To all those who got rejected from Oxbridge (from a current student)
Scroll to see replies
100% agree with OP's message - Oxbridge really isn't for everyone, and at times I feel (current Cambridge undergrad here) they rest on their laurels and don't bother trying to improve their courses/ organisation/ anything - instead claiming that university is all about "self-studying" so they don't need to bother teaching us anything (to a certain extent, yes some independent study is obviously required - but they are meant to be there to at least teach the core content, guide our independent reading, set suitable homework, actually mark and give feedback on our work, etc.). Students feel pressured to stick it out because "it's Cambridge" and having gone through so much effort to get here it seems like giving up to switch universities.
Spoiler
Original post by Luke7456
Nottingham is a decent university it's just not the same standard as Oxbridge if I struggled at Nottingham I'd be very unlikely to survive at Oxbridge if I was coping fine at Oxbridge I'd likely cruise by at Nottingham. If I struggled at hull I'd likely struggle even more at Nottingham and be very unlikely to survive at Oxbridge and if I struggled at London met i would have no chance of surviving at Oxbridge degrees are not all of the same standard or difficulty. That is utter nonsense.
Nottingham is a decent university it's just not the same standard as Oxbridge if I struggled at Nottingham I'd be very unlikely to survive at Oxbridge if I was coping fine at Oxbridge I'd likely cruise by at Nottingham. If I struggled at hull I'd likely struggle even more at Nottingham and be very unlikely to survive at Oxbridge and if I struggled at London met i would have no chance of surviving at Oxbridge degrees are not all of the same standard or difficulty. That is utter nonsense.
if a size 11 pinches, you're unlikely to get into a size 10. And if a size 10 is a squeeze, a size 9 will be bloody murder.
No-one here, not the OP or the people sympathising with her based on their own experience, has suggested that there is a fitting problem. Oxford and Cambridge would claim, and with justification, that their fitting process is better than that anywhere else.
What you are describing is not affecting Oxbridge students only.
It is the same thing for medics, law students and prospective engineers, especially those at 'better unis'.
I can only speak for medics, but most of us experience similar thing. You suddenly aren't the best. You have to work hard to get those 40% pass and it seems like everyone around you are putting less work and get better results. You may also dislike medicine once you find out you won't discover cure for cancer in your 1st year and that you have to start with all the boring stuff like histology or biochemistry.
But it's worth it. You got in for a reason, you applied for a reason. No one said university is easy.
It is the same thing for medics, law students and prospective engineers, especially those at 'better unis'.
I can only speak for medics, but most of us experience similar thing. You suddenly aren't the best. You have to work hard to get those 40% pass and it seems like everyone around you are putting less work and get better results. You may also dislike medicine once you find out you won't discover cure for cancer in your 1st year and that you have to start with all the boring stuff like histology or biochemistry.
But it's worth it. You got in for a reason, you applied for a reason. No one said university is easy.
Original post by cambio wechsel
if a size 11 pinches, you're unlikely to get into a size 10. And if a size 10 is a squeeze, a size 9 will be bloody murder.
No-one here, not the OP or the people sympathising with her based on their own experience, has suggested that there is a fitting problem. Oxford and Cambridge would claim, and with justification, that their fitting process is better than that anywhere else.
No-one here, not the OP or the people sympathising with her based on their own experience, has suggested that there is a fitting problem. Oxford and Cambridge would claim, and with justification, that their fitting process is better than that anywhere else.
Absolutely. And I love the analogy.
Original post by Nottie
No one said university is easy.
As with life in general - nothing worthwhile is easily obtained.
Original post by Reality Check
As with life in general - nothing worthwhile is easily obtained.
nothing thats worth having
Original post by Mathemagicien
FIFY.
Sounds like A-levels need to be altered and acceptance criteria needs to be looked at.
My younger brother is at Oxford and hasn't complained once. He's very active in his various social things, too.
Probably depends on the subject though.
Also, I would agree that it may be harder at Oxbridge, but not because of tougher content. The stress is likely due to the condensed semester length. What I do at my uni in 10 weeks, Oxford does in 8.
I've compared course content however and it's all the same, at least for physics it is. Probably changes in higher years but then at that point it's not about the difficulty, it's about what material the university is able to teach. This is often what sets unis apart - the earlier year modules are all the same, it's the 3rd/4th year stuff, taught by professors who are rare specialists in their field, that sets unis apart. For example my uni has an awesome 3rd year course in geophysical fluid dynamics which you can only get at a handful of British unis.
Not that my uni is super duper - I'm just pointing out how a lot of universities have equally difficult material, and the only difference is the variety of modules available to students in later years.
Conclusion: Oxbridge stuff is more difficult because of the condensed semester length. Course content isn't much different overall.
My younger brother is at Oxford and hasn't complained once. He's very active in his various social things, too.
Probably depends on the subject though.
Also, I would agree that it may be harder at Oxbridge, but not because of tougher content. The stress is likely due to the condensed semester length. What I do at my uni in 10 weeks, Oxford does in 8.
I've compared course content however and it's all the same, at least for physics it is. Probably changes in higher years but then at that point it's not about the difficulty, it's about what material the university is able to teach. This is often what sets unis apart - the earlier year modules are all the same, it's the 3rd/4th year stuff, taught by professors who are rare specialists in their field, that sets unis apart. For example my uni has an awesome 3rd year course in geophysical fluid dynamics which you can only get at a handful of British unis.
Not that my uni is super duper - I'm just pointing out how a lot of universities have equally difficult material, and the only difference is the variety of modules available to students in later years.
Conclusion: Oxbridge stuff is more difficult because of the condensed semester length. Course content isn't much different overall.
Original post by Pessimisterious
Conclusion: Oxbridge stuff is more difficult because of the condensed semester length. Course content isn't much different overall.
Just a little, rather irrelevant point, but one which actually made me physically itch: we don't have "semesters". We have "terms".
Original post by Reality Check
Just a little, rather irrelevant point, but one which actually made me physically itch: we don't have "semesters". We have "terms".
"Trimester" would be alright I guess.
Original post by alow
"Trimester" would be alright I guess.
Technically, it ought to be 'Duomester' given they're eight weeks, but anything's better than 'Semester'.Original post by dragonkeeper999
arbitrarily marked lab reports throughout the final year
This bit is particularly annoying. I was given a low practical mark for one of my assigned organic experiments this year because it was "easier" than other experiments. I know it's only a small proportion of the overall grade but it's not like it was my choice to do a practical that was easier to perform. I was quite annoyed at the time.
Although I did get higher marks for lab reports than some people whose work was just as good so it's swings and roundabouts I suppose.
I'm fairly lucky as I haven't experienced much else in your list, partly due to my college having (I think) the cheapest accommodation of any college and having relatively good supervisors for the most part.
Original post by Reality Check Technically, it ought to be 'Duomester' given they're eight weeks, but anything's better than 'Semester'.
Technically, it ought to be 'Duomester' given they're eight weeks, but anything's better than 'Semester'."Semester" sounds far too American to me.
Original post by alow
"Trimester" would be alright I guess.
Proctor, the epidural,
well regardless of how widespread this view is, it definitely made me feel better about my rejection 
Oxford 2nd year, I know a lot of people who would relate to your thread
Original post by cambio wechsel
if a size 11 pinches, you're unlikely to get into a size 10. And if a size 10 is a squeeze, a size 9 will be bloody murder.
No-one here, not the OP or the people sympathising with her based on their own experience, has suggested that there is a fitting problem. Oxford and Cambridge would claim, and with justification, that their fitting process is better than that anywhere else.
No-one here, not the OP or the people sympathising with her based on their own experience, has suggested that there is a fitting problem. Oxford and Cambridge would claim, and with justification, that their fitting process is better than that anywhere else.
Well I'm not going to argue that point but the guy I was saying that said I am just as likely to struggle at Oxbridge as anywhere else and that is not true. Regardless of my ability I am more likely to struggle at Oxbridge then elsewhere if he had said that students at such and such are just as likely to struggle as students at Oxbridge the. With that logic it could still work. I am on my phone so hope I didn't misread can't wait to get laptop back still not heard anything.
Original post by Pessimisterious
Sounds like A-levels need to be altered and acceptance criteria needs to be looked at.
My younger brother is at Oxford and hasn't complained once. He's very active in his various social things, too.
Probably depends on the subject though.
Also, I would agree that it may be harder at Oxbridge, but not because of tougher content. The stress is likely due to the condensed semester length. What I do at my uni in 10 weeks, Oxford does in 8.
I've compared course content however and it's all the same, at least for physics it is. Probably changes in higher years but then at that point it's not about the difficulty, it's about what material the university is able to teach. This is often what sets unis apart - the earlier year modules are all the same, it's the 3rd/4th year stuff, taught by professors who are rare specialists in their field, that sets unis apart. For example my uni has an awesome 3rd year course in geophysical fluid dynamics which you can only get at a handful of British unis.
Not that my uni is super duper - I'm just pointing out how a lot of universities have equally difficult material, and the only difference is the variety of modules available to students in later years.
Conclusion: Oxbridge stuff is more difficult because of the condensed semester length. Course content isn't much different overall.
My younger brother is at Oxford and hasn't complained once. He's very active in his various social things, too.
Probably depends on the subject though.
Also, I would agree that it may be harder at Oxbridge, but not because of tougher content. The stress is likely due to the condensed semester length. What I do at my uni in 10 weeks, Oxford does in 8.
I've compared course content however and it's all the same, at least for physics it is. Probably changes in higher years but then at that point it's not about the difficulty, it's about what material the university is able to teach. This is often what sets unis apart - the earlier year modules are all the same, it's the 3rd/4th year stuff, taught by professors who are rare specialists in their field, that sets unis apart. For example my uni has an awesome 3rd year course in geophysical fluid dynamics which you can only get at a handful of British unis.
Not that my uni is super duper - I'm just pointing out how a lot of universities have equally difficult material, and the only difference is the variety of modules available to students in later years.
Conclusion: Oxbridge stuff is more difficult because of the condensed semester length. Course content isn't much different overall.
See these are the sought of things that confuse me could that issue not be resolved by reading ahead? I mean if I was fortunate enough to get an Oxbridge offer and after having sat the exams was under the impression that their was a realistic chance that I had met the offer and was in, I would spend the summer period reading ahead to try and get a small lead or to compensate for that. I don't mean to imply that myself self studying could work at the same pace as oxbridge obviously not but I'd like to think that with a whole 2-3 months I could shave of at least a week or two? And if we have 3 terms that is 24 weeks a year we are at Oxbridge what happens to the other 28 weeks? Can we not utilise that?
Am I missing something here?
Original post by alow
This bit is particularly annoying. I was given a low practical mark for one of my assigned organic experiments this year because it was "easier" than other experiments. I know it's only a small proportion of the overall grade but it's not like it was my choice to do a practical that was easier to perform. I was quite annoyed at the time.
Although I did get higher marks for lab reports than some people whose work was just as good so it's swings and roundabouts I suppose.
I'm fairly lucky as I haven't experienced much else in your list, partly due to my college having (I think) the cheapest accommodation of any college and having relatively good supervisors for the most part.
Although I did get higher marks for lab reports than some people whose work was just as good so it's swings and roundabouts I suppose.
I'm fairly lucky as I haven't experienced much else in your list, partly due to my college having (I think) the cheapest accommodation of any college and having relatively good supervisors for the most part.
Urgh, yeah I had the most evil organic chem demonstrator in second year who gave me 2/10 for my first report - despite my college mum (who's report I'd based mine on, although obviously heavily reworded, properly referenced and improved a lot, I just used it as an idea of how to lay out the report and what kind of stuff to include...) getting 7/10 with it the previous year. Also I had that same issue last term where I had a demonstrator give me a lower practical mark because the experiment was "easier" despite it being a compulsory core experiment I hadn't had the option to pick a harder one for
Argh, I get so annoyed with things at my college
Recently got told that, despite paying £5000 a year for accommodation, we aren't even allowed to use all the kitchen facilities (apparently things like the dishwasher (I have very sensitive skin, doing the dishes is agony) and the only decent sized cupboards are for "staff use only" (i.e. conference guests)) when they were specifically advertised to us when choosing accommodation and we are paying for them! Similarly we can't use the college gym most of the time (even though it's card access, so could easily be 24/7) because it's reserved for fellows, and I get kicked out of accommodation before the start of may week (and therefore also before a potential oral exam) because conference guests are moving in... My supervisions have been mediocre at best, badly organised and several times supervisors have refused to mark extra work or offer revision supervisions because apparently the college refuses to fund it... Spoiler
Original post by dragonkeeper999
Urgh, yeah I had the most evil organic chem demonstrator in second year who gave me 2/10 for my first report - despite my college mum (who's report I'd based mine on, although obviously heavily reworded, properly referenced and improved a lot, I just used it as an idea of how to lay out the report and what kind of stuff to include...) getting 7/10 with it the previous year. Also I had that same issue last term where I had a demonstrator give me a lower practical mark because the experiment was "easier" despite it being a compulsory core experiment I hadn't had the option to pick a harder one for
Argh, I get so annoyed with things at my college Recently got told that, despite paying £5000 a year for accommodation, we aren't even allowed to use all the kitchen facilities (apparently things like the dishwasher (I have very sensitive skin, doing the dishes is agony) and the only decent sized cupboards are for "staff use only" (i.e. conference guests)) when they were specifically advertised to us when choosing accommodation and we are paying for them! Similarly we can't use the college gym most of the time (even though it's card access, so could easily be 24/7) because it's reserved for fellows, and I get kicked out of accommodation before the start of may week (and therefore also before a potential oral exam) because conference guests are moving in... My supervisions have been mediocre at best, badly organised and several times supervisors have refused to mark extra work or offer revision supervisions because apparently the college refuses to fund it...
Argh, I get so annoyed with things at my college
Recently got told that, despite paying £5000 a year for accommodation, we aren't even allowed to use all the kitchen facilities (apparently things like the dishwasher (I have very sensitive skin, doing the dishes is agony) and the only decent sized cupboards are for "staff use only" (i.e. conference guests)) when they were specifically advertised to us when choosing accommodation and we are paying for them! Similarly we can't use the college gym most of the time (even though it's card access, so could easily be 24/7) because it's reserved for fellows, and I get kicked out of accommodation before the start of may week (and therefore also before a potential oral exam) because conference guests are moving in... My supervisions have been mediocre at best, badly organised and several times supervisors have refused to mark extra work or offer revision supervisions because apparently the college refuses to fund it... Spoiler
Practical marks seemed to depend a lot more on the demonstrators mood than anything else really. The one I was marked down in was also compulsory and obviously if I could have chosen a harder one for more marks I would so it's really not fair.
Yeah that sucks. I pay £3.6k per year for ensuite accommodation which includes £600 to spend in hall/buttery and I can stay until the end of June. It's really not fair how different colleges have such drastically different living costs.
Are the supervisions your DoS organised the bad ones (and shouldn't it be their job to fix that)? The ones I've had organised by the department have been good so far, and they've all said they can do some revision supervisions closer to exams without having to talk to my college to confirm it. Does that mean Murray Edwards contacts supervisors to tell them they won't fund extra supervisions before they have time to offer any?
Original post by Reality Check
Just a little, rather irrelevant point, but one which actually made me physically itch: we don't have "semesters". We have "terms".
Original post by alow
"Semester" sounds far too American to me.
Heh.
I haven't been on this forum for years. I forgot how pedantic you lot can be.
Original post by Luke7456
See these are the sought of things that confuse me could that issue not be resolved by reading ahead? I mean if I was fortunate enough to get an Oxbridge offer and after having sat the exams was under the impression that their was a realistic chance that I had met the offer and was in, I would spend the summer period reading ahead to try and get a small lead or to compensate for that. I don't mean to imply that myself self studying could work at the same pace as oxbridge obviously not but I'd like to think that with a whole 2-3 months I could shave of at least a week or two? And if we have 3 terms that is 24 weeks a year we are at Oxbridge what happens to the other 28 weeks? Can we not utilise that?
Am I missing something here?
See these are the sought of things that confuse me could that issue not be resolved by reading ahead? I mean if I was fortunate enough to get an Oxbridge offer and after having sat the exams was under the impression that their was a realistic chance that I had met the offer and was in, I would spend the summer period reading ahead to try and get a small lead or to compensate for that. I don't mean to imply that myself self studying could work at the same pace as oxbridge obviously not but I'd like to think that with a whole 2-3 months I could shave of at least a week or two? And if we have 3 terms that is 24 weeks a year we are at Oxbridge what happens to the other 28 weeks? Can we not utilise that?
Am I missing something here?
Well any student can do that but to be honest I don't think it would ever properly prepare someone for the workload.
This is worsened by the fact that lecture material isn't often readily available. It's good and well saying, "Oh I have a course in fluid mechanics next year, I guess I should buy a book on that." , but in reality the courses tend to cherry pick the most important aspects from these very thick textbooks. How is a student supposed to know which bit is best to read for relevance to the course?
Also, there's the fact that universities are adult education institutions, not schools. They offer courses for people who are paying good money to be there. If a course is advertised as being from date A to date B, then the course should fit comfortably in those dates without students having study the course material beforehand.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Has anyone ever rejected Oxbridge?
- I'm afraid that I can't relate to my peers at my university
- How to get over a Cambridge rejection
- Dealing with Oxbridge rejection
- Share your experience of Oxbridge rejection here**
- can you get accepted into cambridge early if you get all 9s in your gcses
- Applying to oxford law after A-level results
- [Official thread] Durham University 2024 Applicants
- How important is the EPQ in the admissions process to Oxford/Cambridge?
- Should I turn down LSE to reapply for Oxford?
- Is it worth giving a shot at Oxbridge?
- St Andrew's Acceptance
- LSE Economics Applicants 2021 Entry
- Should I take a gap year to apply to Oxbridge?
- Am I going to be ok?
- Oxford Law GCSE Grades
- LSE KCL UCL Law LLB 2024
- Durham University - Full of Rich Privately Educated people?
- Can low tier unis reject you because they think you're applying for Oxbridge?
- Oxbridge must help pupils from state schools
Latest
Trending
Last reply 15 hours ago
Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust (WHT) Scholarship Notification (2024-2025)Last reply 2 days ago
Oxbridge applicants for modern languages - 2025 entry (applying in 2024)Last reply 1 week ago
Will I get into Oxford with my GCSE results? - EngineeringLast reply 3 weeks ago
will 5 a levels give me a better chance at getting into oxford?Trending
Last reply 15 hours ago
Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust (WHT) Scholarship Notification (2024-2025)Last reply 2 days ago
Oxbridge applicants for modern languages - 2025 entry (applying in 2024)Last reply 1 week ago
Will I get into Oxford with my GCSE results? - EngineeringLast reply 3 weeks ago
will 5 a levels give me a better chance at getting into oxford?
