The Student Room Group

Missed Oxford Offer

Last academic year I missed my offer to study at Oxford. It was a very tough year for me. My dad had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (which has no cure) just at the end of year 12. He was on chemotherapy, in and out of hospital for the entirely of year 13. Then, during A-level exams, he was admitted to hospital for a major surgery. Unfortunately, cancer still did what it does and he passed away recently, 22nd of November.

I recently found out that there’s a procedure for students like myself which my school didn’t follow. Between exams being conducted and publication of results, your school can apply for special consideration to the exam board (AQA, in my case). This is for students who experienced disruption just before or during exams which directly affected their performance.

Depending on how you interpret my circumstances, I would’ve been eligible for a 4%-5% increase in marks, which would’ve turned my 2 Bs into As. This would’ve been enough to meet my offer. My school was fully aware of my situation and we desperately asked them if there was anything we could do, and they said nothing. We only discovered this was an option and that I was eligible for it now, and it’s too late.

I feel utterly destroyed. I blamed myself a lot for missing my offer, naturally, since you can always work harder. Guilt is an awful feeling, but this resentment feels much worse. Knowing there was something that could’ve been done and it wasn’t. This is only one of the multiple issues my school had, and it really feels like the last straw.
Original post by Cupidscathedral
Last academic year I missed my offer to study at Oxford. It was a very tough year for me. My dad had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (which has no cure) just at the end of year 12. He was on chemotherapy, in and out of hospital for the entirely of year 13. Then, during A-level exams, he was admitted to hospital for a major surgery. Unfortunately, cancer still did what it does and he passed away recently, 22nd of November.

I recently found out that there’s a procedure for students like myself which my school didn’t follow. Between exams being conducted and publication of results, your school can apply for special consideration to the exam board (AQA, in my case). This is for students who experienced disruption just before or during exams which directly affected their performance.

Depending on how you interpret my circumstances, I would’ve been eligible for a 4%-5% increase in marks, which would’ve turned my 2 Bs into As. This would’ve been enough to meet my offer. My school was fully aware of my situation and we desperately asked them if there was anything we could do, and they said nothing. We only discovered this was an option and that I was eligible for it now, and it’s too late.

I feel utterly destroyed. I blamed myself a lot for missing my offer, naturally, since you can always work harder. Guilt is an awful feeling, but this resentment feels much worse. Knowing there was something that could’ve been done and it wasn’t. This is only one of the multiple issues my school had, and it really feels like the last straw.


Your best bet may be to email your Oxford college with this information and your marks and explain your situation and ask if you were to apply again would you have any recourse. Since offers need to be met by 31st August, they are under no obligation to consider you. It may also be unlikely since the application window closed for 2025 entry so it may be that you need to apply for 2026 entry. The admissions office may also be very busy due to it being interview season.
Reply 2
Its far too late to ask any Exam Board for extra consideration or an remark - and pitching blame at your school won't help, either in practical terms or for you stress levels. If you are that keen on Oxford, then retake your A levels - its now your only option.
I am sorry for your bereavement.

You might have a theoretical claim against your school for negligence. But the claim would be difficult to value because it is almost impossible to monetise the impact of taking university path A instead of path B. In addition litigation is stressful. As a professional litigator I do not encourage litigation.

Perhaps apply to UCL, KCL etc for 2025 admission on the basis of the circumstances you describe.

It is possibly worth a letter to your target college at Oxford, but the best the college could do might be to say that IF someone who is offered a place for 2025 does not make the offer and has no similar mitigation, you might have that place. A long shot.
(edited 2 months ago)
Reply 4
Remember - Oxford or Cambridge will still be there for postgrad.
Reply 5
Original post by username7407247
Last academic year I missed my offer to study at Oxford. It was a very tough year for me. My dad had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (which has no cure) just at the end of year 12. He was on chemotherapy, in and out of hospital for the entirely of year 13. Then, during A-level exams, he was admitted to hospital for a major surgery. Unfortunately, cancer still did what it does and he passed away recently, 22nd of November.
I recently found out that there’s a procedure for students like myself which my school didn’t follow. Between exams being conducted and publication of results, your school can apply for special consideration to the exam board (AQA, in my case). This is for students who experienced disruption just before or during exams which directly affected their performance.
Depending on how you interpret my circumstances, I would’ve been eligible for a 4%-5% increase in marks, which would’ve turned my 2 Bs into As. This would’ve been enough to meet my offer. My school was fully aware of my situation and we desperately asked them if there was anything we could do, and they said nothing. We only discovered this was an option and that I was eligible for it now, and it’s too late.
I feel utterly destroyed. I blamed myself a lot for missing my offer, naturally, since you can always work harder. Guilt is an awful feeling, but this resentment feels much worse. Knowing there was something that could’ve been done and it wasn’t. This is only one of the multiple issues my school had, and it really feels like the last straw.

So terribly sorry for the loss of your dad.Yours is a very unfortunate case.I just wondered if you were also from an economically challenged background?If so this scheme might be of interest.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/increasing-access/foundation-year
Closing date is end of January.

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