Not meeting university offer

Hey guys,

I'm feeling pretty bummed out right now and I could really use some advice. So, I feel like didn't quite well write my IB exam so I will definitely miss the grades I need to confirm my offers to study Maths at UCL or MORSE at Warwick. I'm still waiting on the final decision, but it's not looking good.

I also got accepted into the Rotterdam Economics econometrics double bachelor programme, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. I know it's a great opportunity, but I can't help feeling like I messed up and that I'm a failure. I mean, I really wanted to study maths and now I'm not sure what to do.

So, what do you guys think? Should I just go ahead and accept the Rotterdam offer? Or should I consider other options, like retaking and going for a gap year? Has anyone else been in a similar situation and how did you deal with it?

 
Most Helpful

I don't know if this is useful, but back in my day (admittedly 10+ years ago), UK universities had a "clearing system" for students who didn't meet their grades. This may allow you to study maths at another university in the UK.

If not, then I guess the advice depends on your objectives. If you truly want to study maths, then I'd take the gap year and apply to maths programs at institutions where you feel that you can get in. If you can retake the exams, then do. 

If your objective is investment banking (just reading your profile name), and you don't think that the institutions where you can study maths will be as "target" as Rotterdam, then go for Rotterdam. When recruiting prospects, we care almost not at all what subject someone studied, but HR will screen on the basis of university and that's unavoidable.

(If money is a concern then I guess that complicates things but I'm assuming not as you suggested gap year).

Also:

1) If by "similar situation" you mean has anybody else messed up and feels like they let themselves down, the ABSOLUTELY I've been there and I think everyone else here has too. 

2) I was rejected by my first and second choice universities. It made me feel like a jerk. But I went to my third choice anyway and had the most fantastic and memorable 3 years of my life, which has defined my career, which made me meet the most incredible and inspirational friends, and led me to meet the woman I'm now engaged to. Thing is, you never get to see the counterfactual in life. Whatever you do, you'll have a blast in life. While I don't buy into "everything happens for a reason", you only get to join the dots in hindsight.

 

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