Avoiding deferred entry

could i apply after A2, and if all goes good have an interview that year after i have my results then take 9 months out as a "gap year" doing something related and worthwhile to my course.

instead of applying before i get A2 results, taking a gap year and risking defered entry which i dont really want to do.

what do you think?

Reply 1

JohnStuartMill

8

emit.

could i apply after A2, and if all goes good have an interview that year after i have my results then take 9 months out as a "gap year" doing something related and worthwhile to my course.

instead of applying before i get A2 results, taking a gap year and risking defered entry which i dont really want to do.

what do you think?

Yes you can apply post A2, but why not apply for deferred entry and if you don't get in re-apply post A2? That is allowed you know.

Reply 2

emit.

OP

2

good point. will i have equal chance of acceptance through reapplication or will they remember previous rejection and take into consideration?

Reply 3

spurs123

10

emit.

good point. will i have equal chance of acceptance through reapplication or will they remember previous rejection and take into consideration?

equal chance....some say even greatre...becasu you then apply ot a different college....and if u have the grades already, are doing relevent stuff n gap year....its a plus

Reply 4

fishpaste

they will know you were rejected from another college though. to say you have an equal chance is probably not always true, but probably sometimes true.

Reply 5

RichE

15

depends how clued up the tutors are

they may not have thought to look to see if you'd applied previously to a different college - and in Cambridge I'm not sure how easy that would be to do with applications less centralized - but anyway they may feel that it would prejudice your application to do so, and that you should be judged afresh on your current application at the current time

Reply 6

groovy_moose

1

I wouldn't worry about it - do what you think is best for you - not how you think it will be easier to get in.

I've heard, in the main, that deferred entry is harder - since they have to bet on you being one of the best against the next years competition aswell well as the year of application.

On the other hand, my experience possibly speaks differently. There were about 12 applicants at my college and according to students already there, they'd let in 1 or 2 straight entry and 0 or 1 defered entry for the past few years, and since there were 3 deferred candidates and 9-ish straight - that gave us a marginally better chance - although, it has to be said that that's ignoring the pool system...

Reply 7

parallelduck

Don't forget that some subjects actively encourage deferring your place (or at least, taking a gap year.)

Reply 8

Alexander

12

I'd recommend applying for deferred, then if you don't get in treat it as a practice run and try again.

Reply 9

blueprints

One of the problems with applying post A2 is that you won't get much or any help from your school. So perhaps while you'll still there it would be worth getting some oxbridge related tutoring for your course and the interview. Similarly as you will be a year older than most candidates you should be able to demonstrate this increased maturity and depth of knowledge.

I'm applying post A2 this September because I didn't fancy trying for deferred entry (though reading the above posts perhaps that would have been a good idea) anyway I went to all the extra classes and stuff that the kids applying last year went to. Another bonus is that I've had months longer for prep reading. I would suggest if you're pretty set on Oxbridge, apply in this round and if you don't get in then try the next. Perhaps you'd prefer the piece of mind that comes with having longer to prepare and become wider read. But just weigh up the choices as to what would best suit you, and ask your teachers too - but don't let them make you do what's just easier for them!

Avoiding deferred entry

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