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The Official "Oxford or Cambridge?" Thread

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Original post by simbasdragon
I reckon I could do quite well on the ELAT, but my heart is set on Cambridge and I'm waiting on a remark. If my UMS goes up to 90%, would my chances still be too low?


90 is better than 88. But it's more than just about the UMS at Cambridge.

If you prefer Cambridge (and who doesn't :wink: ) apply there...
Reply 801
Hi all, basically I'm uncertain about whether I have a better shot at Oxford or Cambridge for English. At GCSE I got 3A* 5A 2B which is one of the factors which makes me nervous about possibly trying for Oxford. On the other hand, at AS I got A* (I do English Pre-U, where I got a D2 grade which both Oxford and Cambridge apparently consider to be equivalent to an A*, but I have no idea how they'd look at UMS here...) and then AAC. The C was in French which I've dropped, and my 2 other A's are very low UMS for Cambridge - 85 and 81. I'm predicted A*A*A at A2. Essentially, my GCSEs worry me about Oxford, but my UMS for Cambridge. Only about one in eight successful Cambridge applicant has <90UMS on average which is a bracket I'd obviously fall into, but Cambridge do interview many more candidates than Oxford. Of course, if I were to choose Oxford I'd sit the ELAT which is a big opportunity to prove yourself, but I'm also terrified I might screw it up.
Any advice would be welcome...
Does anyone know what UMS average you need for History at Cambridge? I got around 85 in all of mine, bar one that was reformed and one in which I got 92.
Original post by Nightcall
Does anyone know what UMS average you need for History at Cambridge? I got around 85 in all of mine, bar one that was reformed and one in which I got 92.


Possibly enough for an Interview. And you will also have the pre-interview History Admissions Assessment to add to your application.

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/haa_specification.pdf

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Original post by jneill
Possibly enough for an Interview. And you will also have the pre-interview History Admissions Assessment to add to your application.

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/haa_specification.pdf

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Would it be better to apply for Oxford and not take the risk with Cambridge?
Original post by Nightcall
Would it be better to apply for Oxford and not take the risk with Cambridge?


You would also have the HAT at Oxford, and more interviews, if you get shortlisted. Cambridge shortlists more for interview than Oxford.


Pick the course you prefer, not the admissions process.

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Original post by jneill
You would also have the HAT at Oxford, and more interviews, if you get shortlisted. Cambridge shortlists more for interview than Oxford.


Pick the course you prefer, not the admissions process.

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I like both the courses greatly to be honest. It's so confusing as Cambridge have got their assessment, but it's brand new so no one knows how it will be interpreted, and theres the reformed subject confusion. How much of whether you get shortlisted for interview at Oxford go on GCSEs? I only got 4 A* at GCSE but I'm predicted 3 A*s and an A or even 4 A* at A level.
Original post by Nightcall
How much of whether you get shortlisted for interview at Oxford go on GCSEs? I only got 4 A* at GCSE but I'm predicted 3 A*s and an A or even 4 A* at A level.


@BrasenoseAdm may be able to comment on that for Oxford.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by deltabomber
Giving something up because its too hard?
Maybe oxbridge isnt for you


So much truth in this tbh
Original post by jneill
@BrasenoseAdm may be able to comment on that for Oxford.


Thanks for the tag. We have set down some general advice on GCSEs here:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1760892&page=341&highlight=&p=66337686#post66337686
@jneill Hey, I'm extremely confused between applying to Oxford for either Law or PPE, or to Cambridge for Land Economy. (I've got 42 points in IB, gap year student) What do you think I should do?
Original post by ibprocrastinator
@jneill Hey, I'm extremely confused between applying to Oxford for either Law or PPE, or to Cambridge for Land Economy. (I've got 42 points in IB, gap year student) What do you think I should do?


I think I'll let an oxbridge candidate make their own mind up about their course :smile:

(I do like look of LandEc though :wink: ).
Original post by jneill
I think I'll let an oxbridge candidate make their own mind up about their course :smile:

(I do like look of LandEc though :wink: ).


Hahah, thank you!:smile:
Hello everyone, I need some help in deciding which uni to apply for - either Economics in Cambridge, or Economics & Management at Oxford

I did 3 subjects last year - Maths, Economics, Psychology and received AAA in three of them. The Maths was the full A level though, and I only received an 84 UMS average for the A Level, but I'm planning to retake my C3 and C4 to try and get an A* in it (my C4 especially was in the 60s so that brought my average down).

C1 - 97
C2 - 93
S1 - 80
M1 - 87
C3 - 83
C4 - 64

My original plan was to apply for Cambridge, but I worry that my average UMS for Maths is too low and it might not even be worth it if I apply. On top of that, there is also the Economics Admissions Test which was introduced just recently for the 2017 intake. Being a new test, I wouldn't be able to practice much for it. On the other hand, it's going to to be new for everyone anyway so no one else would've been able to prepare much for it either.

Then I considered applying for Oxford since they don't look at UMS anyway. I need to take the TSA but they've had it for years and I could always practice with the past papers they have online.

Another issue I found was the number of offers each uni gave for the course. For Cambridge they gave about 15% of offers in relation to the number of applications they received, for Oxford it was only about 7%.
Each college in Cambridge gives about 6-8 offers every year, the highest being about 10 or 14. In Oxford, the majority was only about 2 or 3 per college but there were some colleges that gave about 7 or 8 too.

I could really use some advice on which I should apply for :frown:
Probably Oxford for arts and Cambridge for stem. Don't even know if Oxford are even better at arts than Cambridge but it has a rep
Has anyone been invited to an interview yet?
Original post by Riazais
Has anyone been invited to an interview yet?


Cambridge thread
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3164815
The Official 2017 Cambridge Applicants Thread

Oxford thread
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3823629
2017 Oxford Prospective Students

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(edited 7 years ago)
Yay got into oxford e and m. Anyone else?
Reply 818
Hey guys I am a mature applicant(21yrs) from India and want to apply for my second undergraduate degree in law in 2018.
So my grade 12 result ( I think that's equivalent to a levels in the UK) was fairly good - I scored 95% in 4 subjects ( maths , english , economics and accounts ) and 97% in business studies.
I completed my first undergraduate degree in commerce this year and achieved first class honours (71%)
I am currently a first year student in Campus law centre , which is among the top law schools in India after securing an All India Rank of 493 out of almost 20,000 applicants but I am looking to make a change.
With these basic stats do you think my application will be competitive enough for oxbridge ?
Original post by asuri1
Hey guys I am a mature applicant(21yrs) from India and want to apply for my second undergraduate degree in law in 2018.
So my grade 12 result ( I think that's equivalent to a levels in the UK) was fairly good - I scored 95% in 4 subjects ( maths , english , economics and accounts ) and 97% in business studies.
I completed my first undergraduate degree in commerce this year and achieved first class honours (71%)
I am currently a first year student in Campus law centre , which is among the top law schools in India after securing an All India Rank of 493 out of almost 20,000 applicants but I am looking to make a change.
With these basic stats do you think my application will be competitive enough for oxbridge ?


Probably best to ask about Cambridge for 21+ in this thread:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4847762
Ask an Admissions Tutor applying age 21+


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(edited 6 years ago)

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