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Cambridge 'No Hopers' 2015

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Original post by cappunno18
i feel a little bad for starting this thread..... i got an offer from my first choice college....

lol
Original post by RainbowVeins
I would bet money on someone from this thread getting offers :yep:

Yeah, including you
Original post by fusiflos
Was wondering where's my email before finding out that I accidentally deleted it. Applied to med.
Rejection didnt come as a surprise, considering I flunked my BMAT. Disappointed that I didn't get pooled though. Last hope gone and I am feeling extremely apologetic to my parents.


What was your BMAT score if you don't mind me asking?
Original post by cappunno18
i feel a little bad for starting this thread..... i got an offer from my first choice college....


TOLD YOU

I was closer to be a no hoper

But I still managed to get an offer, albeit via pool...
Original post by cappunno18
i feel a little bad for starting this thread..... i got an offer from my first choice college....


Shame on you! :tongue:

Really though, congratulations. "I STARTED THIS THREAD SO WE COULD BE NEGATIVE AND WALLOW" eh? Time for some celebrations I think.
Original post by Kolasinac138
What on earth?

Well done.


Thanks! I guess my interviews must have gone well...
All the people who are like 'yeah, I'm definitely getting rejected nya nya nya' and end up getting offers. :angry:

At least I actually got rejected :biggrin:
Surprise surprise
I got rejected

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Original post by wishihadrevised
what was your bmat score if you don't mind me asking?


4.1, 5.9 , 4a :frown:
Original post by Kolasinac138
I agree with this post 100%. There is some obvious prejudice against privately educated pupils, even if you are there on a scholarship or your parents have made huge sacrifices to send you there so that you can get a place at Oxbridge one day but then you may be rejected solely on the basis of being from one.

It shouldn't have anything to do with the applications process, at least IMHO, and they should surely just look at you as a candidate.


I go to a state school and I have to say that there were very few decent teachers, people talked through every single lesson, my work was rarely marked and I got little feedback, something which instantly puts me at a disadvantage to other pupils with similar grades.
However, I'm sure that some private schools are similarly bad, and some state schools are conversely good. At the end of the day, getting into Oxbridge is something of a lottery, with many factors which may swing in your favour or which may go against you. Two interviews don't give a full picture of your abilities, nor do a handful of exams necessarily.
Original post by Fawkesgirl33
I go to a state school and I have to say that there were very few decent teachers, people talked through every single lesson, my work was rarely marked and I got little feedback, something which instantly puts me at a disadvantage to other pupils with similar grades.
However, I'm sure that some private schools are similarly bad, and some state schools are conversely good. At the end of the day, getting into Oxbridge is something of a lottery, with many factors which may swing in your favour or which may go against you. Two interviews don't give a full picture of your abilities, nor do a handful of exams necessarily.

I think it'd be best if they didn't know what your background was, with regards to schools.
Original post by Kolasinac138
I think it'd be best if they didn't know what your background was, with regards to schools.

But would it be fair if they had to choose between two equally performing candidates, each with the same grades, interview performance and test performance, when one had been to a good private school and the other a 'special measures' state school? Studies have shown that state school applicants often go on to outperform their privately educated peers in the tripos, so it's in Cambridge's interests to understand the context of a candidate's application.
Original post by Fawkesgirl33
But would it be fair if they had to choose between two equally performing candidates, each with the same grades, interview performance and test performance, when one had been to a good private school and the other a 'special measures' state school? Studies have shown that state school applicants often go on to outperform their privately educated peers in the tripos, so it's in Cambridge's interests to understand the context of a candidate's application.

Yes, but in that case, you're getting in only based on what kind of school you went to.
Reply 133
Avatar for TVIO
TVIO
12
Original post by Kolasinac138
All the people who are like 'yeah, I'm definitely getting rejected nya nya nya' and end up getting offers. :angry:

At least I actually got rejected :biggrin:


I'm sorry, I genuinely believed. :frown: At least you don't have to work Saturdays too.
Reply 134
Avatar for sr234
sr234
13
Glad lots of people from this thread got in!:smile:

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Original post by Kolasinac138
Yes, but in that case, you're getting in only based on what kind of school you went to.


But it's not only the type of school you went to- it's how well you've managed to do when, if you attend a state school, you've been facing adversity which attendees of private schools can't even imagine. If you get an A* with a brilliant teacher, that's great. If you get an A* with a rubbish teacher, surely that's a greater achievement? If you attend a school which does not encourage students to aspire to attend university, that surely means that they have overcome greater barriers than other comparable students.
Original post by TVIO
I'm sorry, I genuinely believed. :frown: At least you don't have to work Saturdays too.

You have lectures on Saturday at Cambridge? I actually never knew that :biggrin:
Original post by Fawkesgirl33
But it's not only the type of school you went to- it's how well you've managed to do when, if you attend a state school, you've been facing adversity which attendees of private schools can't even imagine. If you get an A* with a brilliant teacher, that's great. If you get an A* with a rubbish teacher, surely that's a greater achievement? If you attend a school which does not encourage students to aspire to attend university, that surely means that they have overcome greater barriers than other comparable students.

From personal experience I can definitely tell you I haven't had fantastic teachers and the majority of my (somewhat) academic success has been due to working in my own time.
Original post by Fawkesgirl33
But would it be fair if they had to choose between two equally performing candidates, each with the same grades, interview performance and test performance, when one had been to a good private school and the other a 'special measures' state school? Studies have shown that state school applicants often go on to outperform their privately educated peers in the tripos, so it's in Cambridge's interests to understand the context of a candidate's application.


I go to a private school but I fully support state-school bias. Private schools generally have better teaching, better accountability (as parents pay fees so are more inclined to hold teachers to account if they're crap and have more familiarity with the oxbridge process. They can help with personal statements, interviews, tests etc.... The theory goes that if a state school student can achieve equal grades to a private school student then considering they haven't had anywhere near the same advantages they probably have the potential to do better.

And yes, they take into account the performance of the school more than if it's private/state - if you excel at a low achieving private school you still get a massive boost on your application, it's about how you performed within your peer group.

If you GENUINELY believe state schools and private schools are equal, your parents wouldn't have spend upwards of £50k on your education.

AND private school pupils make up like 40% of oxbridge places but 15% of entries - we still have a big advantage.

Essentially... stop complaining
Original post by Kolasinac138
From personal experience I can definitely tell you I haven't had fantastic teachers and the majority of my (somewhat) academic success has been due to working in my own time.

I agree that not all private school teachers will be great. However, as a general rule, they are better, more well resourced, and less overstretched than teachers at state schools. Whilst there are exceptions to every rule, it is a fact that on the basis of probability a state school educated pupil is worse off than a privately educated pupil.

For example, my experience of secondary school:
History lesson. 40 mins 'teaching'- read the book and answer the questions, 20 mins of the teacher telling people to shut up.
Science- 30 mins of telling people to shut up, 30 mins of teaching, voice entirely obscured by people chatting.
English- I am the only person in my class who actually likes this subject so during fun 'group discussion' activities nobody cares. We can't take the books home because school collect them in. I can't afford my own copy, but I find one in the local library.
Maths lesson- No individual attention for the entire 5 years of secondary school. Managed to scrape an A by watching youtube videos of people teaching maths.
Go home, do 5 hours of work having wasted a pointless day at school.
7A*s 3As was the end result.

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