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Should i reapply to cambridge?

I applied for undergraduate engineering recently in the 2013 round of interviews, made it to interviews and then to the winter pool and was finally rejected. I live in south america so i've already taken my IBs and got 41 points with 776 at higher level. i have offers from Edinburgh university and St Andrews, but i'm considering declining the offers and reapplying in september 2014. That would mean that i would be out of school from december 2013 until september 2015, so obviously i would try to do an internship, maybe with the year in industry scheme, or some volunteer work with habitat for humanity or something similar. I want to know if i would have a better chance if i reapply for cambridge a second time, and whether i would still get offers from other universities as well (because i dont want to end up with nowhere to go). It isnt really just a matter of cambridge for the sake of cambridge, i am really in love with the city, and the atmosphere there, and i adore the whole college system. I have literally been dreaming about going to cambridge since i was 11, and i dont know if im ready to give up on that yet. Still, i dont want to spend a whole year preparing just to end up back at the same place, or worse, with no offers from other universities. What should i do? Is it worth a second shot?

Reply 1

username878045

Your grades only just meet their requirements, which may have something to do with you getting rejected. Most successful applicants will exceed the entry requirements. To be honest, grades are the most significant thing, and if you aren't going to change anything significant about your application, it may be a waste. I'm not saying there's no chance, but it's a big risk re-applying with a very similar application (given work experience, etc, are not taken into account much).

Reply 2

Rob da Mop

Did you ask for feedback about your application? If you can correct things they think were wrong with it then it might be worth a shot, but re-applicants are pretty unlikely to get in. I disagree with the poster above - if you're getting work experience that is very relevant to the course and can reflect well on that it will improve your application, but as he says, if you're not changing much then you're unlikely to be successful.

Also, you have offers from two very good universities - I wouldn't throw those away if I were you.

Reply 3

futile

I reapplied with 4A*'s at A-level (5A's at AS), 6.4+6.8 in the BMAT, interview in last year's feedback stated as (better than average who received interviews), and didn't get in. Take what you have, this place is unforgiving.