Barror1's Road to Cambridge

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

Welcome to my GYG!

Hey! :grouphugs:

So I hit the books and applied for Cambridge for 2019 entry English Literature. I have no idea how I managed it but I got called for an interview at Trinity College!

...Then got promptly rejected in January.

But then I was given another chance. Cambridge has opened for adjustment for the first time and I am eligible for the scheme due to some school and postcode stuff.

Before you read on, a bit of context. I was SUPER ill during my first year of Sixth Form (thanks NCS! :colonhash:

). As a result, I had to repeat year 12. This change of life course also explains why my GCSEs are quite low- I never even dreamed of Oxbridge then! I already have a grade in English Language A-level because it was the only subject I did not have to repeat (completed June 2018).

I applied to Cambridge with excenuating circumstances, which is why I managed to make it to interview despite my horrific stats :laugh:

GCSE Grades:

Spoiler

A-Level Predictions+ Literature texts

Spoiler

What if you don't get in to Cambridge? (UCAS choices)

Spoiler

Tags (sorry if you get a notification, just adding this for reference! :grouphugs:

)

Spoiler

If you want to be added to tags, please do not hesitate to comment here or PM me with a request :biggrin:

Onwards and upwards!

Once again, welcome to my GYG!

(edited 4 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Doones

I'm in dude. Good luck!!! :crossedf:

Me too! Good luck!

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

9/3/19
Woke up at like 12 (this week has been such a rollercoaster that I have earned it 😂) and revised a classic study for psychology over breakfast.
I was struggling to revise so took a couple of hours out to hit the gym, and came back to work on Othello critics and some sociology key terms.
Tomorrow I have work for 4 hours, but I am hoping to complete a sociology presentation and write a literature essay (not sure on what yet though)!

Reply 4

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

13/3/19
This has been such a week already :frown:

Gone to the docs and have been put on even more medication for stuff and have been told that my blood pressure is slightly low. This has hit my concentration and energy HARD.
So I've made a new study plan to make sure I meet everything before exams. It's the same system I used last year for my English Language last year so I know that it works!
This plan does not involve a strict timetable- Rather weekly goals that you stick to RELIGIOUSLY. This helps me work harder on my good days to make up for my bad days, rather than just straight up losing study time when I'm bad. :closedeyes:

This week's goals are:
Sociology (crime) - Pages 1-16 in my pack (gonna average between 10-15 pages a week)
Sociology (the rest of it) - Revise 75% of Education
English Literature - Get a full understanding of Othello including critics and context - UCAS kinda made my A2 texts fly by so I just need to make sure everything is good before I start doing mock exams!
I will update this weekly at the very least but will definitely try more often than that! :cyber:

Have a good one <3

Edit: 10 more rep until 600! So proud of myself no idea why :laugh:

Edit edit: Thank you @Doones to getting me to 600 rep!

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 5

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

14/3/19
I've heard back from all my unis!
Got an email from UCL saying that I was no longer being considered for their Literature degree, but I had a chance to be considered for a Comparative Literature (totally a different course I swear)!
Unfortunately, I just did not like the university when I went there (plus the air pollution is hell on my lungs :pinch:

). I withdrew from my UCL application and have firmed York, insurancing Southampton!
Although of course York is not my final goal, I'm just glad that UCAS is done for now!

Reply 6

cinnamoroll

Congrats on York!! Hope we both get a positive outcome from the adjustment scheme, but either way, no matter what the outcome is, York is a great uni from what I've heard. Good luck!!! :smile:

Reply 7

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

Original post by cinnamoroll

Congrats on York!! Hope we both get a positive outcome from the adjustment scheme, but either way, no matter what the outcome is, York is a great uni from what I've heard. Good luck!!! :smile:

Thanks! Yeah, I really like the course at York (since linguistics is amazing!). Plus if I go, I will apply to do my second year abroad in Canada- just depends where the future takes me really :smile:

Reply 8

cinnamoroll

Original post by barror1

Thanks! Yeah, I really like the course at York (since linguistics is amazing!). Plus if I go, I will apply to do my second year abroad in Canada- just depends where the future takes me really :smile:

A year in Canada sounds amazing!! and a place at Cambridge also sounds amazing!! whatever happens, I'm rooting for you :h:

Reply 9

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

Original post by cinnamoroll

A year in Canada sounds amazing!! and a place at Cambridge also sounds amazing!! whatever happens, I'm rooting for you :h:

Awwwww ❤ and the same to you!

Reply 10

Doones

Original post by barror1

Edit: 10 more rep until 600! So proud of myself no idea why :laugh:

Edit edit: Thank you @Doones to getting me to 600 rep!

My absolute pleasure :hat2:

Reply 11

The RAR

With grades like that, you inspire me

Reply 12

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

Original post by The RAR

With grades like that, you inspire me

Aww you're too kind, thank you! I hope you gain something from this GYG :smile:

Reply 13

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

Managed to meet my weekly goal, only got 3 pages of crime left to do. Time to hit the pub after a long day of revision :alcohol:

Reply 14

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

18/3/19
Got some literature work back today. It wasn't bad, but definitely not A*. I spent this afternoon printing out exemplars and just spent some time highlighting wherever I see evaluation (which I can never seem to get right).
I am going to take this knowledge and write up an Othello essay now, and hopefully finish the last few pages of crime revision from last week.
My self-confidence has really been knocked these past few days, but on the upside, that means that I have nothing to lose!

Reply 15

hp4300

Original post by barror1

Don't get too disheartened, sometimes you just have a bad day. Hopefully, you improve on your next essay :smile:

Reply 16

bmgrace

Which exam board do you do for English and which books?

Original post by barror1

Reply 17

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

Original post by bmgrace

Which exam board do you do for English and which books?

Edexcel. We do contemporary poetry, Wife of Bath, Othello, A Streetcar Named Desire, A thousand splendid suns and Wuthering Heights :smile:

Reply 18

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

23/3/19
What a week! Finally got my place in the Spring Concert at School (learning harmonies along with everything else is actually quite relaxing to me) and had a really good time with that. We perform Tuesday night. :danceboy:

Yesterday Radio 4's Any Questions was at school and I got to be the student rep! Turns out I am the first student in the history of the show to introduce the location (as it is usually done by the organisers). The BBC has said that because of me, they will be advising students to volunteer themselves in the future! So that's pretty cool. Because I do theatre work, I also got a guided tour of the broadcast van which was AMAZING. Watching radio be made is actually such an interesting process :3
*I got in trouble with Diann Abbot and listened to Johnathan Dimbleby mouth off Theresa May but that is a story for another time*

Study Update
Crime: So I will be waking up early tomorrow to finish the last 10 or so pages for this week. Next week is pages 31-45 I'm getting into the flow of revision so I feel pretty confident about this!
Sociology: Going to be revising 2 units at once this week because I have a pretty big education mock exam on Thursday- really hoping to get at least an A in that. As for new revision, it will be 50% of Families and Households.
English Lit: Golly gee that A* is looking far away right now. :eek4:

I've read the Wife of Bath's Tale, but I cannot find an audio copy of her prologue in the original dialect. :frown:

If anyone knows where to find one I would greatly appreciate it! This week I will be mainly focusing on doing a Drama Paper 1 in timed conditions. My English Teacher has promised to mark all of my practice papers too because she is just such a babe and will definitely be getting one of the biggest presents at the end of exams. :excited: