The Great Univesity Debate of 2009

[altogetherisi]

So.

My deadline for making a decision about my uni offers is May 4th. As it stands, I'm going to put Cambridge as my firm. It's m insurance that I'm more confused about. I've pretty much ruled out Leeds and KCL because I don't really like the course at Leeds and I don't want to live in London. So that leaves Durham and Cardiff.

[For those reading this that may not understand the way you apply to university in the UK, you apply to five unis, they give you an offer or a rejection, then if you hold two or more offers you pick one as your Firm and one as your Insurance, declining any others. Then when you get your exam results in August if you have met the conditions of your Firm, you go there. If you have not met the conditions of your Firm but you have of your Insurance, you go there. If you have not met either of them, you can go into Clearing, where you scramble to get any spare places.]

The thing is, I went to Durham on Monday and the place is gorgeous, really lovely, and the course is really good; mainly compulsory in the first year with one option that can be taken from inside or outside the department. Its such a wonderful place. I didn't get into the college I applied for though, I got pooled to one quite far out; I was concerned about this, but after visiting the area I feel generally much more positive about the whole place. The main problem is though, that Durham is far more a contender for Firm than for Insurance. It's hard to explain, but it is really very similar to Cambridge, and it is asking for AAB rather than AAA. There was a time, a couple of months ago I suppose, when I was reall not sure I even wanted to go to Cambridge at all, and I thought maybe Durham would be a possible alternative.

So. Durham is a possible Insurance to Cambridge, because its offer is lower than Cambridge's, but only by one grade. So, if I went for Cambridge/Durham [not a ship, not a ticket... or is it?] and didn't get AAB I would go into clearing, or reapply all over again next year. And if I missed AAB but not one of my other offers that I declined, that would be rather rubbish, to say the least.

Whereas my other option is Cardiff. Cardiff is a more ordinary university, less respected than Cambridge or Duham, and it isn't collegiate or particularly old. It isn't really gorgeous, its pretty normal, a touch grotty in places, accomodation seems alright. It's normal. The course has more options in the first year, it's apparently known particularly for it Theology department, particularly its Eastern religions classes. And, you can do a whole third of the first year outside the department, which is quite cool, a bit like a minor I guess. I would probably pick up credits in Law, and that might help me later. Cardiff is such a lovely city though, pretty and Welsh, big and bus but friendly and safe and nice. And, y'know, the film Doctor Who and Torchwood there :D Eve Myles told me to go there.

More importantly though, the've given me a really low offer, BBC or 280 points.

I already have that.

So, if I put down Cardiff as my Insurance, I am totally safe from clearing/the possibility of crashing and burning and never going to uni anywhere, because if I get AAA I go to Cambridge and if I get anthing lower I go to Cardiff. I can't not get into it. And maybe it would relax me to know that these life changing exams, the most important exams I've ever faced [except possibly last years, I guess. And next years, of course] don't carry whether I'll go to uni at all, only whether I'll go to Cambridge.

I just, Insurance choices are meant to be your Insurance. I am totally capable of getting AAA if I work really really really hard. Its not impossible. But, if I miss it at all, I don't know that I should bet I would onl miss it by one grade. Because I have what amounts to an unconditional offer from Cardiff, and if I throw it away and then get ABB I am screwed. And, it would be lousy to be screwed with ABB because that is what I need for 3 of my 5 offers. It's perfectly respectable.

And so, whenever I think this, I think, It's probably sensible to go for Cambridge/Cardiff like I've been saying all along.

And the part of me that fell so in love with Durham wails inside me.

Comments

[bubbles234.livejournal.com]

Oh God I had *fun* doing this last year :P

Cardiff was down as my firm 'cause 1, I fell in love with the place, 2, they were my highest offer (AAA) and 3, they had such AMAZING facilities for psych, and I ended up with Surrey as my insurance who wanted AAB. I rejected Glamorgan and Reading and UWIC. Unfortunately half way through year 13 I had some stuff going on and my grades dropped a little (not too much but you know) and I'd also dropped an Alevel in favour of another which meant I wasn't gonna have 4 a-levels to rely on.

I do kind of regret accepting 2 such high offers particularly at universities that are less open to changing their minds, but at the same time I don't really, because clearing was easy and I got into Glamorgan. It was really simple - all done over the phone, and I still managed to get into the decent accommodation. It's not such a high status uni, but completely gorgeous and stunning, the course is good, and I've made some of the best friends of my life so... Also I didn't really like Surrey that much, it was just cause it was the higher offer that I accepted it, whilst convincing myself I loved it there.

BUT after all that rambling, the chances are you'll manage the grades if thats what you've been working towards. And judging from your post you do sound as if you'll be happier with Durham. Accepting an offer based on grade options isn't perhaps the best trick in the book (thats what I did - I was told by my psychology teacher that accepting a lower offer would mean I'd be bored, and he was quite vocal about his displeasure with that xD) and mine was a bad idea.

Anyway. I'm sorry I've rambled for so long. I hope you manage to come to a decision and that it's the right one!! :) Good luck with all your exams - if you do get into clearing, then don't worry, it's fiiine and will probably work out for the best anyway :) Also, don't believe anyone who tells you that uni won't be the best days of your life. I was overly attached to my secondary school, and even I can see that uni is miles more fun :)

[bubbles234.livejournal.com]

LOLZ I'm really sorry that comment is so freakishly long.

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Indeed, this truly is an incredibly long comment. But thanks for bothering to recount all of that, its good to hear a slightly different perspective :D

[(Anonymous)]

As a totally anonymous reader, I would like to whisper "Durham" repeatedly and sereptitiously into your subconscious.

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

It's good to know that there are anons out there that will offer such unbiased advice, bothering to offer an opinion while they are not involved at all themselves... :P Really, its flattering. :D

Tangential

[lysimache.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to say, first, thank you for explaining the system! I had absolutely no idea how that would work. Second, wow, what a *fantastic* idea. See, here, although *technically* colleges' admission offers are contingent upon 'successful' completion of 12th grade, an offer of admission is almost never, ever withdrawn unless a student were to fail a class (or several). There is almost no incentive for seniors (12th grade students/last year of high school before college) to maintain *high* grades, and there are no cumulative exams that they must score well on at the end measuring learning. The result is the almost-unavoidable "senioritis": they know where they're going next year and just 'mark time' until the year is up. No motivation. Even students who previously had all As or whatever (highest grades) are suddenly happy with 'good enough' Bs for a few months. It makes teaching seniors in the second semester rather dreadful.

Man, what I wouldn't give for their admission offers to *really* be contingent on continued performance.

Re: Tangential

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it is possible here for a uni to give you an unconditional offer, so if you put that as your firm your exam results no longer matter, but they are very rare. But no, its odd how in the US there is such a big deal made out of "graduating" high school even though the actual work tends to peter out. Whereas here the work gets harder, but living through it isn't exactly a big deal.

Also, in the US can't you apply to as many places as you want, but you have to pay? Mine cost, like, £7 for admin costs, I think. One of my friends just got into Princeton, so she's sorted. But, our exam scores can be translated into points; for Cardiff I need 280 points, I've already got 290 points before I even do my exams this year. So if I pick them it would put me in a similar situation. So can't really complain :D