Oxford Chances
Hello, I am currently studying A levels. I got terrible GCSE grades, 1 A, 2 B's and 4 C's, A only in urdu, B's only at English Language and Maths. At AS, i am studying English Language, History and Government & Politics. I have had a child long dream to get into Oxford university to study PPE as i have immense passion for that subject. Would Oxford take a look at my work and leadership away from my academics and consider me for PPE. Also, since starting my A levels a few weeks ago, i have starting from the beginning to work really hard and focus less on my extra curricular. I am really loving the content of each of the subjects at A level. I believe that if i work really hard, i could potentially end up with mostly A's at A level. To further boost my chances, i am thinking of also adding on AS Maths alongside my other subjects next year. Would this be a good idea?
As extra curricular, I have set up and run my own internationally recognised organisation campaigning for peace, human rights, justice and education around the world. For this, i have also visited Auschwitz in the past 2 months. I have gained international recognition for this work, have been nominated for the international children peace prize 2015 award. I have also been invited to 10 downing street recently by the Prime minister at a reception. A few months ago, i was also invited to address the house of lords, where i addressed all the lords. I even personally met the Prime Minister, David Cameron, 2 months back. I am also thinking of doing my work experience at 10 Downing Street.
What are my actual chances of getting into PPE at oxford considering my GCSE's? Would it be worth me applying to Oxford? Do you think that i would be an average Oxford candidate and have a solid chance? Thank you.
As extra curricular, I have set up and run my own internationally recognised organisation campaigning for peace, human rights, justice and education around the world. For this, i have also visited Auschwitz in the past 2 months. I have gained international recognition for this work, have been nominated for the international children peace prize 2015 award. I have also been invited to 10 downing street recently by the Prime minister at a reception. A few months ago, i was also invited to address the house of lords, where i addressed all the lords. I even personally met the Prime Minister, David Cameron, 2 months back. I am also thinking of doing my work experience at 10 Downing Street.
What are my actual chances of getting into PPE at oxford considering my GCSE's? Would it be worth me applying to Oxford? Do you think that i would be an average Oxford candidate and have a solid chance? Thank you.
Original post by suhofficial
Hello, I am currently studying A levels. I got terrible GCSE grades, 1 A, 2 B's and 4 C's, A only in urdu, B's only at English Language and Maths. At AS, i am studying English Language, History and Government & Politics. I have had a child long dream to get into Oxford university to study PPE as i have immense passion for that subject. Would Oxford take a look at my work and leadership away from my academics and consider me for PPE. Also, since starting my A levels a few weeks ago, i have starting from the beginning to work really hard and focus less on my extra curricular. I am really loving the content of each of the subjects at A level. I believe that if i work really hard, i could potentially end up with mostly A's at A level. To further boost my chances, i am thinking of also adding on AS Maths alongside my other subjects next year. Would this be a good idea?
As extra curricular, I have set up and run my own internationally recognised organisation campaigning for peace, human rights, justice and education around the world. For this, i have also visited Auschwitz in the past 2 months. I have gained international recognition for this work, have been nominated for the international children peace prize 2015 award. I have also been invited to 10 downing street recently by the Prime minister at a reception. A few months ago, i was also invited to address the house of lords, where i addressed all the lords. I even personally met the Prime Minister, David Cameron, 2 months back. I am also thinking of doing my work experience at 10 Downing Street.
What are my actual chances of getting into PPE at oxford considering my GCSE's? Would it be worth me applying to Oxford? Do you think that i would be an average Oxford candidate and have a solid chance? Thank you.
As extra curricular, I have set up and run my own internationally recognised organisation campaigning for peace, human rights, justice and education around the world. For this, i have also visited Auschwitz in the past 2 months. I have gained international recognition for this work, have been nominated for the international children peace prize 2015 award. I have also been invited to 10 downing street recently by the Prime minister at a reception. A few months ago, i was also invited to address the house of lords, where i addressed all the lords. I even personally met the Prime Minister, David Cameron, 2 months back. I am also thinking of doing my work experience at 10 Downing Street.
What are my actual chances of getting into PPE at oxford considering my GCSE's? Would it be worth me applying to Oxford? Do you think that i would be an average Oxford candidate and have a solid chance? Thank you.
I'm afraid Oxford care very little about extra-curricular activities and all their emphasis is on academic achievement (and super-curricular such as wider reading etc) so your chances are quite slim.
Original post by midgemeister7
I'm afraid Oxford care very little about extra-curricular activities and all their emphasis is on academic achievement (and super-curricular such as wider reading etc) so your chances are quite slim.
Would i have a good chance if i got all A's at A level in English Language, History and Government & Politics? As well as an A at AS level in Maths?
(edited 8 years ago)
Literally everyone who applies to oxford for PPE has at least all A's at A level - any less and they would completely discard your application. Also although GCSEs are in no way the deciding factor for an application to oxford, they do place a great amount of weighting on them. And to be honest Oxford couldn't care less about extra curriculars - they care about how academic you are.
If you want a university that looks at extracuriicular, you are much better off with the states, especialy as they'll look at your entrance exams more than the GCSEs you got. Oxford prides itself upon academic studies, and if you are having to work "really hard" to scrape three As honestly for you you want somewhere less pressured.
Original post by Isobelkp
If you want a university that looks at extracuriicular, you are much better off with the states, especialy as they'll look at your entrance exams more than the GCSEs you got. Oxford prides itself upon academic studies, and if you are having to work "really hard" to scrape three As honestly for you you want somewhere less pressured.
But what if I work hard and get top grades? As all these subjects are essay based and I'm taking AS maths next year as an add on, which will link into the economics course. I definitely know that I underperformed at GCSE, what should I do? I am very confident I can coast through my A levels.
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Original post by suhofficial
But what if I work hard and get top grades? As all these subjects are essay based and I'm taking AS maths next year as an add on, which will link into the economics course. I definitely know that I underperformed at GCSE, what should I do? I am very confident I can coast through my A levels.
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Apply post-A2 if you really must. Applying pre-A2, your chances are quite bleak, even if you get 3 As at AS (why are you currently only doing three anyway?!?! That really is not gonna help you
) or a fourth A in AS maths. Unless you smash the TSA but there's currently nothing to indicate that you would...Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
Apply post-A2 if you really must. Applying pre-A2, your chances are quite bleak, even if you get 3 As at AS (why are you currently only doing three anyway?!?! That really is not gonna help you ) or a fourth A in AS maths. Unless you smash the TSA but there's currently nothing to indicate that you would...
) or a fourth A in AS maths. Unless you smash the TSA but there's currently nothing to indicate that you would...I think I may possibly be able to get 1 or A*s at A level, wouldn't they take a look at my extra curriculars after academics since they are leadership extra curriculars and relate very much to the PPE course.
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Hey take no notice of these guys, I got into Cambridge after taking no GCSE's.
You need to really apply yourself during these A-Levels to gain better grades. Also the extracurricular activities sound great. So make sure you apply, if your application fails remember it is not the end of the world.
You need to really apply yourself during these A-Levels to gain better grades. Also the extracurricular activities sound great. So make sure you apply, if your application fails remember it is not the end of the world.
Original post by suhofficial
Hello, I am currently studying A levels. I got terrible GCSE grades, 1 A, 2 B's and 4 C's, A only in urdu, B's only at English Language and Maths. At AS, i am studying English Language, History and Government & Politics. I have had a child long dream to get into Oxford university to study PPE as i have immense passion for that subject. Would Oxford take a look at my work and leadership away from my academics and consider me for PPE. Also, since starting my A levels a few weeks ago, i have starting from the beginning to work really hard and focus less on my extra curricular. I am really loving the content of each of the subjects at A level. I believe that if i work really hard, i could potentially end up with mostly A's at A level. To further boost my chances, i am thinking of also adding on AS Maths alongside my other subjects next year. Would this be a good idea?
As extra curricular, I have set up and run my own internationally recognised organisation campaigning for peace, human rights, justice and education around the world. For this, i have also visited Auschwitz in the past 2 months. I have gained international recognition for this work, have been nominated for the international children peace prize 2015 award. I have also been invited to 10 downing street recently by the Prime minister at a reception. A few months ago, i was also invited to address the house of lords, where i addressed all the lords. I even personally met the Prime Minister, David Cameron, 2 months back. I am also thinking of doing my work experience at 10 Downing Street.
What are my actual chances of getting into PPE at oxford considering my GCSE's? Would it be worth me applying to Oxford? Do you think that i would be an average Oxford candidate and have a solid chance? Thank you.
As extra curricular, I have set up and run my own internationally recognised organisation campaigning for peace, human rights, justice and education around the world. For this, i have also visited Auschwitz in the past 2 months. I have gained international recognition for this work, have been nominated for the international children peace prize 2015 award. I have also been invited to 10 downing street recently by the Prime minister at a reception. A few months ago, i was also invited to address the house of lords, where i addressed all the lords. I even personally met the Prime Minister, David Cameron, 2 months back. I am also thinking of doing my work experience at 10 Downing Street.
What are my actual chances of getting into PPE at oxford considering my GCSE's? Would it be worth me applying to Oxford? Do you think that i would be an average Oxford candidate and have a solid chance? Thank you.
To put it bluntly: no. No amount of extracurricular activities is going to compensate for low academics in the eyes of Oxford, I don't think. You'd actually be a below average Oxford applicant with those GCSEs (unless you went to a low-performing school) given your lack of A*s. I'm also somewhat unclear on this: you only took seven GCSEs?
You'd be better off going for Cambridge if your AS UMS average is around 90 percent or higher. Oxford uses GCSEs as a primary tool to shortlist people for interview so I'm afraid your chances there are close to zero, even if you do well on any entrance tests/written work for PPE.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by suhofficial
I think I may possibly be able to get 1 or A*s at A level, wouldn't they take a look at my extra curriculars after academics since they are leadership extra curriculars and relate very much to the PPE course.
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No, they wouldn't. Sorry if that's harsh, but that is just the way it is. Oxford are very clear that great extracurriculars will never make up for poor grades in their eyes. As somebody above said, posting this again and again won't change the answer. If your childhood dream was that important to you, you would've worked harder at GCSE. :/
Edit: Leadership extracurriculars would be looked favourably upon by top American universities, if that's your line of thought. Oxford, however, is quite focused on the academics and couldn't give a monkey's if you play table tennis at international level in your spare time.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by CrimGrad
Hey take no notice of these guys, I got into Cambridge after taking no GCSE's.
You need to really apply yourself during these A-Levels to gain better grades. Also the extracurricular activities sound great. So make sure you apply, if your application fails remember it is not the end of the world.
You need to really apply yourself during these A-Levels to gain better grades. Also the extracurricular activities sound great. So make sure you apply, if your application fails remember it is not the end of the world.
The OP is asking about Oxford, not Cambridge -- they have quite different admissions criteria and are similar only in the sense that they're both academic in some way (GCSEs/entrance tests vs. AS UMS). Good A Levels can help at Cambridge, but at Oxford, GCSEs are very important unless you're applying post-A2 with three A*s or something like that.
There's also a slight difference between taking no GCSEs and taking GCSEs and doing poorly on them and you'd do well not to give the OP false hope by citing your own example on this.
Original post by CrimGrad
Hey take no notice of these guys, I got into Cambridge after taking no GCSE's.
You need to really apply yourself during these A-Levels to gain better grades. Also the extracurricular activities sound great. So make sure you apply, if your application fails remember it is not the end of the world.
You need to really apply yourself during these A-Levels to gain better grades. Also the extracurricular activities sound great. So make sure you apply, if your application fails remember it is not the end of the world.
really? because im in my first year of cambridge and my gcses were all A/B
Original post by suhofficial
wouldn't they take a look at my extra curriculars after academics since they are leadership extra curriculars and relate very much to the PPE course.
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As others have said, no they wouldn't. ECs count for very little when it comes to Oxford entrance, the obvious exception being the music course.
Original post by suhofficial
I think I may possibly be able to get 1 or A*s at A level, wouldn't they take a look at my extra curriculars after academics since they are leadership extra curriculars and relate very much to the PPE course.
Your extra curriculars do not relate very much to the PPE course. They are certainly the sorts of things that many people applying for PPE would like to have done, or would like to do after graduating. This is absolutely not the same thing, though, as being usefully related to an extremely academic course. Speaking in the Lords is very impressive but has no bearing on your academic suitability for PPE at Oxford!
Original post by CrimGrad
Hey take no notice of these guys, I got into Cambridge after taking no GCSE's.
There's an important difference between not taking GCSEs and taking GCSEs but doing (by Oxbridge standards) badly in them....
Original post by BJack
Your extra curriculars do not relate very much to the PPE course. They are certainly the sorts of things that many people applying for PPE would like to have done, or would like to do after graduating. This is absolutely not the same thing, though, as being usefully related to an extremely academic course. Speaking in the Lords is very impressive but has no bearing on your academic suitability for PPE at Oxford!
There's an important difference between not taking GCSEs and taking GCSEs but doing (by Oxbridge standards) badly in them....
There's an important difference between not taking GCSEs and taking GCSEs but doing (by Oxbridge standards) badly in them....
I believe that I extremely underperformed at GCSE as I was predicted almost all A*s and A's, I even got all A*s and A's in the mocks, I was extremely shocked on results day. I think I can do really well at A level and really am enjoying my subjects: History, Government & Politics and English Language, they relate to PPE as well. I'm taking AS level maths next year as an add on to help me with the economics element of the course.
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Original post by suhofficial
I believe that I extremely underperformed at GCSE as I was predicted almost all A*s and A's, I even got all A*s and A's in the mocks, I was extremely shocked on results day. I think I can do really well at A level and really am enjoying my subjects: History, Government & Politics and English Language, they relate to PPE as well. I'm taking AS level maths next year as an add on to help me with the economics element of the course.
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Unfortunately, underperformance isn't really accepted by Oxford unless there are significant extenuating circumstances. Believing you underperformed isn't a valid excuse. They do view GCSEs contextually but having no A*s is very unlikely to get you in, unless you apply post A Levels with A*A*A* and ace the entrance test or something like that. Even then it's a huge black mark on your application.
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