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Should I take gap year to reapply for a better university?

OP

I don't know if a gap year would be a mistake?

I mean if I missed out on Leeds then it would be a wasted year but I'd probably regret it if I didn't try.

I should be really happy instead it's just stress stress stress!

Reply 21

Grotbag

12

I'd take a year out in your position.

Such a shame Leeds didn't have any spaces - you are exactly the kind of candidate that adjustment is supposed to benefit, but it seems as though it was implemented without much thought as to where these extra spaces were supposed to come from.

Maybe now that you have the grades you can broaden your horizons and consider uni's you hadn't before so that even if you didn't get into Leeds, you'd more than likely get into a least one of your other options.

Reply 22

blackbox2342

OP

yeah I agree with what you say with Adjustment, interestingly some Uni's such as Leciester actually left spaces for adjustment but realistcally they can pick and choose and don't even need adjustment. It's a shame for the students like myself who surpassed expectations but I feel now the only choice I have is to reapply.

Another question reapplying will mean I'm in for the tution fee price hikes? : /

I'd like to hear a no to that one but I'm not optimistic!

Reply 23

Undiscovery

MDEH8176

I plan on reading plenty of linguistic books to keep my academic brain working! I think a gap year is very useful to most arts/humanities students. A badly planned gap year isn't though and I can understand how they may not appeal to everybody.

Yeh I agree - I'm taking an unplanned gap year which I at first I found an extremely frustrating and depressing prospect - but it's easy to keep academically active if you make the effort.

Simply keeping up with reading and stuff is enough really or you can always do courses in your spare time.

Reply 24

La Esmerelda

17

You should do UCAS Adjust and look for some places. English is pretty full but its worth a try.

Reply 25

Hedgehunter

12

blackbox2342

I got my results today and they were much better than I'd being predicted which is all great of course, however, the University I'd applied for wasn't the best and only needed 200 points I actually got 3 A's and a B and don't know whether I'd be best to reapply for a better university next year.

I've tried adjustment but all the places for English at the Univeristies I'm looking at have already been taken up.

I'm worried though that if I take a gap year that I'll fall out of practice and begin to forget things. I also feel a gap year could be a waist as I wouldn't be sure what to do for the whole year.

I'll be grateful for any advice,

many thanks in advance.

English at Exeter had places when I looked this afternoon!

Reply 26

blackbox2342

OP

Esmerelda I have being looking at adjustment but so far the Uni's I've looked at have had no places left!

The only places tend to be the more specialist subjects found in clearing : /

Reply 27

blackbox2342

OP

I wanted to stay fairly local so I've been looking at Leeds, Sheffield and York and none have places! : /

Reply 28

Grotbag

12

blackbox2342

Esmerelda I have being looking at adjustment but so far the Uni's I've looked at have had no places left!

The only places tend to be the more specialist subjects found in clearing : /

English still showing at Exeter...http://www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate/clearing/adjustment/adjustmentvacancies/

Reply 29

blackbox2342

OP

Grotbag thanks for the link but I'm really looking to stay local, so my choices at the moment are Sheffield, Leeds and York all of which are full : /

Thank you for the effort and the information though (:

Reply 30

blackbox2342

OP

Thanks for your help everyone,

it seems a pretty 50:50 decision so far, I've got serious thinking to do!

Reply 31

blackbox2342

OP

OMG, looked at the york st john uni website 2 bad things in my opinion!

A. They have clearing space available for english literature (the course I was going to do), not a good indication.

B. They've dropped entry requirements to 160 points, I have 460 points (I believe can't work out the damn UCAS tarrifs!) well basically I have AAAB they require about DDD's.

I actually feel now that I can do much better than York St John and since adjustment has so few places applying next year is a much better idea.

I feel I've wasted this years application now :frown:

Still very happy with my results and if a gap year means a better future/uni then so be it!

Reply 32

Jemmy01

Uni doesn't start for another month, I would say give it a week or two to think about it, you need to make absolutley sure you are doing the right thing. I ended up going to a uni I didn't really want for two months and when I had quit and was on my way home I was so happy and thought 'this is how it should feel going to uni, not leaving!!' I'm going back this year and I'm going somewhere I really want to be and I have spent the year working and made some wicked friends and had a good time! Don't rush into a decision, and maybe visit the unis in this time, then you'll know what you really want.

Reply 33

Aethelred

2

blackbox2342

OMG, looked at the york st john uni website 2 bad things in my opinion!

A. They have clearing space available for english literature (the course I was going to do), not a good indication.

B. They've dropped entry requirements to 160 points, I have 460 points (I believe can't work out the damn UCAS tarrifs!) well basically I have AAAB they require about DDD's.

I actually feel now that I can do much better than York St John and since adjustment has so few places applying next year is a much better idea.

I feel I've wasted this years application now :frown:

Still very happy with my results and if a gap year means a better future/uni then so be it!

A gap year sounds like a good idea from what you've written in this thread. You have 3 A grades - that is what Oxford would require for English! Of course, there is a lot more to applying to Oxford/Cambridge than just getting AAA but do think about aiming high now. Do you really need to stay 'local' - do think about looking further afield as well as York etc. You should be patting yourself on the back (maybe that's difficult ! :smile:

) and thinking about applying to top 10 universities now. It depends what subjects you've done to A2 but for example, Durham would be a good start and close enough to your ideal location as well.

Reply 34

swishbucket

Best thing i ever did turing down warwick.

I took a gap year, earned money, prepared myself for university and matured as an individual.

I am much more prepared for my new university after thinking things through.

Reply 35

blackbox2342

OP

thanks for all the advice, TSR helped me loads with english literature this year and now you're all offering great advice.

This is a fantastic student forum and appreciate all the help and advice!

I think it'll be a gap year (: Thanks for helping me decide all!

Reply 36

Tsukuyomi

15

CombineHarvester

What some students do is take up a place in Uni this year and then transfer to a better one the following year. You could try that.

you took the words right out of my mouth, Sir

Reply 37

paddyman4

14

If it was me, I would definitely reapply. You don't want to spend your whole life knowing you didn't fully achieve your potential.

And a gap year might even be advantageous - if you can get hold of the first year reading list, you can make a head start. As I know from friends doing English that they never have time to read everything they are supposed to.

Reply 38

OhNO!

16

I would definitely, definitely reapply.

One year is nothing, really.

Reply 39

Fillette

14

F1 fanatic

For English you'd be fine taking a gap year, so long as you're doing something productive (a job would count as productive)

this. as a gap year-ist, i can say that it is a guaranteed waste of time unless you have coherent plans i.e. a job, travelling or some kind of project. bearing in mind it is increasingly difficult to get a job in this economic recession. but most crucially, it depends on whether you actually like your university and the course. because if you actually do like it a lot then i think you should go there- it's pointless declining a place where you would be happy for the sake of prestige. but if you had doubts about your course at the university/location, etc. then by all means consider another place where you may be happier.

Should I take gap year to reapply for a better university?

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