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Pooled at Cambridge but not fished

Hey guys,

I know I'm not the only person who didn't get an offer from Cambridge so I am not looking for sympathy and pity. But is there anyone else on here that got Pooled and not fished and wants to talk about it? I think I just would feel better if I talk to people in a similar situation

I applied for Geography at Downing. I know the pool exists to even out applicants but if another college has already accepted students of a similar or same ability to me they won't swap us unless they can't fill all their spaces with the candidates that meet the standard. On one hand I am at least glad as it means the Geography department wanted me but there aren't enough spaces but on the other I find it hard to accept because I was so close argh. Because it doesn't feel like a solid rejection "you are not good enough for us" but more "you are good enough but there are better people and limited spaces"

Not all colleges ask the same questions anyway, I was asked on things I had never seen before but other people at other colleges were asked the more generic things about the books they have read, personal statement etc which I wasn't and obviously could do better on things you would think would be asked. So I don't think the college system is "foolproof" as such, and that your chance of getting in is exact in every college. But I do think Cambridge try very hard to make it as close but it won't be perfect

I would be eligible for adjustment but I miss it narrowly, I had a lot of extenuating circumstances in Year 12 that my teacher said would write about to all unis but I am not even sure if they did. This is because UCL said they didn't receive any contextual info from me but I already hold an offer so it's too late now.
(edited 4 years ago)

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I'm so sorry :frown: I really wish you the best.

I was not pooled but rejected - but a friend of mine was and she is heartbroken because she was nearly there. Wishing you the best :frown:
Reply 2
Original post by ohdearstudying
I'm so sorry :frown: I really wish you the best.

I was not pooled but rejected - but a friend of mine was and she is heartbroken because she was nearly there. Wishing you the best :frown:

If you don't mind me asking, what did you and your friend apply for?

Honestly, I know Cambridge don't make mistakes so it's hard to accept as the offer still won't come. I don't want to be seen as dramatic but it's just such a sad reality.
Original post by reinaadira
If you don't mind me asking, what did you and your friend apply for?

Honestly, I know Cambridge don't make mistakes so it's hard to accept as the offer still won't come. I don't want to be seen as dramatic but it's just such a sad reality.

My parents, especially my mother, is flummoxed she is convinced something has gone astray. I on the other hand accept and see it for what it is. I applied for Law and she applied for Psychology.

It's heart wrenching it really is.
Reply 4
Original post by ohdearstudying
My parents, especially my mother, is flummoxed she is convinced something has gone astray. I on the other hand accept and see it for what it is. I applied for Law and she applied for Psychology.

It's heart wrenching it really is.

Honestly I just feel so sad and I feel like a lot of people can't relate or understand. Like out of all my friends, only two asked a few questions on how I feel. I feel restless over it, my mum is convinced something has gone astray too. I just find it hard to understand that an oversubscribed college put my application in the pool and no one wanted to take me :frown: It makes me want to reapply but honestly you can't chase after the same thing too much

I was imagining myself at Downing too, and I'm sure you were imagining yourself at the College you applied to and it feels like a dream shattered. I love Geography so much and you must love law equally. Where do you think you'll end up firming/wanting to go to?
Original post by reinaadira
Honestly I just feel so sad and I feel like a lot of people can't relate or understand. Like out of all my friends, only two asked a few questions on how I feel. I feel restless over it, my mum is convinced something has gone astray too. I just find it hard to understand that an oversubscribed college put my application in the pool and no one wanted to take me :frown: It makes me want to reapply but honestly you can't chase after the same thing too much

I was imagining myself at Downing too, and I'm sure you were imagining yourself at the College you applied to and it feels like a dream shattered. I love Geography so much and you must love law equally. Where do you think you'll end up firming/wanting to go to?

Yes! Actually, hardly anyone at school asked me instead I just get forlorn looks, despite the fact I was checking on everyone when they had anything going on. It has made me reevaluate if I am honest. It's funny, I was rejected from Downing too, it was beautiful and I felt as if everything was pointing towards it. Durham, I think, but if I get A*AA I will go, if I get higher grades I will reapply I think
Hey, i was pooled and rejected too. Absolutely devastated tbh, just feels like I could of got in if i applied to a different college maybe :frown:
Reply 7
Original post by s.jones5
Hey, i was pooled and rejected too. Absolutely devastated tbh, just feels like I could of got in if i applied to a different college maybe :frown:

Honestly I think you're right, which is the most disappointing part. It is nice to know that the application was at least considered but it still has the outcome of a rejection and still won't go there :frown: honestly so sad but I don't feel like I can go around saying it much

What college and subject did you apply for?
Reply 8
Original post by ohdearstudying
Yes! Actually, hardly anyone at school asked me instead I just get forlorn looks, despite the fact I was checking on everyone when they had anything going on. It has made me reevaluate if I am honest. It's funny, I was rejected from Downing too, it was beautiful and I felt as if everything was pointing towards it. Durham, I think, but if I get A*AA I will go, if I get higher grades I will reapply I think

Yes it has made me revaluate too that some people are really self-centred :frown: And then when I say I am rejected just pity looks and "you'll do fine somewhere else". Downing is beautiful and it takes a large number of students and the rooms were super nice too and same I felt like everything was pointing towards it! Good luck with it!
Reply 9
I applied for geography at downing. I was rejected, not in the pool, nor eligible for adjustment. Think how I feel :frown: lol
Reply 10
I've seen maybe 7 different people on TSR alone apply for geography at Downing, it was probably very oversubscribed now I think of it.
Original post by Deggs_14
I applied for geography at downing. I was rejected, not in the pool, nor eligible for adjustment. Think how I feel :frown: lol


Was your interview on the 13th Dec too? We might have unknowingly seen each other, and I saw so many people on the day too, my mum said she saw more boys and girls for Geography so it was probably very over subscribed as you say. Might have been a different outcome if the application was to Newnham or Homerton or something.

I miss Adjustment by one box, but I also had some things happen in Year 12 that my teacher said would write on an ECF but they didn't show me it so I doubt what was written... Honestly sucks
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 12
Original post by reinaadira
Was your interview on the 13th Dec too? We might have unknowingly seen each other, and I saw so many people on the day too, my mum said she saw more boys and girls for Geography so it was probably very over subscribed as you say. Might have been a different outcome if the application was to Newnham or Homerton or something.

I miss Adjustment by one box, but I also had some things happen in Year 12 that my teacher said would write on an ECF but they didn't show me it so I doubt what was written... Honestly sucks

No, my interviews were on the 10th.

Who were your interviewers? Did you have to preread articles about "Green Growth" and "The Changing Role of the Workplace?"
Original post by reinaadira
Honestly I think you're right, which is the most disappointing part. It is nice to know that the application was at least considered but it still has the outcome of a rejection and still won't go there :frown: honestly so sad but I don't feel like I can go around saying it much

What college and subject did you apply for?

I applied for architecture at trinity, literally devoted the last 8 months of my life to this application and it sucks having nothing to show for it. Honestly after I got the decision I felt like that was it and there was no point in trying in my a levels anymore because there wasn't anywhere I want to go. After thinking about it I think im going to reapply but only if I get 3 A*s so hopefully I can use that as a motivator. What do you think ur going to do?
Original post by Deggs_14
No, my interviews were on the 10th.

Who were your interviewers? Did you have to preread articles about "Green Growth" and "The Changing Role of the Workplace?"

Yeah I had the exact same articles. Wasn't asked anything on my personal statement, extra reading, why Geography etc
Antonio and Alice in one, and Karenjit and Bill in one, was it the same for you?
Reply 15
Original post by reinaadira
Yeah I had the exact same articles. Wasn't asked anything on my personal statement, extra reading, why Geography etc
Antonio and Alice in one, and Karenjit and Bill in one, was it the same for you?

Exactly the same for me. I was asked nothing about my personal statement or my SAQ, all about things I was unfortunately not that confident on. Antonio went to the loo in the middle of my interview as well and kept on rolling his eyes at my answers like he wasn't interested. Ugh so frustrating.
Original post by Deggs_14
Exactly the same for me. I was asked nothing about my personal statement or my SAQ, all about things I was unfortunately not that confident on. Antonio went to the loo in the middle of my interview as well and kept on rolling his eyes at my answers like he wasn't interested. Ugh so frustrating.

They say Cambridge are looking for passionate people which I don't doubt but it's quite hard to present yourself as Poster Child for I love Geography when they are asking difficult questions. You can show you're interested in learning but still. In mine a lot of the times my answers were interrupted and then asked something else, I actually didn't like how short the interviews were it defo felt incomplete

Which uni do you think you'll go to?
Reply 17
Original post by reinaadira
They say Cambridge are looking for passionate people which I don't doubt but it's quite hard to present yourself as Poster Child for I love Geography when they are asking difficult questions. You can show you're interested in learning but still. In mine a lot of the times my answers were interrupted and then asked something else, I actually didn't like how short the interviews were it defo felt incomplete

Which uni do you think you'll go to?

I wish there was more time, as in my second interview they said they would ask personal statement questions, but they never came round too it as we ran out of time :frown:. I'm looking at Durham now.
Original post by s.jones5
I applied for architecture at trinity, literally devoted the last 8 months of my life to this application and it sucks having nothing to show for it. Honestly after I got the decision I felt like that was it and there was no point in trying in my a levels anymore because there wasn't anywhere I want to go. After thinking about it I think im going to reapply but only if I get 3 A*s so hopefully I can use that as a motivator. What do you think ur going to do?

Honestly I don't know :frown: Because a lot of people are rejected then reapply and are rejected again and if that was me honestly it would break me. Especially because I don't want to take a Gap year at all but some people reapply and are accepted. It's just hard to know what is in your "destiny" as such. Life isn't fair and Cambridge admissions won't be either which isn't their fault obviously.

I think if you use it as a motivator that is excellent, I want to do that but now I think I don't need to get an A* in Geography now anyway but I would still like to. I've had mocks recently so I opened the email after all of the exams except one and I feel like I've lost some motivation to revise.
Original post by Deggs_14
I wish there was more time, as in my second interview they said they would ask personal statement questions, but they never came round too it as we ran out of time :frown:. I'm looking at Durham now.

Honestly I'm kind of jealous of the people that got asked things on their personal statement because who wouldn't know that in depth, and also the generic Why Geography, What books have you read because it really allows people to talk about things they are passionate about and then they could have asked on unseen things

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