This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Are my GCSE/AS grades good enough for Oxbridge?

Rather than have lots and lots of threads cluttering up the place and annoying users, anyone who is wondering/worried that their grades are not good enough for an application to Oxford or Cambridge should post in here. Any future threads made will be merged into this one.

Firstly, let me refer you to H&E's FAQs which should answer most of your questions.

If you are still worried, ask away in here, rather than making a thread which will probably get you a more negative response than anything you might say in here. I understand that applying to Oxbridge is a nerve-wracking procedure, but there are also a lot of very similar threads and current posters are running out of patience, thus keeping it all in one place will hopefully help to tidy up the place and make it all more understandable!

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

darthsidious

hey guys...i'm thinking of applying to oxford for ppe. my A-levels are maths, further maths, economics, eng lit, philosophy, and i've done really well in all of them this year. i have 9 A*, an A, and a B at GCSE, but the problem is that the A is in Economics.

Now before you say 'well, maybe you should reconsider' it was only in year 12 that i actually starting taking an interest in economics, and then started doing well. so my question is, will that result prevent me from getting an interview?

thanks :biggrin:

Reply 2

Che!

skidjzu

NOT AT ALL! You'll def. get an interview with those results. They may question your Economics GCSE, to which you can say you weren't as motivated as you are now etc. But still, an A is bloody good! You've nothing to worry about

Good luck
:smile:

Reply 3

Helenia

And there's the first one.

Reply 4

El Stevo

i was hopin this was gonna be tongue in cheek, ie need 9 billion A* 63 A's mensa member, already world reknowned in field JUSt to get an interview etc..

Reply 5

Johnny 5

El Chueco

i was hopin this was gonna be tongue in cheek, ie need 9 billion A* 63 A's mensa member, already world reknowned in field JUSt to get an interview etc..

What? Will my membership of MENSA count against my application? I'm so worried!

Reply 6

El Stevo

2 5 +

What? Will my membership of MENSA count against my application? I'm so worried!

mine didn't and neither did my my being a NAGTY regional councillor. just be genuine and you'll be fine.

Reply 7

Johnny 5

El Chueco

mine didn't and neither did my my being a NAGTY regional councillor. just be genuine and you'll be fine.

Cheers, because I felt that that really needed answering.

Reply 8

**noooni**

I also have a question.., my gcse's where 10 A*-A, but i just finished my AS exams and was shocked with how low my results where, i had a pretty bad year but i didnt think i would do that badly ,, i got BBCC, after remarking that will probably go up to ABBC (as some marking was odd) and i plan to resit some modules and so it should go up to AABB
therefore next year i will probably be predicted AAB.... honestly do i stand any chance? .... i have alot of really good extra stuff from out side school work like,,tutouring key stage 3 student, writing for the school news letter and local newspaper, helping in class rooms with englsih as second language students, head of school council, constantly organising events in and outside school...etc
and even though my grades were only BBCC they were th highest in my whole school... i was thinking of applying to SPS at cam ,,, but if i dont stand a chance someone please tell me as i dont want to waste one of my valuable 6 places for uni.. :smile:

thnx

Reply 9

dxo

Are my GCSEs good enough...for Oxford / Cambridge? (see sig) I know I have 12 GCSEs, but are they looking for students with straight A*s??? :confused:

Reply 10

jpowell

Your AS and predicted A level grades are far more important.

Reply 11

thefish_uk

smsmasters

Are my GCSEs good enough...for Oxford / Cambridge? (see sig) I know I have 12 GCSEs, but are they looking for students with straight A*s??? :confused:

They look alright. It depends on more things though like your background and enthusiasm - do you go to a state school?

I wouldn't rule them out.

Reply 12

dxo

AMM

Your AS and predicted A level grades are far more important.

But do they also ask what GCSE grades you have achieved? :confused:

Reply 13

N9ne

AMM

Your AS and predicted A level grades are far more important.

Precisely. smsmasters, do you go to a state school? If so, and it is poor performing then Oxbridge will take this into account; they are looking for potential.

Reply 14

dxo

thefish_uk

They look alright. It depends on more things though like your background and enthusiasm - do you go to a state school?

I wouldn't rule them out.

Yes, I go to a state school/college... Have been my whole life... :wink:

Reply 15

El Stevo

**noooni**

I also have a question.., my gcse's where 10 A*-A

nice. tres bien and the rest.

**noooni**

but i just finished my AS exams and was shocked with how low my results where, i had a pretty bad year but i didnt think i would do that badly ,, i got BBCC, after remarking that will probably go up to ABBC (as some marking was odd) and i plan to resit some modules and so it should go up to AABB. therefore next year i will probably be predicted AAB.... honestly do i stand any chance? ....

of course you still have a chance, but decline your grades if they dont go up as much as you expect. grades going up that much is a bit opimistic just on re-marks. however, whatever your AS's, your teachers should have recognised your potential and you could even be predicted straight A's, though they would tell you you need to get your derriere in gear. if you resit enough and work hard enough there is no porblem you getting the grades you need. if you want an anecodte pm me.

**noooni**

i have alot of really good extra stuff from out side school work like,,tutouring key stage 3 student, writing for the school news letter and local newspaper, helping in class rooms with englsih as second language students, head of school council, constantly organising events in and outside school...etc

i suppose the questio is this; is the above what caused the disappointing grades? in which case all this good stuff is not actually all that good...

**noooni**

and even though my grades were only BBCC they were th highest in my whole school...

that is very useful if its true, especially if your school is not reknowned academically...

**noooni**

i was thinking of applying to SPS at cam ,,, but if i dont stand a chance someone please tell me as i dont want to waste one of my valuable 6 places for uni.. :smile:

thnx

waste? how can applying to cambridge be a waste? chances are you wont go to the uni you applied to in place of cam, as its not one of your top 6.

Reply 16

homoterror

AMM

Your AS and predicted A level grades are far more important.

No they're not.

Reply 17

homoterror

they're good, your biggest problem applying to Oxbridge (and other high end universities) is that you're doing AVCE IT? This is untraditional, and more importantly you'll end up taking it next year aswell to have 'three alevels' and they won't be impressed when two thirds of your offerings are AVCE IT.

If you want to do compsci at Cambridge at least you should do:
Alevel Maths
Alevel Further Maths
Alevel Physics
Alevel something-else (I guess you could do IT if you wanted, but I'd choose a language)

Reply 18

Gaz031

Applied A-Level ICT - Double Award

I don't think they would like that very much though i could be wrong.

Reply 19

NDGAARONDI

smsmasters

Are my GCSEs good enough...for Oxford / Cambridge? (see sig) I know I have 12 GCSEs, but are they looking for students with straight A*s??? :confused:

No they're not. :rolleyes: