i didn't get into the uni i wanted and now im a bit lost

i know this is likely something that has been posted multiple times over the years on here but i feel like some fresh advice is needed. for context, i finished my a-levels last year and am currently on a gap year - the main reasoning for this was that i wasnt sure if i wanted to go to uni, nor what i would do. in the past, i did very well academically, getting good grades on my GCSEs; but as these were taken predominantly through covid, i slipped quite a lot in my first year of a-levels, both mentally and academically. I got my grades back up, but unfortunately didn't pass one of them, ending up with a B in Photography, C in Psychology and failing Physics. (i kow its a mix of subjects, wasnt my choice, no point going into it but i was doubtful about passing physics from the start and here we are). anyway, i decided film was something i actually wanted to pursue and have applied at multiple unis for such courses. in the meantime, i am resitting both physics and psychology (to pass one and get the grade up on the other) whilst working two part time jobs. where i can i am trying to further my film knowledge and practice more, aside from just videoing life as it goes by, but i dont have much time to do this.
I guess the point is, i applied to LIPA as my first choice and desired uni - i know i would really enjoy the course and the crowd seems just my thing ( a bonus being i have one friend there currently doing music). i made my portfolio and went for an interview but recieved an email the next day saying i was rejected - to everyone else i guess ive been playing it off because ive never talked about uni as a big thing and im very undecided but i didnt realise how badly i wanted to go there, nor how much it meant to me. i don't know what i did at the interview to get rejected, and i'm not sure if i want to put off uni for another year so i dont really know what to do with myself - should i just let go of the idea of going there and focus on the other places i applied to or try again in a year or what?? getting out of my home is something i'm pretty desperate to do and i dont think i can manage another year but then its either uni or move out i cant financially do both. I guess i'm just wondering if anyone knows what i shouldve done for my portfolio or what i shouldve been saying during the interview? does it come down to me being inexperienced in film or just how i presented during the interview?
Sorry for the long rant i think i just wanted to put it somewhere

Reply 1

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by cyniic

i know this is likely something that has been posted multiple times over the years on here but i feel like some fresh advice is needed. for context, i finished my a-levels last year and am currently on a gap year - the main reasoning for this was that i wasnt sure if i wanted to go to uni, nor what i would do. in the past, i did very well academically, getting good grades on my GCSEs; but as these were taken predominantly through covid, i slipped quite a lot in my first year of a-levels, both mentally and academically. I got my grades back up, but unfortunately didn't pass one of them, ending up with a B in Photography, C in Psychology and failing Physics. (i kow its a mix of subjects, wasnt my choice, no point going into it but i was doubtful about passing physics from the start and here we are). anyway, i decided film was something i actually wanted to pursue and have applied at multiple unis for such courses. in the meantime, i am resitting both physics and psychology (to pass one and get the grade up on the other) whilst working two part time jobs. where i can i am trying to further my film knowledge and practice more, aside from just videoing life as it goes by, but i dont have much time to do this.
I guess the point is, i applied to LIPA as my first choice and desired uni - i know i would really enjoy the course and the crowd seems just my thing ( a bonus being i have one friend there currently doing music). i made my portfolio and went for an interview but recieved an email the next day saying i was rejected - to everyone else i guess ive been playing it off because ive never talked about uni as a big thing and im very undecided but i didnt realise how badly i wanted to go there, nor how much it meant to me. i don't know what i did at the interview to get rejected, and i'm not sure if i want to put off uni for another year so i dont really know what to do with myself - should i just let go of the idea of going there and focus on the other places i applied to or try again in a year or what?? getting out of my home is something i'm pretty desperate to do and i dont think i can manage another year but then its either uni or move out i cant financially do both. I guess i'm just wondering if anyone knows what i shouldve done for my portfolio or what i shouldve been saying during the interview? does it come down to me being inexperienced in film or just how i presented during the interview?
Sorry for the long rant i think i just wanted to put it somewhere

Have you contacted LIPA in writing to request more feedback on areas for improvement/why you were rejected? Universities won't always be willing to provide this but if you were interviewed then they should have your interview notes on file to give you something more detailed (technically you could request interview notes as part of a subject access data protection request).

Depending on what they say it's also worth asking if there's any possibility that they might reconsider or allow you to submit additional work/an improved portfolio

It's a shame that you've spent this year resitting physics - you could have taken an Art & Design Foundation Diploma with a media/lens based pathway which would have helped you boost your portfolio (and would normally be accepted for entry onto a film degree anywhere in the UK) - it sounds like you've had some pretty poor support/advice from your sixth form/college over the last few years :frown:

Talk to LIPA and see if they can give you any more feedback before you decide on a plan for your next steps :smile:

you do have lots of options but if LIPA is your top choice then it's worth exploring more around that first before looking elsewhere.

Reply 2

De Montfort University

Official Rep

16

Original post by cyniic

i know this is likely something that has been posted multiple times over the years on here but i feel like some fresh advice is needed. for context, i finished my a-levels last year and am currently on a gap year - the main reasoning for this was that i wasnt sure if i wanted to go to uni, nor what i would do. in the past, i did very well academically, getting good grades on my GCSEs; but as these were taken predominantly through covid, i slipped quite a lot in my first year of a-levels, both mentally and academically. I got my grades back up, but unfortunately didn't pass one of them, ending up with a B in Photography, C in Psychology and failing Physics. (i kow its a mix of subjects, wasnt my choice, no point going into it but i was doubtful about passing physics from the start and here we are). anyway, i decided film was something i actually wanted to pursue and have applied at multiple unis for such courses. in the meantime, i am resitting both physics and psychology (to pass one and get the grade up on the other) whilst working two part time jobs. where i can i am trying to further my film knowledge and practice more, aside from just videoing life as it goes by, but i dont have much time to do this.
I guess the point is, i applied to LIPA as my first choice and desired uni - i know i would really enjoy the course and the crowd seems just my thing ( a bonus being i have one friend there currently doing music). i made my portfolio and went for an interview but recieved an email the next day saying i was rejected - to everyone else i guess ive been playing it off because ive never talked about uni as a big thing and im very undecided but i didnt realise how badly i wanted to go there, nor how much it meant to me. i don't know what i did at the interview to get rejected, and i'm not sure if i want to put off uni for another year so i dont really know what to do with myself - should i just let go of the idea of going there and focus on the other places i applied to or try again in a year or what?? getting out of my home is something i'm pretty desperate to do and i dont think i can manage another year but then its either uni or move out i cant financially do both. I guess i'm just wondering if anyone knows what i shouldve done for my portfolio or what i shouldve been saying during the interview? does it come down to me being inexperienced in film or just how i presented during the interview?
Sorry for the long rant i think i just wanted to put it somewhere

Hey there,

I understand how you're feeling right now, and it's completely valid to feel upset and uncertain about the rejection from your first choice university. However, it's important to remember that one rejection doesn't define your worth or your potential. There could be a variety of reasons why you weren't accepted this time, and it doesn't necessarily mean you're inexperienced or did something wrong in the interview.

Universities look at a wide range of factors when they make their decisions. It's also important to remember that the admissions process can be highly competitive and subjective. Don't let this setback discourage you. You still have other applications pending and there's a good chance you will find a course and university that's a great fit for you.
In the meantime, continue to build on your skills and knowledge in film. Every bit of experience and learning you gather will be beneficial in your future studies and career. It's also okay to take some time to process your feelings about this situation.

Lastly, remember that there are always other pathways to reach your goals. If you're truly passionate about studying at LIPA, you could consider reapplying in the future with more experience and a stronger portfolio. But for now, stay open to the possibilities that your other university choices might offer. You might find that they offer unexpected opportunities and experiences that could be just as rewarding, if not more so.

Best of luck with everything!
Ilya :smile:

Original post by cyniic

i know this is likely something that has been posted multiple times over the years on here but i feel like some fresh advice is needed. for context, i finished my a-levels last year and am currently on a gap year - the main reasoning for this was that i wasnt sure if i wanted to go to uni, nor what i would do. in the past, i did very well academically, getting good grades on my GCSEs; but as these were taken predominantly through covid, i slipped quite a lot in my first year of a-levels, both mentally and academically. I got my grades back up, but unfortunately didn't pass one of them, ending up with a B in Photography, C in Psychology and failing Physics. (i kow its a mix of subjects, wasnt my choice, no point going into it but i was doubtful about passing physics from the start and here we are). anyway, i decided film was something i actually wanted to pursue and have applied at multiple unis for such courses. in the meantime, i am resitting both physics and psychology (to pass one and get the grade up on the other) whilst working two part time jobs. where i can i am trying to further my film knowledge and practice more, aside from just videoing life as it goes by, but i dont have much time to do this.
I guess the point is, i applied to LIPA as my first choice and desired uni - i know i would really enjoy the course and the crowd seems just my thing ( a bonus being i have one friend there currently doing music). i made my portfolio and went for an interview but recieved an email the next day saying i was rejected - to everyone else i guess ive been playing it off because ive never talked about uni as a big thing and im very undecided but i didnt realise how badly i wanted to go there, nor how much it meant to me. i don't know what i did at the interview to get rejected, and i'm not sure if i want to put off uni for another year so i dont really know what to do with myself - should i just let go of the idea of going there and focus on the other places i applied to or try again in a year or what?? getting out of my home is something i'm pretty desperate to do and i dont think i can manage another year but then its either uni or move out i cant financially do both. I guess i'm just wondering if anyone knows what i shouldve done for my portfolio or what i shouldve been saying during the interview? does it come down to me being inexperienced in film or just how i presented during the interview?
Sorry for the long rant i think i just wanted to put it somewhere

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear this, I understand how tough it can be when you don't get into the university you were hoping to go to.

I think it's worth looking into other universities to see if you think you'd enjoy going to any others. I'm not sure if you applied for others when you sent off your UCAS application, but if you did then you still have the chance to get into one of these.
Or, if you don't want to go to any of these, you could always look to apply somewhere through clearing when you get your results as this is a good way of getting into a University that you didn't originally apply for. My advice with this would be to look into other potential options and see where you might be happy to go and if they have open days on then you could also go and visit them and see if you would like to apply through clearing.

If you have your heart set on only going to LIPA, then it's worth thinking about taking another gap year. I did two gap years in the end and it was really good for me and it wasn't a problem going to uni when I was 20 and others were 18! You could spend the year strengthening your portfolio and then reapply next year and see what happens. However, if you do want to leave home sooner than this I would recommend looking into other universities which will be just as great!

You may be able to find other people who did/didn't get into LIPA and talk to them about their interviews as this could give you some more insight into why you didn't get in. Or as someone has suggested, contact them directly and ask them, there's no harm in doing this.

I would also talk to your school/college where you are resitting your A levels and see if they have nay god advice on what you should do next as they will know you fairly well and should be able to give you some good advice going forward.

I hope this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

(edited 1 month ago)

i didn't get into the uni i wanted and now im a bit lost

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