The "I've applied to Edinburgh for 2012 entry" chat thread

yeah it was decent, friendly staff, good facilities etc. Most of the geology departments I've visited at different unis have been more or less the same really.

I feel like Edinburgh has forgotten about my application...

Same here. What are you applying for?

Got a rejection today for Economics. I hold an IB diploma of 39 points with 666 at HL from the May 2010 session. Unfortunately, I only had Mathematics SL, so that most likely was the problem. Anyway, I'm quite annoyed. Not so much because of the rejection but rather because this endless waiting process had persuaded me into a fair amount of wishful thinking that I would be very likely to receive an offer...

But I wasn't. Oh well. Glasgow it is, then.

Good luck to everyone else still waiting!

Germanic and Scandinavian Studies!

How come some people get offers like BBB or 34 in the IB and others get rejected with 39 points?

As far as I know the best you can get in England is A*A*A*, while the best in Germany is a 1,0. I had a 1,2, which would be the equivalent of A*AA, and I was initially told that my application was "not quite good enough". I only got an offer because someone else declined.

No disrespect to those who hold offers like BBB! I am just a little confused about the selection process.

They must be considering other factors than your grades, i.e. extracurriculars (hobbies), which you can emphasize through your personal statement.

I got a 35 point offer, which is probably due to the fact that in my PS I mentioned the two internships/ summer jobs I had done which are related to BioSci (the course I applied to). It also helped that for the past 2 years, I have spent my Saturday mornings taking part in a science program at Columbia University just for the hack of it. And half my PS was on other random stuff I do by the side to balance out the academics (which apparently shows capacity to do even more science-y stuff, according to some random representative) .

I know, German unis go by grades (marks, Noten) only, except for a few special courses, and hence you only have to worry about doing well in your Abitur, but the PS can actually help you demonstrate intrest etc., which might not come through your (predicted) grades. Culture clash, here we go.

The fact that Edinburgh opened up the applicant pool by lowering minimum requireemnts shows to me, that they shifted their decisions a little away from the numbers and more towards the things mentioned above, work experience etc (everything else you can plugged into the UCAS form)

yeah, I hope this gives you an idea

Hey, congratulations! I have an offer for Scandinavian Studies too I'm Irish, but currently visiting my sister in Tennessee...what part of the States are you from?

I see your point, but I had done an internship, too. And I also mentioned several extracurricular activities as well as some books I read. Maybe my subject is in big demand, so they are more selective than in other subjects.

Are you from New York?

Well... I'm originally from Dresden, Germany, but my family and I moved to NYC in 2008 (my dad got a job here). Some people say that the 4 years do make me a "New Yorker".

oliviaheleneugenia hello there! you are just around the corner! (some people at my school live in Connecticut...)

I used to live in Leipzig for some time! That's not too far away from Dresden.

Why do you want to study in Edinburgh and not in the US?

That's really close.

US colleges are expensive. As an international student there's barely any financial aid available. Also, it's in my opinion it's a waste of time, because I would have to take English and other mandatory courses which have nothing to do with what I study. And I don't like particularily like it here...

Edinburgh has about the same size as Dresden, it is beautiful, it's a great university... yeah...

Do you know if there is a German Society at Edinburgh? That would be really cool.

Are you on Facebook?

That's good as I've heard mixed opinions. Where else did you apply?

What was wrong with my thread mod?

Well, Scottish education...(for me)

3rd&4th year
8 StandardGrades and Intermediate 2s(same thing)

Wide range of subjects, results allow you to take highers.

5th year
5Highers(Below A level)

My results here and ps got me an unconditional as edinburgh don't offer conditionals for chemistry6th Year
2 Advanced Highers(Above A level) and an OU course

Probably not an advisable course of action... after my OU course had finished I only had two subjects :3 But 6th year is generaly not the most constructive year unless you have to work for conditions.

All gonna change with the Curiculum for excelence in a few years but nobody knows what that is

And I'm 18.

Pardon my spelling.:s