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Feeling like a failure as i'm not going to a Russell group university.

I feel embarrassed when I tell people that i'm going to Portsmouth in September. I know it's a good university and at the end of the day it is an university so I should feel proud but I really really don't.

I've always been an average student- I got normal year 6 SATs, middle set in school and C's at GCSE. I went to a rough secondary where being 'clever' was seen as a bad thing. I was surrounded by people who set fire to exercise books and where getting kicked out of lessons was a good thing. I never revised for my GCSEs; I attempted to revise for the lessons I enjoyed but I didn't know about the different exam boards and modules so I revised the wrong things. The first time I read the poems for my English exam was in the exam. I ended up getting an A in short course RE (the only reason I got that was because I was get out of lessons and only had a RE revision guide for the day), 7 C's and 4 D's including Maths, additional science, Geography and English Lit. I was really proud of myself as I got my 5 A-C's where as most of my friends got E's- I was the only person to get a C at GCSE science in my class and I was 3rd set out of 6!

I ended up going to my local regional college to study Btec media production. I hated it, my course was full of dumb asses with mental problems or stoners (not all of them, but most!). I decided that it wasn't for me as I thought I could do better. I missed science, I wanted to be changed so I resat my GCSEs in Math, Science and additional science. I came out with an B in science, and C's in the other two. It wasn't brilliant as I wasn't able to study sciences at 6th form but it wasn't bad as I just resat and attempted to home educate myself.

Now, at 6th form i've realised that the reason I done badly before was because of the type of people I surrounded myself with. So I decided to hang out with clever/middle class kids at school. I go to the school orchestra and most of my friends outside of school either are at russell groups or they're going to a russell group.

I wasn't able to do academic a-levels due to my poor GCSE's even tho my mum explained to my head of 6th form that I had a lot of time off due to my fathers death in year 10 and the bad school. I was allowed to do Music, Geography, Psychology and Media.

I was already disadvantaged at A-level music as I didn't take GCSE music as my old school didn't offer it as I was the only student who played an instrument (excluding the odd kid who can play a 4 chord song on guitar). Psychology I got a D at AS (I hate psychology so much as I disagree with the majority of it!) I achieved a B in media and I got the highest in the class in coursework and exam. Then I come to Geography, my new passion in life, I got a D at GCSE and just missed out on a B by a couple of marks in As. I was the only student in As to get a grade as everyone else got U's. The others got A/B at GCSE all got U's because they were machined through GCSE. This is where I wonder what would of I got if I went to this school before A-levels for GCSE. I mean, I should feel proud? I didn't put lots of effort into As, some of the other students put way more effort into extra case studies or done more past papers and got a worse grade than me.

This comes to my final point about me being so ashamed of not going to a Russell Group university as many people within my year seem to be stupid but getting through A-levels/Btec and going to university. Someone in my psychology/media class thought that Glasgow was the capital of Wales and she's going to a Russel group as she's predicted ABB. Another person is going to university who bit into a candle on the joint business/geography trip as he believed it to be edible. Who the hell doesn't know that a candle isn't edible, like a bog standard birthday candle. His argument was that it was on a cake so he thought it would of been edible.

I have this image of being in my accommodation surrounded by fools. No, i'm not the cleverest person in the world but all the real fake and people lacking common sense seems to be going to university.

I've kinda gone on a massive ramble and lost the point I was trying to make but yeah.

When I was younger (about 11-14) my Dad used to take me to Cambridge a few times a year to the music shop. My parents brought me my flute from Ken Stevens so we used to wonder around Cambridge university walking between colleges. I fell in love with the old buildings, the city and everything about it really. I have this image of university being full of intelligent people who know who the prime mister is and understand what is meant by the coalition. An old library full of potential lawyers and doctors. Going to orchestra in the evening and going to the pub afterwards. I know that Portsmouth has an orchestra (one of the reasons I picked that university) but it doesn't have the right feel. I'm so embarrassed that i'm not going to a red brick, I don't have a list of A*'s and my A-levels aren't looking much better either. All I need to get into university is CCDD and i've already got my C in Geography (I just need to get an E in the summer exam) and my coursework/last years grade has made my media exam an B already.

I have no motivation to go to school or do my exams because A) I'm pretty much into university. B) I don't like my subjects except Geography because I wasn't able to pick ones I wanted. C) Even if I got A's in the summer no decent university will accept me next year for physical Geography because of my choice of A-levels. D) I some times find i'm surrounded by baboons. E) I'm not really fond of my university because I find my course wishy washy.

I'm going to stop rambling.

Is anyone else in the same boat?

I was very emotional writing this and some how turned into a massive rant.

The point I was trying to make was I've really turned my life around, i've done better than most was expecting yet I feel like a failure for not going to a RG university.

Sometimes I feel like going to university isn't an achievement it's more of the next step but going to an RG is an achievement. I've had many comments like 'I wish I was going to a party university' and 'Shouldn't you be looking a proper universities'.

I feel ashamed that i've came across as big headed as that's not what I was getting at. Everyone has to work hard to get into university and i'm not trying to say that Portsmouth is a bad university. Maybe I've spent too much time on the TSR where the majority of people seem to have a long list of A*'s at GCSE and A's at A-level. I kinda felt like an glass ceiling was above me as I wasn't doing academic a-levels.

I would like to apologise if I have cause offence to anyone. I'm not coming up with excuses but reasons why I haven't achieved my full potential. I feel like a right tool for acting like a stuck up moron! Sorry :frown:

Thank-you for all of the posters who have been supportive and trust me you've really motivated me to aim higher and feel satisfied with Portsmouth. I thought there was 4 rings of universities: Oxbridge, RG, Other good universities such as St. Andrews/ UEA then modern universities like Portsmouth.

But, at the end of the day it doesn't matter where you start in life it's where you end up :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

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Reply 1
I feel for u man, I went through the same stage where I was surrounded by friends that didn't care about school , I was near the bottom set for most subjects

I then found TSR and realised that if I wanted to.become a doctor Cs and Bs wouldn't cut it so I tried harder at school just before GCSES and I got ok grades not all.As but I meet the requirements for most med schools

However due to prior laziness I got a D in core science so I have to retake that this year and the D also meant I couldn't take chem at A lvl, so I'm teaching myself a lvl chem it's going well and I might even get a B for AS so im turning things around now

What I'm trynna say is we put in the work at the vital stages of our education your going to uni due to a change of environment and hard work and I might get the grades I need due to hard work and a reality check

You shouldn't compare yourself to your friends at your new college because they've had a different environment to you and if you compare yourself to others you'll never be happy as they'll always be someone above you.You should compare your situation to that if the people from your bad school you could have easily failed your gcses and have ended up in a very bad condition relative to the one that your in now

Well done on the offer

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 2
Honestly, don't give up. :smile: Keep hoping and working hard. As soon as your mindset becomes positive and you become stronger (never giving up), that's when things get better. I'll PM you so we can chat about this, university and other things.

Don't give up, work hard and think positive. :fluffy:
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Annuhlees
I feel embarrassed when I tell people that i'm going to Portsmouth in September. I know it's a good university and at the end of the day it is an university so I should feel proud but I really really don't.

I've always been an average student- I got normal year 6 SATs, middle set in school and C's at GCSE. I went to a rough secondary where being 'clever' was seen as a bad thing. I was surrounded by people who set fire to exercise books and where getting kicked out of lessons was a good thing. I never revised for my GCSEs; I attempted to revise for the lessons I enjoyed but I didn't know about the different exam boards and modules so I revised the wrong things. The first time I read the poems for my English exam was in the exam. I ended up getting an A in short course RE (the only reason I got that was because I was get out of lessons and only had a RE revision guide for the day), 7 C's and 4 D's including Maths, additional science, Geography and English Lit. I was really proud of myself as I got my 5 A-C's where as most of my friends got E's- I was the only person to get a C at GCSE science in my class and I was 3rd set out of 6!

I ended up going to my local regional college to study Btec media production. I hated it, my course was full of dumb asses with mental problems or stoners (not all of them, but most!). I decided that it wasn't for me as I thought I could do better. I missed science, I wanted to be changed so I resat my GCSEs in Math, Science and additional science. I came out with an B in science, and C's in the other two. It wasn't brilliant as I wasn't able to study sciences at 6th form but it wasn't bad as I just resat and attempted to home educate myself.

Now, at 6th form i've realised that the reason I done badly before was because of the type of people I surrounded myself with. So I decided to hang out with clever/middle class kids at school. I go to the school orchestra and most of my friends outside of school either are at russell groups or they're going to a russell group.

I wasn't able to do academic a-levels due to my poor GCSE's even tho my mum explained to my head of 6th form that I had a lot of time off due to my fathers death in year 10 and the bad school. I was allowed to do Music, Geography, Psychology and Media.

I was already disadvantaged at A-level music as I didn't take GCSE music as my old school didn't offer it as I was the only student who played an instrument (excluding the odd kid who can play a 4 chord song on guitar). Psychology I got a D at AS (I hate psychology so much as I disagree with the majority of it!) I achieved a B in media and I got the highest in the class in coursework and exam. Then I come to Geography, my new passion in life, I got a D at GCSE and just missed out on a B by a couple of marks in As. I was the only student in As to get a grade as everyone else got U's. The others got A/B at GCSE all got U's because they were machined through GCSE. This is where I wonder what would of I got if I went to this school before A-levels for GCSE. I mean, I should feel proud? I didn't put lots of effort into As, some of the other students put way more effort into extra case studies or done more past papers and got a worse grade than me.

This comes to my final point about me being so ashamed of not going to a Russell Group university as many people within my year seem to be stupid but getting through A-levels/Btec and going to university. Someone in my psychology/media class thought that Glasgow was the capital of Wales and she's going to a Russel group as she's predicted ABB. Another person is going to university who bit into a candle on the joint business/geography trip as he believed it to be edible. Who the hell doesn't know that a candle isn't edible, like a bog standard birthday candle. His argument was that it was on a cake so he thought it would of been edible.

I have this image of being in my accommodation surrounded by fools. No, i'm not the cleverest person in the world but all the real fake and people lacking common sense seems to be going to university.

I've kinda gone on a massive ramble and lost the point I was trying to make but yeah.

When I was younger (about 11-14) my Dad used to take me to Cambridge a few times a year to the music shop. My parents brought me my flute from Ken Stevens so we used to wonder around Cambridge university walking between colleges. I fell in love with the old buildings, the city and everything about it really. I have this image of university being full of intelligent people who know who the prime mister is and understand what is meant by the coalition. An old library full of potential lawyers and doctors. Going to orchestra in the evening and going to the pub afterwards. I know that Portsmouth has an orchestra (one of the reasons I picked that university) but it doesn't have the right feel. I'm so embarrassed that i'm not going to a red brick, I don't have a list of A*'s and my A-levels aren't looking much better either. All I need to get into university is CCDD and i've already got my C in Geography (I just need to get an E in the summer exam) and my coursework/last years grade has made my media exam an B already.

I have no motivation to go to school or do my exams because A) I'm pretty much into university. B) I don't like my subjects except Geography because I wasn't able to pick ones I wanted. C) Even if I got A's in the summer no decent university will accept me next year for physical Geography because of my choice of A-levels. D) I some times find i'm surrounded by baboons. E) I'm not really fond of my university because I find my course wishy washy.

I'm going to stop rambling.

Is anyone else in the same boat?


Its a complex situation. But the first thing you need to do is not be embarrassed, it's still university! I'm a triplet and the only one of the 3 going to a Russell Group university. I too went to an under achieving school but bumbled through, but i've seen what happened to you a lot. At the end of the day, you may feel that it's bad not going to a Russell Group but there are so many different things you can do; you dont need to go to university. I'm looking forward to going to a university for 3 years before leaving to be unemployed for a further 3- one of my sisters on the other hand will eventually become a nurse. Decent job, decent career and she couldn be happier. Explore your options, dont feel dragged into university, have you looked into some advanced apprenticeships? Have you thought of what you might want to do?
Reply 4
You could always go through adjustment. If youre really unhappy then have a look through UCAS extra, many russell group unis are currently on it.
Reply 5
Reading your post, I don't think that this is the right choice for you. You don't like the uni and you don't seem to like the course - that's a recipe for disaster!

You'd be better to take a few years out to decide what you want to do. If you need to take more A Levels you can find a way to do that - a different college, or self teaching, or a distance learning course. You could even look into the OU as they might offer a course you like.

Sent from my GT-S5363
Reply 6
Original post by BlamelessJak
Its a complex situation. But the first thing you need to do is not be embarrassed, it's still university! I'm a triplet and the only one of the 3 going to a Russell Group university. I too went to an under achieving school but bumbled through, but i've seen what happened to you a lot. At the end of the day, you may feel that it's bad not going to a Russell Group but there are so many different things you can do; you dont need to go to university. I'm looking forward to going to a university for 3 years before leaving to be unemployed for a further 3- one of my sisters on the other hand will eventually become a nurse. Decent job, decent career and she couldn be happier. Explore your options, dont feel dragged into university, have you looked into some advanced apprenticeships? Have you thought of what you might want to do?


Congratulations on getting accepted into a Russell Group! I often find that people don't understand what it's like to be sucked down- having no idea what 6th forms want or the difference between btec and A-levels.

I really want to go to university- more than anything in the world. I love Geography, I love the environment- I go to sleep thinking about climate change and how our children will live in a world where many animals will be extinct! I like the sound of becoming an environmental lawyer or working in climate change.

Thanks for the support! :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by Juno
Reading your post, I don't think that this is the right choice for you. You don't like the uni and you don't seem to like the course - that's a recipe for disaster!

You'd be better to take a few years out to decide what you want to do. If you need to take more A Levels you can find a way to do that - a different college, or self teaching, or a distance learning course. You could even look into the OU as they might offer a course you like.

Sent from my GT-S5363



I know I want to study Physical Geography and either become an environmental lawyer or work within climate change. My course is more suited for working at the environment agency as it's more looking at rivers/coasts on a local scale than on a world scale. It sounds stupid but my dream is to go to university, I'm really looking forward of getting out of my area and meeting other people. I can't wait to try new sports and maybe turn up to the odd lecture with a hangover! I'm thinking about taking a gap year and doing an a-level in Biology and Environmental science as I was good at biology during school and environmental science has similarities to Geography.

Thank you for your advice :smile:
Reply 8
Neither am I.

But I'm doing Dentistry, which is even better.


Sorry that didn't help at all.
Honestly, for what you've been through, you've done SO well to get into Portsmouth. It might not be a RG uni but it's one of the better non-RG ones. You definitely won't be surrounded by loads of thick people, I went to a grammar sixth form in the top 25 in the country and a LOT of people wanted to go to Portsmouth and did go there. If it's the course or the uni you don't like maybe give it another year, work really hard and retake some exams to get A grades. Some RG unis actually encourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds to apply so from what you've said about your school and also the death of your father I'm sure they'd overlook your GCSEs to some extent. Don't rush into uni if you think it doesn't feel right but you could do a hell of a lot worse than Portsmouth and to be honest, some of my best friends go to Portsmouth/other 'lower' unis. I go to a RG uni and a lot of people there are full of themselves and just generally really arrogant people. I often find myself wishing I'd gone somewhere like Portsmouth or Bournemouth. Plus, don't take this the wrong way, but did you have to work hard for your B/C at A level? Because if you did you might struggle at an RG uni. I got AAB in A levels and I struggle doing law at an RG uni, it's much nicer to be one of the clever ones at a lower uni than struggle and get swamped at an RG uni. Anyway good luck with it all, it sounds like retaking some exams and going next year might be better or some unis do foundation years for people with BBB or disadvantaged backgrounds which might be suited to you!
Reply 10
Original post by Quick-use
Honestly, don't give up. :smile: Keep hoping and working hard. As soon as your mindset becomes positive and you become stronger (never giving up), that's when things get better. I'll PM you so we can chat about this, university and other things.

Don't give up, work hard and think positive. :fluffy:


I think i'm just having a down day (or night as it is!) I will never give up, the amount of knock backs I've had I've just stood back up is incredible. I sometimes think to myself how I've escaped the job center crew haha! I think that rant kinda helped me and got me motivated :P

I would love a PM :P x
Reply 11
Original post by Annuhlees
Congratulations on getting accepted into a Russell Group! I often find that people don't understand what it's like to be sucked down- having no idea what 6th forms want or the difference between btec and A-levels.

I really want to go to university- more than anything in the world. I love Geography, I love the environment- I go to sleep thinking about climate change and how our children will live in a world where many animals will be extinct! I like the sound of becoming an environmental lawyer or working in climate change.

Thanks for the support! :smile:


http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/q19.htm

This post tells me you'll love the module DU311

Sent from my GT-S5363
The Russell Group is incredibly overrated.

It's not the best university but so what? It's hardly London Met. It doesn't seem like you want to study that course though, and proceeding when you feel that way really isn't a good idea so you should really look into it and see if you fancy it. I mean, I find it hard enough to motivate myself to do essays for a course I do enjoy.
Reply 13
I did not go to a Russell Group University for Undergrad. I was offered places at both Oxbridge and Ivy League for Masters. The massive credit given to Russell Group seems to exist on TSR in a way wildly unrepresentative of reality. Ultimately if you distinguish yourself at undergrad - be that through academic work, extra-cirriculur work, or a combination of the two - you'll find that your education experience there will be better than one who went to a Russell Group without doing so. I know a ****load of people who went to Russell Group who are unemployed or employed in non-graduate jobs, and I know a ****load of people who went to non-Russell Group and who are.

And remember, Universities specialise. If you're doing computing, you want to go to Abertay. If you're doing Pharmacology then Robert Gordons is good, but they might not be as good at other things. Taking the overall University standings as the be-all and end-all isn't a good way to look at things.

This Russell Group thing is starting to **** me off. Firstly because it's not true. Secondly, because it's giving applicants who don't get in an inferiority complex which is wildly undeserved. And thirdly, because I'm encountering way too many jumped up pricks who think they're the dog's tits simply for getting in to one.

Getting in to a University is often a comment on your interaction with the school system, and unfortunately all too frequently a comment on your parents weath (as shown by private school entrance statistics). The exams which often define your University entry happen when you're going through puberty, shifting friendships, experiencing your first loves and first losses, experimenting with alcohol, drugs and a whole load of everything. Some people deal with that better than others, and do better as a result. I didn't get the top marks at school, I was accepted to a Russell Group University but chose not to go to it, and for me, it was the University experience which followed which defined who I was and made my degree what it is.

All of which is a bit ranty but can probably be effectively summarised as: who gives the slightest **** if your university is Russell Group or not. University, and life, is what you make of it, and there is no choice nor option that won't be available as a result of studying at Portsmouth that you would otherwise have from a Russell Group University.

Good luck to you.
Reply 14
Original post by infairverona
Honestly, for what you've been through, you've done SO well to get into Portsmouth. It might not be a RG uni but it's one of the better non-RG ones. You definitely won't be surrounded by loads of thick people, I went to a grammar sixth form in the top 25 in the country and a LOT of people wanted to go to Portsmouth and did go there. If it's the course or the uni you don't like maybe give it another year, work really hard and retake some exams to get A grades. Some RG unis actually encourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds to apply so from what you've said about your school and also the death of your father I'm sure they'd overlook your GCSEs to some extent. Don't rush into uni if you think it doesn't feel right but you could do a hell of a lot worse than Portsmouth and to be honest, some of my best friends go to Portsmouth/other 'lower' unis. I go to a RG uni and a lot of people there are full of themselves and just generally really arrogant people. I often find myself wishing I'd gone somewhere like Portsmouth or Bournemouth. Plus, don't take this the wrong way, but did you have to work hard for your B/C at A level? Because if you did you might struggle at an RG uni. I got AAB in A levels and I struggle doing law at an RG uni, it's much nicer to be one of the clever ones at a lower uni than struggle and get swamped at an RG uni. Anyway good luck with it all, it sounds like retaking some exams and going next year might be better or some unis do foundation years for people with BBB or disadvantaged backgrounds which might be suited to you!


I fell in love with the city of Portsmouth as it's so pretty and the people are really friendly. I like the opportunities of sports/music (I turned down Hull because it didn't have the same opportunities). I feel like I do better when i'm surrounded by people who are better as I feel like i've got to pull myself up to standards as if I feel like i'm doing the best I get lazy and even cocky at times :/ I could of done better at As but I was very cocky! I thought I was going to do better in the exams because I was doing so much better than everyone else and with less effort. My teacher would ask others in the class first then come to me because she knew that I would have the answer or something on the right lines to the answer. I'm looking at doing a foundation year, I wanted to do an foundation in science at UEA (it's not a Russell group but its one of the best for climate change) but my head of year told me not to bother because I wouldn't of been accepted because 'I have no interest to them in science' because I didn't do an A-level in science. However, looking around it seems like these foundations are aimed at students like me! Ugh, he's an idiot! Thank-you for being kind, I hope you'll find some less arrogant people at uni! :smile:
Original post by OOgles
Better than half the population who don't go to any university at all.


This isn't true at all. University isn't for everyone; many people are at uni when they don't really like their degree and don't want to do anything with it, whereas lots of people who aren't are doing valuable and productive things with their time (and not getting into debt for it).

But, anyway, OP, if you're really not happy, we're not going to be able to change your mind and you should just take a gap year and reapply to a course you'll be happy taking.
There's nothing wrong with going to an average university, the majority of people there will be intelligent and hard-working. They are working for a better life, the same as you are, you are not superior.
You admit several times that you haven't put in as much effort in your studies as other people, so why would you deserve better?
Life rarely goes the way that you want it to, but you have gotten into a decent uni, so make the most of it, put the effort in, come out with a first and prove yourself.
Reply 17
OP, i think you need to take a step back and calm down because you should have pride in yourself.

To start with you admit yourself that you did not push yourself to the maximum. Secondly you have found in Geography a subject you enjoy and with an exam to go already have a BC grade with two other A levels.

My advice is to push yourself on your final exams to push your grades up to AB and then go through clearing or take a gap year and apply with the full grades (working during the gap year will also give you some real world experience unlike some of the arrogant ****s on TSR).
Original post by infairverona
Honestly, for what you've been through, you've done SO well to get into Portsmouth. It might not be a RG uni but it's one of the better non-RG ones. You definitely won't be surrounded by loads of thick people, I went to a grammar sixth form in the top 25 in the country and a LOT of people wanted to go to Portsmouth and did go there. If it's the course or the uni you don't like maybe give it another year, work really hard and retake some exams to get A grades. Some RG unis actually encourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds to apply so from what you've said about your school and also the death of your father I'm sure they'd overlook your GCSEs to some extent. Don't rush into uni if you think it doesn't feel right but you could do a hell of a lot worse than Portsmouth and to be honest, some of my best friends go to Portsmouth/other 'lower' unis. I go to a RG uni and a lot of people there are full of themselves and just generally really arrogant people. I often find myself wishing I'd gone somewhere like Portsmouth or Bournemouth. Plus, don't take this the wrong way, but did you have to work hard for your B/C at A level? Because if you did you might struggle at an RG uni. I got AAB in A levels and I struggle doing law at an RG uni, it's much nicer to be one of the clever ones at a lower uni than struggle and get swamped at an RG uni. Anyway good luck with it all, it sounds like retaking some exams and going next year might be better or some unis do foundation years for people with BBB or disadvantaged backgrounds which might be suited to you!


For what she's been through? It doesn't sound to me like she's been through any more than most people I know.
You seem quite arrogant and self entitled. How can you call others "baboons"? You may know the capital of Wales and know not a eat a candle (:s-smilie:) but those people have just as much reason to call you stupid because of your sub par results.
You feel you didnt get the grades you deserved because you allowed urself to be influenced by others around you, well DEAL WITH IT! You made your bed.
The only thing you can do is just make the best of your situation and stop whining, dont blame the school you went to, I know plenty of people that went to crap schools and came out with sick results, the bulk of ur education is what you make it.

Anywayzz w/e its ur life.

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