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ADHD diagosis after Cambridge interview rejection

Hello! So I just got rejected for an interview at St Johns college for Land Economy, and I’m 98% sure its due to my GCSEs being low for my school (for context I got all 9-7s but at a really high performing private school). However, today I was diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication (mainly for difficulties focusing and revising) and I was wondering if this would count for extenuating circumstances for my GCSEs in my Cambridge application, and whether or not its worth emailing the college admissions team with this information and my doctors note! Any insight would be appreciated, as I am also hoping to be able to reapply next year for the same course. Thanks!
(edited 2 months ago)

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Reply 1

Hey!

I’m definitely no expert but an option for you could always be to take a gap year and reapply next year with your grades in hand. As you can then submit your diagnoses as part of the extenuating circumstances + with your grades in hand they look less closely at your gcses. I’m not sure sending the information to the admissions team would be the best idea as the decisions likely couldn’t be reversed

Reply 2

Original post
by nineortwelve
Hello! So I just got rejected for an interview at St Johns college for Land Economy, and I’m 98% sure its due to my GCSEs being low for my school (for context I got all 9-7s but at a really high performing private school). However, today I was diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication (mainly for difficulties focusing and revising) and I was wondering if this would count for extenuating circumstances for my GCSEs in my Cambridge application, and whether or not its worth emailing the college admissions team with this information and my doctors note! Any insight would be appreciated, as I am also hoping to be able to reapply next year for the same course. Thanks!

Probably definitely don’t email the admission team there probably wont be any change to be blunt. You may have gotten because of a weaker application in general compared to the rest of the people who applied for land economy in this cycle. I feel as if even in the context of your school 9-7s in GCSEs are still somewhat standard maybe a tiny bit below average but not anything crazy low. Definitely look over your application and maybe get some advice from some teachers and then you can think about improving and reapplying next year or alternatively im sure you’ve applied for other good universities, Cambridge isn’t the end all.
Anyways good luck with everything going forward
Original post
by nineortwelve
Hello! So I just got rejected for an interview at St Johns college for Land Economy, and I’m 98% sure its due to my GCSEs being low for my school (for context I got all 9-7s but at a really high performing private school). However, today I was diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication (mainly for difficulties focusing and revising) and I was wondering if this would count for extenuating circumstances for my GCSEs in my Cambridge application, and whether or not its worth emailing the college admissions team with this information and my doctors note! Any insight would be appreciated, as I am also hoping to be able to reapply next year for the same course. Thanks!


Won't help this year. Will be taken into consideration if you decide to apply next year though.

Reply 4

Correct me if im wrong but I thought a diagnosis well after your GCSEs won't count as extenuating circumstances for them? If ADHD had affected your GCSEs, surely you would have already mentioned that and explained that you were awaiting diagnosis? But I could be wrong- this is just how I had been told extenuating circumstances forms worked at school and on another thread on TSR (I can't find said thread, but if I do I'll link it).

I agree that mentioning it now is probably pointless but if you do decide to reapply, with achieved grades the college will definitely care less about GCSEs if that was the reason for your rejection. At that point you would also definitely be able to mention the diagnosis, I don't know whether they'd take it into account for your GCSEs but they certainly would for your A levels. Best of luck with whatever you do!

Reply 5

Original post
by DishPerson :)
Correct me if im wrong but I thought a diagnosis well after your GCSEs won't count as extenuating circumstances for them? If ADHD had affected your GCSEs, surely you would have already mentioned that and explained that you were awaiting diagnosis? But I could be wrong- this is just how I had been told extenuating circumstances forms worked at school and on another thread on TSR (I can't find said thread, but if I do I'll link it).
I agree that mentioning it now is probably pointless but if you do decide to reapply, with achieved grades the college will definitely care less about GCSEs if that was the reason for your rejection. At that point you would also definitely be able to mention the diagnosis, I don't know whether they'd take it into account for your GCSEs but they certainly would for your A levels. Best of luck with whatever you do!

Hi! Thanks for the reply! You may be right, I hadn't seen anything about it not being allowed, as during my GCSEs I just assumed that the difficulties I had were normal, and wasnt ADHD tested. It was only after my mocks that my sixthform suggested I get tested and thats when i realised that most of my issues faced arounf GCSEs were linked to ADHD. I sent in my ucas before i was reffered for an ADHD diagnosis so I couldnt decalre anything on UCAS. Ive never asked school about extenuating circumstances as I didnt have to add them to my UCAS, but I will check with school. I wont bother contacting them this application cycle, but perhaps next year. Thanks again for your response!

Reply 6

Original post
by nineortwelve
Hi! Thanks for the reply! You may be right, I hadn't seen anything about it not being allowed, as during my GCSEs I just assumed that the difficulties I had were normal, and wasnt ADHD tested. It was only after my mocks that my sixthform suggested I get tested and thats when i realised that most of my issues faced arounf GCSEs were linked to ADHD. I sent in my ucas before i was reffered for an ADHD diagnosis so I couldnt decalre anything on UCAS. Ive never asked school about extenuating circumstances as I didnt have to add them to my UCAS, but I will check with school. I wont bother contacting them this application cycle, but perhaps next year. Thanks again for your response!

No worries! Yes now you've explained it I think they may be able to consider your GCSEs with extenuating circumstances if you reapply! Definitely check with the school. I don't have extenuating circumstances but this is what my friends who did told me but still thought it could help. Although, your GCSEs are still very impressive even without lol. Best of luck with reapplying!!

Reply 7

Original post
by nineortwelve
Hello! So I just got rejected for an interview at St Johns college for Land Economy, and I’m 98% sure its due to my GCSEs being low for my school (for context I got all 9-7s but at a really high performing private school). However, today I was diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication (mainly for difficulties focusing and revising) and I was wondering if this would count for extenuating circumstances for my GCSEs in my Cambridge application, and whether or not its worth emailing the college admissions team with this information and my doctors note! Any insight would be appreciated, as I am also hoping to be able to reapply next year for the same course. Thanks!

haha this is a tricky one ima be fr though.
Listen, I’m going to be brutally honest,
You got all 9-7s (mostly 8s and 9s, I’m assuming) at one of the strongest private schools in the country. That’s objectively excellent by national standards, but at a super-selective college like St John’s for Land Economy it’s probably on the low side compared to the rest of their pool, who are also coming from top schools and often have 10-11 straight 9s. That’s the reality. Cambridge colleges are ruthless about predicted grades and past academic record when deciding who to interview, especially for oversubscribed courses.
Now you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD the day after you got rejected and you’re wondering if you can wave the doctor’s note around and claim extenuating circumstances for GCSEs you took 2+ years ago.… no. That’s not how this works and deep down you know it.

1.

Extenuating circumstances forms for exams have to be submitted within days or weeks of the exams (definitely within the same academic year). You cannot retroactively declare that your entirely solid GCSE performance from Year 11 was because of undiagnosed ADHD in 2025. Exam boards and universities will laugh that out the room.

2.

Even if you could, “I found revising hard and couldn’t focus as well as the other kids at my extremely academic private school” is the single weakest extenuating-circumstances claim imaginable when your grades are still 9-7. Actual extenuating circumstances are things like your mum dying the week before the exam, or being in hospital, or fleeing a war zone. Not “I think I had undiagnosed ADHD but still got ten grades 7+.”

3.

Emailing St John’s now with this will make you look desperate and entitle. It will not make them reopen your application and it will poison the well for any future application you make. They will remember the candidate who tried to blame perfectly good grades on a last-minute ADHD diagnosis.

The victim mindset here is strong. You didn’t get the interview because dozens of other kids had even better grades and predictions than you in an insanely competitive field. You have to own that. That’s it. ADHD didn’t reject you; basic statistical filtering did.
If you want to reapply next year and actually have a shot:

Get your A-level predicted grades up to 3×A* (Land Economy at St John’s is now basically requiring it).

Smash any admissions test (TMUA if they bring it back, or whatever they use).

Write a personal statement that doesn’t scream “I go to a posh school and still only managed 9-7 at GCSE.”

Maybe mention the ADHD diagnosis in your next application if it genuinely affected your life and you’ve now got support/medication that’s transformed your focus, but frame it as “this is the obstacle I’ve overcome and here’s the upward trajectory since,” not “please feel sorry for my GCSEs.”

But right now? Drop the fantasy that a doctor’s note is going to retroactively fix this rejection. It’s cope. Accept that you were in the “good but not good enough for interview” pile, work harder, and come back stronger next cycle.
Harsh, but you’ll thank me when you’re not deluding yourself any more. AND ONE FINAL THING
A gap year never hurts if you are ever considering re applying.

Reply 8

Original post
by wooden-stack
Probably definitely don’t email the admission team there probably wont be any change to be blunt. You may have gotten because of a weaker application in general compared to the rest of the people who applied for land economy in this cycle. I feel as if even in the context of your school 9-7s in GCSEs are still somewhat standard maybe a tiny bit below average but not anything crazy low. Definitely look over your application and maybe get some advice from some teachers and then you can think about improving and reapplying next year or alternatively im sure you’ve applied for other good universities, Cambridge isn’t the end all.
Anyways good luck with everything going forward

Hi! Thanks for replying! You're most likley right as im sure they take applications hollistically. Looking over things, there are definitely places I could improve, I just felt as though it was my GCSEs weighing me down the most. I'll keep this in mind if i do end up reapplying next year. Thanks again!

Reply 9

Original post
by Anonymous
haha this is a tricky one ima be fr though.
Listen, I’m going to be brutally honest,
You got all 9-7s (mostly 8s and 9s, I’m assuming) at one of the strongest private schools in the country. That’s objectively excellent by national standards, but at a super-selective college like St John’s for Land Economy it’s probably on the low side compared to the rest of their pool, who are also coming from top schools and often have 10-11 straight 9s. That’s the reality. Cambridge colleges are ruthless about predicted grades and past academic record when deciding who to interview, especially for oversubscribed courses.
Now you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD the day after you got rejected and you’re wondering if you can wave the doctor’s note around and claim extenuating circumstances for GCSEs you took 2+ years ago.… no. That’s not how this works and deep down you know it.

1.

Extenuating circumstances forms for exams have to be submitted within days or weeks of the exams (definitely within the same academic year). You cannot retroactively declare that your entirely solid GCSE performance from Year 11 was because of undiagnosed ADHD in 2025. Exam boards and universities will laugh that out the room.

2.

Even if you could, “I found revising hard and couldn’t focus as well as the other kids at my extremely academic private school” is the single weakest extenuating-circumstances claim imaginable when your grades are still 9-7. Actual extenuating circumstances are things like your mum dying the week before the exam, or being in hospital, or fleeing a war zone. Not “I think I had undiagnosed ADHD but still got ten grades 7+.”

3.

Emailing St John’s now with this will make you look desperate and entitle. It will not make them reopen your application and it will poison the well for any future application you make. They will remember the candidate who tried to blame perfectly good grades on a last-minute ADHD diagnosis.

The victim mindset here is strong. You didn’t get the interview because dozens of other kids had even better grades and predictions than you in an insanely competitive field. You have to own that. That’s it. ADHD didn’t reject you; basic statistical filtering did.
If you want to reapply next year and actually have a shot:

Get your A-level predicted grades up to 3×A* (Land Economy at St John’s is now basically requiring it).

Smash any admissions test (TMUA if they bring it back, or whatever they use).

Write a personal statement that doesn’t scream “I go to a posh school and still only managed 9-7 at GCSE.”

Maybe mention the ADHD diagnosis in your next application if it genuinely affected your life and you’ve now got support/medication that’s transformed your focus, but frame it as “this is the obstacle I’ve overcome and here’s the upward trajectory since,” not “please feel sorry for my GCSEs.”

But right now? Drop the fantasy that a doctor’s note is going to retroactively fix this rejection. It’s cope. Accept that you were in the “good but not good enough for interview” pile, work harder, and come back stronger next cycle.
Harsh, but you’ll thank me when you’re not deluding yourself any more. AND ONE FINAL THING
A gap year never hurts if you are ever considering re applying.

Hi! I appreciate the honesty, I was competely aware that St John's wouldn't reopen my application this application cycle, but was more interested if it would have any grounds for a potential reapplication. I fear I didnt realise just how competitve Land Economy had become. Obviously my main priority is doing well in my Alevels in order to reapply, but I hear that Cambridge dont necessarily weight achieved A-Level grades any higher than predicteds, and therefore when reapplying, I would be rejected pre interview for the same reason as this year. I know the caliber of people applying to cambridge and definitely understand why I was rejected. I'm not trying to beg for a place, just trying to gauge any chances at an interview invite next year. I do appreciate the message, and will consider everything you said. I probably will end up taking a gap year to reapply, but thanks again for the response!
Original post
by DishPerson :)
Correct me if im wrong but I thought a diagnosis well after your GCSEs won't count as extenuating circumstances for them? If ADHD had affected your GCSEs, surely you would have already mentioned that and explained that you were awaiting diagnosis? But I could be wrong- this is just how I had been told extenuating circumstances forms worked at school and on another thread on TSR (I can't find said thread, but if I do I'll link it).

I agree that mentioning it now is probably pointless but if you do decide to reapply, with achieved grades the college will definitely care less about GCSEs if that was the reason for your rejection. At that point you would also definitely be able to mention the diagnosis, I don't know whether they'd take it into account for your GCSEs but they certainly would for your A levels. Best of luck with whatever you do!


They may not have sought a diagnosis (or even considered the possibility of one) until after taking the GCSE exams. They still were affected by the SpLD at that time though. As noted previously this is something to highlight if the OP reapplies.

Original post
by nineortwelve
Hello! So I just got rejected for an interview at St Johns college for Land Economy, and I’m 98% sure its due to my GCSEs being low for my school (for context I got all 9-7s but at a really high performing private school). However, today I was diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication (mainly for difficulties focusing and revising) and I was wondering if this would count for extenuating circumstances for my GCSEs in my Cambridge application, and whether or not its worth emailing the college admissions team with this information and my doctors note! Any insight would be appreciated, as I am also hoping to be able to reapply next year for the same course. Thanks!

It would seem rather unusual for your GCSEs to be the sole reason for a rejection pre-interview. What were your A-level predicted grades and subjects, and what was your PS focused on/did you write anything additional in the optional PS on the MyCambridge application portal? I would wonder if it might be due to unsuitable subjects or a very unrelated personal statement...?

Reply 11

Original post
by artful_lounger
They may not have sought a diagnosis (or even considered the possibility of one) until after taking the GCSE exams. They still were affected by the SpLD at that time though. As noted previously this is something to highlight if the OP reapplies.
It would seem rather unusual for your GCSEs to be the sole reason for a rejection pre-interview. What were your A-level predicted grades and subjects, and what was your PS focused on/did you write anything additional in the optional PS on the MyCambridge application portal? I would wonder if it might be due to unsuitable subjects or a very unrelated personal statement...?

Hi! The only reason I say that is that im not sure what else it could be other than that and my PS. I was predicted A*A*A in Maths, geography and Economics, and applied for Economics and Finance at the rest on my universities (I do see how it could be due to my personal statement being unrelated). I did write in the optional PS about Land economy, and how I was particularly interested in its interdisciplinary nature if thats any sort of insight. My best guess is a combination of lower predicteds, gcses and a sort of unrelated PS, but I assumed the biggest impact was my gcses? Any opinions would be appreciated tho!
Original post
by nineortwelve
Hi! The only reason I say that is that im not sure what else it could be other than that and my PS. I was predicted A*A*A in Maths, geography and Economics, and applied for Economics and Finance at the rest on my universities (I do see how it could be due to my personal statement being unrelated). I did write in the optional PS about Land economy, and how I was particularly interested in its interdisciplinary nature if thats any sort of insight. My best guess is a combination of lower predicteds, gcses and a sort of unrelated PS, but I assumed the biggest impact was my gcses? Any opinions would be appreciated tho!

It does seem odd, you seem to tick all the boxes. I would guess personal statement (or if you have to submit work maybe that?) maybe combined with contextualised GCSEs...?

Reply 13

Original post
by nineortwelve
Hi! The only reason I say that is that im not sure what else it could be other than that and my PS. I was predicted A*A*A in Maths, geography and Economics, and applied for Economics and Finance at the rest on my universities (I do see how it could be due to my personal statement being unrelated). I did write in the optional PS about Land economy, and how I was particularly interested in its interdisciplinary nature if thats any sort of insight. My best guess is a combination of lower predicteds, gcses and a sort of unrelated PS, but I assumed the biggest impact was my gcses? Any opinions would be appreciated tho!

Hi what kinds of books did you mention in your personal statement? Maybe they weren't a fan of your weighting towards finance (although it obviously makes sense of four unis you applied to are econ and finance)?

You probably needed to talk more about development, planning and environmental stuff for it to fit with the geography and law in land economy. They may have seen finance as a bit too oppositey? If you reapply maybe apply to more similar courses so you can mention these types of topics more if you want to give the Cambridge course a good shot? Geography and economics/ pure economics where your free to talk about anything/ etc?

Reply 14

Original post
by artful_lounger
It does seem odd, you seem to tick all the boxes. I would guess personal statement (or if you have to submit work maybe that?) maybe combined with contextualised GCSEs...?

Yes I assumed so, I didn't have to submit any written work to St Johns either, which is why I figured it was mainly contextualised GCSEs and slighly PS based. Thanks so much though!

Reply 15

Original post
by DishPerson :)
Hi what kinds of books did you mention in your personal statement? Maybe they weren't a fan of your weighting towards finance (although it obviously makes sense of four unis you applied to are econ and finance)?
You probably needed to talk more about development, planning and environmental stuff for it to fit with the geography and law in land economy. They may have seen finance as a bit too oppositey? If you reapply maybe apply to more similar courses so you can mention these types of topics more if you want to give the Cambridge course a good shot? Geography and economics/ pure economics where your free to talk about anything/ etc?

Hello! I do agree that may be the case. I'm planning to reapply for Geography and Economics next year, which would hopefully benefit my application.
I talked about 'The undercover economist' which was on the cambridge Land Ec readling list, as well as 'the psychology of money' and in my introduction - which was more context for why i applied for econ and finance 'Gambling Man', about Masayoshi Son. I did some online Land economy webinars with cambridge, and they mentioned that they understood we wouldnt be applying for land ec anywhere else as no one really offers a course like it, and said as long as it was similar or related it should be okay. Thats why I assumed Econ and finance might be alright, I even liked a lot of points to sustainable development and housing markets.
I do see why econ and finance may be a bit too far out from land ec to seem relevant, so I will defo try what you mentioned and go for Geo with econ. Thanks so much!!

Reply 16

Original post
by Got the tshirt
My daughter has recently been referred for an ADHD assessment and was able to put it on her application as it was before she submitted her UCAS form. It's pretty obvious in retrospect but she used to mask well! She did still manage all 9s in her gcses except one 7 and has an interview. I would accept the rejection and if you want to reapply apply to a different college next time. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Yes, I will definitely accept the rejection, and consider applying to a different college next year. The only reason I asked about ADHD, is that I was trying to gauge whether or not I will be pre-interview rejected again next year for the same reason, or if my diagnosis may slighly help in terms of my GCSEs as i'm not sure what other aspect of my application would have led to a pre-int rejection (other than a slighly unrelated ps). Congratulations to your daughter! I hope her interview goes well. Thanks for your response.

Reply 17

Original post
by nineortwelve
Hello! I do agree that may be the case. I'm planning to reapply for Geography and Economics next year, which would hopefully benefit my application.
I talked about 'The undercover economist' which was on the cambridge Land Ec readling list, as well as 'the psychology of money' and in my introduction - which was more context for why i applied for econ and finance 'Gambling Man', about Masayoshi Son. I did some online Land economy webinars with cambridge, and they mentioned that they understood we wouldnt be applying for land ec anywhere else as no one really offers a course like it, and said as long as it was similar or related it should be okay. Thats why I assumed Econ and finance might be alright, I even liked a lot of points to sustainable development and housing markets.
I do see why econ and finance may be a bit too far out from land ec to seem relevant, so I will defo try what you mentioned and go for Geo with econ. Thanks so much!!

You seem like a really positive and motivated person! You've clearly done a lot of the work already with all that reading, I wish you the best!

Reply 18

Original post
by DishPerson :)
You seem like a really positive and motivated person! You've clearly done a lot of the work already with all that reading, I wish you the best!

Thank you so much, it means a lot!

Reply 19

Original post
by Got the tshirt
My daughter has recently been referred for an ADHD assessment and was able to put it on her application as it was before she submitted her UCAS form. It's pretty obvious in retrospect but she used to mask well! She did still manage all 9s in her gcses except one 7 and has an interview. I would accept the rejection and if you want to reapply apply to a different college next time. Good luck with whatever you decide!
hi
good for ur daughter but i dont think this is very helpful ti the op im sure youre proud of her but please be mindful of how you come across in public spaces because this can be quite disheartening to see especially after a rejection.

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