Oxbridge applicants who got into Durham, and indeed I have seen quite a bit of stuff (true or not) on this forum about it being the main second preference for those who were not accepted into Oxbridge.
It's true that a large majority of students have AAA, but firstly there is a difference between being predicted AAA and actually having those grades in hand, and secondly upon asking this question I did again say that it was potentially a naive question, and in my opinion awareness of one's own ignorance is a diminishing factor of that very ignorance (as Socrates said, wisest are they who know the limits of their knowledge - perhaps a pretentious quote might make you feel more at home, given the screen name :P ). Therefore, having admitted the possibility of that question being a naive one, it seems ridiculous for me to be attacked for it.
430 tariff points?
I don't think anywhere I've applied has above that! The highest of these is AAA, and since an A is 120 points, the highest entry requirement of those to which I've applied is 360.Hel
I love how you correctly wrote "naïveté" but misspelled your own username. :P
In response to your first point, while your own experience may have shown that Oxbridge applicants are disadvantaged at Durham, it's a very small statistical sample to make a generalisation from (as was my own wondering about Durham being full of Oxbridge rejects, but I admitted that it was potentially inaccurate). I know Oxbridge applicants who got into Durham, and indeed I have seen quite a bit of stuff (true or not) on this forum about it being the main second preference for those who were not accepted into Oxbridge.
It's true that a large majority of students have AAA, but firstly there is a difference between being predicted AAA and actually having those grades in hand, and secondly upon asking this question I did again say that it was potentially a naive question, and in my opinion awareness of one's own ignorance is a diminishing factor of that very ignorance (as Socrates said, wisest are they who know the limits of their knowledge - perhaps a pretentious quote might make you feel more at home, given the screen name :P ). Therefore, having admitted the possibility of that question being a naive one, it seems ridiculous for me to be attacked for it.
430 tariff points? I don't think anywhere I've applied has above that! The highest of these is AAA, and since an A is 120 points, the highest entry requirement of those to which I've applied is 360.
In response to your first point, while your own experience may have shown that Oxbridge applicants are disadvantaged at Durham, it's a very small statistical sample to make a generalisation from (as was my own wondering about Durham being full of Oxbridge rejects, but I admitted that it was potentially inaccurate). I know Oxbridge applicants who got into Durham, and indeed I have seen quite a bit of stuff (true or not) on this forum about it being the main second preference for those who were not accepted into Oxbridge.
It's true that a large majority of students have AAA, but firstly there is a difference between being predicted AAA and actually having those grades in hand, and secondly upon asking this question I did again say that it was potentially a naive question, and in my opinion awareness of one's own ignorance is a diminishing factor of that very ignorance (as Socrates said, wisest are they who know the limits of their knowledge - perhaps a pretentious quote might make you feel more at home, given the screen name :P ). Therefore, having admitted the possibility of that question being a naive one, it seems ridiculous for me to be attacked for it.
430 tariff points?
I don't think anywhere I've applied has above that! The highest of these is AAA, and since an A is 120 points, the highest entry requirement of those to which I've applied is 360.LOL! I hadn't even noticed I'd missed the 'b' in "abhorrent". What a ****** *shakes head* I didn't intend to attack you, and apologise if you construed it as such.
When I said Entry Requirement, I actually meant the Entry Standard featured in The Times University Ranking. This linky should elucidate: http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/gug/gooduniversityguide.php?sort=ENTRY
I should have elaborated yesterday, but I had a strop on.
EDIT: This linky's subject relevant. You'll see there's a substantial gap between Nottingham and Birmingham: http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/gug/gooduniversityguide.php?sort=ENTRY&subject=ENGLISH
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