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Has anyone ever rejected an Oxbridge offer?

Just out of curiosity, does anyone on TSR know of someone who put Oxbridge as their insurance or just rejected the offer outright? And why did they do it? I know Oxbridge doesn't appeal to everyone (Someone in my family decided to leave Cambridge after a year and ended up at UCL), but I've never heard of someone rejecting an Oxbridge offer.

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Reply 1

Organ

i know somebody who had cold feet and wanted to change his cambridge maths offer to Warwick

Reply 2

fretter778

My friend is planning to if he does get one I think. He only applied there because his parents made him and he likes the course more elsewhere.

Reply 3

im so academic

Original post by Organ

*subscribes*

Original post by Organ

i know somebody who had cold feet and wanted to change his cambridge maths offer to Warwick

Not Cambridge Maths! :facepalm2:

Reply 4

fredscarecrow

My brother did :shrugs: Got offers for Natural Sciences from Cambridge. He turned it down for Maths and Physics at Durham. He graduated last year, top of his year [in Masters maths, he dropped physics after first year].
He just didn't feel like the Cambridge course was quite right for him, and he prefered the Durham college system.

edit: Why on earth did I get negged for this?! I'm simply stating the facts.... sheesh.
edit x2: Aww shucks. Thanks guys :blush:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 5

Vampyrcorn

I know a girl who rejected Cambridge because she was put in the all-girls college. Or at least that was the reason she gave. I think it was more because she was scared of the pressure (her parents put her under a lot of strain and I think she panicked at the last moment and clicked 'reject').

Reply 6

Muffinz

One of the girls last year who got an Oxford offer decided to withdraw and go through the Open University, I think. I could be wrong though.

Reply 7

Doughnuts!!

Around two months ago, I was seriously contemplating doing this if I were to get an offer 'cos I didn't/still don't think that I can cope with the ridonkulous workload and pressurised environment.

I've kinda changed my mind now, but you never know...

Reply 8

Mann18

People do it every year: http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/facts_and_figures/undergraduate_admissions_statistics/school_type.html

Scroll to the bottom, it shows you the average of offers to types of school, and acceptances of those offers.

EDIT: Actually, it only shows maintained acceptances.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 9

therealOG

Original post by Muffinz

One of the girls last year who got an Oxford offer decided to withdraw and go through the Open University, I think. I could be wrong though.

Wow, really? I guess she wanted to study at home. That's totally understandable though. I reckon there's too much pressure these days for people to move away for university. For (most) people it's a good thing, but for many it'd be better for them to stay home for just a few more years...

My friend did

Yes, of course some people do. I think I remember reading somewhere that it was around 5% of offer-holders (and they take this into account with the number of offers they give out). Although the number of people on TSR who will claim to have rejected an Oxbridge offer or claim to personally know somebody who rejected one is probably stretching credibility a bit. Or maybe that's just me being cynical... :erm:

Edit: Oh, get a bloody grip, you muppets. I'm not disputing that people do reject Oxbridge offers, and I'm not accusing you personally of lying, I'm merely saying that it seems likely that *some people* on TSR are embellishing the truth a little, because the numbers don't really add up. That's all. And it's the truth, whether you like to hear it or not. Some people lie on the internet. Big deal.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 12

Organ

Original post by im so academic

*subscribes*

:eek:

Not Cambridge Maths! :facepalm2:

Well it's not for everyone, it's quite an intense programme and I believe he found Cambridge too stuffy and formal - it's completely understandable. Absolute genius according to my chem teacher, maybe he made the clever choice :tongue:

Reply 13

The Lad

I know a guy who was considerd to be 'Oxbridge mnterial' by his teahcers. He visited them both but was not keen on the atmosphere as he's a 'jack-the-lad' / party lad and found Oxbridge too stuffy / formal.

He wanted to study at a uni with a 'party atmosphere' so he applied Leeds Uni where he now attends. He's having the time of his life and partying non-stop. He says he doesn't regret not applying to Oxbridge. He is now on course to graduate with a first from Leeds!!! :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 14

Slumpy

I know two, one who got in for natsci, but decided after applying he wanted to do physics, one who got in for maths, ended up doing maths and philosophy. Both at durham interestingly.

Reply 15

.ACS.

I know one person who did.

Additionally, one of my teachers at school achieved top grades at A-Level but went to a university below his calibre as he wanted to graduate top of his class rather than be average.

Reply 16

Mann18

Original post by The Lad

So he didn't reject an offer, he didn't apply at all.

Reply 17

juzjump

lad in my school rejected oxford as he got another offer from MIT in america, physics i think he did

Reply 18

therealOG

Original post by .ACS.

Your teacher sounds like a right knob lol. Although the feeling of prestige/standing is all relative...numerous studies have shown that people would rather have less money and everyone around them poorer than everyone being equally richer...I suppose it's the same with grades/intelligence....maybe your teacher made the right decision :tongue:

Reply 19

The Lad

Original post by Mann18

So he didn't reject an offer, he didn't apply at all.