Gap year
Hi,
I am predicted 3A*s (maths, further maths and physics) and I applied for CS and maths at Edinburgh, Bath, St andrews, Southampton and CS at Cambridge. I was rejected from my 3 top choices (Cambridge, Bath and Edinburgh) so I am almost certainly taking a gap year. My dream is to do CS and Maths at a top uni and I am looking for some tips, I am feeling super unmotivated and I don't really know what my next steps are (after exams ofc). Do I reapply to the same unis? What can I do to make myself more competitive? If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
I am predicted 3A*s (maths, further maths and physics) and I applied for CS and maths at Edinburgh, Bath, St andrews, Southampton and CS at Cambridge. I was rejected from my 3 top choices (Cambridge, Bath and Edinburgh) so I am almost certainly taking a gap year. My dream is to do CS and Maths at a top uni and I am looking for some tips, I am feeling super unmotivated and I don't really know what my next steps are (after exams ofc). Do I reapply to the same unis? What can I do to make myself more competitive? If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
Reply 1
Hey there! I did different subjects to you, but on a gap year at the moment and I have an offer for Cambridge this year. I didn't apply last year and personally I'm not sure how much time I could've dedicated to Uni applications if I had - A Levels are extremely time consuming & stressful so I think a gap year is a great time to apply! Especially when you're not applying for a subject that is exactly what you do currently (eg with English Literature A Level -> English Literature BA; you already have such a strong foundation to then expand upon and read around for your PS)
Obviously it's still really early so make sure you don't put too much pressure on yourself at this stage. I didn't even know which course I was going to apply for this time last year, so you definitely don't need it all figured out now / straight after exams. & You seem like a really strong student, so don't let this demotivate you from achieving your full potential in your A Levels! Remember that what is meant for you will not pass you by; this just gives you extra time, and you may end up preferring it (I recommend gap years to everyone, I've loved mine!)
For after exams (and after a break of course!!), maybe consider what your absolute favourite bits of the course are, and also what you are particularly interested in (I don't know a lot about your subjects, but I know there are a whole range of careers particularly for CS) then pursue those in whatever way makes sense - research more into niche bits of the courses you enjoy; try and find work experience or volunteering experience within careers that link to your interests.
Another thing I'd really recommend is tutoring - your school/college might have opportunities for you to do this for Y12s/younger students, but I volunteered this year to tutor pupils through a charity, and in my experience they are always looking for people to tutor as their aim is to help close the attainment gap for students from disadvantaged backgrounds (and Maths teachers are needed for any age group really!) Teaching others is great for helping you vocalise / work through ideas and become more articulate, which is key for your Personal Statement and, if you do decide to go for Cambridge again, very much important for interviews.
Don't feel put off from reapplying to the same Universities if that's what you decide is still what you want to do, lots of people take gap years for this reason and your application is likely to be different / stronger next year. Ultimately though, nobody else can answer the question of what exactly is the best thing for you to do, and there is no one right path - it's all about what feels instinctively right for you. Explore what you love & see where it takes you! You are clearly determined and willing to expand on your knowledge, which will be a great place to start.
Hope this helps
Obviously it's still really early so make sure you don't put too much pressure on yourself at this stage. I didn't even know which course I was going to apply for this time last year, so you definitely don't need it all figured out now / straight after exams. & You seem like a really strong student, so don't let this demotivate you from achieving your full potential in your A Levels! Remember that what is meant for you will not pass you by; this just gives you extra time, and you may end up preferring it (I recommend gap years to everyone, I've loved mine!)
For after exams (and after a break of course!!), maybe consider what your absolute favourite bits of the course are, and also what you are particularly interested in (I don't know a lot about your subjects, but I know there are a whole range of careers particularly for CS) then pursue those in whatever way makes sense - research more into niche bits of the courses you enjoy; try and find work experience or volunteering experience within careers that link to your interests.
Another thing I'd really recommend is tutoring - your school/college might have opportunities for you to do this for Y12s/younger students, but I volunteered this year to tutor pupils through a charity, and in my experience they are always looking for people to tutor as their aim is to help close the attainment gap for students from disadvantaged backgrounds (and Maths teachers are needed for any age group really!) Teaching others is great for helping you vocalise / work through ideas and become more articulate, which is key for your Personal Statement and, if you do decide to go for Cambridge again, very much important for interviews.
Don't feel put off from reapplying to the same Universities if that's what you decide is still what you want to do, lots of people take gap years for this reason and your application is likely to be different / stronger next year. Ultimately though, nobody else can answer the question of what exactly is the best thing for you to do, and there is no one right path - it's all about what feels instinctively right for you. Explore what you love & see where it takes you! You are clearly determined and willing to expand on your knowledge, which will be a great place to start.
Hope this helps
Reply 2
20
Wait until you get your results in August. You may not have grades high enough to re-apply to the same competitive Unis. And you may still find something sensible in Clearing with the grades that you have.
Reply 3
Original post
by McGingerWait until you get your results in August. You may not have grades high enough to re-apply to the same competitive Unis. And you may still find something sensible in Clearing with the grades that you have.
Is it possible to firm an offer now and then decide on the results day that you don't want to go there but take a gap year?
Reply 4
20
Original post
by Laksh9Is it possible to firm an offer now and then decide on the results day that you don't want to go there but take a gap year?
Possibly, yes. Most Unis will allow you to do this, but some can get a bit tricky for some subjects, so its always worth just pinging them a message now to check - can you defer, and when would be the deadline to let them know? Also be aware that if you want to reapply during a gap-year, you would need to drop any place you are holding before submitting a new application.
Reply 5
Original post
by ciaran16Hi,
I am predicted 3A*s (maths, further maths and physics) and I applied for CS and maths at Edinburgh, Bath, St andrews, Southampton and CS at Cambridge. I was rejected from my 3 top choices (Cambridge, Bath and Edinburgh) so I am almost certainly taking a gap year. My dream is to do CS and Maths at a top uni and I am looking for some tips, I am feeling super unmotivated and I don't really know what my next steps are (after exams ofc). Do I reapply to the same unis? What can I do to make myself more competitive? If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
I am predicted 3A*s (maths, further maths and physics) and I applied for CS and maths at Edinburgh, Bath, St andrews, Southampton and CS at Cambridge. I was rejected from my 3 top choices (Cambridge, Bath and Edinburgh) so I am almost certainly taking a gap year. My dream is to do CS and Maths at a top uni and I am looking for some tips, I am feeling super unmotivated and I don't really know what my next steps are (after exams ofc). Do I reapply to the same unis? What can I do to make myself more competitive? If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
Hello @ciaran16,
I'm sorry to hear that you weren't accepted into your first choice universities. But it is important to not lose motivation as you can always reapply! I'm currently studying at Southampton and I have really enjoyed it so far. The computer science course at Southampton sounds great, but as you are planning on taking a gap year and possibly reapplying, here are some tips:
•
I recommend finding out which areas of the subject you are interested in and completing some super curricular activities to put in your personal statement. Here is a great guide for this!
•
Cambridge uni also have a guide for wider reading.
•
Books, podcasts, MOOCs, volunteering, competitions, etc, are all great.
•
Tutor the Nation is a great opportunity to get some experience with tutoring others online. I did this for a bit and it was very rewarding and gave me something else to discuss on my personal statements.
Hopefully this helped and let me know if you have any more questions!
Poppy, 2nd Year Psychology
(edited 10 months ago)
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