The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
Not true.
Reply 2
I know a couple of applicants who were rejected by Durham but accepted by Oxbridge. But anyway,bad luck
Reply 3
OMFG, you're hoping to get in to oxford and you're asking that question. Durham have not the faintest idea of whether you will/will not get into oxford. To the very best of my knowledge, unis do not give a monkeys about each other, and therefore do not talk to each other. Durham may simply assume that you are a strong Oxford candidate, and may reject you (even this idea is far fetched), or more likely, for some reason or another, they just didnt want you.

Uni's do not gamble on applicants getting in at other places, if they like you, they will make you and offer and hope you accept, if they dont, they wont.

It means nothing a rejection from durham, apart from their loss.
Reply 4
OMFG, I don't see anything wrong with asking the question, Ninja32. Anyway, I appreciate that you answered it.
Reply 5
All that's wrong with it is that it's profoundly naïve..
Reply 6
I heard a rumour and sought verification. Naivety would be taking the rumour at face value.
Reply 7
You just weren't good enough for Durham.
Reply 8
I don't believe that you are answering the question posed, David. Please leave my thread.
lol it's funny because it's true.
Reply 10
Like your mum.
Reply 11
Lol this is a bit harsh, it's turned into the bullying the OP thread (although to be fair I've no idea what that last remark meant). It is understandable to want to seek reassurance about the Oxbridge application, but I doubt it's a sign. See the 'R E J E C T E D' thread though, which is stuffed with people in denial and looking for signs (not that I am suggesting you are one.) What's your subject anyways, I still haven't heard from Durham
Reply 12
Is there any evidence that they do speak? Is there any evidence that they do not? Will we ever know? If anyone knew, it would be out to the press faster than you can say "unconditional offers". Doesn't matter if they do or do not, you can't do anything about it, its out of your control.
Reply 13
This is at least the third thread on this topic recently.....
maybe, just maybe, durham didn't want you. Thats no reason to say that you wont get into oxford but maybe durham didnt think that you would fit their course or something. or maybe they didnt like your personal statement.
Reply 14
To be fair, up to a point they can tell. For example is you apply for politics at Durham and SPS at Cambridge they would be able to tell from the rest of the application. For that reason it would be perfectly acceptable to reject you because it isnt what you are as focussed on. However other than that, I doubt they really bother. They want good people and know most will not get into Oxbridge.
Hmm.. well I heard a little rumour (which is likely to be unfounded) that Oxford and Cambridge unofficially tell Durham who've they've accepted just before the offers come out from a friend whose mum knew an admissions tutor there. This would perhaps explain why my boyfriend, who got top 5 RS a-level marks and was offered a place at St. Peter's to do theology was rejected for the same subject at Durham (standard offer ABC) a week later. He was also a post applicant, so the AAA grades were on the table.

However, we'll never know the ins and outs of the mysterious selection process. It makes me feel better to think Durham rejected me for English last year because I'd obviously applied to Oxford, though seeing as I then got rejected by Oxford, York, Manchester too, perhaps it was because my personal statement was rubbish. I've reapplied for law, and am bracing myself for another unsuccessful next to Durham, regardless of the Oxford outcome. Finally, I think people who apply to less popular courses have more of a chance of getting offers from both, obviously. :smile:
the 2 cleverest girls in my year (both got 4 As at AS, one got 11A* at GCSE, the other 7A* and 4A) both got rejected by durham after having both received an offer from cambridge. theres no way you can say that those two werent good enough for durham
Reply 17
you'd be extremely naive to think that university admissions departments don't have 'unofficial' links with other admissions departments, especially top universities.
got rejected from york today, which clearly made my night. but ive got an offer from bristol. two admissions tutors read my ps/ teachers' reference..etc.. and one of them thought i was suitable (note didnt use the phrase 'good enough'), and the other thought i wasnt. it just highlights how subjective and inconsistent admissions procedures can be within different universities- its not a real reflection on your ability as a candidate imo.
If Oxford did tell Durham to whom they had given offers and rejections, I'm pretty sure they would be in serious breach of data protection and privacy laws. And on top of that, it doesn't make any sense that they would -- what benefit would it be to either university?

I applied to Durham twice in two consecutive years. Both times Durham rejected me. The first year, I had also been rejected by Oxford; the second year, I had received an offer from Cambridge. Thus from that I deduce that my rejections weren't anything to do with my Oxbridge offer status -- rather that Durham simply didn't like me (for whatever reason!).