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St Andrews - how difficult?

Hello,

I realise that this is probably an ambiguous Q, however, if you have the grades, how difficult is it to get into St Andrews. Are a lot of people rejected?

Any other comments about applying to St Andrews would be much appreciated

Chester x :biggrin:

Reply 1

Mustard-man

18

getting into St Andrews for medicine is not bad compared to the English universities. Generally they give ABB offers, they require B in gcse english and gcse maths and 5 a-c's. This is what I last saw, but they could have altered the requirements

Reply 2

DenverDiva

1

Chester

Hello,

I realise that this is probably an ambiguous Q, however, if you have the grades, how difficult is it to get into St Andrews. Are a lot of people rejected?

Any other comments about applying to St Andrews would be much appreciated

Chester x :biggrin:

Depends what you want to study.

St Andrews' academics are reassuringly elitist- they like to teach the most talented people regardless of the student's vowel sounds.

Reply 3

bred

1

DenverDiva

St Andrews' academics are reassuringly elitist- they like to teach the most talented people regardless of the student's vowel sounds.

Isn't that statement self contradictory? Don't you mean that they're not elitist?

Reply 4

*katy*

also be aware that they often take a lot longer to give offers than other uni's, some people dont get them till february/ march!!! i don't think they do interviews except for medicine, and my friend was interviewed this year and said it was alright compared to dundee....but i don't really know if thats good lol

Reply 5

Chester

OP

Thanks - I want to study English

Reply 6

DenverDiva

1

bred

Isn't that statement self contradictory? Don't you mean that they're not elitist?

Elitist = giving priority to the best/most gifted people.
St Andrews' staff (and most academics) want to teach the intellectually elite not dimwits, regardless of accent. Not all Hoorays are thick and not all of the "great unwashed" are misunderstood Einsteins, it's the job of admissions officers at great universities such as St Andrews to identify the best students regardless of background because those are the students with whom academics want to work.

Reply 7

bred

1

I got ya. It's just the term "elitist" usually refers to social class rather than intellect.

Reply 8

Skeve

14

I only know 1 person who got rejected 2 days after applying. They must instantly have found him unsuited. I think they go by the personal statement a lot, I got accepted within 2 weeks of applying, and they don't let many people into my course...

Reply 9

scruffs

1

DenverDiva

Elitist = giving priority to the best/most gifted people.
St Andrews' staff (and most academics) want to teach the intellectually elite not dimwits, regardless of accent. Not all Hoorays are thick and not all of the "great unwashed" are misunderstood Einsteins, it's the job of admissions officers at great universities such as St Andrews to identify the best students regardless of background because those are the students with whom academics want to work.

No offence meant to you personally, but that they only choose the elite is utter balls. There are so many thickies from state and private schools in the uni. And the fact that St.Andrews uni is known as the place where the oxbridge failures go, doesn't quite add up to them only choosing the 'elite'...

Reply 10

katebush

1

Hi Chester, I did English at St Andrews. Generally, they are as universities SHOULD be- prepared to take people who are clearly suited to the place and who could benefit from the course, and who would be good in the Department. when I applied, they used to say that if you were bright enough (eg- grades, personal statement etc), you got in, no matter what school you went to. And I really think that's how it should be.

If you love your subject, and are successful, you should have nowt to worry about.

Enjoy! my years at St Andrews have been the happiest of my life- and I love the English Dept dearly. I'm going away for Masters next year to Oxford, but am hoping to maybe go back to St A for PhD. I'm hooked, you see!

Reply 11

DenverDiva

1

scruffs

No offence meant to you personally, but that they only choose the elite is utter balls. There are so many thickies from state and private schools in the uni. And the fact that St.Andrews uni is known as the place where the oxbridge failures go, doesn't quite add up to them only choosing the 'elite'...

None taken - although I can't agree with your characterisation of St Andrews as a den of "thickies". As for being the place for Oxbridge failures - given the number of straight A students who don't get into Oxbridge, this is hardly indicative of stupid students at St A.

There will always be students who don't quite make the grade once they've been admitted but the original poster was concerned about rejection based on background and I & Katebush wanted to reassure her that this would not be factor.

Reply 12

scruffs

1

Haha, you're quite right. St.Andrews is by no means a den of thickies- an awful lot of of the most intellectually able people attend the university, and it is with good reason that it is regarded so highly. My wording was poor, and you are right, by no means does St.Andrews choose only the 'elite' in terms of background.

The crux of my point was that neither do they necessarily only accept the intellectual ambrosia of the crop... but standards are very good. If you have the grades and demonstrate enthusiasm I'm sure you stand a very good chance.

Reply 13

Skeve

14

The oxbridge failure thing isn't exactly true, I know 55 people going to St Andrews and not one of them applied to Oxbridge

Reply 14

scruffs

1

Course it's not true for most! It's not my opinion, but a phrase that you do hear around st.Andrews occasionally. All I'm saying is that I think there is a general conception that St.Andrews is akin to Oxbridge in its selection procedures, with regards to either background, intellectual ability, or both, and this just isn't the case. It's certainly a prestigious uni, but as I said before if you have the grades and the enthusiasm, you stand as much of a chance as anywhere :smile:

P.S. I'm not trying to put down anyone who got in, congratulations, you've done really well to do so. I'm just trying to show those who are thinking about it shouldn't be put off because it's known for it's high standing.