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Rejections

i know its tough but it just comes down to the sheer number of applications per place. A lot of the time 5ASs aren't say, an advantage over 4 and some universities like Bristol for example have said that they don't really attach importance to the amount of extra curriculer activities - whereas others do, so it's hard to tick the right boxes when everywhere wants different things. The whole 'public school discrimination' factor is over-rated. Basically some are lucky, some aren't regardless of background.

Reply 21

Becca_18star

*******s. They get more if you come from abroad from very rich parents. And who said I was from a disadvantaged background? Middle class people exist here you know just no facilities or posh schools unless your willing to pay.
Err check out the little book of crap towns were number twenty something. Get in.

Reply 22

Becca_18star

Lol they block swearing here!! teehee :thrasher:

Reply 23

a.random

OP

ooh i forgot GCSE, didnt do amazingly well on that. 4 A* but then B's and a couple A's. on average they are good but compared to the competition those B's may have made a difference??

lol compared to the competition. sounds a bit wrong....dunno why

Reply 24

a.random

OP

Becca_18star

*******s. They get more if you come from abroad from very rich parents. And who said I was from a disadvantaged background? Middle class people exist here you know just no facilities or posh schools unless your willing to pay.
Err check out the little book of crap towns were number twenty something. Get in.

as my mother pointed out when we discussed this over lunch just because i am at a school which became independent in the 70's - changing from a grammar school - it doesnt mean i am rich or posh. i am on a 50% bursary, as are many of my friends. my parents have scraped and saved to put me through private education, partly because my fathers company paid for my siblings' boarding schools and they felt it fair and partly because they believe it to give me a better start.

admittedly there are far too many bastards with brand new cars and stupid allowances, but hey!

sorry i didnt mean you with the disadvantaged background thing! and please dont call me posh, i prefer to be known by my title 3rd Earl of Hampton you downtrodden plebian. jokes of course!!

incidentally if you loook at the ultimate 'posh' school Eton many of those there are on scholarships or bursaries. dont judge us immeadiatley

Reply 25

Specialheffa

2

All this about GCSE grades and what school you go to does get quite tedious when it is brought up time and time again (especially for oxbridge!)...

I agree there is a substantial amount of luck involved with high-ratio subjects, but regardless of your grades, I really believe the personal statement and reference are crucial to an application; even more so for those universities of which do not interview. Again, it's not how perfect you are but HOW you come across from a teacher's perspective and personally - does the person reading it want to teach you?

I feel like i'm an expert at the application proceedure lol (this year re-application, because I missed my A grade, and wanted a gap year anyway!). Last year I applied to Cam, KCL, UCL, Queen Mary and Warwick: I got offers from KCL, UCL, QM and an interview with Warwick of which I declined.
THIS YEAR i applied to Cam, UCL, York, Warwick and Manchester, and I have offers from UCL, York (withdrew from KCL) whilst anticpating War. and Man.
My grades: GCSE 5A's and 5B's. AS Levels: ABB (B in Eng, Hist. A in Psy) and A'Levels: AAB (A in Hist/Psy and B in Eng, retaken hopefully A) and AEA Dist in English.
Now compared to you brainiacs (lol) my grades are not particularly stunning and my AS's when I applied were not great. But i really feel my PS and Reference got across my attributes, interests and all that - I come from a rubbish comprehensive in a equally rubbish area and to be honest I dislike telling people (and the uni's) that because it had no bearing on my academic record. My school only provided what they could and ONLY ME could do the work for what I wanted.

Sorry to be all auto-bio, but I just wanted to convey my opinion about the admissions procedure and what I think counts. And fasterpurple, please don't SET your heart in stone for Cam, I really believe that re-application English applicants rarely get made offers. Neither me, nor Englishstudent and another person here did not, and also people I know - maybe it's a taboo subject for Cam. But fingers crossed for you all the same!

Reply 26

a.random

OP

All this about GCSE grades and what school you go to does get quite tedious when it is brought up time and time again (especially for oxbridge!)...

sorry mate am new, only really talking on here to find out info about uni, and other opinions on exactly that topic. and lets be honest its always going to be brought up repeatedly so dont bother complaining!!

well said for the rest of it though

Reply 27

Specialheffa

2

s'ok... but every year you get it lol, and you never will stop it (people react differently lol). i genuinely feel sorry for those who haven't got places, but if it's that bad take a year out and you can earn money etc for uni if that was the case...
I think the uni procedure does need to be revamped some how but don't ask me for a plan lol!

Reply 28

sugarplumc

1

I think a lot of the problem this year is the increased number of applicants as a result of next year's introduction of top-up fees. It is true that it's a lottery, so don't feel it's because you aren't good enough.

Five rejections.

I think most people applying for English are in the same boat.. I got three rejections last year. Was somewhat annoying that I had better grades then all my friends, but I also got more rejections because I didn't apply for things like Business Studies or Sociology!

Reply 31

hazzie1

1

hmm, explain this one...
I got 1 a* 2 a 5 b 2 c GCSE
3 a and 1 b (hopefully a at retake) as level
got into to Oxford and Glasgow
rejected from York, Bristol and Durham
I go to a state school
I've just been reading the thread and I don't seem to fit into any pattern?! :confused:

My grades aren't spectacular and sometimes I swear I don't understand why Oxford let me in. Rejection sucks

Reply 32

a.random

OP

hazzie1 you chancer! well done, you probably came across well at interview. when they asked me 'how do you measure the length of a sentnce in english' i said um with a ruler. didnt impress the guy too much. the first interview was great though - we just talked about gin.

oh well!

Reply 33

mousey

2

hia - whoever used my list of rejections on the last page - i don't mind. As i've chaged my sig i'll say again i got rejected from Cambridge Durham York and Bristol and i am predited AAAA. My GCSE results are 3 A* 3A 4B 1C. Hugely long list of extra curricular and experience etc etc. Two of my A*s were English Lit and Lang. I wasn't bothered about Cambridge - wasn't expecting to get in there anyway, mainly due to my lack of A*s. Being rejected from Durham gutted me as it was my first choice, however with the typical offer being AAA i'm not suprised as i didn't get in as only the best of the best will have applied there. York and Bristol upset me and i got to the point where i just wanted to scream what more can i do??? However, i know now that Bristol has a ridiculously high number of applicants and York probably would have preferred me if i had a language A level. It was horrible going through all those rejections but it makes me appreciate my offer from Nottingham even more. I'm so excited, and relieved that they gave me an offer. I guess it's just really hard this year. If i hadn't have gotten into Notts i would have taken a year out and applied again. At least now with an undergrad place at a respected uni i may be able to get postgrad at Durham. They need to distinguish between us somehow, and everyone is seems so good, you may have just been unlucky. xx

Reply 34

Agrippina

15

I got 3/6 rejections - rejected from Oxford, Durham and Warwick. Not too bothered about the latter two, and I don't mind about Oxford so much anymore!

Reply 35

Checking for Spies

10

I got rejected form Bristol (thankfully not my prefered course!) and Cambridge :smile:

Reply 36

Charlottie

12

I didn't have to go through the demoralisation of rejection. Reading threads like this, I guess I was lucky. :smile:

Reply 37

mousey

2

I wish i was you. Cambridge Durham and York were my top 3. xx

Reply 38

Charlottie

12

mousey

I wish i was you. Cambridge Durham and York were my top 3. xx

This is where I feel bad. :frown:

I won't take up Durham, because with Cambridge as my first choice there's little point. I don't even know if York will be a choice, because I love Edinburgh and think I'll be going with the safety of BBB as my insurance. :frown:

I actually feel quite bad. :frown:

Reply 39

RachelBabyfrog

14

Charlottie

This is where I feel bad. :frown:

I won't take up Durham, because with Cambridge as my first choice there's little point. I don't even know if York will be a choice, because I love Edinburgh and think I'll be going with the safety of BBB as my insurance. :frown:

I actually feel quite bad. :frown:

Fancy giving me your Durham offer? :wink:

Rejections

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