[Historywillabsolveme]

Hi
This is my first post here (although I've read lots!), so firstly apologies if I don't get this all quite right. It's just I could really do with some objective advice about what to do next, and this seemed to be a good place to get it.

OK - this is me and this is my dilemma. In essence it's simple: I have an offer from York to study History and English this year but don't know whether to accept as I'm a bit stuck on the idea of Cambridge. The devil, as they say, is in the detail.

I'm a year 12 grammar school student and this year I will be taking 4 A2 exams and 1 AS. I'm doing this because my school changed the way it organises its exam programmes. We now do our GCSEs in year 10, our ASs (+ extra GCSEs) in year 11, more ASs and some A2s in year 12 and final A2s in year 13.

I did OK in my GCSEs - or at least I thought so until I read what people get on here! - getting 4 A*, 4A, 3B and 2C, and couldnt really see the point in doing more, so opted for 4 AS in year 11 (against school advice I must add). I knew that it would be OK to drop a subject if I needed to, but I seemed to be able to cope so I carried on, eventually getting As in History, Politics, Classical Civilisation and English. My teachers all seemed to be impressed at how I improved from year 10 to year 11 and had predicted I'd do well - but you never quite believe it until you see it on paper!

I had intended to stagger my A2 exams over two years, but the course profiles changed meaning that I had to do all four this year. (I'm doing Classics out of school as it isn't offered at A2 and I've also picked up Philosophy & Ethics AS.) And again my teachers have predicted all As.

So, back in September I began to wonder what I would do in year 13 - and made a snap decision that maybe I'd leave and try for uni a year early. Several of my key teachers suggested it to me before I'd even said anything to them and once it was in my head I really wanted to give it a try. I couldn't ask my parents for advice as neither have been to uni, but I did ask my head of sixth form - who just said give it a go if you want to.

As all I was doing was "giving it a try" I simply applied to the top unis (we're told to do that lol) and thought that what will be will be. Trouble is that somewhere in between writing my personal statement and clicking send on my UCAS statement, I feel head over heels in love with Cambridge. Doh!

Now I appreciate that people spend years preparing for Cambridge (and I wish I had) but I completed my SAQ, found appropriate essays and tried to prepare for my interview with very little advice or support. I did get an interview (which I really enjoyed - although didn't feel that I'd "shone" like in my practice ones) but subsequently got pooled and then ultimately rejected. My rejection letter from Pembroke was lovely - very considerate explaining that they didn't always pick the right candidates and often made mistakes themselves! And my feedback was also (I think) OK - they said that my writing was good and that I was good at interview - but slightly intellecually inflexible (does that mean I need to read more?). They also mentioned that my age was against me when it came to being pooled.

Now, following on from my Cambs rejection I have also been turned down by Durham (no surprise there given my A* level) and St Andrews (really thought I had a chance there, so not sure what to read into that). I've heard nothing from Warwick (apart from lots of random "we'll contact you soon" emails) and I have my offer from York - which I received quite quickly after sending off my UCAS application.

The big question is - do I stay at school next year and complete year 13 or do I head for York this year and give up on Cambridge? If I stay at school I will do A2 Philosophy & Ethics, A Level 4 Foundation course in Journalism and I'm hoping that they will let me start an OU course in Latin as it isnt offered. I'm also hoping to continue my history mentoring for younger students and help out in some history classes. And, if I can fit it in, I'll take on some voluntary work, hopefully at the local museum. Oh and I'll also do AEAs in History and English. But what if I do all that and get rejected by Cambridge AND turned down by York? My teachers say I'm unlikely to be turned down by York...?

The alternative is go to York this year (if I get the 3As needed) but maybe miss some of the freshers fun because I won't be 18 til Jan. Oh It's all soooo confusing!

If you've read this through - then thank you x And, if you have any advice I'd love to hear from you!

[Mother_Russia]

Heya!
First of all WELL DONE ON YOUR A-LEVELS/GCSE'S!

I do agree, you've got a problemo on your hands. Just think think what you really want to do. Do you REALLY want to grow up quickly and go off straight to uni? Think about it...another year, with your parents paying the bills, another year of being 'a child' so to speak.

Alternatively you can always go to York. Did you like York (i sure love York, didn't apply though(stupid me)). And let's be honest, you're going to enjoy uni wherever you are, regardless.

However, it seems to me that you've really got your heart set on cambridge. So I suggest take the extra year. And don't just study your curriculum. Do loads of extra reading about your subject. And do LOADS of research on cambridge. Which is the best college to apply for, etc. Apply for York again, I doubt you'll get rejected. But if you're so scared of rejection next year, also apply for some lower league uni's. Just to ease your concious. I definitely would

Well that's my decision. But it's all up to you XD Good luck

[Historywillabsolveme]

Thank you for your quick reply...all very relevant and useful. It's nice to hear that you also don't think I'd get turned down by York as I do really like it there - and I suppose there are benefits to staying at home in terms of having a bit of an easier year and being able to prepare.
Are you at uni now - or applying this year and where did you opt for?
x

[hannah463]

I definitely think you would still get an offer from York - staying on for year 13 will only give you more experience anyway. If you're really set on Cambridge, I'd give it another go. And I also think if you're not 18 for the first term you'll miss out on loads on the social side of things.

[0404343m]

At the end of day, York is a very good history school, does well in teaching and research, student satisfaction is high and resources are good. It's hardly a disaster having an offer from there. Way back in my UGrad application days (2003), I rejected Durham and Edinburgh in favour of Glasgow (Yes, north of the Border people in the know said I'd be mad to pick Durham over my Scottish offers- TSR thinks differently) - but it has definitely been the best decision I ever made.

The choice here is twofold. Do you really want to leave school now/ will an extra year before uni bother you? Also, is your heart really set on Cambridge? I've worked with some very sharp Cambridge graduates in History, but also some very sharp graduates of other Universities, Aberdeen and Bath to name two. The best students are the best students regardless- if you want to stay in the subject then not going to Cambridge is no hindrance whatsoever, although it might give you a slight edge on gaining an interview for a random grad job. When you've been around for a while, you realise that going after Oxbridge because it is Oxbridge is not always the best idea, and you rue the choice in later years. Visit the Depts, talk to the staff, see how you feel about the makeup of the course- make the choice based on that- top grads at Russell/1994 group Unis and other established names are always in demand. The only reason I'm considering my Oxford D.Phil offer is down to the person I would be working with- the University name doesn't feature in my thinking.

It's unlikely York won't make you an offer next year, but its highly dependent on their intake next year. A couple of dozen extra AAA students might just stiffen the competition, which is something to consider. It sounds like you're going down the right road though of volunteering and taking an active interest in helping out others, so if you really do think the Cambridge course/atmosphere is for you, then pursue it- but it is by no means the be all and end all.

[giella]

I'm not entirely sure I understand your dilemma about staying on for year 13, as I'm getting a little fuzzy with the late hour.
I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I went for Cambridge and got rejected but I had also fallen in love with York at this point. I loved York so much that Cambridge rejection never bothered me. I also have a friend who turned down Cambridge for York so she could do a gap year. She's thriving and was one of the most successful students I ever met at York as well.
Cambridge is an experience, and it's something that if I had been offered it, I probably wouldn't have thought twice before accepting. However, as my friend can attest, not going to Cambridge will not cripple you for life. It's possible to make your years at university the best and most memorable of your life by making good friends, studying well and hard, picking the right courses, keeping as busy as possible and approaching life with real enthusiasm. York was a really nurturing place for all of this and I loved the experience of living in York so much that it's almost painful to be away from the place now.
Not going to Cambridge is something I can equate to not going sky-diving. It's amazing, and everyone says it is, and you have to admit it looks like fun. But it's something that everyone can live without doing. You may make another choice in life, such as bungee jumping and find that you loved it whole-heartedly and that's what you'll end up doing on a regular basis. Your life will not be unfulfilled just because you made the decision to do bungee jumping instead of sky diving. You made a choice which turned out well.
I would also take the time to promote York here. The course is fantastic. The tutors are amazing. The ducks provide at least 2 minutes' worth of distraction a day. The city is beautiful. You can study pretty much anything you want to during the history course and you'll be studying with people who were educated mostly at Oxford/Cambridge anyway. The support which is available to you is as much as you want to make it.
Don't assume that York is the second best choice. Yes, I'm biased as a York graduate but I would say the same about Durham or Warwick or Kings. Cambridge may make employers swoon but your three years at university don't belong to your employers. They're yours to make the most of. You couldn't possibly know that your experience there would be any better than at York or Durham.
The course at York covers topics nearly identical to the ones covered at Cambridge. You're as much an apprentice historian there as you are at Cambridge. The people teaching at York are at the top of their game. They'll give you all the support you'll ever need as well. Don't dismiss York out of hand.
York was the place I wanted to go. Cambridge was the place I had to try. I found a college I liked and I might have been happy there. But it's only sky diving. I'm sure it's fun and a thrill. But I got the same things out of bungee jumping and I never beat myself up for not trying to jump out of an airplane a second time.

[Charli800]

You sound like you really want to go to Cambridge, but you're afraid you're being rash. I would do the extra year at school, which is only going to make you more eligible for entrance. Going to the uni you dream about will be worth the wait!

[--]

Intellectual inflexibility does not mean you hadn't read enough, it means you weren't flexible in accepting new ideas or possibly not able to see the alternative perspectives the interviewers were trying to lead you towards.

[Historywillabsolveme]

Hello again and thank you for all of your advice. I think it's helped to make things a bit clearer.
At the moment I'm thinking that staying in year 13 looks like my best option, simply as I'd like to give Cambridge a go on a level playing field - and like everyone says the extra year at school will probably make a big difference maturity wise.
However, it's great to see everyone so passionate about York - I guess I'll just have to hope that they want me next year too.
In terms of the intellectual inflexibility - I'm going to work on that, maybe I just need to listen more and talk less. More maturity stuff !!
Thank you xx

[necessarily benevolent]

Go for it again. You'll get into other good unis anyway (St Andrews, Warwick, a London one maybe etc.). And tbh if you go to uni when you're 17 then what the hell are you going to do in terms of the social scene?

[J.W]

I got rejected from Oxford sept 09 start for a course I shouldn't have picked in the first place. I'm stuck on the idea of Oxbridge. I'm taking a year off and re-applying. Life's too short. I suggest you go for it! I'm applying for History at Cambridge for 2010 and if I get rejected, at least I won't have any regrets about not giving it a go! If you do decide to go for Cam, I hope to see you there!