Declining 'best' uni

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Has anyone declined their 'best' offer -as in the one from the uni highest on the league tables etc? How did you feel about it? Did you feel under pressure to firm the most respected university?

I got an interview for cambridge but didnt go as I knew I prefered durham and bristol which i had offers from (eventually firmed bristol). Some people like the 'like head of year for p16' pressured me into going as I was the only one of two applying to oxbridge (the other got rejected before this time) but i felt it was a waste of time when i knew it wasnt the uni or course or city for me.

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Reply 41

KingofNil

Original post by Mr Inquisitive

Declined LSE for UCL. Had to choose where I'd be happiest, really. I did feel pressured to accept simply because it's LSE, but I know I would have just ended up hating it, and regretting the decision.

IM in the exact same position but I really don't want to go to lse but feel the pressure to as its,well lse- what subject was yours?

Reply 42

Manitude

I declined Warwick and Manchester in preference for Lancaster. I regret nothing - both of them (especially Manchester) portrayed themselves as very arrogant in insisting that their physics department was considerably better than others, which is not necessarily true when it comes to physics. Also Warwick has something of a reputation for simply producing graduates rather than well rounded learners in a particular field (something which my brother experienced first hand when he studied there, and something which their vice chancellor admitted at my brother's graduation ceremony!). I also didn't like the Warwick campus and Manchester is in a city which is a big turn off for me.

Reply 43

MENDACIUM

Original post by yaboy

Nothing wrong with London its just imperial

Imperial has one of the largest Student unions, over 300 different clubs from sky diving to philosophy(well attended). In edition, you get free access to state of the art Gyms and Swimming pools! They were voted as having one of the best student accommodations in the country, as well as giving free grants (generous) to people whose house hold income is up to 80,000. It's close to some of the worlds greatest museums, is in one of the most famous and thriving cities in the UK.

Reply 44

SpiggyTopes

I turned down Warwick for Lancaster. I personally preferred Lancaster and thought it was a better uni for me.

It's a nicer place too. Coventry is a dump.

Reply 45

Pepper22

I declined Manchester and firmed Reading - I never visited Manchester because when I went to Reading, I loved it as soon as I saw the campus and the course they were offering :smile:

Reply 46

Jodie_668

Original post by boredbeth13

Ha that is weird! :smile:

Yeah I've visited all five of my choices -York and Durham twice. I think my issues with Durham are partly down to my choice of college. I went for Castle just to see if I could get a place, not thinking I would, but I now realise that I might feel out of place there. Plus I don't really want catered , and the accommodation in general isn't great D:

Castle looks AMAZING on the website but it kind of looks like somewhere I'd go on a school history trip rather than somewhere I'd live, haha! I applied for St Aiden because it seemed a lot more modern.
I think though that just because Durham is really prestigious, you shouldn't feel bad for rejecting them if you wanted to. At the end of the day, you've got to spend at least 3 years there and if you're not comfortable living there then it'll be difficult to enjoy the experience. York is still a very good university and I doubt you'll have any problem finding further study or a job from leaving there! :smile:

Reply 47

fimblesocks

Original post by Lackadaisical

I have the same decision you had to make, mind if I ask what your reasons were?

Leicester over Nottingham or better for your subject over better in general? :smile:

Reply 48

KD35

I declined London Met for Oxford. It was a difficult decision but I knew I'd have more fun at Ox.

Reply 49

Flax

I'm about to decline UCL and Durham for KCL. I think...

Reply 50

tory88

Original post by boredbeth13

What would you say about the difference between Durham and York? Do you think it'd still be a good decision to choose York? I know it's about what's best for me as a person but i's interesting to hear what others think, especially since I'm going insane trying to make this decision.

That depends on the course and what you want out of university. If the courses weren't too far removed from one another I'd go with York personally, but that's because I really hated Durham. Have you been to visit either of them?

Reply 51

arguendo

i declined durham for kcl (law). at the time several people around me thought durham was more prestigious than kcl, and i have no idea what people would think now.

i'd actually initially accepted durham on the basis that it was the 'better' option, but i'd visited on the offerholder trip realised the location and size wasn't right for me. i just didn't feel happy with my decision. so i went on a kcl offerholder day, felt much happier at a city university and loved kcl in particular, and changed my firm in the cooling off period.

i definitely felt initial pressure to pick the 'best' university, but as a final year, i don't regret my decision at all. i've loved kcl and my opinion (as someone at the end of the process) is to go wherever you feel happiest - in my situation the difference was marginal at most, but i don't think i would have achieved as much and been as involved in my student community and had the opportunities i have if i'd gone to a university that was 'better' but i wasn't happier at. put briefly, you get out what you put in, and i personally put more in when i'm happier :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 52

747-400

I am declining Manchester for Sheffield and I have absolutely no regrets at all

Reply 53

747-400

Original post by Jodie_668

I turned down Durham and firmed Sheffield. At first the sound of all the traditional colleges and formal balls in Durham sounded amazing, especially as I'm from a very working class area. But after visiting the post applicant open days, I found that that lifestyle just definitely was not for me!! In the end, I chose Sheffield because I much preferred the more 'down to earth' feel of the uni :smile:

Go Sheffield! :biggrin:

Reply 54

blueberryyums

I don't know how great of a difference this is in comparison to yours, but I declined EEE at Uni of Nottingham for EEE at Uni of Liverpool. On the complete university guide rankings for my course, they are 10 places apart, Nottingham being the 'best' amongst my offers. I was glad I got an offer and thought 'wow, this uni believes in me blah blah blah ego boost here and there' but that was it.

I wanted to live in a community or a city that fit my personality and nurtured my hobbies outside the uni and liverpool was the city. I'll be spending 3 years as an international student and I doubt every minute of those 3 years would be spent in the uni hence, my choice on the city.

Screw the league tables and follow your heart. It is best you enjoy where you're at at the beginning rather than decide to change a year later or be unhappy for a year before changing and/or think for 3 to 4 years 'how I wish I did this or that'.

Keep us updated! :biggrin:

Reply 55

llessur123

I declined Warwick for Queen Mary. It has a much better reputation but after looking into it I don't think I'd be happy there, I'm a big city sort of person and when I visited Queen Mary it felt much more right for me. I don't regret it.

Reply 56

Jodie_668

Original post by 747-400

Go Sheffield! :biggrin:

Are you going there/go there? I'm so excited to hopefully get my place and start (and a bit nervous!) :biggrin:

Reply 57

747-400

Original post by Jodie_668

Are you going there/go there? I'm so excited to hopefully get my place and start (and a bit nervous!) :biggrin:

Yeah hopefully, as long as summer exams go well, fingers crossed!! :biggrin:

Reply 58

miss_spell

Probably not that relevant but I've chosen Sheffield over UCL, York and Exeter as my insurance choice for Biology ... I way preferred the city and when I visited I just felt like it suited me more. I'm kind of worried I've made the wrong choice now though, especially as it's not looking like I'm going to get into my firm!