Exceeded my Cambridge offer, but missed my place (THANKS EDEXCEL)

But yeah, this whole thing has been really upsetting because it wasn't really my fault? If my remarks had come back unchanged I could have kind of been like "oh well, I ****ed up, I need to learn from this and work really hard at the next thing", but... they didn't? It just feels like I put in so much work, and did so much, but none of it even mattered because ultimately it all went wrong because of the bureaucratic mistake of a totally random stranger.

You have every right to be angry.

You should sue them for the amount required to fund your gap year!

Reply 21

EllainKahlo

17

I'm so sorry man :frown:

Reply 22

Chief Wiggum

20

I presume you should automatically be offered a deferred place?

Reply 23

cherryred90s

20

Original post by elaras

This is a massive rant because I'm pissed off and upset.

I had an offer from Cambridge (Kings, MML) for A*AA, with the A* in any subject. On results day I missed my offer, and got A*AB (B in History) - I put in for some remarks and Cambridge said I could attend if I met my offer before 31st of August.

Some came back before that time, and by the 31st I had A*A*B. I was still waiting on my History coursework remoderation; for the first time in my teachers career, it had been moderated down, by 2 grades, for something that wasn't on the mark scheme. I got the remoderation back on Thurday - it had gone up 18 marks. In fact, all of my school's History CW went back up exactly to where my teacher had put us in the first place. So now I had A*A*A, and contacted King's, but they couldn't fit me in because it was past the deadline and they had allocated all the spaces.

So maybe if Edexcel hadn't ****ed up in the first place, or if they hadn't taken 3 weeks to remoderate 3 candidates coursework, or if they hadn't posted everything to do with it each step (slowing things down), I would have a place at Cambridge this year.

Can't you just reapply for next year?!

Reply 24

liss_jackson

5

That's really ****ty.
I'd consider deferring - if you can get a few jobs in a year out, not only will you have a spare bit of money but it'll look great on your CV when you graduate as you'll have a tonne of extra skills to boost your application for a job or further study.
If deferring isn't for you, no matter what university you study at, your hard work will ALWAYS pay off and shine through - I've been applying for Masters, and unis don't seem to care where you did your undergrad, so long as you clearly worked hard at it. Try and see if you can get into a top 10 university in your subject field. Trust me, you'll still have the time of your life, even if it isn't at Cambridge. :smile:

Reply 25

strangesquark

10

Probably a very very long shot, but is there any chance of asking the Kings admission tutor to asking around the other colleges, see if any of them have a space for the course? Other colleges will take the Kings admission tutor more seriously than if you rang up and asked. I suspect they'd all be full, but it's still worth trying, in case other colleges had more people fail to meet offers than they were expecting.

Reply 26

ghost88

10

I'm not too knowledgeable about Uni processes so apologies if I sound stupid, but can you not arrange a meeting in person with an authoritative figure from Cambridge to discuss the problem? Clearly this isn't any of your fault and this type of problem will have massive influence on your future so could the Uni make any exceptions for your situation? It seems like this would be the only suitable response to this. You would be probably even be able to get proof from Edexcel.

I'm sorry this had to happen to you.

Reply 27

RayApparently

21

Original post by elaras

This is a massive rant because I'm pissed off and upset.

I had an offer from Cambridge (Kings, MML) for A*AA, with the A* in any subject. On results day I missed my offer, and got A*AB (B in History) - I put in for some remarks and Cambridge said I could attend if I met my offer before 31st of August.

Some came back before that time, and by the 31st I had A*A*B. I was still waiting on my History coursework remoderation; for the first time in my teachers career, it had been moderated down, by 2 grades, for something that wasn't on the mark scheme. I got the remoderation back on Thurday - it had gone up 18 marks. In fact, all of my school's History CW went back up exactly to where my teacher had put us in the first place. So now I had A*A*A, and contacted King's, but they couldn't fit me in because it was past the deadline and they had allocated all the spaces.

So maybe if Edexcel hadn't ****ed up in the first place, or if they hadn't taken 3 weeks to remoderate 3 candidates coursework, or if they hadn't posted everything to do with it each step (slowing things down), I would have a place at Cambridge this year.

Is it possible to go for deferred entry next year?

Reply 28

Colmans

11

Original post by RayApparently

Is it possible to go for deferred entry next year?

King's are obliged to offer you a deferred entry place if you met your offer & then can't fit you in this year. You don't have to reapply. I'm surprised they didn't explain that. And no wonder you are PO but brilliant results & well done.

Reply 29

RayApparently

21

Original post by Colmans

King's are obliged to offer you a deferred entry place if you met your offer & then can't fit you in this year. You don't have to reapply. I'm surprised they didn't explain that. And no wonder you are PO but brilliant results & well done.

Is that just to wording you've chosen or are you telling me that I don't have to reapply? :confused:

But anyway thats great news for the OP! :smile:

Reply 30

Colmans

11

Original post by RayApparently

Is that just to wording you've chosen or are you telling me that I don't have to reapply? :confused:

But anyway thats great news for the OP! :smile:

Yes apologies, I quoted you not him. I do think he needs to clarify with them asap. It is obvious he had told them he was getting the re mark done before 31st August.
In any case it would be relatively rare for a 3A* person not to get an offer for MML post qual but I don't think he should have to reapply.

Reply 31

Kevin De Bruyne

21

Fiddlesticks. Sorry to hear that. :console:

Reply 32

elaras

OP

7

Original post by Colmans

Yes apologies, I quoted you not him. I do think he needs to clarify with them asap. It is obvious he had told them he was getting the re mark done before 31st August.
In any case it would be relatively rare for a 3A* person not to get an offer for MML post qual but I don't think he should have to reapply.

*she
but thanks! My school is looking into it I think, but I might email tomorrow anyway. Are you sure they have to ?

Reply 33

L'Evil Fish

18

Original post by elaras

*she
but thanks! My school is looking into it I think, but I might email tomorrow anyway. Are you sure they have to ?

Yes Cambridge have to.

Other universities don't however.

Can I ask what languages you applied for? (not relevant to your position)

Reply 34

uklizzie

1

Why not ask one of the admissions tutors currently posting on this forum? Good luck!

Reply 35

elaras

OP

7

Original post by L'Evil Fish

Yes Cambridge have to.

Other universities don't however.

Can I ask what languages you applied for? (not relevant to your position)

Spanish and beginners Russian!

Reply 36

Windies

19

My AS Economics went up by 16 raw marks and English Lit 8 raw marks, happy with the A's but absolutely fuming for Edexcel putting me through all of this.

I really do hope you get into Cambridge if not this year, then atleast the next.

Sucks for people doing essay based subjects - can work and revise as hard as you possibly can and still not get guaranteed an A let alone an A* due to lazy examiners. Something has to be done about this.

Reply 37

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Colmans

King's are obliged to offer you a deferred entry place if you met your offer & then can't fit you in this year. You don't have to reapply. I'm surprised they didn't explain that. And no wonder you are PO but brilliant results & well done.

I'm afraid you're wrong. There is no obligation to offer deferred entry even if th OP had met the conditions by the 31 August deadline.

Usually they will to avoid bad press but they're under no obligation to do so.

Reply 38

L'Evil Fish

18

Original post by PQ

I'm afraid you're wrong. There is no obligation to offer deferred entry even if th OP had met the conditions by the 31 August deadline.

Usually they will to avoid bad press but they're under no obligation to do so.

I know Cambridge guarantee an offer for that year if met before the 31st.

And after that date, they cannot guarantee for that year, but for deferred entry.

It isn't the case for all, but they've said that