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Hi Peterhouse,I am thinking of applying this year to study law, but I am concerned I don't have much chance with my AS results and predicted grades. I have been predicted AAA. In my AS results I got AAAB in English Literature, Government and Politics, Psychology and Biology. Although I have dropped it, I am having Biology remarked as I was 2 raw marks away from an A.My raw marks and UMS for AS are as follows:Psychology: 120/144 (raw marks)English Literature: 88/116 (raw marks)
Government and Politics: 160/200 (UMS)With these results do I have any chance of making a successful application to Cambridge despite not being predicted A*AA? Thank you!
I'm a bit confused. I get the impression from AT's on TSR that UMS averages are not as important as we think they are, which was initially reassuring.I know Medicine is one of the most competitive courses, if not the most competitive, but however, for the course I want to apply for (Medicine), the UMS avg of the large majority of successful applicants is extremely high. How do other factors such as the BMAT and Interview, play into this? Thanks so much!

Edit- More questions, how does contextual data about your GCSE's work if you took them outside the UK but are still considered a home student? Also, what your stance on positive discrimination, do you expect more from candidates who go to private schools with a large progression rate to Oxbridge? Thanks!
(edited 7 years ago)
If I'm predicted an A grade in a subject, that I got 95ums in at AS, because I lack commitment, would this be viewed as an unfair prediction when applying, or does it make no real difference?
Hi, looking for some advice on A-Levels.

I'm thinking of applying for English Literature and I have AAAB in my AS Levels (well actually one of those As is for the full Maths A-Levels done a year early). I've now dropped Bio and I'm studying English, Art and AS Further Maths which I've been predicted A*AA for.

These seem like decent grades but I was wondering whether I'm at any sort of disadvantage since I'm technically not studying 3 A2 courses at once in Year 13 due to my Maths being completed early. Should I be worried about this or is it irrelevant as long as I have my 3 full A-Levels achieved by the end of it?

Many thanks :smile:
Hi - For admissions for a course in Medicine
Is it obligatory (or preferred) for students applying for Medicine to take two sciences and maths for A level, or would two sciences and an unrelated subject (e.g Art) be accepted (provided they had good results)?
Also, would you say AS/A level results are more/less/of equal importance to BMAT results?
Thanks!

Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
Hi TSR!

As promised, the Peterhouse Admissions Team are back for another two weeks so ask any and all questions you might have about us, our courses or the application process!

This thread will close following our Open Day on the 17th September. Maybe we'll see you there?

---

By the way, there are also TSR threads for potential applicants to engage with fellow applicants and current Cambridge students. Notably:

* The Official 2017 Cambridge Applicants Thread
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3164815
* The Official Cambridge Applicants 2018 Thread
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3528165
Original post by thatawesomekid
because I lack commitment


Sorry for the intrusion but this does't bode well...
This is a weird question, but is it true about Trinity/Christs/Clare that they focus on grades much more than other colleges? It seems like even people with 4 As and great GCSEs don't want to risk applying to popular colleges, especially Trinity, though is this mainly reputation or fact?
I remember reading something somewhere saying that Peterhouse accepts the greatest percentage of state school students of all the colleges, something like 70%. But I'm curious, what percentage of applicants were state school students?
Original post by Abstract_Prism
I remember reading something somewhere saying that Peterhouse accepts the greatest percentage of state school students of all the colleges, something like 70%. But I'm curious, what percentage of applicants were state school students?


Proportion of Home applications, offers and acceptances to Cambridge from the maintained sector by College 2015:
Peterhouse
Applicants 71.2%
Offers 64.8%
Acceptances 55.6%

University total
Applicants 69.6%
Offers 64.8%
Acceptances 62.3%

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/sites/www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/undergrad_admissions_statistics_2015_cyle.pdf
Hi Peterhouse,

I am looking to apply for Engineering and am wondering whether an application to Cambridge would be worthwhile.
The entry requirements are A*A*A but I have only been predicted A*AA in Maths, FM and Physics respectively.
Some people have suggested to me that it would be a wasted application and it would get tossed out immediately, so some expert advice would be appreciated.
I really like the Cambridge course and would like to study there. My average UMS score was only 90.5 but I plan to retake at least 2 modules, ideally raising it to about 95 (hoping my A2 modules will be at that UMS score also)
My GCSE results were all A* or A, achieving A* in Maths, FM and Physics

Moreover, if Cambridge is unforgiving with the applications, is Oxford is anymore lenient?

Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Rory
(edited 7 years ago)
hi, I have a couple of questions about studying MML (and perhaps they're applicable to other subjects):
on a personal statement, do you prefer that the majority is about what candidates have done to research/explore their subject, or that some space is reserved for extra-curricular (but maybe unrelated) activities?

also for MML would an 88% UMS average at AS have a realistic chance (there are rumours one needs at least 90%+ UMS)

what do you like to see in an MML candidate?

Thanks
Original post by glimmers
some space is reserved for extra-curricular (but maybe unrelated) activities?


For Cambridge, they don't care at all about unrelated activites. It'd be a waste of your word count, but other uni's exist and some of them might like to see that sort of stuff. Do with that what you will.

also for MML would an 88% UMS average at AS have a realistic chance (there are rumours one needs at least 90%+ UMS)


No, no, no. Stop worrying about UMS and averages, they're one (small) metric, plenty get in with less UMS than 88%, plenty get in with more, worry about other things that you actually have control over. 88% is fine and you have a realistic chance.

what do you like to see in an MML candidate?

Thanks


Bit of a broad question.
Original post by RoryRules160
I am looking to apply for Engineering [...] I have only been predicted A*AA in Maths, FM and Physics respectively.
Some people have suggested to me that it would be a wasted application and it would get tossed out immediately, so some expert advice would be appreciated.

I really like the Cambridge course and would like to study there. My average UMS score was only 90.5 [...] Moreover, if Cambridge is unforgiving with the applications, is Oxford is anymore lenient?



You stand a shot at an application, ignore all the fear mongerers who talk about you being immediately binned. They take every prediction with a large pinch of salt because of the wide subjectivity of teachers that vary from place to place. Your achieved grades (which are okay/good) are will play more of a part than your prediction, so apply if you like Cambridge. Don't bother thinking about Oxford if you genuinely prefer the Cambridge course. Stop worrying about leniency. You've got a shot.

Also why anybody would want to go to Oxford is beyond me... (jk) :wink:
Original post by Abstract_Prism
I remember reading something somewhere saying that Peterhouse accepts the greatest percentage of state school students of all the colleges, something like 70%. But I'm curious, what percentage of applicants were state school students?


A quick google would have answered your question easily. :tongue:
Original post by Zacken
A quick google would have answered your question easily. :tongue:


I tried, but my google-fu is weak. :frown:
Original post by Rachel58
Is it true about Trinity/Christs/Clare that they focus on grades much more than other colleges? [...] though is this mainly reputation or fact?


Reputation, and not necessarily correct or representative of the actual state of matters.
Original post by Zacken
You stand a shot at an application, ignore all the fear mongerers who talk about you being immediately binned. They take every prediction with a large pinch of salt because of the wide subjectivity of teachers that vary from place to place. Your achieved grades (which are okay/good) are will play more of a part than your prediction, so apply if you like Cambridge. Don't bother thinking about Oxford if you genuinely prefer the Cambridge course. Stop worrying about leniency. You've got a shot.

Also why anybody would want to go to Oxford is beyond me... (jk) :wink:


Sorry for the intrusion. Have a shot at it, you never know.
Iwanttostudyengineering.org is well worth a look. Best of luck!
(Good advice being given here @zacken)
Original post by 210555
Sorry for the intrusion. Have a shot at it, you never know.
Iwanttostudyengineering.org is well worth a look. Best of luck!


^I second that, have a look at https://isaacphysics.org/ as well!
Original post by dioneh
Hi Peterhouse,I am thinking of applying this year to study law, but I am concerned I don't have much chance with my AS results and predicted grades. I have been predicted AAA. In my AS results I got AAAB in English Literature, Government and Politics, Psychology and Biology. Although I have dropped it, I am having Biology remarked as I was 2 raw marks away from an A.My raw marks and UMS for AS are as follows:Psychology: 120/144 (raw marks)English Literature: 88/116 (raw marks)
Government and Politics: 160/200 (UMS)With these results do I have any chance of making a successful application to Cambridge despite not being predicted A*AA? Thank you!


Thanks for asking. Please note that we won't be using raw marks in the same way that we use UMS and won't be asking for raw marks. For Law, we would generally expect candidates to be on track for A*AA and wouldn't be likely to interview candidates unless they are on track for these grades. I'm sorry I cannot be more encouraging.
Original post by desertlover
I'm a bit confused. I get the impression from AT's on TSR that UMS averages are not as important as we think they are, which was initially reassuring.I know Medicine is one of the most competitive courses, if not the most competitive, but however, for the course I want to apply for (Medicine), the UMS avg of the large majority of successful applicants is extremely high. How do other factors such as the BMAT and Interview, play into this? Thanks so much!


Hi, UMS averages aren't that important - we prefer to look at UMS on a module-by-module basis but even then it is neither the beginning nor the end of an application and we regularly reject candidates with very high scores in favour of candidates with slightly lower scores where we think this is a strong indicator of potential in light of contextual information from the rest of the application, or where we think they would suit our course and teaching better. For Medicine, there's also the additional concern of who is going to make the best Medic over the next 40 something years.

We consider all available information holistically (i.e. all at the same time without particualr weightings, nothing is ever considered in isolation). This includes BMAT score, interview performance, contextual information on you and your school (if UK) and everything from the paper application (PS, teacher's reference, predicted grades, achieved grades, ECF etc.).

Our typical offer is A*A*A and to be on track for those scores your UMS average would need to be quite high so there is a floor to how low the scores can be. Now that few AS levels will give UMS, we can hopeful all move on from obsessing over scores :smile:

Original post by desertlover

Edit- More questions, how does contextual data about your GCSE's work if you took them outside the UK but are still considered a home student? Also, what your stance on positive discrimination, do you expect more from candidates who go to private schools with a large progression rate to Oxbridge? Thanks!


If you took your GCSEs outside the UK there's no contextual information available so we'd just look at the grades and the story they tell of your progression onto A levels. Remember we don't look at GCSEs as much as A levels and we'd never reject a promising candidate on the basis of their GCSE scores, provided they met the essential requirements for Medicine.

Applications are all considered individually on a case-by-case basis and holistically which means that a candidate's background and their individual school (not just broad-brush state/independent) are considered. We would expect different things from different candidates in terms of grades/UMS, interview performance and scores in the at-interview assessments. Our contextual information helps those who have experienced disadvantage rather than discriminate against those who have not.
(edited 7 years ago)