Is my A star to A ratio good enough for Oxbridge?

If you're not applying for medicine, you should be fine for Oxford. Do you have any idea what you might wish to study?

Depends on subject but I think you'll be fine, get AAA at AS and you'll be competitive. My GCSEs are worse

I'd love to study PPE, and History and Law are also considerations.
Thanks, although I did read that Oxford care more about GCSE's than Cmabridge - does this have any truth to it?

Hi there, sorry to ask a "is this good enough" but I need guidance.
Just got my GCSE results, I got A stars in:
English lang and lit
R.E
History
French
Classics

and A's in:
Single, double and triple sciences
Maths
Astronomy
Drama

Many of my friends achieved 8 or more A stars, and it's hard for me to gauge whether six a stars is of the Oxbridge standard. I'd love to study either PPE or history, and I know that they don't have specific requirements (and I don't want to study medicine) but I need either reassurance or some tough - love.
Thanks!

They used to use GCSEs more than Cambridge because unlike Cambridge, Oxford did not force candidates to declare all UMS grades for each module (including retakes, I believe?) for each subject. Now that the A Level system is changing, I dunno how much that is true.

All the subjects you have mentioned have Oxford-specific admissions tests. Do well on whichever of those you end up going for and have good A2 predictions, etc. and there's no reason to think your GCSEs in themselves would hold you back

If Oxford is truly where you want to study then I would say just go for it - you lose nothing from applying. Someone from my school achieved a place with far fewer A* grades than you (just one A*) .As long as you nail your AS's, personal statement/ interview and any entrance tests then there is no reason why you won't get a place. If I were you, I would forget about your GCSE grades for now (although obviously celebrate cause they still are amazing grades) and focus on your A-levels Good Luck

Thanks for the reassurance. It means much more to read a reply than a stock faq answer on oxford's website.

No worries!

Just think of it this way: the most important things to get you to interview, will be any Oxbridge-specific admissions tests plus having the right predicted grades and no other seriously dodgy aspects to any other areas of your application.

Once you've had an interview, likeliness is the interview(s) will be THE most important factor

Gotcha. Better start swatting up so i can get those predicted grades then!

Mate, summer bank holidays are to be ENJOYED! Celebrate your results - worry about swotting up later

No worries!

Just think of it this way: the most important things to get you to interview, will be any Oxbridge-specific admissions tests plus having the right predicted grades and no other seriously dodgy aspects to any other areas of your application.

Once you've had an interview, likeliness is the interview(s) will be THE most important factor

Not quite so true for Cambridge. They interview most applicants (unlike Oxford) so yes, the interview is viewed as another useful set of information about the applicant, but no more or less important than other aspects. A less good Cambridge interview will not necessarily "kill" an otherwise very good application.

@ OP, also look at the new HisPol course at Cambridge, and maybe HSPS?

Not quite so true for Cambridge. They interview most applicants (unlike Oxford) so yes, the interview is viewed as another useful set of information about the applicant, but no more or less important than other aspects. A less good Cambridge interview will not necessarily "kill" an otherwise very good application.

@ OP, also look at the new HisPol course at Cambridge, and maybe HSPS?

Not quite so true for Cambridge. They interview most applicants (unlike Oxford) so yes, the interview is viewed as another useful set of information about the applicant, but no more or less important than other aspects. A less good Cambridge interview will not necessarily "kill" an otherwise very good application.

@ OP, also look at the new HisPol course at Cambridge, and maybe HSPS?

Damn, apparently I've already repped you recently

Thanks for the info -what would you say is Cambridge's most valued aspect of the process?
Yeah HSPS has also caught my interest, very much in my area.

I honestly want to be your friend😂😂 I don't even know why but you're super helpful and give amazing advice and know what you're talking about. Literally see you everywhere man!

Ha - no worries.


I always used to think it was the interview - but having been around TSR for a couple of years and reading what the actual Admissions Tutors consistently say it's really true they have a holistic approach to the whole thing. Everything is taken into account. No one thing is "the most important"*. They want to find good people, but they understand that good people can have off-days, or underperform in some areas. Have a look at the questions and answers given by the Cambridge AT's in their threads - a master list is here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4242660

*assuming you meet the published entry requirements for the course - that IS important. Also, for Maths specifically, STEP is the single biggest applicant filter.