I got rejected from Cambridge...

I am an international high school senior. I had applied to Cambridge for undergrad- Math Tripos.I had a chance for interview but today I received a feedback form and my scores were 5 which doubtful for being placed. I am being very sensitive for getting very low interview scores which is making me think is math not right for me. I still love math a lot but is it not for me? Please help me...

Reply 1

ran-dumb

Have you gotten a rejection, or are you just looking at the interview feedback? Cambridge is notorious for giving out more offers than you might expect and just leaving the filtering to the STEP paper. I don't know if a 5 is good enough for that, but I do think they're much more generous with interviews than Oxford.

Reply 2

Little Cat

Original post by ran-dumb

I got rejected . I had an interview in December and yesterday the results were out .In my interview feedback they gave my performance as 5...

Reply 3

Wired_1800

Original post by Little Cat

I got rejected . I had an interview in December and yesterday the results were out .In my interview feedback they gave my performance as 5...

You were assessed against your cohort and the University standards. You should not hold on to that grade and look for other unis. Good luck

Reply 4

ran-dumb

Original post by Little Cat

I got rejected . I had an interview in December and yesterday the results were out .In my interview feedback they gave my performance as 5...

Interviews are very random, it depends on what questions you got and if you were prepared for or good at that particular problem. Don't take it too personally

Reply 5

Little Cat

Thank you for your kind words... I love math and the results made think if math is not for me

Reply 6

Tammie2345524

Pretty much everyone who applies to Cambridge is very good at their subject. Getting a lowish score compared to Cambridge maths students doesn't mean you're bad at maths. Besides, a 5 in a Cambridge interview isn't actually bad, it's just not outstanding by Cambridge standards.
If you were bad at maths they wouldn't have even interviewed you.

Reply 7

ran-dumb

Original post by Little Cat

Thank you for your kind words... I love math and the results made think if math is not for me

I felt the same when I got rejected from Oxford. There's not much I can say that'll make you suddenly better, but chances are you're not nearly as good at or like other subjects like math, its your best bet.

Reply 8

Little Cat

Original post by ran-dumb

ohh even i can't say something that will make you feel better.. all the best for your future

Original post by Tammie2345524

It makes realize that i am not the weakest candidate ... I would try harder next time!!

Reply 9

ran-dumb

Original post by Little Cat

ohh even i can't say something that will make you feel better.. all the best for your future

It makes realize that i am not the weakest candidate ... I would try harder next time!!

No its alright, that was last year and I'm at another uni now. You'll feel better too, just don't stress over it too much

Reply 10

Little Cat

Original post by ran-dumb

No its alright, that was last year and I'm at another uni now. You'll feel better too, just don't stress over it too much

oh if you don't mind can i ask you which uni do you attend?
Sorry if I am being impolite!

Reply 11

ran-dumb

Original post by Little Cat

oh if you don't mind can i ask you which uni do you attend?
Sorry if I am being impolite!

No its fine, I'm at Warwick now

oh nice !

Which unis have you applied for?

Reply 14

Little Cat

Original post by ran-dumb

Which unis have you applied for?

I have applied for UCL, Edinburgh , Bristol and Kings

What is your course like your major?

Reply 15

Little Cat

Original post by Little Cat

I have applied for UCL, Edinburgh , Bristol and Kings

What is your course like your major?

And cambridge ofc

Reply 16

_gcx

Study Forum Helper

If you still want to try for Cambridge you should take STEP and see how you do in it. If you get two 1s or better you might like to reapply. I'm a bit surprised you didn't apply for somewhere like Warwick or Imperial, though Bristol and UCL are pretty good.

You'll be fine - if getting rejected from the top university for maths meant you weren't cut out for maths, there wouldn't be thousands of successful maths students elsewhere. People can go from pretty low STEP results (3s and Us) or pre-interview rejections from oxbridge to getting firsts at university.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 17

Little Cat

Original post by _gcx

Thanks for your suggestion! Really means a lot

Reply 18

Zuvio

Original post by Little Cat

I also got rejected from maths at Cambridge. Which college did you apply to? (I applied to Churchill). Did you request that feedback? It was very fast. I can't get feedback until march, and I have to get my teacher to request it for me. They've even said that they won't provide much. May I ask what else was included in your feedback form, and how specific was it?