Gold D of E? Oxbridge.

There has always been this rumour going around my school that if you want to go to Oxbridge, or any other half-decent uni for that matter- you have to have GOLD D of E, I assume it is just crap but to what extent do you think D of E actually makes a difference in an application?

Reply 1

oliviaL

2

from what I have heard universities like it but its not needed :smile:

Reply 2

Toni42

2

Never heard that ever and wouldn't be allowed as some schools don't do DofE and albeilt that more private schools do it than state schools

Also at my school in total we have recieved a good fifty offers+ so far and yet only a handful of people are doing gold.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 3

mir3a

13

Original post by tateco

There has always been this rumour going around my school that if you want to go to Oxbridge, or any other half-decent uni for that matter- you have to have GOLD D of E, I assume it is just crap but to what extent do you think D of E actually makes a difference in an application?

none as of yet to my application, applied to Imperial, LSE, UCL, Queen Mary and Royal Holloway, and only had an invitation to an interview from Royal Holloway today. So as of yet, none of the elite unis have offered me a place. That said, there are many factors affecting your application and chances of getting into a place such as Oxbridge.

Reply 4

Slumpy

16

Official line is ECs don't matter, and I feel this is accurate in almost all cases.

Reply 5

Festina lente

11

Original post by tateco

There has always been this rumour going around my school that if you want to go to Oxbridge, or any other half-decent uni for that matter- you have to have GOLD D of E, I assume it is just crap but to what extent do you think D of E actually makes a difference in an application?

That's rubbish! I don't have any D of E at all and I don't know anyone who does!

I don't think it makes a lot of difference for Oxbridge because they put so much more emphasis on ability and enthusiasm for the subject; it's perfectly possible to get in with no extra-curriculars.

That said, some sort of worthwhile or subject-related extra-curricular never hurts, particularly if it helps to show academic qualities such as ability to concentrate or commit to a long-term activity; much better than sitting round all day watching tv! But definitely doesn't have to be DofE - volunteering, music, dance, theatre, anything you enjoy really.

Reply 6

Farhan.Hanif93

18

Original post by tateco

There has always been this rumour going around my school that if you want to go to Oxbridge, or any other half-decent uni for that matter- you have to have GOLD D of E, I assume it is just crap but to what extent do you think D of E actually makes a difference in an application?

That rumour is BS. They almost completely care about how good you are at the subject you're applying to.

Reply 7

Jesse_Mac

1

They don't even do it everywhere, I wasn't even aware of it until I came to uni. I imagine it's helpful, but the actual competantcy in the subject is sure to be 99% of the offer.

Reply 8

innerhollow

18

Actually, I'd disagree with everyone here. Gold DofE sounds like it would be necessary for an Oxbridge application! Obviously! I mean, after all, when you're in the middle of your tough, demanding, Oxbridge course, having to submit very difficult weekly essays/problem sheets, it's going to be your campcraft and teamwork skills that get you through the long evenings of hard work. Your actual ability and competence for the subject fades into irrelevance compared with campcraft/teamwork skills.

Reply 9

Slumpy

16

Original post by innerhollow

Actually, I'd disagree with everyone here. Gold DofE sounds like it would be necessary for an Oxbridge application! Obviously! I mean, after all, when you're in the middle of your tough, demanding, Oxbridge course, having to submit very difficult weekly essays/problem sheets, it's going to be your campcraft and teamwork skills that get you through the long evenings of hard work. Your actual ability and competence for the subject fades into irrelevance compared with campcraft/teamwork skills.

Gold DoE is easy as anything in those terms compared to a degree, so I still don't feel it's meaningful.

Reply 10

innerhollow

18

Original post by Slumpy

Gold DoE is easy as anything in those terms compared to a degree, so I still don't feel it's meaningful.

I was being sarcastic. Of course the only thing that's going to help you with a tough Oxbridge course is your actual ability for the subject.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 11

Slumpy

16

Original post by innerhollow

I was being sarcastic. Of course the only thing that's going to help you with a tough Oxbridge course is your actual ability for the subject.

My apologies, it's been a long few weeks. Although you will find people who found DoE hard, and also believe people who've told them a degree is easier than A levels.

Reply 12

DarkWhite

17

Original post by tateco

There has always been this rumour going around my school that if you want to go to Oxbridge, or any other half-decent uni for that matter- you have to have GOLD D of E, I assume it is just crap but to what extent do you think D of E actually makes a difference in an application?

Sounds like utter tosh. It has the potential to add something to your application to education or work, but far from necessary in any walk of life. It's more a talking point than anything else.

Reply 13

Derek_the_Sheep

8

It is utter tosh. What you have to get is the Iridium D of E. This involves leading a team of boy scouts up three (3) winter alpine 4000m ascents while wearing boxing gloves and carpet slippers, curing one (1) or more (+) major diseases, housing 6 (six) big issue sellers for at least 4 (four) months (including breakfast), and composing a "regional epic" (poetic, novelistic or symphonic). No (0) drugs.

:sheep:

Reply 14

Reminisce

11

Nah, Oxbridge are notorious for only considering academic aspects of you. Unless the Gold D of E benefits whatever you're taking then it won't be of much help although it'll be an invaluable achievement when applying for Russell Groups.

Reply 15

EdmundB

They don't care about DofE, the amazing abilty to read Harry Potter backwards upside down translating into Arabic as you go or magical powers. As everyone else here has said, it's the academics that matter.

Reply 16

im so academic

15

Original post by tateco

There has always been this rumour going around my school that if you want to go to Oxbridge, or any other half-decent uni for that matter- you have to have GOLD D of E, I assume it is just crap but to what extent do you think D of E actually makes a difference in an application?

If anything the opposite is true.

Reply 17

im so academic

15

Original post by Athena

Why did you resurrect a two-month-dead thread to say that?

Apologies, I didn't realise the date. Still relevant however.

Reply 18

EmManzo

1

if it's between you and someone else who had the same grades, did just as well in the interview, seen to have exactly the same ability as you, etc, then doing DofE does give you an edge, but apart from in situations like that, no i dont think so.

Reply 19

fnatic NateDestiel

18

OP what did you do in the end?

Gold D of E? Oxbridge.

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