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St Andrews rejection

Hello, unfortunately ive just been rejected from my top course from St Andrews.

I applied for two different courses, one very competitive and one less competitive and received an offer from the less competitive one over the more competitive one (understandably).

I had reached out to admissions to ask if i could be considered for the more competitive course instead, since i was worried this would impact my application to the university although unfortunately they hadn’t received my email in time due to being very busy.

My rejection reasoning on UCAS was “Given the flexible nature of our degree structure at the University of St Andrews we only make an offer to one course and you should hear our decision on your other choice(s) separately.”

Did anyone else receive a message like this? I am just confused as there was no mention of this on the admissions policy, so I’m wondering if this is just a standard rejection reasoning and doesn’t really mean anything. Was anyone given any other reason for their rejection on UCAS
?

Thank you!!

Reply 1

Original post
by Anonymous
Hello, unfortunately ive just been rejected from my top course from St Andrews.
I applied for two different courses, one very competitive and one less competitive and received an offer from the less competitive one over the more competitive one (understandably).
I had reached out to admissions to ask if i could be considered for the more competitive course instead, since i was worried this would impact my application to the university although unfortunately they hadn’t received my email in time due to being very busy.
My rejection reasoning on UCAS was “Given the flexible nature of our degree structure at the University of St Andrews we only make an offer to one course and you should hear our decision on your other choice(s) separately.”
Did anyone else receive a message like this? I am just confused as there was no mention of this on the admissions policy, so I’m wondering if this is just a standard rejection reasoning and doesn’t really mean anything. Was anyone given any other reason for their rejection on UCAS
?
Thank you!!


Hey, I have still not heard back but I applied for 2 courses too! I haven’t heard anything about not being allowed to apply for two courses?

Reply 2

Original post
by Anonymous
Hello, unfortunately ive just been rejected from my top course from St Andrews.
I applied for two different courses, one very competitive and one less competitive and received an offer from the less competitive one over the more competitive one (understandably).
I had reached out to admissions to ask if i could be considered for the more competitive course instead, since i was worried this would impact my application to the university although unfortunately they hadn’t received my email in time due to being very busy.
My rejection reasoning on UCAS was “Given the flexible nature of our degree structure at the University of St Andrews we only make an offer to one course and you should hear our decision on your other choice(s) separately.”
Did anyone else receive a message like this? I am just confused as there was no mention of this on the admissions policy, so I’m wondering if this is just a standard rejection reasoning and doesn’t really mean anything. Was anyone given any other reason for their rejection on UCAS
?
Thank you!!

I got a rejection notification via UCAS but still says pending decision on the St Andrews portal. The reasoning in the UCAS was super generic (it was a very competitive year etc.). Did you get further feedback on the St Andrews portal?

Reply 3

Original post
by Anonymous
I got a rejection notification via UCAS but still says pending decision on the St Andrews portal. The reasoning in the UCAS was super generic (it was a very competitive year etc.). Did you get further feedback on the St Andrews portal?

hi im in a similar position right now, just wondering if they gave you anymore feedback on the portal

Reply 4

Original post
by Anonymous
hi im in a similar position right now, just wondering if they gave you anymore feedback on the portal

nope - I didn't end up requesting further feedback because honestly either the answer would've upset me or they would have lied and given a v generic answer. I think you can request additional feedback if you email their admissions though?

Reply 5

Basically, you can accept the degree they have offered you at St. Andrews and when you start, take other modules in subjects desired to get the right credits to add this as part of your degree? Does this make sense?

If you decide to go to St. Andrews, you will have a meeting with your academic advisor and discuss the other modules you want to take in other subjects. If your desired subject is for example, IR, which is highly popular, you will be put into a ballot and whoever is drawn will be able to take this as a module in the first two years, gain credits, and then be allowed to do it at honours (the final two years of the degree). Your name will only be drawn into the ballot if you were not accepted into this course initially, and if the subject is very popular.

In St. Andrews, we take 3 modules every semester for the first two years, part of our sub-honours. Then at honours, we slim down the modules from the 3 (some people continue with 3 if the right modules were taken from the beginning) and this is our final undergraduate degree. STEM students usually only take 1 extra module at sub-honours (or ones in their original degree), as their subject is usually very high demand and lots of other modules in their primary degree to take. But humanity students usually take 3, and some people take random ones every semester just to get the credits they need to pass into honours and graduate in the one subject they want to.

Of course, every subject has different module requirements and you need a certain amount every year to pass into the next, so is not always straight forward, and it becomes more difficult to make amendments to your degree after the first year.

So, you still have the possibility to take both subjects if you want. Just email the university and if you decide to go you will decide on your modules in freshers week.

Hope this makes sense.

Reply 6

You no longer need a ballot for IR. Bigger lecture hall. It has been 2 or 3 years since last time there was a ballot.

Reply 7

Original post
by Anonymous
You no longer need a ballot for IR. Bigger lecture hall. It has been 2 or 3 years since last time there was a ballot.

Ok, my friends who did it this year said they needed a ballot so that is why put it :smile:

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