Withdrawing Cambridge application

I applied to Cambridge for Law last month and since before I had sent the application I was regretting it. I really dont think I have a chance (especially considering my GCSEs are 2 As and 9 Bs and my A levels aren't 'traditional' subjects.). I also need to do the LNAT tomorrow, but I really cant do this, I find it difficult to read long passages on screen without being able to highlight which you dont seem to be able to do on the test and I know fine well I will do terrible in the test.

Manchester University was always my top choice and today I got an offer of AA, I wont get a lower offer from Cambridge and I prefer Manchester because:
- Location wise, Cambridge is 5 hours 30 minutes away/7 hours on a train (and costs £100-150 for a single fair) London is almost closer and I didn't apply there because it was too far away.
- I'm already at Manchester and have a p/t job, I really dont want to quit even if financially it would work out better to go to Cambridge because of their shorter terms, the job is experience and I enjoy it.
- Interviews, the time/money it will take to travel and be there when really I dont have a chance I could be spending on my foundation course or A levels.
- Prospects wise and what I want to do in the future, Cambridge wont get me into anything that I want to do that I wouldnt be able to get into with Manchester. I am not interested in working in MC/City firms/Dont want to live in London. Manchester has a great reputation.
- Grants wise, Manchester university give you £5000 a year if you achieve AAA
- Study abroad, with Manchester you can spend a semester in America, I have always wanted to study abroad but not for a whole year and Cambridge only offers semesters in Europe which I am not really interested in and I wouldn't be able to go to most countries because you need to speak the language.
- I really dont think Cambridge is for me tbh, because of my tutor making a mistake I ended up applying to a college I know nothing about and now after reading about it, one I dont think I would like.

The only thing thats stopping me withdrawing is the fact my tutor thinks I am applying and wrote an additional reference for CSAS and I dont like wasting peoples time.

I have the LNAT tomorrow and I couldn't do it in Manchester so had to go to a centre in Salford, I have no idea where it is, how to get there or how to get back, so really need to decide asap.

Reply 1

pocahontis

How come your offer for manchester is AA and not AAA?
just wonderin :smile:

Reply 2

Purple

OP

18

I already have an A :smile:

Reply 3

musicbloke

17

Just do the test, and the interview. See how it goes. There's no way that train tickets cost that much if you book plently of time in advance. If you get rejected, then that's the end of it. If you're accepted you have a while to make your decision. Just don't be too rash, and see what happens.

MB

Reply 4

city_chic

13

It seems like Manchester may suit you more then. However, don't make a rushed decision now. Even if Cambridge accept you, you don't have to go there. And the interview experience may prove to be worthwhile anyway.

I'm sort of in the same position as you.

Reply 5

grace_

10

I would see it through, mainly because if you don't you might wonder if you would have been able to get in. You can always reject Cambridge if they offer you a place, choosing Manchester instead, and if you get an interview then it would be great practice - especially if you weren't really interested in going there and had nothing to lose! :smile:

Reply 6

Good bloke

19

A lot of things in life hinge on decisions you take and choices you make. I would suggest that you give yourself an opportunity (by taking the test and interview) to have the choice of going to Cambridge. You can then choose to go to Manchester or Cambridge, and maybe make history by choosing the former over the latter. That way you are not letting anyone down, least of all yourself, and you will give yourself more time before you have to make the final choice.

Reply 7

Catsmeat

13

Don't allow your academic record to deter you from applying (mine is hardly anything to jump up-and-down about, and I'm at Cambridge). The University is looking for more than 100% scores and a stellar record of extra curricular activities; if you can display, through a broad 'package' of indicators, that you've got that Cambridge 'something' then you have just as much chance as the next applicant. If you don't try, you'll never know.

Furthermore, you can't judge a college at this stage before you've even got there! There are so many variables that determine how College life operates, and withdrawing because you think you've chosen the "wrong" college is rather deterministic, is it not? Any University experience is what you make of it, so why not go for it and see?

Ultimately it's your choice, but don't let seemingly arbitrary factors such as grades and 'feeling' put you off.

Reply 8

musicbloke

17

Just to add to that, on the matter of Catz, I had a load of different friends there during my time at Cambridge, and there are lots of different types of people. College stereotypes don't go so far in reality.

MB

Withdrawing Cambridge application

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