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Summer Pool?

I'ce seen this mentioned around this site apparently in reference to Cambridge, but I was never told about it... What is it exactly, what happens if you're in it etc? Or was I mis-reading and people were referring to Oxford?

Reply 1

wiio

If you miss your offer, you may be placed in a summer pool from which there is a small chance someone will still decide to take you.

If you are a mathematics applicant, your chances of being fished out of the pool are likely to be greater due to the number of STEP offers missed.

Reply 2

wiio

From the website

"If you are offered a place, you will be informed by the College and through UCAS. You must reply, observing UCAS requirements and deadlines. If you accept Cambridge ‘firmly’ you must meet the conditions of your offer (if your offer had conditions attached) by 31 August 2009. In a few cases, applicants who have not quite met the conditions of their offer may still be offered a place, either at their original College, or at another College as a result of a small ‘summer pool’. "

Thanks

I don't know anyone who has come through a summer pool who wasn't studying maths. Lots of maths applicants go through the summer pool (due to STEP).

Reply 5

Sk1lLz

If you miss your offer, would the offer still stand if you wanted to re-apply the next year? Or would you have to go through the whole application process from scratch and fight your way for an offer?

Reply 6

mwiko

I guess technically I came in from the summer pool, but my college stayed the same.. One other lawyer was summer pooled 'properly' to my college though..

And if you reapply I think you have to start from scratch and prove yourself against the next year's crop..

Reply 7

Andy H

If you have missed your offer, why should the university think that you are better than potential applicants?

That is why you have to reapply.

Reply 8

shunter7634

I don't know anyone who has come through a summer pool who wasn't studying maths. Lots of maths applicants go through the summer pool (due to STEP).

I know someone who did for a subject that wasn't Maths.

Reply 9

HCD

Thread from January on it, might be useful.

Reply 10

Gesar

HCD

Thread from January on it, might be useful.

I now have another couple of questions :biggrin:

Regarding the document given in that thread.

'3 With the exception of applicants for Mathematics (with Physics), all applicants who have achieved three A grades (excluding General Studies) at A-level, who do not meet your conditions, should be pooled – for example, if they have failed to meet other College requirements, such as STEP/AEA grades. Such applicants may well meet the criteria required for admission at another College. '

Does this mean all maths applicants who get three A's (and missed STEP by a grade) will be pooled? Or does 'Mathematics (with Physics)' include maths as well as Maths with Physics?

AND, if they pool you and decide to, instead of maths, offer you Maths with Physics or something similar and then accept you, do you get a say in it? Ditto with colleges - do you get a chance to reject them if you don't like the college they want to send you to?

Reply 11

Andy H

For maths what it means is that they have no obligation to pool you whereas they do for subjects that the standard offer is only AAA.

However for maths, it is very likely that you will either be accepted by your original college choice or be pooled to another if you only miss the offer by one grade.

You will only be offered a place for the course you applied for at another college. However should you wish to change when if you are accepted by another college, there will be chance after you matriculate. Things are a lot more flexible once you are in.

I am not sure as to whether you must accept the pooled college regarding it being firm choice on UCAS. However I do think that you did sign something in teh past that said "I do not object to being pooled." However why would you want to turn it down on the basis of another college? You will like all colleges!!!

My last point is PLEASE STOPWORRYING. Results aren't that far away. Worry about the pool if you are in it!!!

Reply 12

benty-loo

I'd like to ask, if a gap year, (non-Maths/Sci), post-ALevel application has been put in the summer pool, how should one proceed re firm acceptance of an offer from a different university?

Reply 13

CamLSP

Original post by benty-loo

I'd like to ask, if a gap year, (non-Maths/Sci), post-ALevel application has been put in the summer pool, how should one proceed re firm acceptance of an offer from a different university?

Sorry, I'm a bit confused as to what exactly you mean? Presumably you mean: if you missed your Cambridge offer this year, and were placed in the summer pool as a result, how would this affect your insurance offer being changed to firm.

Assuming you mean this, the answer is this: if you miss your offer and are placed in the summer pool, your UCAS won't update until after the results of the summer pool are known (usually within a few days, at most a week). UCAS will then update with either saying your new Cambridge acceptance, or if you're unsuccessful, your insurance offer will automatically become your firm choice on Track.

Hope that helps - if I've misunderstood you, sorry - let me know what you meant and I'll try and answer!

Reply 14

Simsasaurus

When does the summer pool close? I missed my offer and was wondering when I'd hear back from cambridge by?

Reply 15

littlebitofsky

Original post by Simsasaurus

When does the summer pool close? I missed my offer and was wondering when I'd hear back from cambridge by?

Same! Replying so I'll get a notification if someone knows the answer. It's horrible having to sit tight and wait while everyone else knows where they're going :frown:

Edit: just realised this is a very old thread with the exception of the most recent reply lol

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 16

Doones

Original post by Simsasaurus

When does the summer pool close? I missed my offer and was wondering when I'd hear back from cambridge by?

Original post by littlebitofsky

Same! Replying so I'll get a notification if someone knows the answer. It's horrible having to sit tight and wait while everyone else knows where they're going :frown:

Edit: just realised this is a very old thread with the exception of the most recent reply lol

The 2017 pool has now closed. If you haven't heard from your college call them on Monday.

I'm closing this thread now.

Good luck!

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Summer Pool?

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