St Andrews vs. Durham + can I reapply to Cambridge studying elsewhere?

[Nicanniko]

Hi everybody!

A while ago, I received the last reply from the unis I applied to. The offers I got are from St Andrews (36 points) and Durham (38, 666 at HL). Though, I got rejected from Cambridge - and I'd really love to study there.

I think I do have rather strong chances of getting in (how modest of me! ). I was pretty unlucky this year (had some health problems which got in the way) and my application ended up a bit below my expectations. I had predicted 42 points overall, but with 667 at HL (including 6 from the subject I chose to study). Apart from that, I think I screwed up my interview

So I guess I could just get over it (I mean rejection from Cabridge) and choose something else... but the problem is that I really believe that studying there is within my reach. So I'd like to get my results in July and hopefuly reapply. However, I would prefer not to take a gap year because I wouldn't like to lose a place at St Andrews or Durham and be left with nothing if I won't do well enough on the exams.

So my question is - can I accept an offer from St Andrews/Durham and reapply from that position next year? If so, which of these two would you recommend?

I think I would be pretty happy studying at St Andrews - I really like the fact that I could join my interests and study 2 subjects (and get a master's degree after 4 years!). Also the location and size of the town really appeals to me Though, isn't Durham - I'm interested in geography - academically better?

I am at a loss, could anyone give me some advice? Sorry for a lengthy post!

[flinquinnster]

Hey! In terms of St Andrews vs. Durham, I really don't have much knowledge about those universities. However, with regards to whether you can re-apply from either of these universities to Cambridge, it is technically possible but more difficult. From one of their webpages (link here):

Students at other UK universities

Please note that the Cambridge Colleges will only, as a matter of principle, consider applications from students enrolled in a degree course at other UK universities in very exceptional circumstances.

Any application to move to Cambridge would need strong support from your Course Director or other academic tutor at your current university. A reference or letter of recommendation from that person to the Cambridge College would be required, and only then can a Cambridge College consider an application. All such applications are still subject to the same academic assessment as any other application to the University.

However, it would be very, very difficult to make that kind of application. I would suggest that if you really are keen on transferring to Cambridge, talk to both St Andrews and Durham to see what their opinion is on providing recommendations from transfer students.

I think that if you are still keen on Cambridge and want to reapply next year, then ask St Andrews/Durham whether they'd be willing to offer you a deferred place. Quite a lot of universities are open to students doing this (though I'm not sure about the above two) and as long as you can clarify with them whether that leaves you open to reapply to Cambridge during your gap year, it'd probably prove a good course of action.

If it turns out that you can't reapply whilst holding a deferred offer (and to be honest, I haven't done enough research to be sure of that myself - but I'm sure the information is somewhere online and/or can be found out by calling or emailing), then if you are still very keen on Cambridge then I think that reapplying via UCAS next year wouldn't be too much of a risk. If you're confident and think you have 'strong chances' of getting into Cambridge and other universities, then I think you would be quite likely to get in to St Andrews and/or Durham if you reapplied. It's a risk, but if you can't hold on to your offer and reapply to Cambridge, then I think that it would be very reasonable to take the risk and do a new application.

Do some more research and try and contact the universities, and best of luck!

[elaifyanre]

Hi,

I'm in a similar situation as I was rejected by Cambridge last year and currently considering offers from university of Toronto and university of Waterloo (US universities' decisions pending) although I'm international which is more complicated.

I got feedback from Cambridge last week. From the feedback, despite good paperwork I didn't do very well in the test and got 6/10 overall (possibly worth an offer). I think if I didn't screw the test my mark would go up a little, and by working on maths during the summer I'll get more knowledge and be more prepared for the next round.

However since taking gap year is risky I was previously thinking about going to UofT or UofWaterloo (which is definitely something related to mathematics, therefore fulfilling the gap year requirement), and then if I get over 41 in the IB exam, apply as an individual next year.

I found this on the university of Cambridge's website:

Please note that nationals attending or committed to attend universities in their home country will not normally be considered for admission to Cambridge to study a full undergraduate course in the same or a very similar subject whilst they are still committed to another university.

According to the website it seems that if I go to the universities that I am admitted into, it'd be hard for me to apply to Cambridge next year.

During my interview at Canada I've met some students that are currently studying at Canadian universities and are applying to Cambridge for undergraduate, although I'm pretty sure that they're not applying to a "same or a very similar subject"(and I don't know if they got in or not).

If I get in next year then I'll finish my undergraduate degree 4 years later, which is same as going to a Canadian university this year, and in other ways of measuring, Cambridge seems to be better, so it'd worth it if I get in.

But since there is risk, I'm not sure about this.

I definitely don't want to end up going to the same university only one year later, plus there's risk that the universities that admitted me this year won't re-admit me if I decline the offer and reapply, and although ICL seems to be worth reapplying to (rejected because I was underage for general student visa, will be old enough next year), the high cost living in London is still an issue.

tl;dr: Pro: if I get in then it would be really nice

Con: seems that I couldn't go to a university this year as insurance so there's risk

The issue is repeatedly discussed by like everyone around me and still no definite answer. Everyone's answer is different and as people say, I (probably) already knew what I want when I was tossing the coin, but I'm nervous, afraid and like OP or anyone at the situation, at a loss, so here I am, asking for advice again.

[Nicanniko]

Thanks for both replies! Flinquinnster, your advice is really valuable. I didn't realise it might be so difficult. I'll definitely do some more research and contact the universities.

What comes to my mind at the moment is that perhaps it would be quite reasonable to accept the offer from St Andrews now (I'm really not sure why, but I'm rather inclined to choose this uni) and see how my finals will go. If I'll do good enough to try again at Cambridge (say, 776 at HL and something like at least 42-43 overall), perhaps I'll just resign from the accepted offer (I haven't checked yet how UCAS works in such case, though), take a gap year and reapply. Otherwise, I'll stay with St Andrews, I guess.

Ssy, you're in your final year in IB, right? And applied (just like me) in October 2013? If so (I'm not sure I understood you correctly), I guess our situations are really similar. I've got one question to you: when and how did you ask for feedback? I haven't done that, but it'd be really great to know what went wrong.

[elaifyanre]

Thanks for both replies! Flinquinnster, your advice is really valuable. I didn't realise it might be so difficult. I'll definitely do some more research and contact the universities.

What comes to my mind at the moment is that perhaps it would be quite reasonable to accept the offer from St Andrews now (I'm really not sure why, but I'm rather inclined to choose this uni) and see how my finals will go. If I'll do good enough to try again at Cambridge (say, 776 at HL and something like at least 42-43 overall), perhaps I'll just resign from the accepted offer (I haven't checked yet how UCAS works in such case, though), take a gap year and reapply. Otherwise, I'll stay with St Andrews, I guess.

Ssy, you're in your final year in IB, right? And applied (just like me) in October 2013? If so (I'm not sure I understood you correctly), I guess our situations are really similar. I've got one question to you: when and how did you ask for feedback? I haven't done that, but it'd be really great to know what went wrong.

Yes we are in a very similar situation except that I'm international and would go to a Canadian university if I'm not reapplying to Canada.

What subject are you doing in university?

See this website http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/feedback.html for details on feedback request. I think you have to mail that in before March 31st so if you want the feedback, do it fast.

[Nicanniko]

Yeah, I get it now. And thanks a lot for the link!

I'd like to study Geography and Comparative Literature if I go to St Andrews (perhaps with Anthropology or French). Right now I have Polish A, Biology and Mathematics on SL and Geography, English B and French B on HL.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Nicanniko

[cjy]

Durham and St. Andrews are much for a muchness on an academic basis and most league tables rank St Andrews highe.