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Application to Oxbridge after surprise A2 results.

Hi all,
A2 went much better than expected and so I am in a weird position. I ended college with A*A*AB in Biology, English literature, economics and EPQ respectively. This is after achieving ABCC in AS and a discusting amount of time spent revising in the library.

I have already planned my gap year and so am interested in applying to a better uni. I achieved 2 A*s 3A's and 5 B's at GCSE. What do you guys think are the liklihood of me being accepted into oxbridge if a apply next year? I was looking to study PPE or economics and management.

Thank you.

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Wow! Amazing. Your alevel grades look good for Oxbridge
Reply 2
Avatar for 3121
3121
21
You certainly hold the academic credentials. But you'll have to make good use of your gap year, reading list, activities, work experience, etc. Oxford usually aren't too picky about extra-curriculum unless you've taken a gap year, or so I've been told. It's worth a shot anyway, I think you can do it! :smile:
Reply 3
Avatar for LDR_96
LDR_96
16
Original post by jezzaroonie
Hi all,
A2 went much better than expected and so I am in a weird position. I ended college with A*A*AB in Biology, English literature, economics and EPQ respectively. This is after achieving ABCC in AS and a discusting amount of time spent revising in the library.

I have already planned my gap year and so am interested in applying to a better uni. I achieved 2 A*s 3A's and 5 B's at GCSE. What do you guys think are the liklihood of me being accepted into oxbridge if a apply next year? I was looking to study PPE or economics and management.

Thank you.


Well done with your results!! You would definitely stand a good chance applying to either Cambridge or Oxford but you cannot apply to both in the same year (I don't know why), so you will have to choose one (visit both and then decide which one to apply to).
Well done!!!!!!! Your A2 is a great turn-around and I've gone through exactly the same!! So yes please do apply! I applied with my ABC at AS straight :colondollar: and still got in, so you certainly will too. xx
Reply 5
Avatar for jezzaroonie
jezzaroonie
OP
Original post by lulucoco98
Wow! Amazing. Your alevel grades look good for Oxbridge

Thank you so much:smile: I hope yours went well also!
Reply 6
Avatar for NHSFan
NHSFan
11
Original post by jezzaroonie
Hi all,
A2 went much better than expected and so I am in a weird position. I ended college with A*A*AB in Biology, English literature, economics and EPQ respectively. This is after achieving ABCC in AS and a discusting amount of time spent revising in the library.

I have already planned my gap year and so am interested in applying to a better uni. I achieved 2 A*s 3A's and 5 B's at GCSE. What do you guys think are the liklihood of me being accepted into oxbridge if a apply next year? I was looking to study PPE or economics and management.

Thank you.


Congratulations on your results! :smile:

Regarding E & M at Oxford....you need Maths at A2. For PPE you don't necessarily need A level, but you need an interest in, and an aptitude for Maths. If you wish to apply it would be a good idea to take AS Maths in your Gap Year (unless you already have that, in which case you could complete the A2).
Both courses require applicants to sit the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment), so investigate what that invloves.

Cambridge don't offer PPE, and their Economics course requires A2 Maths for all colleges and some require AS Further Maths.

I would also check out the usual GCSE requirements, as Oxford tend to be pretty demanding on these, with many applicants having achieved straight A*/A.
Reply 7
Avatar for jezzaroonie
jezzaroonie
OP
Ahh,, I'm planning on cycling around the world for my gap year. I will definitely find out their reading list and start working through them.
Reply 8
Avatar for jezzaroonie
jezzaroonie
OP
Original post by catholicgirl
Well done with your results!! You would definitely stand a good chance applying to either Cambridge or Oxford but you cannot apply to both in the same year (I don't know why), so you will have to choose one (visit both and then decide which one to apply to).

Ahh, i thought that was the case. I will arrange the visits soon! Thank you !
Reply 9
Avatar for jezzaroonie
jezzaroonie
OP
Original post by MoonVirgo
Well done!!!!!!! Your A2 is a great turn-around and I've gone through exactly the same!! So yes please do apply! I applied with my ABC at AS straight :colondollar: and still got in, so you certainly will too. xx


Wow! Thats incredible?! I know friends who achieved AAAB at AS and still didn't get an offer? How did you go about getting a place?
Reply 10
Avatar for jezzaroonie
jezzaroonie
OP
Original post by NHSFan
Congratulations on your results! :smile:

Regarding E & M at Oxford....you need Maths at A2. For PPE you don't necessarily need A level, but you need an interest in, and an aptitude for Maths. If you wish to apply it would be a good idea to take AS Maths in your Gap Year (unless you already have that, in which case you could complete the A2).
Both courses require applicants to sit the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment), so investigate what that invloves.

Cambridge don't offer PPE, and their Economics course requires A2 Maths for all colleges and some require AS Further Maths.

I would also check out the usual GCSE requirements, as Oxford tend to be pretty demanding on these, with many applicants having achieved straight A*/A.


Thanks for your reply. A lot of crucial info. While I am OK at maths, I wouldn't say I have a budding interest in it. I will definitely have to speak to them and discuss how intense the mathematics involved in the course is. Thanks again!
your grades are good, but oxford look more at gcses(cam bride look at ums) and the average entry is 7 A stars (UNBE-F***ING-LIEVABLE).bUT Economics and management have a pre-entry test called the TSA Oxford and they have the lowest successful applicant rate at 7%.This is lower than medicine which is at 11%.
Original post by jezzaroonie
Wow! Thats incredible?! I know friends who achieved AAAB at AS and still didn't get an offer? How did you go about getting a place?


I think the other aspects of my application made it up for me lol. They look at you holistically and they understand grades don't always have a correlation with how you'll actually do at uni. So yeah it's all quite individualised and there's never a way to predict, but always try first!! xx
Reply 13
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NHSFan
11
Original post by MoonVirgo
I think the other aspects of my application made it up for me lol. They look at you holistically and they understand grades don't always have a correlation with how you'll actually do at uni. So yeah it's all quite individualised and there's never a way to predict, but always try first!! xx


You also have 11 A* at GCSE and must have done very well in the TSA, Congratulations! :smile: Good luck at Oxford.
Reply 14
Avatar for jezzaroonie
jezzaroonie
OP
Original post by James David
your grades are good, but oxford look more at gcses(cam bride look at ums) and the average entry is 7 A stars (UNBE-F***ING-LIEVABLE).bUT Economics and management have a pre-entry test called the TSA Oxford and they have the lowest successful applicant rate at 7%.This is lower than medicine which is at 11%.

Yeah, wow. ok. I had no idea it was 7%. That's ridiculous? I need to look into this TSA. Seems like the make or break of your application.
You NEED Maths A Level for E&M at Oxford, and the vast majority of successful PPE applicants have it too.

Still, those grades are really really good, but perhaps you should think about applying to non-mathsy courses.
Reply 16
Avatar for jezzaroonie
jezzaroonie
OP
Original post by anonwinner
You NEED Maths A Level for E&M at Oxford, and the vast majority of successful PPE applicants have it too.

Still, those grades are really really good, but perhaps you should think about applying to non-mathsy courses.

Yeah, I'm starting to think that too. Unfortunately, I love the theory side of economics, not the mathsy part. Thanks for the advice, kinda hit the nail on the head
Original post by NHSFan
You also have 11 A* at GCSE and must have done very well in the TSA, Congratulations! :smile: Good luck at Oxford.


My TSA was only average if not slightly below :colondollar: but I did write a really weird essay at the end so maybe that had salvaged it lol? The original poster here would get an unconditional offer if she applied for it cos she already has the grades. Really glad for her. :smile: Now she only needs to go through the process.
Reply 18
Avatar for NHSFan
NHSFan
11
Original post by MoonVirgo
My TSA was only average if not slightly below :colondollar: but I did write a really weird essay at the end so maybe that had salvaged it lol? The original poster here would get an unconditional offer if she applied for it cos she already has the grades. Really glad for her. :smile: Now she only needs to go through the process.


Oxford are renowned for being real 'GCSE Nazis'. Cambridge is more lenient with GCSEs, so perhaps she (?) would be better off finding a suitable course to apply for there.
Original post by NHSFan
Oxford are renowned for being real 'GCSE Nazis'. Cambridge is more lenient with GCSEs, so perhaps she (?) would be better off finding a suitable course to apply for there.


Perhaps yeah :smile: It's up to her, I have a feeling that it could be either given that they're so unpredictable lol.

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