didn't get in? thinking about doing it all again

I'm not the only one! Have you got an LSE offer (damn LSE haven't responded for me yet, the bastards, only "internal shortlist")? I just feel that I couldn't turn down UCL or LSE, because putting it simply, I have relatively small amount to gain compared to the potentially huge cost of failure. I just loved cambridge so much though . . . . and I genuinely feel that next year my application would be so much stronger (with full A levels rather than predicted, a couple of AEAs (hopefully passed), and minus a spelling mistake in my personal statement and bizarre futuristic talk about work experience, in that I had only arranged it, and had to talk about what it entailed, rather than the actual experience).

just becuase the app/offer ratio is low doesnt make it all that easy. they will just bring in loads from other colleges and may not accept any of the applicants that applied direct. they have no problem accepting people who didnt apply direct. also if in one year the ratio becomes ridiculously low then loads more people will apply. for instance brasenose (one of the top places for PPE) had a ratio of 3.0 this year so i guess load smore peoplewill apply there next year

i agree - they won't accept someone just to fill places, they'll only take people who they think are able to cope with the course. there's the pool, and if necessary they'l just have a smaller intake one year.

You can't deny there's an effect though.

I personally think it's a myth that other universities won't offer you a place again because they carry some kind of resentment after you didnt accept it last time. All the universities I applied to last year, I applied to this year. And each one has given me an offer again. I actually emailed York and Durham about it and they said that they don't care whether you've applied to them before and turned down their offers. The past has no bearing on your application.

Without wanting to offend you, I think it depends quite sharply on the subject. Philosophy isn't as competitive as say courses such as Economics or English or Law.

People need to consider very carefully the chance that they could end up worse off from a reapplication.

I'm currently considering one, but the *big* thing which puts me off is that another rejection will be humiliating, as opposed to disappointing. Is it too much to put on the line for one uni?

just becuase the app/offer ratio is low doesnt make it all that easy. they will just bring in loads from other colleges and may not accept any of the applicants that applied direct. they have no problem accepting people who didnt apply direct. also if in one year the ratio becomes ridiculously low then loads more people will apply. for instance brasenose (one of the top places for PPE) had a ratio of 3.0 this year so i guess load smore peoplewill apply there next year

That's slightly reassuring, in the rejection letter the admissions tutor for Trinity said there was a chance I might get an offer from St. Peters, where I had my second interview. I doubt I'll get one though. I've been thinking along the same lines about the ratios, but in 2004 St. Peter's had a 1:1 ratio, and apparently this year it was even lower! I'm not sure what to think

Without wanting to offend you, I think it depends quite sharply on the subject. Philosophy isn't as competitive as say courses such as Economics or English or Law.

People need to consider very carefully the chance that they could end up worse off from a reapplication.

I'm currently considering one, but the *big* thing which puts me off is that another rejection will be humiliating, as opposed to disappointing. Is it too much to put on the line for one uni?

I personally think it's a myth that other universities won't offer you a place again because they carry some kind of resentment after you didnt accept it last time. All the universities I applied to last year, I applied to this year. And each one has given me an offer again. I actually emailed York and Durham about it and they said that they don't care whether you've applied to them before and turned down their offers. The past has no bearing on your application.

One thing that is putting me off is that I was rejected straight away rather than pooled and then rejected. However from my feedback, I think that a little more reading on certain parts of the course would improve my chances dramatically. Also I think applying to a college that don't ask for essays would also help me. Durham have given me an absolute b*$&% of an offer, that I don't even want to get, never mind think I'm going to get (Grrrrr, sometimes I wish I did A-levels), so that's my two top choices down. Of my others, I don't want to go to Edinburgh, I've gone off York, Keele doesn't seem all that great a place or course, and Abertay would be a total change of degree programmes.
If I do decide to take a gap year and reapply to uni, I might as well reapply to Cambridge I suppose. I could do some OU stuff over the next year to make sure I'm studying the right course and give me at least an introduction to uni type stuff.
*sigh* This is all so complicated.
I think there's some kind of coallition afoot around my town to persuade me to reapply - I had a twenty minute talk on how nice St Johns is from my register teacher today

Yup, I assumed you knew snuggly.

{hugs} ABB at Advanced Higher. Yes I know that sounds strange, but Cambridge knew about the problems with one of my subjects i.e. I haven't been taught for the entire year, I haven't been set any work, I haven't been given guidelines for the project that make up half of the grade, I haven't been given any more course materials other than one website which is terrible! And the subject isn't relevant to my choice of course anyway, despite being a longtime hobby of mine (probably not anymore )

i'd be worried about reapplying after a straight rejection too.....since a straight rejection is given only when they feel confident that a candidate is not good enough for cambridge....they probably wouldnt like to admit they were wrong the following year....so if you do reapply make sure it's not to robinson again! Work hard on correcting the things you were weak on....and who knows. But it's a big risk...double rejection must be a terrible feeling!