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Being rejected by Oxbridge

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I wouldn't be too disappointed if I were you. Ye I will be disappointed if I don't get into Oxford, but the way I see it I've applied to 4 other top universities, so if I get into one I'll be happy. Plus, in my mind, I don't want this to sound arrogant, I know I'm good enough for Oxford, so if I don't get in it's not because of my lack of ability and obviously it would be the same for you too.

Reply 61

spatula01

I got rejected last year, and to be honest when I applied then it seemed such a long shot- oxbridge wouldn't let in riff raff like me type thing so i kind of laughed it off. but when my grandparents were incredibly lovely about it hit home. i suddenly realised how much i wanted to go and how much i felt i had let them down by not being good enough. neurotic but it gave me an extra drive to work harder this year

Reply 62

Don John

*Tears and Butterflies*

Meh...I don't think my rejection will bother me too much. I only applied becasue I could and didn't have anywhere else i wanted to apply to. Don't get me wrong. I would be extatic if I got in, but i know it aint going to happen :biggrin:

With 8 A*'s at GCSE and 5 A's at AS-level??? Do you have patronising-modestyitis? I'd be worried if you weren't at least pooled!

Reply 63

jonnythemoose

Pikey

It must be nice to have the support on one hand jonny, but not so nice to have the pressure. I guess I could say A level results were similar for me. If I hadn't got at least AAB, I can imagine my parents would have been a bit surprised at that, think they took it more or less as a given and so did I tbh. Oxbridge is a few stages higher than getting three AAA's though isn't it. I don't think anyone should be too confident, for their own sakes!

It's nice, because obviously they think I'm a good candidate, but it's only because I'm good at my subject. And I'm genuinely the only person in my year who can do the subject quite well, it's the kind of subject a lot of people find quite difficult, and that few at my school study at A Level. (Languages)

But yeah, the pressure's intense. My mum is terrible for 'expecting' grades. She doesn't 'expect' me to get into Cambridge, but she has confidence in my ability. But she often undermines my grades, not really appreciating how hard I've had to work for them. Maths GCSE, I got an A, and she said 'what went wrong?'

But I was expecting probably AABBC at AS Level tops, so having grades good enough to even apply has shocked me...and now I have to think whether I even have a chance of getting in! :s-smilie:

Reply 64

*Tears and Butterflies*

Don John

With 8 A*'s at GCSE and 5 A's at AS-level??? Do you have patronising-modestyitis? I'd be worried if you weren't at least pooled!

Ermm..i'm not sure where you got those results from but they certainly aren't my grades! I wish! I have 6A*s at GCSE, my AS levels are pretty crappy, but undeclard and I'm predicted AAAa for this year.

Reply 65

calcium878

*Tears and Butterflies*

Your sig is a bit misleading then :p:

Reply 66

The Solitary Reaper

calcium878

Your sig is a bit misleading then :p:

Her sig says 6A*s at GCSE and AAAa predicted...

Reply 67

calcium878

Samuel R

Her sig says 6A*s at GCSE and AAAa predicted...

But AAAa/AAAaa? :confused:

Reply 68

The Solitary Reaper

calcium878

But AAAa/AAAaa? :confused:

Ah I see! General studies perhaps?

Reply 69

calcium878

God knows...I'll just wait for her to reply :p:

Reply 70

Laevis

Meh, it's fun to speculate for now :p:

She could already have an A as AS that has been cashed in from her first year and is predicted AAAa for the subjects she is still taking.

Reply 71

GerardT

I think there is a real danger of taking the whole thing a tad too seriously.

Personally, I view all of it as a bit of a fun challenge, thinking "omg this will affect the next section of my life" hasn't really entered into my head yet. I'm nearly certain I'm going to enjoy my interview, I can't really imagine going in as a bundle of nerves and building it up to be something massive looming over me. To be honest, going in and having a chat about your proposed subject with some of the finest people studying it sounds like good craic. Whether that approach will convey my passion for the subject or not, well, I'm not sure.

Either way, when I weigh it up there a heck of a lot of great things about going and studying at Cambridge, but getting into my 2nd, 3rd or even 4th choice would mean doing a subject I really like the look of at a great university. In the end, it's about having a sense of perspective I guess.

Reply 72

*Tears and Butterflies*

calcium878

God knows...I'll just wait for her to reply :p:

Hehehe look at the confusion I have caused. Yes the other a at AS is general studies and I am predicted AAAa in the ones I am currently sitting...It does quite clearly say predicted though, so I don't think it is that misleading!

Reply 73

*Tears and Butterflies*

Leavis2

Meh, it's fun to speculate for now :p:

She could already have an A as AS that has been cashed in from her first year and is predicted AAAa for the subjects she is still taking.

Got it in one! :biggrin:

Reply 74

paterex

naivesincerity

Are most people philosophical about this or does it hurt you emotionally?
Did you take it personally? Did anyone feel they were clever yet not regarded as an Oxbridge type person?

applied to oxbridge last year and this is the first time i've visited the forum since! :smile:

Anyway...well at first I didn't actually take it too badly but once I spoke to friends and actually got back down to work in the January/February of my U6th, it began to hit me that perhaps I wasn't that amazing. BUT i picked myself up and now I'm applying to Oxford to do History and Politics (last year was SPS at Cambridge).

I'll probably get rejected again but I urge everyone to keep the faith whatever happens...good luck to all :biggrin:

Reply 75

Kicks in the teeth are fun.

So what if you get turned down, at least you'll be able to enjoy the rejection! :smile:

Reply 76

Ziggy_Stardust

I've applied in the knowledge that it's really unlikely that I'm going to get offered a place, so I'm not going to be too disappointed if I get rejected. I figured it'd be better to apply and get a rejection, rather than to not apply and wonder 'what if?' in a few years.

Besides, even if I don't get accepted, at least I'll have spent a few nice days in Oxford AND I'm really enthusiastic about all the other places I've applied to anyway. :smile:

Reply 77

Pikey

One thing i'm starting to worry about is that i've got a good chance of getting rejected from all of the places i've applied to besides one (Exeter - which i'm not all that keen on). I don't think I have that great a chance with Oxford, UCL, KCL or Bristol - all are a bit too competitive to be considered safe bets and I don't know how strong my application is (pretty average GCSE's). I think I really should have put Manchester on instead of Exeter as I really would like to be in a big city... too late now!

Reply 78

calcium878

Isn't there a "substitute choice" option?

Reply 79

Rosey2

There's a part of me that thinks, "You could get in if you just show how much you love English at interview" and then the other part thinks "You got AABC at AS level, and 2 A*s at GCSE. You're not clever enough!!!." I'm going to take the Rudge approach from The History Boys "If they want me they'll have me," and he got into Christ Church!! haha :smile:

Being rejected by Oxbridge

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