Rejected by Cambridge for being shy

I got 11 A*s and 1 A in GCSE and 5 A grades at A level last year. I recently attended an interview at Cambridge, but I was rejected. Having enquired as to why this was, I was told I was too shy, quiet and failed to 'sell myself'. I am devasted. I cannot even consider my other offers at the moment. I had set my heart on going to Cambridge. It feels like I would just be making do by accepting any other offer. I'm tempted to reject my other offers and just give up.

TSRians, it's not all about A grades- should teach others a lesson that they should get hobbies outside education to appear more attractive to employers/ HE institiutions.
OP I am sorry for what happened though

As anothers have pointed out, it's all very well for you to say it's no big deal and that Cambridge is overrated, when you yourself have a place. Why did you apply there if it's so overrated?

If you are considering reapplying, however, you should give some thought to broadening your outlook a bit and not invest so much in the outcome. I'd hate to be a Cambridge admissions tutor interviewing so many people every year who are 'desperate' to get in - it must be so obvious, and get in the way of demonstrating exactly what their particular talents might be.

This is really sound advice, OP. A similar thing happened to me the first time I applied to my university - the pressure I put on myself meant that I was simply too nervous and under-performed as a result. I got with my feedback (which was generally very positive) a similar comment to you about being 'diffident' and for a long time I didn't think that was a very good excuse, since it wasn't a reflection of my academic ability. Then I realised that given the nature of the teaching at places like Oxford and Cambridge (lots of one-on-one or small group tutorials/supervisions), the tutors can't really afford to take a class full of shy people who aren't going to be forthcoming with ideas. I asked myself if I had seemed in my interviews like the sort of person who could be challenged and pushed in this environment and the answer was a resounding no - so I began to understand where the tutors were coming from. I think you have to bear in mind that you need to be suitable for the teaching methods, and being shy causes difficulties.

If, like me, you were just incredibly nervous (when you pin such hopes on something, it's difficult not to be) and are thinking of reapplying, perhaps you should take a gap year and give it another go. There are all sorts of things you could do as a potential medic, but what really helped me was going to live on my own in France for a while. Even just a few months completely alone in an alien situation, though terrifying at first, can be really helpful and I honestly felt like I'd changed a lot when I returned. After a lot of interview practice and learning little tricks (sitting up straight on the edge of your seat helps you to breathe properly and keep calm), I reapplied and got an unconditional offer. It feels like a hard thing to change what may have become an aspect of your personality, but if you want to change it you can.

I have a hard time believing that it was only because you were shy.

I know plenty of people I would've considered 'shy', but they're studying at Oxbridge now, or have already finished their studies. Not to stare a stereotype in the face, but a lot of people going to Cambridge and Oxford are people who have dedicated their life to their education, so there are more than a few people studying there who are ... less socially capable than people studying at a former polytechnic for instance.

What admission tutors at the high class Uni's are looking for these days is a bit of breaking the mould. It's as much about non-academia these days as anything. Volunteer somewhere, do charity work. Have a hobby people can relate to, etc.

A mate of mine recently got an interview and offer to Cambridge (as well as UCL and Edinburgh). He's not the most capable student ever. He got something like 2 A*'s at GCSE, 3 A's and B's and C's for the rest. He's predicted A*AA at A Level (naturally, or else I don't think he would have a chance). I honestly think he got an interview BECAUSE he broke the mould. He didn't have perfect GCSE results, but his A Level predictions speak for themselves. He's put the work in, and he also has voluntary experience etc.

Im not advocating sabotaging your GCSE results to help break the mould, but if you're capable of getting those GCSE results, you can take some time away from your studies to do voluntary work and still get the A Level results needed.

My chances of going to Cambridge or Oxford were over before they began since I've missed close to 3 years of education due to my health. I always aspired to it, and it was crushing when I realised I wasn't going to achieve it, but it's not the end. University, at the end of the day, is getting out what you put in. It sounds a bit more glamorous saying you're an Oxbridge graduate, but just because you didn't achieve it at Undergraduate level, doesn't mean you can't do Post-Graduate work there. That's actually my aim now. Maybe it should be yours.

As anothers have pointed out, it's all very well for you to say it's no big deal and that Cambridge is overrated, when you yourself have a place. Why did you apply there if it's so overrated?

. Why don't you go and look around them and find out some more instead of throwing away your life by not going to uni at all.

I got 11 A*s and 1 A in GCSE and 5 A grades at A level last year. I recently attended an interview at Cambridge, but I was rejected. Having enquired as to why this was, I was told I was too shy, quiet and failed to 'sell myself'. I am devasted. I cannot even consider my other offers at the moment. I had set my heart on going to Cambridge. It feels like I would just be making do by accepting any other offer. I'm tempted to reject my other offers and just give up.