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Generous offer, or bribe?
Bristol sent me a letter yesterday informing me that I'd been selected to receive a scholarship for outstanding academic ability. Only a limited number available, I've secured one, blah blah. Only snag is - if I accept this, given that the grades for my Cambridge offer (AAA11) are higher than the grades for my Bristol offer (AAA), there is no way I can go to Cambridge, because I have to accept Bristol as firm. Putting Cambridge as my insurance will do no good - if I get AAA or more I'm going to Bristol, if I get AAB or less I'm not going to either. Cambridge and Bristol might both be amazing universities, but really, no matter how much I want to like Bristol, I like Cambridge more. This scholarship would really help me as we hardly have any money and have no idea if I could afford to go to Cambridge - on the other hand, I'm annoyed that Bristol seem to be trying to bribe me not to go to Cambridge.
Is this really a generous offer, or is this Bristol trying to steal someone else's student?
Is this really a generous offer, or is this Bristol trying to steal someone else's student?
Scroll to see replies
Reply 1
explain again whats wrong with having Cambridge as firm
and Bristol as insurance? is the scholarship only available
if Bristol are firm? and AFAIK Oxbridge do everything possible
to allow you to finance your Uni years.
ps congrats!
and Bristol as insurance? is the scholarship only available
if Bristol are firm? and AFAIK Oxbridge do everything possible
to allow you to finance your Uni years.
ps congrats!
Reply 2
16
abrp
explain again whats wrong with having Cambridge as firm
and Bristol as insurance? is the scholarship only available
if Bristol are firm? and AFAIK Oxbridge do everything possible
to allow you to finance your Uni years.
ps congrats!
and Bristol as insurance? is the scholarship only available
if Bristol are firm? and AFAIK Oxbridge do everything possible
to allow you to finance your Uni years.
ps congrats!
Ah, sorry, forgot to mention that. Yes, a condition of my scholarship is that I have to accept Bristol as firm.
Will edit my first post.(And thanks.
)Reply 3
17
Generous offer. Thinking that you are being bribed is a bit arrogant to be honest as Bristol does hand out a lot of scholarships.
I think the letter is probably a bit more hybolic than neccessary, probably to make you think you're getting a better feal than you are. The same leter probably goes out to about 50 people or so.
PS Realistically, unless you think you won't meet your Cambridge offer, don't put Bristol as your Firm. The whole point of Oxbridge is to be academic and get supported through it. The Bristol offer would have to be fairly amazing to beat what Cambridge coud give you.
I think the letter is probably a bit more hybolic than neccessary, probably to make you think you're getting a better feal than you are. The same leter probably goes out to about 50 people or so.
PS Realistically, unless you think you won't meet your Cambridge offer, don't put Bristol as your Firm. The whole point of Oxbridge is to be academic and get supported through it. The Bristol offer would have to be fairly amazing to beat what Cambridge coud give you.
Reply 4
17
It's a fairly standard ploy - Imperial did a similar thing to me. Undoubtedly generous but with something in it for them i.e. extra incentive for students they really want to put them as firm!
As abrp said though, Oxbridge are pretty generous with the £££ too - especially if you qualify for their bursaries due to family income. So unless the Bristol offer is super amazingly generous and by some quirk of circumstance you're not going to be eligible for anything from Cambridge (unlikely, even if you don't meet the LEA criteria they have hardship funds & oodles of prizes) I wouldn't let that cloud your judgement.
As abrp said though, Oxbridge are pretty generous with the £££ too - especially if you qualify for their bursaries due to family income. So unless the Bristol offer is super amazingly generous and by some quirk of circumstance you're not going to be eligible for anything from Cambridge (unlikely, even if you don't meet the LEA criteria they have hardship funds & oodles of prizes) I wouldn't let that cloud your judgement.
Reply 5
16
db
Generous offer. Thinking that you are being bribed is a bit arrogant to be honest as Bristol does hand out a lot of scholarships.
I think the letter is probably a bit more hybolic than neccessary, probably to make you think you're getting a better feal than you are. The same leter probably goes out to about 50 people or so.
I think the letter is probably a bit more hybolic than neccessary, probably to make you think you're getting a better feal than you are. The same leter probably goes out to about 50 people or so.
I'm not sure it's arrogant, to be honest. Without wanting to come across as more arrogant, my reference from my teacher was excellent, and it was also made explicit that we had financial problems. And my application was submitted in advance of the Oxbridge application deadline (obviously). Maybe I'm just overly suspicious, but I find it hard to believe this is just a generous offer. And if so, isn't it a bit arrogant of them to say I can only have it if I put them down as my firm offer, and not that I can have it because I've met their requirements, whatever those may be?
Reply 6
17
Cambridge do seem to offer a good deal of money so I have been told, you might want to check out the financial help available from them before deciding
Reply 7
17
ge
Maybe I'm just overly suspicious, but I find it hard to believe this is just a generous offer. And if so, isn't it a bit arrogant of them to say I can only have it if I put them down as my firm offer, and not that I can have it because I've met their requirements, whatever those may be?
Not really, no. Why should the scholarship solely benefit you? You can't expect to be offered money without any surrounding T+Cs as banal or bizarre as they may end up being. Bristol want a commintment from you before they'll gicve you theirs, why should they throw money at you if they are only second best?
Also, for all they now you may have been rejected from Oxbridge, or maybe sent your application in early to get it over and done with rather than because you are going for Cambridge. Improbable, not impossible.
Reply 8
Cambridge have more financial help available to you than Bristol. They guarentee that no-one need drop out for financial reasons. Last year I got nearly £1,000 in bursaries to help me cope, and this year it looks like it'll be more. There are individual trusts at a college level, and then university-wide foundations such as the Newton trust which gives bursaries.
In short, Cambridge is richer and will give you a lot more financial support, which will actually give you more in the long run than your scholarship to Bristol.
You're in a win-win situation in terms of finance, if not with a better situation at Cam and you seemingly like Cambridge better (which college?). Of course I'm biased, but I'd say if you want Cambridge then go for it as you will get more financial help and it is a tremendously special place.
In short, Cambridge is richer and will give you a lot more financial support, which will actually give you more in the long run than your scholarship to Bristol.
You're in a win-win situation in terms of finance, if not with a better situation at Cam and you seemingly like Cambridge better (which college?). Of course I'm biased, but I'd say if you want Cambridge then go for it as you will get more financial help and it is a tremendously special place.
Reply 9
FadeToBlackout
Last year I got nearly £1,000 in bursaries to help me cope, and this year it looks like it'll be more.
The OP should bear in mind that this may not seem like so much because you're under the old fees system.
Reply 10
Well, sort of. Old fees, new loans, and it's silly and confusing!
Reply 11
Since Bristol dont know where else you've applied, let alone that you have an offer from Cambridge, I think suggesting that they're trying to steal you from another university if a tad over-the-top. Yes, if you apply to the 'Oxbridge' deadline they can have a suspicion, but they offer plenty of early applicants places - it's never been a factor for them, as far as I know.
I would see it as a supportive offer, but as said, one of many they will offer to quite a lot of applicants. And of course they're only going to give money to people who are willing to put them as firm, to show a commitment and dedication. As I said, they don't know where else you've applied or got in, so it's just an insentive offered by them to try to edge ahead.
But yeh, Cambridge will offer money as well.
I would see it as a supportive offer, but as said, one of many they will offer to quite a lot of applicants. And of course they're only going to give money to people who are willing to put them as firm, to show a commitment and dedication. As I said, they don't know where else you've applied or got in, so it's just an insentive offered by them to try to edge ahead.
But yeh, Cambridge will offer money as well.
Reply 12
Well, Cambridge don't as such offer money in the same way for scholarships. Basically when you arrive you fill in a form and then you get a letter later, if your financial circumstances fit it, saying you've been awarded X bursary from the Newton trust and your college account will be credited by £y. If you need more you see your tutor.
Reply 13
10
Accept the offer from the one you like the best. Money is not the most important thing in the world, and the majority of students cope financially without extra scholarships. If your family is that badly off you will get grants and bursaries wherever you go.
When I was applying I was told that Cambridge is one of the cheapest uni educations you can have, they give out loads of support and their accommodation costs are v. low compared to some other redbricks and city unis.
When I was applying I was told that Cambridge is one of the cheapest uni educations you can have, they give out loads of support and their accommodation costs are v. low compared to some other redbricks and city unis.
Reply 14
16
Go with Cam if you think you are capable of meeting the offer. I am sure some help would be available once you reach Bristol even if you put it as your insurance, it just might not be as much as they have told you in the letter.
Reply 15
Put Cambridge down if its where you want to go. Im pretty certain you wont have to drop out due to financial issues. Also remember a few years after your cambridge degree, in theory at least, you should be earning a very good wage ( on average most oxbridge graduates do) and you'll be able to pay back any debts.
Reply 16
12
What a flattering letter. That must be a pretty nice thing to receive!
There's absolutely no doubt that this is a bribe; or an incentive for you to go to their university. I see absolutely nothing fishy about this, I'd just be happy that you've put yourself in a position in which they've felt the need to do this.
I think it's like this. Universities have an interest in attracting the very best students that they can. I think they've probably assumed that there's quite a good chance of you getting into Cambridge. As such, they've decided to offer you this incentive, which might just be more persuasive than the prestige of a degree from Oxbridge.
It's a generous offer as far as you're concerned, it's a shrew move as far as they're concerned because they're getting a high calibre student and everyone's happy.
If there's any chance you can go to Cambridge though (and from reading the thread it appears the bursary opportunities for you are good)- I think you should still go there. This is especially true if you prefer Cambridge in the first place.
Good luck with your decision, whichever way you go.
There's absolutely no doubt that this is a bribe; or an incentive for you to go to their university. I see absolutely nothing fishy about this, I'd just be happy that you've put yourself in a position in which they've felt the need to do this.
I think it's like this. Universities have an interest in attracting the very best students that they can. I think they've probably assumed that there's quite a good chance of you getting into Cambridge. As such, they've decided to offer you this incentive, which might just be more persuasive than the prestige of a degree from Oxbridge.
It's a generous offer as far as you're concerned, it's a shrew move as far as they're concerned because they're getting a high calibre student and everyone's happy.
If there's any chance you can go to Cambridge though (and from reading the thread it appears the bursary opportunities for you are good)- I think you should still go there. This is especially true if you prefer Cambridge in the first place.
Good luck with your decision, whichever way you go.
Reply 17
16
Thanks for the replies, everyone.
To those who said I might have been rejected from Cambridge: true, but on the other hand, the scholarship was "for outstanding academic ability" - word for word from the letter. Presumably, they made the assumption (quite reasonable if their letter is accurate) that I will have applied to other competitive universities (ok, not necessarily Cambridge, not necessarily even "better" universities, but good universities that I may prefer for one reason or another). At the moment, Bristol is only one out of six - they're good, but if they think I'm good, then it's reasonable to assume they're not the only good university there.
db: you make a fair point, but if I've been selected to receive a scholarship for academic ability, withdrawing it as soon as I put them as insurance is nothing short of spite.
I agree they need some security that I'm going there, so I shouldn't put Cambridge as firm because I might not end up going to Bristol... but then I could equally well put Bristol as firm and not meet my offer. There is a lot more selfish interest behind this than you are making out, I think.
FadeToBlackout (and others): I realise Cambridge give out a lot of financial help too. But then in a way it would, for that reason, be logical to accept Bristol as firm... Cambridge aren't bothered whether I put them as firm or insurance, but if I don't meet my Cambridge offer and I had that as firm, then Bristol won't help me out much with money. (And, Selwyn.)
Again, thanks for all your replies. I have decided to accept Cambridge as firm anyway. It's not an easy offer, but it's a feasible target, and besides, if I put Bristol down as firm, I will either be going to Bristol or nowhere (because of the nature of the offers). I wanted to go to Cambridge rather than Bristol anyway - as sure as I am that people of Bristol will get offended at this, Bristol is (and always was) my second choice.
To those who said I might have been rejected from Cambridge: true, but on the other hand, the scholarship was "for outstanding academic ability" - word for word from the letter. Presumably, they made the assumption (quite reasonable if their letter is accurate) that I will have applied to other competitive universities (ok, not necessarily Cambridge, not necessarily even "better" universities, but good universities that I may prefer for one reason or another). At the moment, Bristol is only one out of six - they're good, but if they think I'm good, then it's reasonable to assume they're not the only good university there.
db: you make a fair point, but if I've been selected to receive a scholarship for academic ability, withdrawing it as soon as I put them as insurance is nothing short of spite.
I agree they need some security that I'm going there, so I shouldn't put Cambridge as firm because I might not end up going to Bristol... but then I could equally well put Bristol as firm and not meet my offer. There is a lot more selfish interest behind this than you are making out, I think.FadeToBlackout (and others): I realise Cambridge give out a lot of financial help too. But then in a way it would, for that reason, be logical to accept Bristol as firm... Cambridge aren't bothered whether I put them as firm or insurance, but if I don't meet my Cambridge offer and I had that as firm, then Bristol won't help me out much with money. (And, Selwyn.
)Again, thanks for all your replies.
I have decided to accept Cambridge as firm anyway. It's not an easy offer, but it's a feasible target, and besides, if I put Bristol down as firm, I will either be going to Bristol or nowhere (because of the nature of the offers). I wanted to go to Cambridge rather than Bristol anyway - as sure as I am that people of Bristol will get offended at this, Bristol is (and always was) my second choice. Reply 18
Maybe you should ask Bristol exactly how much this scholarship is worth...Cambridge might give you more in bursary.
Reply 19
16
Jigglypuff
Maybe you should ask Bristol exactly how much this scholarship is worth...Cambridge might give you more in bursary.
Aye, but that's beside the point. If I don't get into Cambridge, but do get into Bristol, I no longer have the scholarship offer. That was my concern.
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