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Rejected from Cambridge?! Is it worth going elsewhere?
hi,
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
Scroll to see replies
Well...these sort of posts have become rather frequent. One does wonder why people are not able to make up their own minds! It's quite obvious what the pros and cons are, i.e. you can re apply, but you may well be rejected for a second time. You could put this behind you and go elsewhere, and if you're 'oh ever so talented' I am sure you'll do well wherever you go.
There are many people with grades similar and even better than yours outside of Oxbridge, your A level grades do not mean youre 'talented', I know of people with 5/6 and even 7 A levels that have been truly incompetent whilst at univ.
As I've stated, there are many very talented students who are working outside of Oxford and Cambridge, many of which are far more talented than both you and I. Some of these people may later go onto become leaders in politics and commerce or even Nobel Prize winners. So lets not imply you're too good for the 'outside world', had that been the case you would at least have been accepted, if not given a prestigious scholarship to study at Cambridge.
There are many people with grades similar and even better than yours outside of Oxbridge, your A level grades do not mean youre 'talented', I know of people with 5/6 and even 7 A levels that have been truly incompetent whilst at univ.
As I've stated, there are many very talented students who are working outside of Oxford and Cambridge, many of which are far more talented than both you and I. Some of these people may later go onto become leaders in politics and commerce or even Nobel Prize winners. So lets not imply you're too good for the 'outside world', had that been the case you would at least have been accepted, if not given a prestigious scholarship to study at Cambridge.
Tipex-Mouse
hi,
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
I don't think you're arrogant, and from what you've said, I think you had a strong application. However, it is perfectly possible that the interviewers thought you were arrogant and a know-it-all and they would prefer not to teach someone like you. If that was the case then it's pretty sad. And even though the interviews went well you might not have displayed all the qualities they were looking for.
I would suggest that you firmly request feedback. I think that the least they could do is tell you, specificly, why they didn't accept you. You should be as firm as you like because you have little to loose.
Tipex-Mouse
hi,
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
I'm sorry to hear you were rejected, that comes as quite a shock, especially if you are half-expecting to get in (which one should never do, that's a big mistake). Call up St. Johns and talk to the Interviewers, believe me, they will remember you and tell you straight away what was wrong (and they will probably be more honest than in a formal letter). Try your luck.
You should be able to get feedback on why you were rejected....but you have to remember that there are other factors influencing cambridge's decision.
Though you thought your interview went amazingly well....often the people who get in are the ones who find the interview was slightly more challenging. Also....the interviewers are people who are going to have to spend the next few year in close quarters with you, so if your personalities dont really match...that may be a reason.
G
Though you thought your interview went amazingly well....often the people who get in are the ones who find the interview was slightly more challenging. Also....the interviewers are people who are going to have to spend the next few year in close quarters with you, so if your personalities dont really match...that may be a reason.
G
I wouldn't advise contacting them yourself; get your referee to do it. You are not even supposed to see any feedback at all, so they will want to know why your referee even told you about it.
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gzftan
Though you thought your interview went amazingly well....often the people who get in are the ones who find the interview was slightly more challenging. Also....the interviewers are people who are going to have to spend the next few year in close quarters with you, so if your personalities dont really match...that may be a reason.
G
Though you thought your interview went amazingly well....often the people who get in are the ones who find the interview was slightly more challenging. Also....the interviewers are people who are going to have to spend the next few year in close quarters with you, so if your personalities dont really match...that may be a reason.
G
Yep - if they think that a)you wouldn't benefit from the supervision system or b)they wouldn't enjoy teaching you then it doesn't matter how much "on fire" you were.
There is life outside Cambridge - don't knock everywhere else just because they're not an ivory tower.
And your post does sound somewhat arrogant to me. Do I not deserve to be here because I "only" got 480 UCAS points or something?
Helenia
Yep - if they think that a)you wouldn't benefit from the supervision system or b)they wouldn't enjoy teaching you then it doesn't matter how much "on fire" you were.
There is life outside Cambridge - don't knock everywhere else just because they're not an ivory tower.
And your post does sound somewhat arrogant to me. Do I not deserve to be here because I "only" got 480 UCAS points or something?
There is life outside Cambridge - don't knock everywhere else just because they're not an ivory tower.
And your post does sound somewhat arrogant to me. Do I not deserve to be here because I "only" got 480 UCAS points or something?
Talking of arrogant uni applicants...does anyone remember that thread by somebody called "Agradestudent" who was thinking of threatening cambridge with going to the tabloids if he didn't get in...just cause he goes good grades????
Whatever happened to him???
I hope he got rejected.....lol
G
Tipex-Mouse
hi,
Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis.
Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis.
Yes, if you have any interest in your subject whatsoever. I understand that you had your heart set on Cambridge, but your primary interest should be your subject. There are other good universities. I've seen a few times on this forum people who seem perfectly suited to Oxbridge being turned down, and it seems they have more interest in the University than their subject. Oxbridge don't seem to like this.
I know you'll say that you are passionate about your subject, and Cambridge has the best course for it. But your enthusiasm should be enough for you to go to a different (still very good) university and you should be able to maintain your own interest and flourish outside of Cambridge.
I applied to johns for sps.. i was discouraged from applying because my AS grades were AAABC (no chance!) i went anyway really hoping to show them all that they were wrong. After my interviews i realised how much rested on them.. they were more interested in how i handled myself and took control of theinterview than necessarily what i said. I must have impressed them in the interview (i organised my own work exp at the house of commons and with my MP, and went ot Thailand to do a service project last xmas, hence bad AS levels) they were really impressed with the fact i had organised everything myself, and how motivated i was..
i was pooled and got an interview at New Hall but didnt end up getting in.. the letter said because of my results i was a real near miss, but there were others with better results.. which i can understand perfectly.
my point is, that so much rests on the interview..they couldve taken exception to your clothes (better for them not to remember what you were wearing than for them to remember your jeans and opinionated sweatshirt) .. they couldve taken exception to you confidence (if they think they cant help you or teach you anything, what are they going to do with you for 3 years?) ..maybe they just didnt like you, it happens... you must know people who you just dont like for some reason, and theyre hardly going to take on someone who they cant really get along with.. remember that their main concern is their own research.. and by tutoring the odd student.. they are allowed free use of cambrdiges resources for their own research. they arent there to teach as such.. but they dont mind sharing knowledge..
Im going to Durham and im really happy about it.. i can see exactly why i didnt get a place, but i gained a lot from the interviews..and id love to do a post grad there.. so rise above it, accept that the admissions process can be petty, or maybe they just didnt quite appreciate you.. whatever.. if you really want to go there do a postgrad.. dont wait on till next year, because the stats say that 60,000 more people will be applying next year to avoid top-up fees..what will the chances be then!
go out and do another course and come back to it..or else just laugh about it..they looked you over.. what fools! they dont know what theyre missing! hope you can find happiness somewhere else.. dont let this be your ruin. you were good enought o apply there in the frist place, thats amazing.. youre in the top 2% of your peers.. think about it.
i was pooled and got an interview at New Hall but didnt end up getting in.. the letter said because of my results i was a real near miss, but there were others with better results.. which i can understand perfectly.
my point is, that so much rests on the interview..they couldve taken exception to your clothes (better for them not to remember what you were wearing than for them to remember your jeans and opinionated sweatshirt) .. they couldve taken exception to you confidence (if they think they cant help you or teach you anything, what are they going to do with you for 3 years?) ..maybe they just didnt like you, it happens... you must know people who you just dont like for some reason, and theyre hardly going to take on someone who they cant really get along with.. remember that their main concern is their own research.. and by tutoring the odd student.. they are allowed free use of cambrdiges resources for their own research. they arent there to teach as such.. but they dont mind sharing knowledge..
Im going to Durham and im really happy about it.. i can see exactly why i didnt get a place, but i gained a lot from the interviews..and id love to do a post grad there.. so rise above it, accept that the admissions process can be petty, or maybe they just didnt quite appreciate you.. whatever.. if you really want to go there do a postgrad.. dont wait on till next year, because the stats say that 60,000 more people will be applying next year to avoid top-up fees..what will the chances be then!
go out and do another course and come back to it..or else just laugh about it..they looked you over.. what fools! they dont know what theyre missing! hope you can find happiness somewhere else.. dont let this be your ruin. you were good enought o apply there in the frist place, thats amazing.. youre in the top 2% of your peers.. think about it.
Tipex-Mouse
hi,
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
I need some advice from you good people. i was rejected by St. John's Cambridge for MML (on new year's eve!) but that is not the reason for the angry emoticon. Well maybe sort of. I'm angry because they sent no feedback whatsoever to me or my referees. I could understand that if i were one of these jokers who's got one A* and Bs at AS or something, but no, I applied post A level (660 UCAS points), with 9 A*s, great personal statement, great submitted work, (Locke's philosophy of language, and a flawless Spanish piece on Chilean political history), I'd already learnt the language I was applying to study from scratch, loads of sporting/extra-curricular achievements, rounded personality blahblahblah, and best of all, the interviews went UNBELIEVABLY WELL! Seriously, you should have seen me, I was on fire, got on really well with the interviewers, really enjoyed it and said lots of clever things.
Ok, so i was a little surprised to get the standard "oh but THIS year competition has been so strong" rejection letter (I love the way they try and make it out like it's only THIS year that that is the case!), with nothing else at all in the way of explanation or constructive feedback as to why I was worse than the other candidates. I always knew it was tough to get in and a bit of a lottery, but it seems strange that despite rejecting me they can't muster a couple of token sentences between the four of them to justify their decision. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's because I'm northern or that I didn't wear a suit for interview or that I told them I was left-wing (in response to a question) or anything silly like that, but the lack of feedback suggests to me the lack of a good reason for rejecting me!
Anyway, the advice I want is how to go about asking the feedback. How about writing to the chief interviewer and saying " i'm sure it was just an oversight, but you forgot to send..." or do i have a right to know, and therefore ought to request the feedback more firmly?
Anyone had a similar experience, or been rejected (or even accepted!) for MML at St. John's?
So now Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle? Any views on that? (All languages + linguistics). Is it even worth me going to university at all? I really had my heart set, it was Cambridge or nothing, I don't really know if I want to study in ugly dingey buildings and do one essay per term or whatever they do at normal unis. Maybe I should: [complete in no more than 600 words.] (12 Marks)
P.S If anyone says I was rejected because I'm arrogant I'll be very cross. I'm not arrogant, just talented. If anyone gets 7 marks or more I'll give them positive rep!
im at oxford studying modern history whilst my boyfriend is at newcastle university. its a fantastic city and well worth considering going to (although im not sure what their language and linguistics department is like). hes having a fantastic time up there and even though im at oxford i am quite jealous! plus the cost of living is so much cheaper (three trebles for five pounds - what more can i say?!) yes they do less work than me but thats not to say that they dont have any at all and personally i would prefer it if i had their workload!
of course its worth going to university, its a fantastic experience and it really is what you make it. you can chose to sit and mope about getting rejected from cambridge or get on with it. either take a gap year and reapply (a lot of my friends at oxford have done that having learnt from the experience of their first interviews), or have a more positive outlook on the other universities.
your story is a familiar one and if you ask me its probably because you were TOO confident. When i applied to oxford i didnt build my hopes up in case i got rejected, (even though like you i had good grades topped with tons of extra curricular activities). I took it as an experience. I didnt think my interviews went brialliantly, in fact i was shaking for the first few minutes in one but im here now.
I think you should attempt to get some feedback from your interview so if you do decide to reapply you know where you can improve but just because youve got good grades doesnt mean you deserve a place
Umm... how about the fact that you applied for Modern Languages and Linguistics everywhere else? Surely if your personal statement was all about linguistics they must have seen you weren't that devoted to just languages (I think I'm right in saying you can't do any linguistics papers in the first year at Cambridge) so they might have thought the course wasn't right for you.
RxB
Umm... how about the fact that you applied for Modern Languages and Linguistics everywhere else? Surely if your personal statement was all about linguistics they must have seen you weren't that devoted to just languages (I think I'm right in saying you can't do any linguistics papers in the first year at Cambridge) so they might have thought the course wasn't right for you.
No you're wrong, you can study linguistics in your main language in the first year. And my intention was to change to the linguistics tripos in Cambridge in the second year, which I made clear on my application form and at interview. Plus i only applied to cambridge anyway, the others I applied to after being rejected.
Tipex-Mouse
No you're wrong, you can study linguistics in your main language in the first year. And my intention was to change to the linguistics tripos in Cambridge in the second year, which I made clear on my application form and at interview. Plus i only applied to cambridge anyway, the others I applied to after being rejected.
Oh, OK, sorry.
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