I got rejected from Durham for not having "good enough achieved grades"

I didn’t want to go to Durham in the first place but I just saw on UCAS that I got rejected. When I clicked on the message they've sent me it said "Your achieved grades are not as strong as those of successful applicants" I am predicted 3 A*s. Do they mean achieved GCSE grades? I applied for theoretical physics.

Reply 1

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by 55672

If your GCSE grades are the only grades that you have achieved, then yes - this is what they're referring to. What are your GCSE grades like?

Durham University

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Reply 2

55672

Original post by DataVenia

If your GCSE grades are the only grades that you have achieved, then yes - this is what they're referring to. What are your GCSE grades like?

My GCSE grades were 999988877 9 in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Music. Ive achieved an A in my EPQ. I had to do a PAT for Oxford too but I don’t know if Durhams gets access to my score.

Reply 3

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by 55672

My GCSE grades were 999988877 9 in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Music. Ive achieved an A in my EPQ. I had to do a PAT for Oxford too but I don’t know if Durhams gets access to my score.

That's an impressive set of GCSE grades. It's difficult to imagine that those were "not as strong as those of successful applicants", but that's what they've said. (They won't have access to your PAT result, by the way, unless you provided it to them.)

You say above that, "I didn’t want to go to Durham in the first place" - so just brush off their decision and focus on your other four. Are you still awaiting some decisions?

Reply 4

55672

Thank you so much! Yes, I am waiting to hear back from UCL and St Andrews. I've already got an offer from Bristol. I will just brush off their decision, I was just confused by what they meant :smile:

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

Hey, Durham Physics student here. I may be wrong but I have heard that they're reducing their intake (I assume to make the course more competitive?). Don't worry about it, you still have excellent GCSEs and very strong predicteds, you'll do well in physics wherever you decide to go. In the end it's more about grit than grades! Best of luck.

Reply 6

Jakson123

They just confirmed what you already knew - that it's not the place for you. Maybe it's just a standard line they send out to everyone so they don't get loads of people contacting them asking why they didn't get a place.