Rejections

was wondering....

i have been rejected from Oxford, Durham, UCL and Nottingham; only interviewed for Oxford.

i am at Independent school, predicted 5 A's with 4 very high AS level grades in English Lit, Eng Lang, History, General Studies and an A a year early in Business Studies. I have significant rowing and sailing track record and have stuff like DofE Gold etc etc.

Despite this i have been returned 4 rejections. I personally think its the system and tough **** for me...my mother thinks its shocking awful etc

sorry to blow my own trumpet, and im grateful and happy with my offers from Leeds and Exeter but just wondering if any one has had a similar experience??

myles

Reply 1

fasterpurple

I am in exactly the same position. Predicted 5 As, rejected from Cambridge, Durham, Bristol and Warwick so far (Edinburgh and St. Andrews have yet to reply). I go to a state boarding school. I have a list of extra curricular work a mile long (theatrical, musical, teaching, dancing, journalist work and more), a pretty much flawless UCAS reference...

As with you, I'm not attempting to big myself up here, I'm just stating fact. Like you I was only interviewed for Oxbridge.

I'm sure there must be a reason for it - I just don't know what it is.

Reply 2

~Sam~

15

The problem is, all the things you just mentioned, almost every English applicant has. There's jusy not enough places

Reply 3

RachelBabyfrog

14

There are so many English applicants that I bet there aren't many who haven't been rejected from at least one place. However, four rejections is harsh... maybe the result of an increased number of applicants?

Reply 4

fasterpurple

RachelBabyfrog

There are so many English applicants that I bet there aren't many who haven't been rejected from at least one place. However, four rejections is harsh... maybe the result of an increased number of applicants?

I don't know of any English applicants without a rejection from somewhere. Most of them have Bristol rejections :wink:

Given the 1600 applicants to 65 places ratio (or something like that, anyway) it's really not surprising.

This is the case with almost everywhere. I know of people who have "worse" qualifications than me (i.e. lower grades predicted) who've got into universities that have rejected me, though. So the fact that "almost every English applicant has" these qualifications, as ~Sam~ said, doesn't always apply.

Reply 5

~Sam~

15

fasterpurple

I know of people who have "worse" qualifications than me (i.e. lower grades predicted) who've got into universities that have rejected me, though. So the fact that "almost every English applicant has" these qualifications, as ~Sam~ said, doesn't always apply.

Hense the use of the word 'almost'. There's always going to be exceptions.

Reply 6

fasterpurple

~Sam~

Hense the use of the word 'almost'. There's always going to be exceptions.

Eep! Sorry, I should really read things better.

Reply 7

RachelBabyfrog

14

fasterpurple

I don't know of any English applicants without a rejection from somewhere. Most of them have Bristol rejections :wink:

Given the 1600 applicants to 65 places ratio (or something like that, anyway) it's really not surprising.

Lol, Durham threw their 1900 applicants for 108 places in my face when I asked why I was rejected :wink:

Reply 8

Becca_18star

I absolutly love how its pointed out by a few of you that you got rejected DESPITE the fact you go 2 independent/boarding school...*cough cough*
Well I got rejected from places aswell and I got 2 basically a very scummy college in a very crap town....weird eh.

Reply 9

RachelBabyfrog

14

Becca_18star

I absolutly love how its pointed out by a few of you that you got rejected DESPITE the fact you go 2 independent/boarding school...*cough cough*
Well I got rejected from places aswell and I got 2 basically a very scummy college in a very crap town....weird eh.

lol, I'm at a comprehensive... I'm sure it doesn't make a great deal of difference in practice :smile:

Reply 10

silence

16

join the club :five:

actually it's nothing to rejoice about, but i got 4 rejections too; oxford, ucl, nottingham and manchester. offers were from leeds and birmingham.

i know it is relatively annoying and harsh to receive a high proportion of rejections, but the philosophy i've taken is that leeds, birmingham (and exeter in this case) are all 5 star/excellent rated places to study the subject. even without that in mind, there'll be a decent library wherever you go and you'll still have the entire world of english literature at your fingertips.

Reply 11

a.random

OP

Becca_18star

I absolutly love how its pointed out by a few of you that you got rejected DESPITE the fact you go 2 independent/boarding school...*cough cough*
Well I got rejected from places aswell and I got 2 basically a very scummy college in a very crap town....weird eh.

im mentioning that because of the controversy over quotas, discrimination either against or for - depending on uni - private as opposed to state school pupils. in my opinion it seems now to be a disadvantage to be applying as a private schooled pupil, although doubtless i have had advantages in terms of small classes better facilities all my life.

have just heard about a mate of my girlfriends who has been rejected by three for english including oxford and edinburgh, and has had no offers yet. thats gotta hurt!

i figure its a lottery....so many peopl ehave the grades and the achievements etc etc

Reply 12

fasterpurple

Becca_18star

I absolutly love how its pointed out by a few of you that you got rejected DESPITE the fact you go 2 independent/boarding school...*cough cough*
Well I got rejected from places aswell and I got 2 basically a very scummy college in a very crap town....weird eh.

As I pointed out my boarding school is a state school and therefore entirely irrelevant. I was not suggesting that I should be accepted because I go to a boarding school. Did you presume all boarding schools are private/independant? :confused:

silence

i know it is relatively annoying and harsh to receive a high proportion of rejections, but the philosophy i've taken is that leeds, birmingham (and exeter in this case) are all 5 star/excellent rated places to study the subject. even without that in mind, there'll be a decent library wherever you go and you'll still have the entire world of english literature at your fingertips.

Unfortunatly, there's only three universities that I'd want to go to. I just really, really want to go to them and so I don't want to settle for anywhere else which would, to me, be second best - not because they're not as good, but because I wouldn't want to be there. That's why I'm reapplying.

Reply 13

a.random

OP

im quite happy with leeds - was always my second choice after oxford to be honest. im in the strange position of my second choice being AAA (exeter) and my first choice being ABB (leeds). oh well!

Reply 14

a.random

OP

Sam - i notice you got all your offers. what have you done, if anyhting, different to us?! probably not much....whats your background and your grades etc if you dont mind me asking

Reply 15

silence

16

fasterpurple

Unfortunatly, there's only three universities that I'd want to go to. I just really, really want to go to them and so I don't want to settle for anywhere else which would, to me, be second best - not because they're not as good, but because I wouldn't want to be there. That's why I'm reapplying.

i know the feeling. when applying to oxbridge, you kind of fall in love with the place so much that you can't imagine going elsewhere. and i'm sure it's like that for some other places too.

i have vaguely thought about reapplication, but i only think i'll seriously consider it if come results day i get three As, which might be a more valuable currency than predictions. but yeh, it's definately worth trying again if you feel passionately about where you want to go. wish you luck.

Reply 16

Becca_18star

I dont think its a disadvantage being a private school pupil at all I'm afraid. I think most of the time admission policies are fair....by the way "faster purple" that was what I was pointing out. However come on places like Cheltenham ladies school churn them out for Oxford and Cambridge and theres about as much chance of their being rowing facilities and such like in my town as pigs donning tutus and flying over the moon. (We do have the highest teen preganancy rate though-you win some you lose some). Universitys see one thing MONEY the rest they adhere to as political correctness.
GOGO POWER RANGERS
Goodnight.

Reply 17

a.random

OP

looking around i noticed this. hope you dont mind Mousey, whoever you are!

Mousey
Applied for English to:
Cambridge (trintiy hall) Rejected
Durham (collingwood) Rejected
York Rejected
Loughborough offer 320 pts
Nottingham AAB with an A in English!
Bristol Rejected

Reply 18

a.random

OP

Becca_18star

Universitys see one thing MONEY the rest they adhere to as political correctness.
.

unis get more money (or will) if the student is from a disadvantaged background. therefore it is financially preferable to take state over private school applicants.

lol what town do you live in?

Reply 19

~Sam~

15

Mylesper

Sam - i notice you got all your offers. what have you done, if anyhting, different to us?! probably not much....whats your background and your grades etc if you dont mind me asking

All apart from Manchester, apparently I'm not good enough for them :biggrin:

As you said, I don't think I really did much different. I go to a state school, got 3 A* and 8 A for GCSE, AAABB for AS and predicted AAA for A2. My grades are good, but not as good as some people on here.

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