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Original post by Christ's Admissions
Hello and thank you for your questions. I'll do my best to answer them.

1) 6.0 & 6.0 over the past five years in sections 1 & 2.

2) sections 1 & 2 are the most important.

3) personally I don't take in the UKCAT score as I don't know the marking scale because we use BMAT. Others more familiar with UKCAT might take notice of it but it won't be as important as BMAT.

4) what you have is quite sufficient. We are not expecting students I have loads of work experience because it's very difficult to get for some people.

5) we take two a year normally.

I hope that helps, best of luck!


Hello Christ's,

Thanks so much for the reply! Clears things up a little bit. How stiff is competition for these 2 places? (Oh I've also sent a DM, hopefully to get a clearer insight from you)

Thank you :smile:
Hello, earlier in the thread you gave a statistic for the amount of people applying for Natural Sciences with a ums of above 99%. Do you have this information for the maths course as well?
Thank you!
Reply 1222
Hi, I'm an Australian based applicant and am considering doing Mathematics with Physics. I'm much more mathematically inclined and would love to do more maths in my first year. However, since I do my IB exams in November this means I would need to sit the STEP 6 months after my maths exam. I'm planning on doing a bit of travelling next year, so I'm worried I'm gonna be a bit rusty by then. Would I be better off applying for Natural Sciences instead? Thanks!
Reply 1223
Original post by Christ's Admissions
Hello everyone and welcome to a new Ask an Admissions Tutor thread, back for its fourth year.

I will be here for the next month to answer your questions about admissions to Cambridge, especially if you are planning to apply this year but also to help those already holding an offer for this year and waiting for your results.

Do please fire away and I'll answer them as well and as quickly as I can.


Hello ! I'm a French student in Terminale with the International option, and although I know I can meet the academic requirements for the baccalaureate, my grades of the previous year do not reflect it.
EDIT: Cambridge's policy is to make offers for students getting around 16-17 at the bac.

I'm interested in Computer Science and only had a 14.2 global average last year, with grades in math going from 13.8 to 12 mainly for personal reasons.

I took other tests, including the SAT where I scored a 1350, However I'm afraid this score and my statement won't be taken into account because of the grades previously cited.

Do you think I should bother making an application ?
I hope you have a fantastic day, cheers !
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Nobody213
Hi, I am applying for CompSci at Cambridge this year.

I have already completed my Maths A-Level (and got an A* with 99% UMS) and am currently completing Further Maths, Physics and SSD.

I have 3 questions if thats ok?

1. How does already having completed my Maths affect my application?

2. Being in Northern Ireland, what UMS scores are they going to used to determine how strong an applicant am I for CompSci?

3. Is further reading necessary for CompSci or is doing programming in your spare time a worthy equivalent?

Thanks in advance :smile: and sorry if the questions have already been asked.


Hello and thank you for the questions. 1) this result will be a strong indicator in your favour.

2) you will have a UMS average based on all your maths modules then an average of your physics and the Science UMS average would be the maths average and the physics averaged divided by two.

3) any super curricular activity is encouraged - reading is good but so is programming.
Original post by qwertyuiop1998
May I ask how the raw marks will probably be used in considering an application. Is there a system in place yet or is one being developed?

Thanks


There is no system in place for using them. We will look at the information that comes in and make intelligent judgements based on what we have available. They will not be used like UMS.
Original post by academia153
Will I qualify for compulsory pooling irrespective of my performance in the Cambridge law test? And what exactly is compulsory pooling?


Yes and I explained compulsory pooling in my original message. If your college doesn't decide to make you an offer them they are required to place your file in the pool. It is for applicants who meet a certain threshold in public exams (unreformed AS; Scottish Highers; completed A Levels and the IB).
Original post by Chittesh14
Hi, I'm back at it again with the same questions. Sorry lol, I'm just crazily confused and I'm not getting anywhere. This is my last question about Physics lol.

If I take Physics at AS and get an A but I decide to drop it at A2, does it even mean anything? Since it's linear, I have got no AS grade (or do I?) and I might get an offer (let's say all my Maths and Further Maths UMS is perfect) but I'll forget the Physics content I learnt when I go to uni because it was 1 year ago? So, I don't even know why doing Physics at AS means anything :s-smilie: other than it helps the admissions tutor understand the candidate is good at Physics and has the ability to learn and understand it? :s-smilie:

PS: I wish there were other admission tutors for other universities on TSR so I wouldn't have to piss you off with these questions :frown:... sorry!


Yes, it will mean something. It's a public exam result in a traditionally hard academic subject so we will take note of it.
Original post by Christ's Admissions
Yes, it will mean something. It's a public exam result in a traditionally hard academic subject so we will take note of it.


Oh right, thanks :smile:. How much would self teaching further maths A2 be taken into consideration as well as Maths A2. So Maths and further maths A-level fully self taught.


Posted from TSR Mobile
@Christ's Admissions what are Christ's rules regarding applicants who are currently attending university? I'm currently taking some courses at Copenhagen University, but I heard from @Florescence that some colleges accept applicants who are currently attending university. In that case, would it be acceptable if I transferred from the courses to undergrad physics during my gap year?
Original post by matt.thorne10
Hi Christ's Admissions,

So I'm applying for economics this year and I've noticed that AS maths and further maths requires 6 modules, and so most people will therefore only have done 6 modules already. My school got me to do 7 instead, which means due to the nature of averages my '7th' module hinders my maths UMS. Should I still include all 7 modules on the SAQ (this UMS average being 97.7), or leave one out so I have the same amount as most other people (this new average being 98.5)? Essentially, what I'd like to know is whether having 7 modules rather than 6 in my average is more beneficial than having the extra 0.8 UMS. Thanks.


It's a requirement on the SAQ for you to submit ALL Marhs modules (including any resits) & your Maths modules are then aggregated to produce your Maths average. 7 modules at this stage is more than normal but it's common to come across numbers outside the norm.
Original post by Hjortlund
@Christ's Admissions what are Christ's rules regarding applicants who are currently attending university? I'm currently taking some courses at Copenhagen University, but I heard from @Florescence that some colleges accept applicants who are currently attending university. In that case, would it be acceptable if I transferred from the courses to undergrad physics during my gap year?


*In reference to a non-UK university*

(But since Copenhagen University is non-UK, my understanding is that it should be fine :smile: )
Would it adversely affect my application, to Computer Science, if I took Further Maths as private and didn't have a predicted grade for it?

My situation is that my school doesn't have room for 5 A-Levels, so if I keep on all 5 then Further Maths would be a private entry, and unless teacher's are still allowed to predict for that then I wouldn't have a predicted grade for it.
Original post by AnnietheGrannie
Hello, I'm planning on applying to Cambridge for the 2017 entry to study MML (French and Spanish from post-A level). These were my AS results:

French-A-89%
Spanish A-81% (Will resit the module that let me down)
English Language and Literature-A (UMS not available)
History-A (UMS not available)
Russian-A(95%UMS)

I got 8A*s and 5As at GCSE, have numerous language-related work experience placements under my belt, a subject award in English as the top English student in my year group and have done a fairly good amount of extra reading. I know this is not all of the info that will make up my overall application profile, but what would you say, from your experience, is the most likely outcome for a student with a profile similar to mine in terms of offers? I greatly appreciate the time and effort that you have put into replying to people on this thread.


Hello and thanks for your question. You have a good set of GCSEs, around or just above average for a successful applicant. 5 As at AS Level is obviously a very good and consistent achievement but as both French and Spanish are below 90% that might be a concern. There is a fair amount of contradictory information in your paper profile at this stage and I think the application could go either way. A fair amount will depend on your performance in other aspects (the personal statement, reference assessment and interviews).
Original post by fablereader
I am hoping to apply to Oxbridge to study Classics in 2017. I sat 7 iGCSEs and received 6A* (Latin, Greek, Physics, History, Maths, English Language) and an A (English Literature). My AS results was AAAA. My UMS is as follows:

Maths - 92, 92, 96
Latin - 100 (language), 73 (literature)
Greek - 96 (language), 84 (literature)
Classical Civilizations - 94 (Greek Tragedy), 90 (City Life in Roman Italy)

Would the low UMS in Latin and Greek literature harm my chances? Should I possibly retake the module(s)?

Also, how important is the interview? I am currently waiting to be evaluated for Aspergers and I have been previously diagnosed with receptive/express language issues. Conversations can be difficult for me, particularly in the beginning. I worry the possibility of a bad interview will harm my chances.


Hello and thank you for your questions. Yes, I'm afraid that the low marks in the literature papers will be somewhat detrimental to your application, though your language papers are very strong and will be of benefit to you. Don't retake the modules unless you want to. You have an A in both overall already and it's best thus to concentrate on ensuring that you so as well as possible in the A2 modules - look forward not backwards!

The interviews vary in importance from candidate to candidate. Most often the interview backs up the paperwork. if you click the disability box on the UCAS form ten we will contact you to discover the nature of this and ensure that people are informed of this context. We are very used to people with Asperger's and those who are simply nervous at interview and will do our best to ensure that you are able to perform well. How you say things will not matter - it's what you say that counts.
Original post by metrize
Is doing further maths a2 and physics a2 okay seeing as I've done maths a2 in year 1? Or do I need to do 3 subjects including the maths a2?


It's normal to do three subjects in Year 13 if you've done maths early but not unknown by any means.
Original post by I can do this
If schools don't include internal AS equivalent exam scores for reformed subjects on references, is this considered detrimental when there will be other people applying with schools claiming their students got 100% in internal exams? Our teachers think that because standards will vary, it is quite possible our internal exams are harder than other schools, so we will have got lower raw percentages.


It's absolutely fine for schools not to produce internal exam marks - we are not expecting them to do so and we very much recognise that schools internal exams and marking schemes will be very different from each other. All this will be factored in when making decisions.
Original post by k.russell
so do I basically have to do really well in the admissions test & at interview to have a chance of getting in? I got A*A*A in my A levels and want to apply for biological natsci


Obviously I'd need to see the breakdown of the UMS across the whole A Levels across the subject but if you perform very well in the assessments and interviews then you will be in with a good chance.
Original post by isabella1999
Okay thank you, you have literally been so helpful I bet so many people wouldn't apply based on false Info and rumours if it wasn't for you :h:


You're very welcome and thank you for your kind comments. That's why I started posting on here to encourage people and deal with some of the rumours and misinformation.
Original post by Josh.Lyman
Thanks :smile:. West Wing is like a second addiction for me, after econ of course; it doesnt hurt that Barltlet is a noble-prize economist :smile:. If i may pose a follow-up question: should international applicants include a sentence or two on why they want to study overseas? The UCAS website said that we should, but i just dont have the space (already 1,500 characters over). Also, would it be okay to not include any extracurriculars like Model UN and Track & Field in my Personal Statement? In the examples i have read, most have included a paragraph on this. But, again, i dont have the room since 95% of my statement is academic--is this unhealthy?
Thank you for taking the time to respond to all of our questions!


One can't help but wonder how much better the world would be with Bartlet as president! :smile:

For us, non-academic parts of the personal statement are entirely unimportant. I can't imagine that the LSE would be too bothered if hey weren't there either but I don't speak for them. There is the additional PS box on the SAQ for you to include more stuff if you wish, especially elements relevant to your subject at Cambridge.