The Big "Are My Grades Good Enough for Cambridge?" Thread (Mk1)

Scroll to see replies

haute_couture

I think I might try emailing the admissions office, about the post A level applications, as I can't find any "official" information on it and would like to know for definite the criteria they will use. As I have no specific college I'm guessing emailing the general admissions office would be the best bet?

Clare College's website have a good page dedicated to it (http://www.clare.cam.ac.uk/admissions/how-to/post-a-level.html). From what I gather, pretty much every college invites all post-A level applicants to interview even if they haven't met the standard conditions, and there are opportunities for those who want to go travelling to have their interviews in September.

Reply 1241

haute_couture

necessarily benevolent

That link was great, thank you! Good to know about the early interviews too :smile:

Reply 1242

FadedJade

The early interviews thing isn't standard across all Colleges though. You should try and be around during the interview period, especially in the instance you are pooled and they wnt to reinterview you.

The A* thing is pretty irrelevant, as they have your module marks and will thus know what you would have got anyway.

Reply 1243

necessarily benevolent

FadedJade

Yes, but it still begs the question as to whether the two syllabuses (syllabi? :confused:

) are comparable.

Reply 1244

alex_hk90

necessarily benevolent

Yes, but it still begs the question as to whether the two syllabuses (syllabi? :confused:

) are comparable.

In short, they are.

Reply 1245

ace_banana

necessarily benevolent

Yes, but it still begs the question as to whether the two syllabuses (syllabi? :confused:

) are comparable.

Cambridge don't give a shti about your poxy A level syllabus. They just want to know whether you can excel in whatever exam system you are in, and why you can't if not.

Reply 1246

necessarily benevolent

ace_banana

Cambridge don't give a shti about your poxy A level syllabus. They just want to know whether you can excel in whatever exam system you are in, and why you can't if not.

If you're a post-A2 applicant this year then, being on the 2000-2008 syllabus, we will be competing against those doing the new 2008 syllabus. Considering it's essentially a competition for entry just 'excelling' is not enough.

Reply 1247

FadedJade

But you also have the advantage of already having your grades. They aren't 'gambling' on you getting over 90% on anything. The same thing happened when they introduced a change much bigger than this one. When AS levels were introduced and the system went modular as opposed to taking all the exams at the end of year 13, that was a bigger change than this one nd they coped. Admissions tutors know what they are doing, just put forward the best application you can and trust in their judgement.

Reply 1248

ace_banana

necessarily benevolent

Well if you want to think the syllabus makes a difference, then no you won't be 'competing' directly with them, because anyone doing the new syllabus won't have their final A2 grades at the time of application, will they?

Anyway, your performance at interview and the quality of your PS is quite a lot more important than whether you got 88% not 89% because the old syllabus was soooo much harder, so you should strap a pair on, stop wetting yourself and go and read a book.

Reply 1249

Phranchesskah

Rightio - I suppose my question is somewhat void because I am currently only in year eleven and therefore thinking well ahead, and I think I know the answer to my question anyway. However! I am only after a bit of reassurance, so I hope you'll forgive me.

My GCSE results are likely to be considerably lower than they ought to be, since I missed three years of school due to mental illness (without going into too much detail, I have Tourette Syndrome and some related disorders, and was severely discriminated against when I started high school by the majority of the staff, who chose to ignore the advice of educational psychologists and other professionals, instead punishing me for my difficulties. This, on top of issues that already existed due to a 'unique' home life, led me to some severe mental problems, including depression and school phobia; I stopped attending school in year eight). I've been studying at a pupil referral unit since September and am predicted mostly Bs and Cs in my GCSEs, along with one A and a couple of Ds. These grade predictions are somewhat conservative, as my teachers had to make them shortly after I had joined, before they had any idea what I might be capable of. Realistically, I think I can expect about four or five A*s, and the rest considerably lower, though there's a high chance that I won't achieve this.

I really (really really really) want to read English at Cambridge. I'm completely in love with the place and the course! I've chosen A levels in English lit., History, Philosophy and Drama/Theatre Studies.

I suppose my question is, if I don't achieve perfect results in my GCSEs (and I know that GCSEs aren't the most important things in the world, so don't tell me that), will I be eligible to apply via the special access scheme? Or is it only valid if your education was interrupted during sixth form?

I know I'm being stupid, and that if they don't take three years of no school into consideration then... they're really weird. I just need reassuring. I'm also aware that I have plenty of time yet, that there's no need to be thinking about University just yet, that I should go away and revise, blah blah blah. So don't tell me that, either.

Thanks!

Reply 1250

FadedJade

Yes you would be eligible for the special access scheme. But wait and see what results you get, and see what you are predicted for Alevel.

Reply 1251

Scary Monster

You would most definitely be eligible for the Special Access Scheme, that's exactly what it is there for, to put your application into its wider context.

I'd also be tempted to suggest you make contact with a few colleges closer to the time for your application and get some input from them about the best way to go about your application. Only so that you and your referee have the best information avaliable about what information is needed on the paperwork.

Lots can change between yr 11 and university applications, so try not to worry about it too much. Special Access or not, if you get the best marks you possibly can in your GCSEs then that will leave you with a widest range of opportunities.

If you're not staying the thet PRU for 6th form then try and make sure you get the smoothest transition to 6th form you possibly can, and that the information about where you went to school gets through to your 6th form tutors. Even it the 6th form itself knows, there's no guarentee it will filter through to the individual tutors so it's always worth checking.

But put even that aside until after your exams, work your socks off between now and late June and then you can have a lovely long summer holiday with plenty of time to sort details out and to explore a range of uni's and do anything else that takes your fancy.

Reply 1252

The Nightingale

Another GCSE question...

Unfortunately due to mitigating circumstances I am only able to take six GCSEs, with the possibility of taking two more in November... so probably eight all together. I am expecting to get As/A*s in all my subjects. I really wouldn't like to rule Cambridge out as I've always aspired to it and the course is perfect for me from what I've seen.

But will only having six/eight GCSEs (good grades) affect my application at all? I have chosen the A-levels I wish to do (English lit, History, Philosophy and Classics.) I think I could do well at A-level as well, but my illness, which is not life-threatening, but extremely serious, has held me back during GCSE and stopped me taking the standard 10-12 GCSEs.

I do remember reading once that certain well-known public schools only have students do 6-8 GCSEs and have plenty of Oxbridge applicants. This gave me some hope, but I could do with this confirming.

Many thanks

Reply 1253

Mithra

The Nightingale

If you have a good reason for why you have not been able to do many, and a very bad illness is definitely a good enough reason, then Cambridge will understand, although you will have to explain this to them :yep:

. Just make sure you storm the ones you do do :ahee:

Reply 1254

FadedJade

Yep, as Mithra said, if you have a good reason then it's not a problem. Take a look at the Cambridge Special Access Scheme which you may very well be eligible for. Good luck in your exams!

Reply 1255

Gazumped

I got a B in music at AS and do Maths. I guess it depends on the relevance of the subject to your course.

Reply 1256

FadedJade

Loads. If you do a search there's threads about this all the time.

Reply 1257

pinstripesbaby

I'm doing Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English Lit at AS, and hoping to do medicine next year at Cambridge.

After the Lit exam today, I think a B is more likely than an A... I'm dropping it before A2, so will the B harm my chances?

Reply 1258

alex_hk90

pinstripesbaby

Wait for your results, you might have done better than you thought, or the grade boundaries might be lower if it was a harder exam. I can't directly answer your question as I don't know much about Medicine applications.

Reply 1259

jcb914

pinstripesbaby

Of course it will harm your chances to some extent, but nobody can say how much as it depends on the rest of the competition at the college you apply to and also how much emphasis the DoS in question places on it. However, given the level of competition of course it will make *a* difference to your application - even if not a significantly negative impact.

And, yeah, what alex_hk90 said - I came out of loads of AS and A-Level exams feeling I did crap, when they actually went really well. You never know. Stay positive - there's a good chance you've done fine.