Durham University

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Oxbridge Rejects

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Reply 40

Tufts

I did not even apply to Oxbridge. I'm bored of telling people this.

Durham University

Durham

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Reply 41

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

AlphaWulf

Pretty sure this is what did it for me, seeing as I've got the right results and everything. It was all just a case of not seeing something in the exam. Understood it, did it easily when pointed in the right direction, but just didn't notice it at first.

For any mathematicians out there the question was as follows:

Is it true that for all values a^ln(b) = b^ln(a)?

It's as easy as taking ln's of both sides to give ln(b)lb(a) = ln(a)ln(b), I just didn't notice it at first and this ruined the whole thing. :p:

Of course some of the more privelidged out there would have seen the question before in class in that form, asides its actually from Core 4 pretty much....

Reply 42

NickiM

Cambridge reject. But I know I would have crumbled at Cambridge, I wouldn't have been able to cope. But I do know some people here who rejected Oxbridge offers to come to Durham.

Reply 43

Shmerm

Looking back, if I'd have had an Oxbridge offer and a Durham offer and knew what I know now about Durham, I'd have definitely come to Durham.

Reply 44

Sam Rawlings

Well i know someone who is regarded as extremely intelligent. They got 9 A*'s and 3 A's at GCSE and 4 A at A level, they played tennis and is grade 8 in piano and violin and yet she still got rejected from Oxbridge.

Reply 45

River85

Sam Rawlings

Well, Oxbridge don't really give two damns about ECs, so the tennis and music is irrelevant. Admissions may seem arbitary at times. It's so exceptional competitive. For all the high grades and (irrelevant) ECs maybe the admissions tutors just didn't think they had the passion for the subject?

Reply 46

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

River85

Or maybe they didn't think "daddy" had enough in his kitty...

Reply 47

River85

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

Or maybe they didn't think "daddy" had enough in his kitty...

Are we never going to let this class hatred drop?

My school friends who got into Oxbridge weren't exceptonally well off. Thier daddies certainly didn't have big pockets.

Reply 48

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

River85

Are we never going to let this class hatred drop?

My school friends who got into Oxbridge weren't exceptonally well off. Thier daddies certainly didn't have big pockets.

Oh come off it, the evidence is out there that places there are effectively for sale:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1890502.stm

Not to mention the ridiculous percentage that get in from Grammar + Private schools...

Reply 49

River85

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

That article is six years old now. Besides, judging by some of the (rich) thickos you can get at Durham it wouldn't suprise me if they do the same, every now and then.

If not I have no idea how some of these people get (and stay) in.

Reply 50

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

River85

Do you have any evidence that Oxbridge have actually changed since then, because I certainly couldn't find any. Bear in mind at the same time that article was written I went on one of those "widening participation" trips...

Not that I am saying that the Rich Thicko's in Durham are any better mind, Durham should be doing a lot more too. But Oxbridge is even worse, and then you wonder why they are struggling to widen participation...

Reply 51

generic hybrid

Here we go again. :doh:

Reply 52

Sam Rawlings

To be honest, you do hear of stories in which people actually 'buy' their way into Oxbridge despite only achieving AAB/ABB in A levels which i feel is ridiculous; applicants be considered on the basis of intellectual ability rather than wealth!

Reply 53

Gooner

These people may buy their way into Oxbridge, but when they come to sit their prelims and even their finals, what's to say they'll even marginally pass? With all of the pressure of Oxbridge, I doubt somebody who bought their way into these universities with ABB would be able to cope with the work load so it would be pretty pointless and counter-productive anyways. I know that's besides the point - somebody else could get a place, but I suppose it's a good idea to look at the negative side of them buying their way into such an 'elite' group.

Reply 54

Reblet

HMK stop sounding like a broken record with a chip on your shoulder. Jealousy is not an attractive feature.

Reply 55

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

Gooner

What you are assuming is that they cannot buy themselves out of the exam passing as well. The international students certainly seem to succeed in getting out of that one...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7392269.stm

There is no negative side for them really. Just a negative side for everyone else and British society as a whole.

Reply 56

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

Reblet

HMK stop sounding like a broken record with a chip on your shoulder. Jealousy is not an attractive feature.

This has absolutely nothing to do with jealousy. It is all to do with fairness.

Reply 57

Gooner

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

In that case though they run a huge risk of being caught. Universities have to send a sample of their marked exam papers to partner universities (from what I've read), and therefore giving a first to a student who deserves no more than a fail would be incredibly risky. :s-smilie:

Reply 58

dealbreaker

Why are Durham students so fussed about finding out who among them was rejected by Oxbridge? A significant number, yes, but forget about it and move on... You're lucky that you don't have to handle the pressure that typifies Oxbridge...

Reply 59

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

Gooner

Assuming of course that this student sat the exam themselves or didn't cheat in it at all. Asides, PhD's are supposed to have a viva that involves at least one external examiner, looks like these international students are getting away with it. People seem to be turning too much of a blind eye these days...