Rejecting Oxford

Just out of interest - what reasons would you consider to be valid to reject Oxford for?

I'm really unsure about whether I'll take my offer at Oxford or not, but my teacher told me not to waste an opportunity that other people would do a lot to get, and my friend told me to think about my future - even if I don't feel like it's 100% right for me now, the advantage it will give me for future employers will outweigh the 3 years I spend there. Do you think that future prospects/the chance to study at Oxford is more important than other reasons that people might have for rejecting the offer?

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Reply 1

Too Many Commas

I think if the pros for somewhere else you have applied to outweigh the benefits of Oxford for you, you shouldn't feel pressurised to go there. You got an offer, that's incredible, but if you're not 100% sure, isn't it better to be completely happy with the course and location and so forth than to have gone to Oxford and not enjoyed it as much...? Prestige might look good, but at the end of the day it's your three years and your money, and work experience in your chosen field can be just as beneficial (if not more beneficial) to your future as the university name on your degree. If your alternative was still in the Russell group or the 1994 group I'm sure the impact wouldn't be too bad if you piled on the enthusiasm and the work experience.

Congratulations on the offer, by the way!

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Reply 2

cambio wechsel

The best reason to reject an offer from Oxford is that you were as well made an offer by another university that you preferred, and ideally preferred for the course content.

The worst reason to do so is out of some notion that you wouldn't fit in, "not for the likes of me".

Reply 3

On The Horizon

You're never going to be 100% sure about any future venture; have some backbone and take up your offer to study there. Since university is mostly about you and how you spend your time studying, you would be foolish to decline the most respected institution who gives you an offer.

Reply 4

xMr_BrightSide

It's one of the biggest opportunities of your life, so make completely sure the reasons you have are sufficient. If you're worried about the workload, or think you aren't 'nerdy' enough for it, that is stupid.

Don't do something you might greatly regret in a few years time.

Reply 5

username944192

As others have said, if you prefer a different course structure is probably the best reason. Not liking the uni on first impression I would say isn't a strong enough reason; maybe if you went back and found you still didn't like it, perhaps. Also agree about "not for the likes of me" - I came to Southampton rather than UCL for law because I thought the people would be more on my level socially (e.g. not toffs) but actually a lot of people on my course are stuck up, or think they're really posh etc which is extremely irritating. Ultimately I mean if you really don't like it and don't want to go then it's your choice, but will you regret it later in your life do you think?

Reply 6

MedMed12

Original post by roflcakes1

ive made a similar mistake before (for the name of something and for 'future opportunities' and hated it so much to the point I went from loving school to literally wanting to drop out so ended up moving after 3 years of misery and wish I did earlier onw hen I realised I hated it.
I know the dilemma you're in atm but you have the letter to say you made it to get an offer to oxford
I can only recommend this:

apply for the course which you love the most, the uni you love the most and most of all, the one you know you'll be happiest at/ cope at best :smile:

good luck

Reply 7

hannah_lou

I agree with MedMed12, it is best to be happy and enjoy yourself rather than just do something for the sake of prestige :smile:

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Reply 8

On The Horizon

Don't pay any attention to the people posting that you should make sure you will be comfortable with the course etc. - simply bad advice; they are essentially saying, "decline oxford if you think you might be happier somewhere else" - analyse that message: is it really good advice, or is it generic (perhaps well-intentioned) liberal arts-esque advice, which is actually wholly ignorant of the fact that you have a once in a lifetime chance to study at one of the most highly regarded institutions in the whole World. The greatest thinkers of our time studied at Oxford - they made themselves at Oxford; Oxford didn't make them. You have a chance to buck up, get your head down, and study as one of the most privileged university students of your year - do it, grin and bear the difficult and stressful times, make yourself a better person through the stress; come out with a fantastic certificate of your education being among the best in the World; reap the rewards in the future.

Or, go to somewhere you will be happier and less stressed, because you only live once and need to make sure you do what is right for you. :rolleyes:

Reply 9

River85

Original post by On The Horizon

What the heck is "liberal arts-esque advice" when it is at home?

which is actually wholly ignorant of the fact that you have a once in a lifetime chance to study at one of the most highly regarded institutions in the whole World. The greatest thinkers of our time studied at Oxford - they made themselves at Oxford; Oxford didn't make them. You have a chance to buck up, get your head down, and study as one of the most privileged university students of your year - do it, grin and bear the difficult and stressful times, make yourself a better person through the stress; come out with a fantastic certificate of your education being among the best in the World; reap the rewards in the future.

Well, it's not necessarily a once in a lifetime chance, but nevermind.

And be miserable for three years which will undoubtedly have a negative affect on academic performance? Far better have a 2:1 degree from another Russell Group university than a 2:2 from Oxford.

I agree that Oxford can be a fantastic opportunity. With the increase in tuition fees it is only right that students want value in their education and the tuition system and quality of teaching at Oxford and Cambridge can help to provide that. I strongly advise the OP to seriously consider Oxford and not to dismiss it thinking that he/she will not fit in there. As already mentioned, if the worry is that the environment isn't right (too posh and cliquey) then this also exists as other universities. I don't know of a Russell Group university which isn't in some way cliquey or doesn't have its fair share of snobs. If the worry is that you aren't good enough, then discuss this with your teachers, have a look at your work. Remind yourself that Oxford gave you an offer so presumably must see potential.

However, if a person strongly prefers the course at another university then it's not absurd for them to go elsewhere. University can be a stressful time and it requires commitment. Far better make it easier for yourself and go with a course you think you will enjoy more. It can be particularly important if one is thinking of doing postgraduate study and another university will provide the more appropriate course/foundation for this. A number of Russell Group universities have departments of a comparable standard to Oxford and Cambridge, albeit it without certain aspects of teaching such as tutorials.

Oxford and Cambridge is not the be all and end all. I know you (On the Horizon) didn't attend Oxford and Cambridge for your undergraduate degree. Do you think it held you back?

Also, OP, don't think that by matriculating at Oxford you are commited to staying there for the three years. If you are genuinely unhappy then you can always leave and re-apply or transfer.

OP, can I ask what your reasons for applying to Oxford were? Were you attracted to the course and environment? Did you see the process of applying there as a challenge? Were you pressurised into applying?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 10

Callumhamby

If I were you, i would take it, once in a lifetime and it will benifit you massively. However Im not you, and there is NO point spending 3 years somewhere you hate.

Reply 11

Kutta

Maybe the course is different? Maybe you want to live in London? Maybe the course is higher ranked better? Maybe you will not fit in? maybe you do not like the place?

They are many maybes

Reply 12

redferry

Original post by On The Horizon

Unis such as Bristol have better employment prospects, Oxbridge does not guarantee a job.

Oxbrige isn't the right study environment for everyone, why go only to crack under the pressure and spend 3 years on antidepressants as some do?

Reply 13

Keynesian

Please do not reject Oxford. It may seem a viable thing to do but I guarantee at some point you will regret doing that

Reply 14

nexttime

There are lots of reasons why Oxbridge might not be for you, but I will just say this: do NOT reject it because of some notion that you won't 'fit in', or because you met some objectionable characters an an open day once. There are about 10,000 undergrads at Oxford - virtually everyone fits in somewhere and has a great time. Contrary to this 'pressure-pot' stereotype, Oxford and Cambridge have among the very lowest drop out rates of all universities.

Reply 15

MusicalBookworm

You don't want to br somewhere you won't be happy but like others have said its a huge opportunity. Make a pros and cons list?? But you still have time to make a decision so think very carefully before making a final choice

Reply 16

nulli tertius

Original post by roflcakes1

You have asked what people would consider valid reasons. Mostly posters have been clear about what they would consider bad reasons and a few (with whom I am not in agreement) have suggested that more or less, there are no good reasons.

What you haven't done is said what your reasons for rejecting Oxford might be. It is much easier to comment on the merits of your reasons and as you can see most of the posters on TSR are perfectly receptive to rejecting Oxford for sound reasons.

Reply 17

On The Horizon

Original post by redferry

Unis such as Bristol have better employment prospects, Oxbridge does not guarantee a job.

What are you making this statement according to? League tables are erratic and no-one gives them any respect anymore; they're flawed and unreliable. You might also be getting confused with the fact that a lot of Oxbridge graduates carry on with postgraduate education, rather than jump straight into a career. Do you honestly think a Bristol graduate has better career prospects than an Oxford graduate? It doesn't work like that, assuming both candidates are otherwise equal: you can either assume they will have equal career expectations, or that the Oxford graduate may be more successful; certainly not the otherway around (but there would of course be exceptions).

Oxbrige isn't the right study environment for everyone, why go only to crack under the pressure and spend 3 years on antidepressants as some do?

People who apply tend to have a rough idea of what it is like, and after interviews and other assessments set by Oxbridge, if you have been given an offer it means that they think you (out of all the thousands that applied) have a great chance to do well there. There comes a point where you just have to expose bad advice for what it is.

Reply 18

tasniaTVXQ

You have to remember that Oxford have given you an offer because they think you're the type of student capable of doing well in the course. They know you have ability :wink:

. It's a brilliant opportunity and personally, I think you should take it! But at the end of the day, you need to think about what's best for you and what you'd feel best about doing. :smile:

GL!

Reply 19

cambio wechsel

Original post by On The Horizon

This is right and not. Figures for employment post graduation typically give a percentage of students who are in work or further study within a certain period, such that the (itself unsupported) claim that students from Oxbridge are more likely to pursue postgraduate study wouldn't bear on percentage rates here.

Something that will affect figures here is the proportion of the graduating cohort having degrees with a workplace applicability, and this is part of why Brunel or Aston might have higher graduate employment rates than Oxford or Bristol, because they're not turning out grads in Medieval History or Egyptology. Another complicating factor perhaps is socio-economic class across the cohort. I suppose a larger proportion of those graduating from Brunel simply have to get a (any) job than will be true of graduates from Oxford, some fortunate percentage of whom will enjoy the opportunity to bide their time in it. A small percentage, yes, but enough to slip places on this metric.

Last, "better employment prospects" has here to be parsed as better prospects for being employed, rather than prospects for better employment.