1 A only

i got 1 A only for AS. though i will be re-taking and re-marking and all, i dont know if i will get more As. is it still worth applying to cam

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Reply 1

freddie88

Depends how far off As you were in other subjects. Still worth it.

Reply 2

candystrippa

im devastated. does anyone know how often people actually get upgraded when they appeal?

Reply 3

homoterror

Well, good luck with your appeals. Unless you had other circumstances (Medical problems during study? in which case check out the Special Access Scheme) then Cambridge expect their applicants to be able to make at least AAB offers, and will probably take ABBB as suggesting that you wouldn't. Oh and I'm really sorry, gutting to do so poorly when it seems like most people are pleasently surprised!

Reply 4

Adhsur

Don't forget you can always resit so it shouldn't be that bad if your other subjects are not far off. For my AS I only got 2 As but managed to bring them up and get an offer.

Reply 5

musicbloke

good luck with your appeals. Remember Cambridge interview almost everyone so don't worry about it too much.

MB

Reply 6

Charlottie

Apply! I only got 1 A last year, and I applied, and I got a place, and today I got 3 As. :smile:

Oh and my 1 A wasn't a very good one, and my other grades were Bs and BOTH were lowish Bs. I said I was going to resit. I resat.

Reply 7

xx_ambellina_xx

If you don't do applying, you won't do knowing!

Give it a try :biggrin:

Reply 8

bigluce

Do apply, but just work hard , u will regret it if u dont. good luck

Reply 9

Fly.

Without meaning to sounds harsh I think your chances are slim and it probably isn't worth you applying.

Reply 10

CamSPSer

Its only one of your six spots on your UCAS form, give it some serious thought. Speak it over with your teachers, find out where it all went wrong. They can always mention reasons for it screwing up on their statement on you and you can always retake.

Reply 11

Calvin

To add another positive story. My grades at AS level were somthing like AABC with similar predictions (which I was sure were total crap) and after some resits both A levels and As were all As. If you think you can do better consider a) resists b) applying in a gap year after you have A level results when AS are less relevant. But obviously try resits first, they helped me a hell of a lot just because the increased maturity. Taking exams a year later makes a massive difference in terms of your writing style and your motivation to learn (as well as just broadness of knowledge) I wouldn't rule Cambridge out of your life by any means if that's what you want. There are several more options to look at before it becomes unlikely you'll ever get in. Chin up hon'

Reply 12

KupoIncarnate

Ignore Fly... I mean come on, this guy is a Johns student (or sympathiser), its his job to act superior and dismissive.

You've nothing to lose by applying, but if you do it you need to accept that theres a lot of work to do and there is no doubt that your results thus far will hold you back. If you dont think you can get a bag of A's out of it in the end then its probably not worth it, but in my oppinion with enough hard work anyone can get an A in anything. The offer cam make you will probably be AAA so if you cant get that then dont bother applying. To overcome your results so far you will need to have an excellent interview and make it clear to them that you are capable of pulling up your marks a lot, and also impress them enough with your enthusiasm and knowledge of your subject that they will want you above somebody who *did* get a bag of A's, so lots of extra reading etc required. It will be VERY hard work but if you want it badly enough theres no harm in applying.

At the end of the day though, cambridge pushes its students very hard (well i certainly feel pushed hard) and my gut feeling is that if A's elude you at A-level then you will not enjoy or succeed at the course in cambridge. I may be wrong but I think unless the cause of your problems was a REALLY bad set of exams then you would enjoy yourself much better at another good university. You would also have far less work on your hands to get in.

Reply 13

Calvin

I'm not even sure of that really. A levels are very different to Uni work. My grades at A level were all just scraped As by a mark or two which puts me at the low end of my year at Uni but my Uni grades put me closer to the top. I'm not sure A levels are a good reflection at all. Having said that, obviously its all admissions tutors have to look at so you need the As to get in, even if you don't need them to do well... so it's a moot point for people applying I guess.

Reply 14

Adhsur

Calvin

That's very encouraging.

To the threadstarter, yes it can be done. My AS's were AABBC (quite naff really considering I only just scraped the As). I didn't get an offer but got pooled and my feedback indicated that my grades had a part to play in that. I then resat some subjects and got AAAAa in my A levels. Thing is though, even they weren't at the high end of the spectrum, at least half of them were again "scraped". But I got an offer then.

The point is you can raise your grades so don't worry about meeting the offer once you get it. What's more important at this stage is how you will go about compensating at interview, etc.

Reply 15

kellywood_5

I only got 2 As at AS, and 2 Bs, but I might resit 1 or both English exams and 1 history exam in January (that's if it doesn't change if I get it remarked) and apply anyway. I didn't think it was worth it either considering most people will have better grades, but it's only 1 place out of 6 and you might regret it later if you don't at least try. It probably depends quite a bit on the subject you're applying for too. If I wanted to do something competitive like English, law or medicine, I probably wouldn't bother, but since I'm applying for languages, I'm going to give it a go. Also, does your school cash in AS grades? Mine obviously don't because all I had on my results slips were numbers, so if I get my teachers to predict me AAAA/AAAB, that will help, but I know I'll have to tell them all my module results in the questionnaire they send anyway. Basically the point of this long-winded post is apply, but try not to get your hopes up.

Reply 16

candystrippa

thankyou so much everyone, including fly. so, if i resit and get my grades up, the results will come back before application time???
also, philosophy students - what was the interview like? how many interviews did u have? do you apply to 1 college only or do u get choices?

Reply 17

homoterror

no you'll be applying before you next sit exams

Reply 18

candystrippa

oh no... then wont that be very ..

Reply 19

Adhsur

candystrippa

also, philosophy students - what was the interview like? how many interviews did u have? do you apply to 1 college only or do u get choices?

You apply to one college or you put in an open application and they allocate you one. Just like other subjects, nothing to do with philosophy.

I had two interviews and they went quite well - it is difficult to recount the experiences all over again so I suggest you look at this site.