The Student Room Group

CAmbridge rejection after being pooled

I find myself a member of the Cambridge rejectees club and am thinking of reapplying next year if I get 3 A*s at A level (Medicine). I have the following questions:
Assuming I get my other universities and accept one, can I reject it on results day, do a gap year and reapply to the same university as part of my UCAS application the following year?
Why will they be willing to offer me a place again if I turned them down at the last minute?
Or do I need to apply to completely different universities?
Thanks!
Original post by KPCam
I find myself a member of the Cambridge rejectees club and am thinking of reapplying next year if I get 3 A*s at A level (Medicine). I have the following questions:
Assuming I get my other universities and accept one, can I reject it on results day, do a gap year and reapply to the same university as part of my UCAS application the following year?
Why will they be willing to offer me a place again if I turned them down at the last minute?
Or do I need to apply to completely different universities?
Thanks!


Cambridge offers NO advantage for medicine and the course is already long. Obviously, at the moment you are disappointed but I would just move on and go off to uni this year.
Reply 2
Original post by KPCam
I find myself a member of the Cambridge rejectees club and am thinking of reapplying next year if I get 3 A*s at A level (Medicine). I have the following questions:
Assuming I get my other universities and accept one, can I reject it on results day, do a gap year and reapply to the same university as part of my UCAS application the following year?
Why will they be willing to offer me a place again if I turned them down at the last minute?
Or do I need to apply to completely different universities?
Thanks!


I'm in exactly the same position I'm thinking if I applied for deferred entry at Durham or Imperial and then withdrew next year Jan 10th if I get a Cambridge offer they won't mind as they will be able to fill my place easily. And I think ill get some work experience/do a year-long apprenticeship while taking a year out
Yes you could.

Technically, after you meet your offer terms, you're not a part of the university until you've enrolled.
Reply 4
Original post by KPCam
I find myself a member of the Cambridge rejectees club and am thinking of reapplying next year if I get 3 A*s at A level (Medicine). I have the following questions:
Assuming I get my other universities and accept one, can I reject it on results day, do a gap year and reapply to the same university as part of my UCAS application the following year?
Why will they be willing to offer me a place again if I turned them down at the last minute?
Or do I need to apply to completely different universities?
Thanks!


*Any* medicine offer is an achievement - most (approx 60%) medicine applicants get 4/4 rejections.

And as a medicine reapplicant there is absolutely no guarantee you will either get an offer from Cambridge, or more seriously, from an offering university if you reject them later. Medicine is one of the few subjects where rejecting an offer may stop that university from re-offering an applicant.

If you get an offer, take it. Don't mess about trying to reapply.
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by bruh2132
I'm in exactly the same position I'm thinking if I applied for deferred entry at Durham or Imperial and then withdrew next year Jan 10th if I get a Cambridge offer they won't mind as they will be able to fill my place easily. And I think ill get some work experience/do a year-long apprenticeship while taking a year out


Medicine is very different. If you are a medicine applicant, like the OP, see my post above.

Also, you can not apply to any university via UCAS if you hold a deferred place elsewhere. You will have to withdraw from any deferred place before re-applying.
(edited 6 years ago)
Your future patients will not ask where you went to University.

All they will care about is that you are a qualified doctor.
Reply 7
Thanks. I get what you are all saying. But 6 years at an institution is a long time and I thought it might be worth trying again for that reason. I know that other medical schools are as good as well. But I think the experience of Oxbridge is completely different. Food for thought. :frown:
Reply 8
Original post by KPCam
Thanks. I get what you are all saying. But 6 years at an institution is a long time and I thought it might be worth trying again for that reason. I know that other medical schools are as good as well. But I think the experience of Oxbridge is completely different. Food for thought. :frown:


Nope. If you get *any* medicine offers take them. Honestly.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by KPCam
I thought it might be worth trying again for that reason.


It is your decision to make but you would be undertaking a very high risk for no real gain. Oxford and Cambridge's medicine courses are different from the others because of the approach they take, but they all get to the same point in the end.

To be picky in any way about a medicine opportunity is the utmost folly. As Doonesbury has said, you are lucky to get any offer at all and turning one down is madness. as you are not guaranteed to get another if you re-apply.
Reply 10
I think you’re right. I just need to move on.....
Original post by bruh2132
I'm in exactly the same position I'm thinking if I applied for deferred entry at Durham or Imperial and then withdrew next year Jan 10th if I get a Cambridge offer they won't mind as they will be able to fill my place easily. And I think ill get some work experience/do a year-long apprenticeship while taking a year out


You won't be able to apply to Cambridge through UCAS if you are holding a deferred uni offer; it would need a complete withdrawal and clean slate leap of faith. That's why it's such a paramount and hard decision to make, especially for such a competitive course.
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 12
Original post by maxh1000000
I'm pretty sure Cambridge are special in that they don't let you apply if you are holding a deferred uni offer; it would need a complete rejection and clean slate (leap of faith).


That's a UCAS restriction, not Cambridge.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Doonesbury
That's a UCAS restriction, not Cambridge.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Okay I've corrected my comment, Thanks. Wish you were the one advising me on my application instead of some of the tutors at school. xD
Reply 14
Original post by maxh1000000
Okay I've corrected my comment, Thanks. Wish you were the one advising me on my application instead of some of the tutors at school. xD


Haha :smile:

The Cambridge restriction is them not encouraging applicants who are already *attending* a UK university, rather than just holding a deferred place :smile:
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by KPCam
I find myself a member of the Cambridge rejectees club and am thinking of reapplying next year if I get 3 A*s at A level (Medicine). I have the following questions:
Assuming I get my other universities and accept one, can I reject it on results day, do a gap year and reapply to the same university as part of my UCAS application the following year?
Why will they be willing to offer me a place again if I turned them down at the last minute?
Or do I need to apply to completely different universities?
Thanks!


as already mentioned: you are lucky to get a single offer. are you able to do the postgrad at Cambridge? also, even having 3 A*'s doesnt guarantee entry, as a lot of applicants will get that at the minimum.
Reply 16
Original post by KPCam
I find myself a member of the Cambridge rejectees club and am thinking of reapplying next year if I get 3 A*s at A level (Medicine). I have the following questions:
Assuming I get my other universities and accept one, can I reject it on results day, do a gap year and reapply to the same university as part of my UCAS application the following year?
Why will they be willing to offer me a place again if I turned them down at the last minute?
Or do I need to apply to completely different universities?
Thanks!

Did you end up re-applying? I am in exactly the same position!

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5812570
Reply 17
Original post by choco08
Did you end up re-applying? I am in exactly the same position!

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5812570

Yes, and got rejected again! But I have Imperial and other offers and am in a great gap year. I’d say, go for it!

Quick Reply

Latest