The Student Room Group

Why did I get rejected from Bristol?

I got a rejection from Bristol (for modern languages) yesterday, and was quite honestly surprised.

They ask for ABB and I got 3 As at AS and am predicted 3 As for A2. I got 7 A*s and the rest As at GCSE. My reference was brilliant and my personal statement as far as I know was very good.

A few people have told me that it's maybe because I'm above their standards, and that they'd rather offer places to those who are more likely to accept, rather than those who'll end up rejecting the offer anyway in favour of Oxbridge etc. I did apply to Cambridge, so they'll have noticed I applied before the Oxbridge deadline, and with my grades perhaps they guessed I would as well. Do admissions think like this though? I think it's highly unfair; shouldn't they offer places to the best candidates rather than lower ones who'll perhaps only just get the grades they ask for?

I hope I'm not coming off as arrogant here. I'm just plain confused. If I'd had an interview then I could accept that it was due to that that I got rejected, but on my application alone, I'm bewildered as it's overall very strong.

Any opinions? :confused:

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Bristol are stupid. I got rejected with 11 A*s and with 6 As at AS. I am starting to believe the whole Oxbridge thing. It's happened to too many people suspiciously...
Well that's just plain wierd =/
You should write/email and ask for feedback. Surely they can't have any valid reasons for rejecting you! :confused:
Applications for arts subjects at top universities are fraught with dangers. The statistics are horrendous, which is why you get the chance to apply to a range of institutions. Don't be misled by the stated requirements, though. Perhaps most applicants are heading for AAA+. I very much doubt that Oxbridge applicants are specifically conspired against by the top universities. After all, most of their students are in that boat, aren't they?

I think you've just got to forget it and move on.
Reply 4
The West Wing
Bristol are stupid. I got rejected with 11 A*s and with 6 As at AS. I am starting to believe the whole Oxbridge thing. It's happened to too many people suspiciously...


Wow, seriously? That's ridiculous! I'm starting to believe the whole Oxbridge thing now too. But surely they should realise that not all Oxbridge applicants actually get in anyway?! (like me...)


TheRandomer
Well that's just plain wierd =/
You should write/email and ask for feedback. Surely they can't have any valid reasons for rejecting you! :confused:


I'm thinking of asking for feedback, but they'll probably just give me the generic crap about limited amount of places etc. I don't believe they can have a valid reason, no :confused:

Good bloke
Applications for arts subjects at top universities are fraught with dangers. The statistics are horrendous, which is why you get the chance to apply to a range of institutions. Don't be misled by the stated requirements, though. Perhaps most applicants are heading for AAA+. I very much doubt that Oxbridge applicants are specifically conspired against by the top universities. After all, most of their students are in that boat, aren't they?

I think you've just got to forget it and move on.


I know Bristol's very popular for mod langs, and I can accept that. I just can't see what's wrong with my application that they'd reject me. Ah well.
Reply 5
well theres obviously something they saw that they didn't think was right for the university. Uni's look for different things from different people but don't beat yourself up about it. Bristol is a very good university so most people applying there will have very good grades as well.
Reply 6
The West Wing
Bristol are stupid. I got rejected with 11 A*s and with 6 As at AS. I am starting to believe the whole Oxbridge thing. It's happened to too many people suspiciously...

That wasn't why you got rejected...
Reply 7
Maybe it was your subjects - perhaps they preferred people with two languages or something? They may also have wanted another AS as you only seemed to have done three.

It does seem bizarre though.
are you from private schools by any chance? well I am, and although i didn't apply there, we have a bad record with bristol university and they have in the past shown prejudice against independant schools. If you aren't then i haven't a clue why they'd reject applicant as yourselves.
I think you should email them. I know many people have emailed LSE and gotten a response that their PS was good, but not structured exactly like the LSE PS guidelines, or something like that. Even if you can't do anything about it, maybe it'll give you some sort of closure instead of being confused about it.
Reply 10
Excalibur
Maybe it was your subjects - perhaps they preferred people with two languages or something? They may also have wanted another AS as you only seemed to have done three.

It does seem bizarre though.


No, I did 4 ASs. Hm, maybe. I stated that I'm going to take a GCSE this year in my ab initio subject which is something though. Plus my other two A2 subjects go well with languages.

somewiseguy
are you from private schools by any chance? well I am, and although i didn't apply there, we have a bad record with bristol university and they have in the past shown prejudice against independant schools. If you aren't then i haven't a clue why they'd reject applicant as yourselves.


Nope, I'm from a lowly state school.

I may ask for feedback. I've seen some people on here getting in with higher grades than myself, so perhaps it isn't the whole 'Oxbridge thing' as I thought.

margsch
I think you should email them. I know many people have emailed LSE and gotten a response that their PS was good, but not structured exactly like the LSE PS guidelines, or something like that. Even if you can't do anything about it, maybe it'll give you some sort of closure instead of being confused about it.


Yes, I think I'll definitely ask for a reason for my rejection.
When looking from the, "we should only take the best" candidates perspective, it's quite hard to imagine how you would feel if you were at a disadvantage compared to high scoring people like yourself. In my opinion, it's quite fair to say that you're too good for them because it's obvious when you want to go somewhere else instead of their uni - gives the people with lower grades who have Bristol really set on their heart a chance to get in
Reply 12
well did you ever think there are better candidates out there than you!! thats one possible reason and you got to remember theres only so many places on your course(meaning youll have to reject somw people). plus how do you know your ps and reference were top notch???? did they(bristol admission tutor) tell you this?!....you got to remember they see over 1000+ p.s and references and only them can tell you whether your ps and reference was really good as they can easily do comparisons!!!...either way ...just accept it as fate im sure youll get into oxbridge!
jus-mi
im sure youll get into oxbridge!


Another own goal from Jus-mi! Why don't you take the trouble to read what you are responding to?
Reply 14
Irrelevance
When looking from the, "we should only take the best" candidates perspective, it's quite hard to imagine how you would feel if you were at a disadvantage compared to high scoring people like yourself. In my opinion, it's quite fair to say that you're too good for them because it's obvious when you want to go somewhere else instead of their uni - gives the people with lower grades who have Bristol really set on their heart a chance to get in


Fair enough, but I got rejected from Cambridge and would have liked the chance to have gone to Bristol, it still being a top uni.

It's also not obvious - admissions tutors aren't psychic; they can only assume that one has probably applied to Oxbridge/LSE or wherever and will choose to go there instead, if they get accepted that is.


jus-mi
well did you ever think there are better candidates out there than you!! thats one possible reason and you got to remember theres only so many places on your course(meaning youll have to reject somw people). plus how do you know your ps and reference were top notch???? did they(bristol admission tutor) tell you this?!....you got to remember they see over 1000+ p.s and references and only them can tell you whether your ps and reference was really good as they can easily do comparisons!!!...either way ...just accept it as fate im sure youll get into oxbridge!


Of course! I know there are far better candidates out there than me, but when they ask for ABB and I'm predicted 3 As, you start to wonder the exact reason for the rejection. I'm sure a lot of people who've applied are predicted (and got lower at AS) AAB/ABB. I read my reference and it portrayed me as an excellent student and as far as I'm concerned couldn't have been better. Of course I'm not stupid and realise they they'll have seen thousands of other great references, I was just saying that my ref. can't have been a disadvantage to my application.

I don't believe in fate, and I certainly didn't get into Oxbridge this year.
Reply 15
city_chic
I got a rejection from Bristol (for modern languages) yesterday, and was quite honestly surprised.

They ask for ABB and I got 3 As at AS and am predicted 3 As for A2. I got 7 A*s and the rest As at GCSE. My reference was brilliant and my personal statement as far as I know was very good.

A few people have told me that it's maybe because I'm above their standards, and that they'd rather offer places to those who are more likely to accept, rather than those who'll end up rejecting the offer anyway in favour of Oxbridge etc. I did apply to Cambridge, so they'll have noticed I applied before the Oxbridge deadline, and with my grades perhaps they guessed I would as well. Do admissions think like this though? I think it's highly unfair; shouldn't they offer places to the best candidates rather than lower ones who'll perhaps only just get the grades they ask for?

I hope I'm not coming off as arrogant here. I'm just plain confused. If I'd had an interview then I could accept that it was due to that that I got rejected, but on my application alone, I'm bewildered as it's overall very strong.

Any opinions? :confused:


Perhaps it's because you are VERY big headed! Thread title says it all. End of.
Reply 16
city_chic
I got a rejection from Bristol (for modern languages) yesterday, and was quite honestly surprised.

They ask for ABB and I got 3 As at AS and am predicted 3 As for A2. I got 7 A*s and the rest As at GCSE. My reference was brilliant and my personal statement as far as I know was very good.

A few people have told me that it's maybe because I'm above their standards, and that they'd rather offer places to those who are more likely to accept, rather than those who'll end up rejecting the offer anyway in favour of Oxbridge etc. I did apply to Cambridge, so they'll have noticed I applied before the Oxbridge deadline, and with my grades perhaps they guessed I would as well. Do admissions think like this though? I think it's highly unfair; shouldn't they offer places to the best candidates rather than lower ones who'll perhaps only just get the grades they ask for?

I hope I'm not coming off as arrogant here. I'm just plain confused. If I'd had an interview then I could accept that it was due to that that I got rejected, but on my application alone, I'm bewildered as it's overall very strong.

Any opinions? :confused:


Indeed. Goodness only knows how 'standards' ever increased in the hundred years that Bristol have been skimming the bottom of the barrel out of deference to Oxbridge.
Reply 17
Plus, most people take 4+ AS levels, uni's are more and more wanting to see a diversity in the subjects you're taking. Life's full of rejections, get over it.
Reply 18
city_chic
Fair enough, but I got rejected from Cambridge and would have liked the chance to have gone to Bristol, it still being a top uni.

It's also not obvious - admissions tutors aren't psychic; they can only assume that one has probably applied to Oxbridge/LSE or wherever and will choose to go there instead, if they get accepted that is.




Of course! I know there are far better candidates out there than me, but when they ask for ABB and I'm predicted 3 As, you start to wonder the exact reason for the rejection. I'm sure a lot of people who've applied are predicted (and got lower at AS) AAB/ABB. I read my reference and it portrayed me as an excellent student and as far as I'm concerned couldn't have been better. Of course I'm not stupid and realise they they'll have seen thousands of other great references, I was just saying that my ref. can't have been a disadvantage to my application.

I don't believe in fate, and I certainly didn't get into Oxbridge this year.


Do they actually "ask for" 'AAB', or is that just your own inference from their typical offer?
Profesh
Indeed. Goodness only knows how 'standards' ever increased in the hundred years that Bristol have been skimming the bottom of the barrel out of deference to Oxbridge.


Would almost make us feel sorry for them!