If you were rejected for your first choice of course, but got accepted for your second choice, this blog post is for you! I am a master’s student, and I had the same exact experience! After almost a year at LSE, I can say that being accepted for my second choice turned out to be the best option for me. In my case, I applied for two very different courses which I found particularly interesting.
At first, when rejected for my first choice I did feel disappointed and was not sure whether to accept my second choice. However, I have really enjoyed my course and I am surprised I did not apply for it in the first place! In addition, when talking to some friends, I discovered that I was not the only one who had had this experience. They were also happy with their decision to accept their second choice.
Here are three reasons why it turned out to be the best option for me:
The course was better aligned with my profile
After starting my degree, I realised that the LSE Admissions team who review applications every year is composed of experts who really understand whether your profile is suited for the programme. In my experience, I realised that my previous university studies were more aligned with this master’s degree and allowed me to make the most out of the course. While it is normal to feel disappointed, be reassured that LSE does value your skills and profile.
I met beautiful people
My best friends at LSE are all part of my master’s degree! If I had got accepted to the other programme, I would have not met the amazing people who are part of my cohort and who during these months have become my “London family”. If you applied for a second choice and you are interested in the programme, you might end up having the beautiful experience I had!
New job opportunities
During my studies, I discovered new career paths that I have not thought about before. I know every experience is different, but for me, I think this master’s degree provided me with the knowledge that will allow me to apply for new jobs that better correspond with my skills and interests.
If you still have doubts and need some help to make your decision, go and read my previous blog post “How I ended up studying Political Economy of Europe”. You will find some advice on how to make your final choice!
Hi, thanks for sharing your experience.
I am currently waiting for a decision for my second programme since I got rejected for my first one. I would like to ask how long it took for you to get the decisions, respectively. I got my decision for the first programme only in two weeks, which was way quicker than I expected. I am worried that my applications are either very incompetent or there are no spots left since I applied pretty late. (Well the website shows that both of the programmes are still open though)
Hi MJ, it can take up to eight weeks to receive a response from admissions. If you haven’t heard back after the eighth week, please contact the Student Recruitment team at lse.ac.uk/ask-LSE. The team will be able to provide you with further advice.