A rejection from Wadham College, Oxford for my son, this morning. 'Better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all.' Fortunately, he has conditional offers from other UK unis. Thank you very much for your videos, Dr Matt. Much appreciated!
My son is in this situation. Your videos have been so helpful along his journey, very much appreciated. The hardest part is watching that slow build up of investment in the course and application process. From questioning whether he could apply to deciding to give it a go, being dazzled by the quality of the course and then commiting the time, effort and work involved in applying to feeling proud to submit an application and hopeful for the chance to shine at an interview. The process showed him what self belief feels like, but then the reality of rejection hits hard and I can see him struggling to accept that any other course will now ever be as good as the one he worked so hard for. He will of course end up at another amazing university studying things he finds fascinating and have an incredible experience but at the moment he doesn't quite believe me, he may just listen to you. Thankyou for offering support to those in his situation.
@kaush12 I got rejected this morning, pretty crushing. It's a tough decision for me, I've got an offer from Warwick which is very good, but I could also try again for Oxford next year - however I already took a gap year and would be 21 by the time I started
One bit of feedback: I sat for the PAT this year and felt very disadvantaged as a left handed person: the obligatory boards provided by the test center smeared over when writing on them left-handed, making the task that much harder. Only 10 percent of us out there, but surely there must be better solutions to that problem.
I sat the MAT. not left handed but i too found the pens and boards really difficult to work with with them constantly smudging. Hopefully we weren't alone and the new test centre conditions are considered a bit more this year. Hope all goes well for you 🙂
i feel you, i thought i was the only one who had this problem. whiteboards are my actual enemy as a left handed person and every time i’d have to write, it would just take me longer because i’d have to take smudging into consideration. so the pat was painstakingly long for me
Dr. Williams, I appreciate you giving us words for hope even if we do not get to a position that we so dearly want. I will remember your words and hopefully attempt to get to the summit, no matter what comes in my way!
I applied last year and did not get in for History and Economics at Worcester. Now I am setlling down nicely in America pursuing the same disciplines whilst waiting for next year for a one-year exchange programme to Teddy Hall. Ultimately, one rejection from Oxford at your age of 17/18 is not the end of the world and certinaly is not the termination of your connection with Oxford.
Thanks for this Sir, i feel so bad as i have been rejected pre-interview twice in a row now. I had 4A* predictions the first time and A*A*A*A achieved grades the second and thought i had a decent chance so I took a gap year to try my luck again (as Oxford has been my dream since I was 6 I thought it was worth it). Thank you for all your videos nonetheless, they were so helpful to maximise my chances and I still have things to take away from the experiences in terms of knowledge and experience!! I have now decided to take a place at another university so hopefully it will work out there & I’ll still always have love for Oxford as a place even if I won’t be able to go
i honestly just wish that I had managed to get an interview because I feel like I still haven’t been able to show the best of myself ye which is what I find the hardest, but obviously I understand that they have to interview the best candidates/those who have a realistic chance of getting in.
@ yess exactly:)) what did you apply for? the reapplication was harder to take because i had achieved grades & dedicated so many months purely to this if ykwim. just happy i can move on now
@@cocoxcutie I applied for maths and comp Sci, and Yeye I get u, I spent a good 2-3 months 6 days a week to revise for my admissions test so I do feel a lil bummed but at least I tried my hardest so no regrets really, wbu what did u apply for? And same honestly happy I can get on with my gap yr fr
@ i applied for ppe both timesss, and i revised so so much for the admissions test too but yeah😭i have felt stunted up to now because i wanted oxford to be my main focus but now i can move on properly
It's been really difficult for me too, I'm sure you can relate to the feeling that at least if you'd gotten an interview you wouldn't question your own intelligence. Knowing I probably flunked the test also really hurts, I spent a whole month, working 10 hours a day, up till 2am working on that test. Feels like the ground fell out from under me.
Rejected pre-interview for Law and I'm still trying to get over it. If I were to achieve good A-Level grades, would that compensate for my poorer GCSEs if I were to reapply? I understand the emphasis placed on GCSEs for Year 13 students because they are often our only achieved grades and I'm certain that they contributed to my rejection.
Same as my daughter and she is thinking to reapply next year if she gets the A level grades, but worried about her GCSES results which may affect her application?
Yes, absolutely no one will look at your GCSEs if your A-level grades are good. In fact, even if your A-level grades are bad, no one will look at your GCSEs. The only use of GCSEs is to get you into a good sixth form, but if you are already at a good sixth form and it isn't competitive, forget about GCSEs. A-level exams are the most important exams you will be taking in the foreseeable future. Make sure to take them seriously.
@@maxkho00 Not entirely true; they look at your GCSEs, and they do so especially in context with your school. To say that your GCSEs are the end-all-be-all is true, but good GCSEs scores certainly help -- though I'm certain no one has failed to get in due to GCSEs alone. GCSEs show a history of past performance; A levels are only predictions. Not having GCSEs does not mean you will not have quality performance; having GCSEs solidifies that you *will* have quality performance -- at least to the extent that they can. Although I can't reiterate enough that bad GCSEs should not deter anyone from applying. Getting X grade 9s is not part of the conditional offer.
hiii i think achieved a levels do increase your chances a lot, but i achieved four a levels at A*A*A*A and still no college wanted to interview me!! for universities generally some will not look at your gcses if you have good a levels if that helps but it definitely doesn’t secure an interview, it just increases your chances:))
When I was applying to Oxbridge in the late 1960s, there were only 8 colleges out of a total of c 50 to which women could even apply (5 women's colleges at Oxford and 3 at Cambridge). It's not that long ago! rejection was expected.
You always seem to post whenever I'm feeling down 🤍 I really do need to remember that it won't be the end of the world if I'll end up being rejected! Thank you for the video
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A rejection from Wadham College, Oxford for my son, this morning. 'Better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all.' Fortunately, he has conditional offers from other UK unis. Thank you very much for your videos, Dr Matt. Much appreciated!
Likewise with my son. Wishing our boys all the best ahead of them.
Rejection without interview for my son too, from Jesus PPE :(
My son is in this situation. Your videos have been so helpful along his journey, very much appreciated. The hardest part is watching that slow build up of investment in the course and application process. From questioning whether he could apply to deciding to give it a go, being dazzled by the quality of the course and then commiting the time, effort and work involved in applying to feeling proud to submit an application and hopeful for the chance to shine at an interview. The process showed him what self belief feels like, but then the reality of rejection hits hard and I can see him struggling to accept that any other course will now ever be as good as the one he worked so hard for. He will of course end up at another amazing university studying things he finds fascinating and have an incredible experience but at the moment he doesn't quite believe me, he may just listen to you. Thankyou for offering support to those in his situation.
Thank you for this. I wish you all the best.
This is a good video. Whilst rejected applicants surely will have heard this, its great to hear it from someone in a posición of authority
saving this for next week!
Same here 😅, hopefully it won't be needed, best of luck to you
good luck both!! i have my fingers crossed for me too (Maths!)
Have you guys heard back yet? I haven't. I'm assuming I'm rejected. Though, a formal rejection would be more relieving.
@kaush12 I got rejected this morning, pretty crushing. It's a tough decision for me, I've got an offer from Warwick which is very good, but I could also try again for Oxford next year - however I already took a gap year and would be 21 by the time I started
One bit of feedback: I sat for the PAT this year and felt very disadvantaged as a left handed person: the obligatory boards provided by the test center smeared over when writing on them left-handed, making the task that much harder. Only 10 percent of us out there, but surely there must be better solutions to that problem.
I sat the MAT. not left handed but i too found the pens and boards really difficult to work with with them constantly smudging. Hopefully we weren't alone and the new test centre conditions are considered a bit more this year. Hope all goes well for you 🙂
I had the same problem
@@AdamJackson-kf9egGood luck to you, too!
i feel you, i thought i was the only one who had this problem. whiteboards are my actual enemy as a left handed person and every time i’d have to write, it would just take me longer because i’d have to take smudging into consideration. so the pat was painstakingly long for me
Got rejected by Cambridge yesterday, this helps :)
Excited for what university I'll end up at though!
Same!
@faithful5470 good luck for your other unis, hope it works out 🤞
best of luck for you with everything :)
@@AdamJackson-kf9eg thank you, that's very kind of you :))
me too, rejected from oxford :(
Dr. Williams, I appreciate you giving us words for hope even if we do not get to a position that we so dearly want. I will remember your words and hopefully attempt to get to the summit, no matter what comes in my way!
I applied last year and did not get in for History and Economics at Worcester. Now I am setlling down nicely in America pursuing the same disciplines whilst waiting for next year for a one-year exchange programme to Teddy Hall. Ultimately, one rejection from Oxford at your age of 17/18 is not the end of the world and certinaly is not the termination of your connection with Oxford.
Good luck! May I ask, which US college is providing that exchange program?
@ UNC Chapel Hill! However my uni certainly is not the only uni that offers such programme. Tons of other US unis have similar opportunities!
Thanks for this Sir, i feel so bad as i have been rejected pre-interview twice in a row now. I had 4A* predictions the first time and A*A*A*A achieved grades the second and thought i had a decent chance so I took a gap year to try my luck again (as Oxford has been my dream since I was 6 I thought it was worth it). Thank you for all your videos nonetheless, they were so helpful to maximise my chances and I still have things to take away from the experiences in terms of knowledge and experience!! I have now decided to take a place at another university so hopefully it will work out there & I’ll still always have love for Oxford as a place even if I won’t be able to go
i honestly just wish that I had managed to get an interview because I feel like I still haven’t been able to show the best of myself ye which is what I find the hardest, but obviously I understand that they have to interview the best candidates/those who have a realistic chance of getting in.
Same bro I applied and got rejected twice, is what it is and let’s just be glad we tried at least👍
@ yess exactly:)) what did you apply for? the reapplication was harder to take because i had achieved grades & dedicated so many months purely to this if ykwim. just happy i can move on now
@@cocoxcutie I applied for maths and comp Sci, and Yeye I get u, I spent a good 2-3 months 6 days a week to revise for my admissions test so I do feel a lil bummed but at least I tried my hardest so no regrets really, wbu what did u apply for? And same honestly happy I can get on with my gap yr fr
@ i applied for ppe both timesss, and i revised so so much for the admissions test too but yeah😭i have felt stunted up to now because i wanted oxford to be my main focus but now i can move on properly
i saw this a week ago and was like "ha this wont be me" and then it was me and i have lost like all motivation for everything
It's been really difficult for me too, I'm sure you can relate to the feeling that at least if you'd gotten an interview you wouldn't question your own intelligence.
Knowing I probably flunked the test also really hurts, I spent a whole month, working 10 hours a day, up till 2am working on that test. Feels like the ground fell out from under me.
Got rejected yesterday night! Maybe some dreams are never meant to be fulfilled ! Hard Luck
Rejected pre-interview for Law and I'm still trying to get over it.
If I were to achieve good A-Level grades, would that compensate for my poorer GCSEs if I were to reapply? I understand the emphasis placed on GCSEs for Year 13 students because they are often our only achieved grades and I'm certain that they contributed to my rejection.
Same as my daughter and she is thinking to reapply next year if she gets the A level grades, but worried about her GCSES results which may affect her application?
Hope you're feeling OK and best of luck in everything :)
Yes, absolutely no one will look at your GCSEs if your A-level grades are good. In fact, even if your A-level grades are bad, no one will look at your GCSEs. The only use of GCSEs is to get you into a good sixth form, but if you are already at a good sixth form and it isn't competitive, forget about GCSEs.
A-level exams are the most important exams you will be taking in the foreseeable future. Make sure to take them seriously.
@@maxkho00 Not entirely true; they look at your GCSEs, and they do so especially in context with your school. To say that your GCSEs are the end-all-be-all is true, but good GCSEs scores certainly help -- though I'm certain no one has failed to get in due to GCSEs alone.
GCSEs show a history of past performance; A levels are only predictions. Not having GCSEs does not mean you will not have quality performance; having GCSEs solidifies that you *will* have quality performance -- at least to the extent that they can.
Although I can't reiterate enough that bad GCSEs should not deter anyone from applying. Getting X grade 9s is not part of the conditional offer.
hiii i think achieved a levels do increase your chances a lot, but i achieved four a levels at A*A*A*A and still no college wanted to interview me!! for universities generally some will not look at your gcses if you have good a levels if that helps but it definitely doesn’t secure an interview, it just increases your chances:))
When I was applying to Oxbridge in the late 1960s, there were only 8 colleges out of a total of c 50 to which women could even apply (5 women's colleges at Oxford and 3 at Cambridge). It's not that long ago! rejection was expected.
I’d be very interested to know how you considered those that took Hat v those that didn’t.
I thought HAT is a must for many History-related disciplines' admissions to take?
@ it was, apart from those that couldn’t take it and were considered without.
You always seem to post whenever I'm feeling down 🤍 I really do need to remember that it won't be the end of the world if I'll end up being rejected! Thank you for the video