I'm annoyed about my options

At my college, no one gets help with university applications and having to complete UCAS for the earlier 15th Oct deadline, I'd sorta left it a little late with choosing my 5 universities. Not coming from a background where any family member has any university experience, I basically saw the prospects as such: if you didn't get into Oxbridge, as long as you didn't go to a really poor university nobody would care. So I choose the following with such knowledge:

Manchester
Nottingham
Birmingham
Oxford
Aberdeen

Except I've found out since that, for instance, Imperial is ranked much, much higher than Birmingham. And that Manchester isn't even on Warwick's radar... I was lamely living in a box with regards to what I knew about unis, and in a rush I didn't make any strenuous efforts to find out.

So I'm thinking of accepting a Birmingham offer, but I'd just like to know whether it's worth reapplying next year if it means I could try my chances with much more impressive unis.. Will it really make a difference if I get a 2.1/ 1st in the end at Birmingham? It's not that bad right? Or was I stupid to not have contemplated Durham and such others?

Your thoughts please, ladies and gents of the TSR :tsr2:

Reply 1

Jackathon

They are by no means bad universities, and yes Warwick and Durham are probably quite high up there after Oxbridge; but is it really worth a gap year? (unless you quite like the idea.) I'd say if Birmingham give you an offer to go for it, (thats if Oxford doesn't accept you!)

Good luck with your decision.

Reply 2

dani2511

WHERE would you LIKE to go? They are all pretty good universities that you've applied to, so why wait a year?

Reply 3

mhsc

I don't know what you're talking about, you have a good selection there.

If you are a really top student (straight A predictions, lots of A*s at GCSE, etc) as i assume you are to be applying to Oxford, then you have a slightly more risky avenue of choices available, something more like:

Oxford, Durham, Warwick, Manchester, Birmingham.

But you went the safer route, which is advisable. Birmingham is a good university at any rate, so don't moan too much :p:

Reply 4

jus-mi

depends on the course your applying for plus nottingham is a good uni ranked quite high and very popluar as well if you get an offer from them be happy.

Reply 5

The Toffy

What are u applying for

Reply 6

Lizzielizard

OP, I take it you are applying for Psychology (I had a brief look through your posts) ? If you are, erm, Imperial does not offer that course.

Obviously, you have a good selection of unis there, but if you are sure you can get into Warwick and wherever else you really wish you had applied to now, I think you should definitely go for it. Personally, I don't think I'll rest until I've had a shot at Oxbridge :redface:

--I was strongly discouraged from applying after a few of my teachers decided that I'm simply not Oxbridge material, despite the fact that I had the right grades. Even though I've applied to some pretty highly ranked unis and got two offers already (I know I should be satisfied! :rolleyes:

), I'm still contemplating the idea of going on a gap year and apply to Oxbridge next year. I don't know what it is, I just don't think I can bear not knowing what would've happened had I applied to Oxbridge. :biggrin:

Reply 7

Tom1390

Thanks for the responses :biggrin:

Tbh a gap year's really not an option for me.. Only if it was really serious and I'd discovered I'd got really poor choices would I do that. And frankly, Birmingham's more 'me', if that makes sense. A first from there can't look too bad.

I guess what I was asking was, will my future chances be affected significantly enough by not even having applied to Warwick etc, that it would be worth taking a gap year? This is 1) when I really don't want one and 2) when really prestigious unis scare me ( :s-smilie:

)

Reply 8

EvenStevens

Birmingham uni is not one to stick your nose up to.

It's a top 20, which is pretty damn good IMO.

And if prestigious unis scare you, Warwick may not be for you..