Got AABB Alevels, any chance of getting in for International Relations @ St Andrews??

Hi all,

I've seen the admission's details and it's AAA for International Relations, and I have AABB. But I really want to study at St Andrews (I've held an offer from them before) and do IR there!!

Do you think there is ANY chance of me getting in (if I have a really good PS) or will it be a waste of a choice?

I fell in love with the city, the uni and everything about it, and would do anything possible to study there!

I agree with the op. The chances are pretty slim.

From speaking to professsors and lecturers etc in the IR department the key to entry in IR in St.Andrews is definatly the personal statement.

Its really Competetive. This year for every 11 applicants that apllied, 1 got in. And every year people with perfect AAAA grades get turned away because thier personal statement just isnt up to scratch.

Peolple every year say in thier statement "Ive done X and Y" etc, Thats great, but the key is to express enthusiam for the subject, and give evidence to back up your enthusiasm.

For example (Im in St andrews for physics but I knew people in the IR department) I bought a uni text book, read a chapter, and talked about it. This shows that I had the enthusiam to get and read a book that is outside a normal learning experience and also that I had the capability to understand complex ideas.

So find a current world event your interested in, or a particular academic paper and write about it in your statement and how this excites you etc


Hope this helps and hope you get in to St. Andrews!

I think for maths they give out offers to over half of all the applicants,.

I agree with the op. The chances are pretty slim.

From speaking to professsors and lecturers etc in the IR department the key to entry in IR in St.Andrews is definatly the personal statement.

Its really Competetive. This year for every 11 applicants that apllied, 1 got in. And every year people with perfect AAAA grades get turned away because thier personal statement just isnt up to scratch.

Peolple every year say in thier statement "Ive done X and Y" etc, Thats great, but the key is to express enthusiam for the subject, and give evidence to back up your enthusiasm.

For example (Im in St andrews for physics but I knew people in the IR department) I bought a uni text book, read a chapter, and talked about it. This shows that I had the enthusiam to get and read a book that is outside a normal learning experience and also that I had the capability to understand complex ideas.

So find a current world event your interested in, or a particular academic paper and write about it in your statement and how this excites you etc


Hope this helps and hope you get in to St. Andrews!

Thanks for all the advice! When I got an offer from them last time I'd applied for Medicine, which is pretty competitive, but at the time I was predicted straight As (offer was AAB) and had a very good PS plus I was invited for an interview which went really well. Financial circumstances didnt allow me to take up the offer.

Now I already have my grades, and they're not going to invite me for an interview, but I am as passionate about IR now as I was about Medicine at the time!

I guess I'm just worried that they'll dismiss my application straightaway just because of the grades...what do you think?

To be honest, youve only missed the asking grades by one, so your personal statement will be looked at

Like I said, i met one of professor that looks at IR personal statments, from meeting and speaking with him, I'm pretty sure he'll look at it. He looked over my physics one when I applied last year. The main thing he said to me was that every year, people send personal statements who just list achivements, which is great, but the most important thing is that you have a huge passion for your subject.

This is because he wants students who will go all the way through the course and love every minute. Because whats the point in investing in a student that'll drop out after a year?

I can tell that you have a passion for IR, so I think that'll you produce a great statement. Like I said, youve got to back up that passion, write about a current world event or academic paper (or somethign else like in a uni textbook or something, you chose, I dont have that much experince with IR theory )

If you need anymore advice with your PS or the application process, just PM me

You should really state in your opening post that this is for A Level btw because from reading the title I assumed it was highers.

Oh, sorry, didn't think of that...Any advice anyway?

Sorry I don't really know much about A Levels and how unis look at them and things But if you've held an offer from them before then that might pop up and you may be in for a chance, depends how good your PS is

That's fab! I think I'm definitely applying there. I was thinking Warwick if not, but tbh, there is no way I'd firm Warwick, so I might as well try St Andrews, nothing to lose

And since you're being so nice, I shall make the full use of it and send you my PS

Thanks!

One thing to note - though this might have changed with IR due to popularity - is that in St Andrews you get into faculties not subjects (even if they have different entry grades) and do 2/3 subjects from the faculty in first and second year so you can apply for a history degree for example and then do an IR module and if you get top grades then change subject to IR.

This is really helpful, thanks. I might ring and find out...

I'm afraid this isn't true, to do IR modules you need to have AAA at A level regardless of the fact that you are a matriculated arts student, IR have their own entry requirements - to quote this years course catalogue - "Prerequisites: AAAA at Higher or AAA at A level" - so even if you do become a student here, you won't meet the prerequisite to study first year IR which therefore means it looks like your chances are very slim

Ah, that's a shame, because that's what I would have suggested. I suppose I assumed it was like Glasgow, where as a registered arts student you can do any arts subject. However, I suppose here there's a standard offer across the board - all arts courses ask for the same grades, or at least, I think they do.

OP -it's possibly worth applying, although bear in mind it's unlikely you'll get an offer as IR at St Andrews is very competitive (I was considering applying there last year). So long as you also apply to a few slightly more realistic options though, you might as well give it a go. After all, you've got nothing to lose.

I'm afraid this isn't true, to do IR modules you need to have AAA at A level regardless of the fact that you are a matriculated arts student, IR have their own entry requirements - to quote this years course catalogue - "Prerequisites: AAAA at Higher or AAA at A level" - so even if you do become a student here, you won't meet the prerequisite to study first year IR which therefore means it looks like your chances are very slim