4 A*&#x27;s, Need Advice from others

Original post by economyst

Any one want to have a look at my EC's above and tell me which ones are most impressive ?

1st: I don't know anything on the admission process, which isn't on TSR :wink:

, but:

a)Impressive: Going through this mathematical problem in detail for one week showed that I really apreciate to work in an academic environment, and that I enjoy working through hard problems --> If you feel like this: it's worth.

b) Hm, actually all people do this, it has nothing to do with me, I did it for my PS, I payed 1000 $ to do this (okay, my parents) ---> hm, will be hard to let it sound "impressive"

c) Rank them, and look that your PS is not overcrowed but logic

d) Which abililities you have from them, which may be beneficial for your studies at University?

e) Any dream: e.g. I was learning Bahasi Indonesia, because it is such a big country with a really interesting economy and I could imagine to concentrate/do research in the area of developing economies,.... ?

f) It's not: Further Math is so impressive (it probabaly isn't, because it is simply necessary) and I have to be in something connected with Charity, otherwise they reject me

Reply 62

OP

Sorry Nathan but I don't understand what you are saying, no offense.
Could you clarify.

on an unrelated topic, I have found a Cambridge college which I am thinking of applying to.
They say for economics and I quote "....our successful candidates usually have around 9 A*s at GCSE (if taken) and AS modular averages of around 95%..."
Before you all say that they are averages and people with lower than 9A*'s do get in, let me remind you I only got 3A*'s that's a third of the average and on top of that I got 2C's.
My AS modular averages were 91% and for A2 they were 94%.
Do you think I should I apply here, I am tempted to believe that all colleges get students with around 9A*'s and only this particular college has chosen to publish it on its site. The AS UMS average is quite worrying as well makes me feel like a week candidate.
Should I change the college I am applying to due to this ?

Reply 63

internetstephen

^I would've thought that in your situation, having already well exceeded their typical offer, that whether you are given a place will be based largely on your interview and ps. So I wouldn't be put too off be stats on typical grades.

Reply 64

HighestKungFu

13

If your GCSE results are 'very poor' OP then grade inflation truly does exist.

Reply 65

OP

What do people think about the Cam college I have chosen ? see my above post.

Reply 66

Original post by economyst

Sorry Nathan but I don't understand what you are saying, no offense.
Could you clarify.

Hm, it was very late and hot, so...

Short form: EC that have something to do with your ability to succeed in your degree are good e.g. enjoying to solve hard mathematical problems in your free time (So exactly what you need to do during your studies, too.). (With I, I meant some random person, not me.)

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 67

OP

I do occasionally do some step paper questions for a challenge when I am bored, but I don't know how I would put that in PS without relating it to something else.

Reply 68

OP

O people give me your advice about the New college of humanities. Should I go there if I get place for £7200 ?

are my choices okay ? :
Cam, LSE, War, Bath, York

Reply 69

spacetime

Today I got :
Maths 98 96 80 97 94 100 A*

well done mate! do you mind if I ask you, which modules were these UMS' in respectively?

Reply 70

OP

I need advice !!

Reply 71

OP

Original post by spacetime

well done mate! do you mind if I ask you, which modules were these UMS' in respectively?

maths
c1 98
c2 96
d1 80 -ugh!
c3 97
c4 100
s1-94

Physics
u1 118/120
u2 106/120
u3 50/60
u4 108/120
u5 118/120
u6 56/60

chem
u1 90/90
u2 133/150
u3 56/60
u4 84/90
u5 108/120
u6 82/120

econ
u1 93
u2 83
u3 100
u4 100

Reply 72

Original post by economyst

O people give me your advice about the New college of humanities. Should I go there if I get place for £7200 ?

Why with grades like yours, you want to go to an University which is totally new and is, from what I read, no more than: you can pay the fees, so a guest lecturer from the US and your actual professors, they don't care to mention. (Why would an Academic would like to work there? I mean the Academics who will actually care for you.)

They don't even have their own facilties, so apply to some in the states or to other foreign universities, but - again - with your grades, you should get a place at a very good university in the UK with enough networking opportunities.

And: Calm down a little bit...You won't be the first, who failed the first time and got in in the second round. (Worrying to much, can decrease your chances, too.)

Reply 73

OP

The reason is I am not very skeptical, Watching the video of Grayling on the website makes it sound like you are getting better education than Cambridge.They give you 1 on 1 teaching. Who can match that, the only reason I am weary is because I would be the first batch to go there, so if it doesn't work out, that's a large waste of my time, money ad life.
And without sounding like I failed, my grades aren't that good. Many Cambridge offer holders probs have 4A*'s or better.

Reply 74

twig

Original post by economyst

O people give me your advice about the New college of humanities. Should I go there if I get place for £7200 ?

are my choices okay ? :
Cam, LSE, War, Bath, York

Regarding STEP, if you are confident of getting a good grades by working hard in your gap year (alongside further maths), consider Warwick maths AND econ. Admissions work via the maths department, so very high chance of getting an offer (think around 80% of apps get offers- very rough guess). But the offer is high: A* in maths and f maths, and an A, and (this is much harder) 2 in any of the STEP papers. Research more info whether doing f maths in gap year is accepted for warwick, as this is a must for the course. I think more econ people would pick this, but are scared of the difficulty/ maths content (your first year is very similar to the people doing straight maths, which is on another whole level relative to econ in terms of difficulty).

Reply 75

OP

Original post by twig

Regarding STEP, if you are confident of getting a good grades by working hard in your gap year (alongside further maths), consider Warwick maths AND econ. Admissions work via the maths department, so very high chance of getting an offer (think around 80% of apps get offers- very rough guess). But the offer is high: A* in maths and f maths, and an A, and (this is much harder) 2 in any of the STEP papers. Research more info whether doing f maths in gap year is accepted for warwick, as this is a must for the course. I think more econ people would pick this, but are scared of the difficulty/ maths content (your first year is very similar to the people doing straight maths, which is on another whole level relative to econ in terms of difficulty).

I did consider maths and econ at Warwick, and you are right about there offers, almost everyone predicted the right grades get an offer. You are also correct when you say the offer is hard. I will need to self teach FM get and A* and then practice STEP to get a 2. I have tried some STEP questions and, although they are hard, by starting preparation early a 2 is achievable.
I think that I will have a lot of free time in the gap year, so studying FM and STEP wont be too hard I hope. However, now that I have these grades and quite a strong PS I think I should give Warwick econ another shot.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 76

Original post by economyst

The reason is I am not very skeptical, Watching the video of Grayling on the website makes it sound like you are getting better education than Cambridge.They give you 1 on 1 teaching. Who can match that, the only reason I am weary is because I would be the first batch to go there, so if it doesn't work out, that's a large waste of my time, money ad life.
And without sounding like I failed, my grades aren't that good. Many Cambridge offer holders probs have 4A*'s or better.

There isn't only Cambridge and 1:1 is very nice, indeed, but regarding this New College, which uses the facilities of the UCL, I wouldn't count on this, as you will have tutorials at other universities, too and you can always ask questions, do additional work, etc. (And of course he will say, that you get a better education, they want your money.) In the long run, it is allways the academic which counts and in England you should find enough public universities with a high percentage of rich people to network.

Reply 77