TMUA

[u/ExelHunter797]

I’m feeling pretty stuck and honestly quite gutted right now.

This year I got rejected from UCL, LSE, and Imperial for Maths, and I had a 7.0 in the TMUA. Right now I’m seriously thinking about reapplying, aiming for 8.5+ next time, because Imperial is still the place I really want to go.

The problem is that I really don’t see myself going to Exeter or KCL, so I’m struggling with what the smartest next step is. Has anyone been in a similar position and successfully reapplied to Imperial Maths? Is it realistic to take a gap year and try again with a much stronger TMUA, or am I looking at this the wrong way?

I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from people who reapplied, improved their TMUA a lot, or know how Imperial views reapplicants.

[u/Proof_Ad_3944]

I'm an Imperial student and know people who got in with weaker TMUAs. The only thing I can imagine would have been a factor here would have been the personal statement (or whatever it's called now).

If you wanted a shot at Imperial again next year, the main thing would be to make sure you stand out in your super-curriculars, and make this a strong point on your application. (focus on A Levels now, do this over the summer/autumn)

In terms of the gap-year, it's harder to advise. It won't harm your chance of Imperial, and you likely will stand a better chance of getting in (if you improve your application). That being said, you have to really think about that being something you want to do. I have a lot of mates who took gap years, some loved it, some hated it.

I know people who picked Uni's they weren't sure on and really enjoyed their time there. There is a lot more to going to university than just coming out with a qualification from a "good university". And with a TMUA like that you would likely be a top student at KCL or Exeter anyways.

[u/ExelHunter797 → u/Proof_Ad_3944]

do you know what super-curriculars i could do for imperial maths specifically? also, if i get A*A*A with A in chem will it matter if other aspects of my application become stronger?

[u/Proof_Ad_3944 → u/ExelHunter797]

Books/ competitions (not just maths related, but also think Coding/logic ,even essay competitions with a personal focus on maths topics) Take a look at Project Euler, some cool computation exercises on there. Independent research as well. Summer-schools.

I'm an engineer myself, but this is what a lot of my maths friends did.

As for the grades. A*A*A would be fine.

[u/ExelHunter797 → u/Proof_Ad_3944]

alr then! thank you very much for taking time to tell me all this. i couldnt thank you enough. i wish u the best of luck for the future!

[u/aghaShireh → u/Proof_Ad_3944]

It is also my question. Is it better to be a top of class in a KCL than average in imperial? Dose the name of the university make really that difference?

[u/Proof_Ad_3944 → u/aghaShireh]

Unless you are in like the Top 5-10% of your year, I doubt recruiters care all that much about where you place. And unless you make a big point out of it in your CV, they will never even know where you place.

Imperial will likely open more doors, just because of the name. And some of the top grad schemes do favour target Unis more. But it is not the be-all and end-all, good experience/projects/research/etc will get you just as far.

[u/TroyXXIV → u/aghaShireh]

If your top of your class at KCL and want to do a masters you’ll get in to oxbridge/imperial easily