[Etoile]

(Original post by Craghyrax)
I'm obliged to demand a translation in English

Etoile is right. You have absolutely nothing to lose in giving it a shot. That is the most sensible thing to do. Just make sure you have one or two backups on the UCAS list.

Sorry Edited in
What kind of offer level would you suggest for backups?

[Llewellyn]

(Original post by SneakyDoug)
Scottish Qualifications -
4th year - seven 1's and a 2 (standard grade)
5th year - 5 A's (highers)
6th year - 3 Adv higher A's / 2 AH and 1 higher all A's

Would this get in?

It sounds good enough to get an interview. The equivalent GCSEs and A levels would be impressive. Are the number of higher/ advanced highers you are doing typical for a Scottish student? If so, I think that is completely fine.

[Craghyrax]

(Original post by Etoile)
Sorry Edited in
What kind of offer level would you suggest for backups?

Your guess is as good as mine! Perhaps one place with BBB/ABB? It all depends on your priorities. If you're really set on going to University straight after A levels, then it is worth putting a very safe choice into that list. Whereas if you're alright with reapplying and taking a year to resit some papers in order to get into better places, then it doesn't matter so much.

[Rainingshame]

(Original post by Etoile)
Oh awesome Don't they look for 90% in the three most relevant subjects for sciences though?



In maths? If I did I would barely be able to count As it was, most of my mistakes were arithmetic-based

I hope so, and i'm sure you'll be fine with languages with what you're getting currently! :L Now to get 90+ UMS in Biology, Chemistry and Maths......

[Etoile]

(Original post by Craghyrax)
Your guess is as good as mine! Perhaps one place with BBB/ABB? It all depends on your priorities. If you're really set on going to University straight after A levels, then it is worth putting a very safe choice into that list. Whereas if you're alright with reapplying and taking a year to resit some papers in order to get into better places, then it doesn't matter so much.

Thank you Yeah, I'd prefer to go straight to university because my course is four years as it is. Most places seem to offer around AAB-ABB so that should be okay I hope!

(Original post by Rainingshame)
I hope so, and i'm sure you'll be fine with languages with what you're getting currently! :L Now to get 90+ UMS in Biology, Chemistry and Maths......

I just hope I can get in the real exam what I do in past papers! Good luck

[ALittleWayAway]

Haha I will take the fact people thought I was trolling as confirmation that my marks are decent. Don't worry there is no one else in my country with as many a-levels and the Marks, you guys in Britain are safe do you recommend sociOlogy, psychology or history for my 12th A-level?

[zxh800]

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)
Haha I will take the fact people thought I was trolling as confirmation that my marks are decent. Don't worry there is no one else in my country with as many a-levels and the Marks, you guys in Britain are safe do you recommend sociOlogy, psychology or history for my 12th A-level?

History as imo that'll stretch you more than the other two.

[TheGrandmaster]

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)
Haha I will take the fact people thought I was trolling as confirmation that my marks are decent.

Did you really need confirmation?

[chickenonsteroids]

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)
Haha I will take the fact people thought I was trolling as confirmation that my marks are decent. Don't worry there is no one else in my country with as many a-levels and the Marks, you guys in Britain are safe do you recommend sociOlogy, psychology or history for my 12th A-level?

I don't think 12 is enough tbh. Add all three A levels to the list.

[Llewellyn]

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)
Haha I will take the fact people thought I was trolling as confirmation that my marks are decent. Don't worry there is no one else in my country with as many a-levels and the Marks, you guys in Britain are safe do you recommend sociOlogy, psychology or history for my 12th A-level?

You should probably focus your extra time on working towards the subject you're going to be applying for. Read around it, learn more about it, try doing projects or extra work on it.

If you're from New Zealand, why aren't you doing the NCEA? That is compulsory in New Zealand by law.

Or are you doing 12 A levels, iGCSEs and NCEA level 1 + 2 + 3? And a lot of extra circular activities (gold DoE alone will take up at least 3 hours a week, you say you are doing more).

I find your story in conjunction with your grammar, for someone who supposedly did so well in the English iGCSE, to be verification that you are trolling.

[Kidioteque]

(Original post by Llewellyn)
I find your story in conjunction with your grammar, for someone who supposedly did so well in the English iGCSE, to be verification that you are trolling.

Totally agree. Not to mention

1) for somebody whose grades clearly portray them as very, very, very clever, you'd think they'd have the common sense to realise their qualifications would be good enough for Cambridge, or, failing that, be able to use the search function and compare them against the majority of other candidates.

2) 97% in iGCSE English Language is undoubtedly very good but First in the World? Really? Hmm.

[chickenonsteroids]

(Original post by Llewellyn)
I find your story in conjunction with your grammar, for someone who supposedly did so well in the English iGCSE, to be verification that you are trolling.

OH SNAP!

[Llewellyn]

I'll entertain the thought that every post on here is serious for the sake of being fair. If he was being serious, and he did get those grades, then he got his answer.

But, to be honest, I think your grades have to be pretty bad to "not be good enough for Cambridge". Cambridge interview roughly 80 to 90 percent of applicants, and the 15 or so percent that they reject are (I suspect) mainly overseas applicants or applicants who have done badly in a number of important exams. That doesn't apply to Medicine though. I think you need to be pretty confident in your ability to apply to Cambridge for Medicine.

[ALittleWayAway]

I'm offended haha it is legitimate. And yes I have a certificate to show it was top in the world - thank you to the guy that actually offered constructive advice on reading around subjects. I do 12 a levels Ncea is not legal by law; particularly in private schools which are completely exempt. Ncea is regarded as sub par in comparison to the breadth, depth and academic rigor of the a level system.

[Kidioteque]

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)
I have a certificate

pics or gtfo




kidding, fair play to you if you're not indeed trolling. your academics are above and beyond what most UK applicants will have and, although i can't speak on behalf of people from other countries, i'd be amazed if most other international applicants had the same level of academic merit as you. best thing you can do now is read around your subject (incidentally, i don't think you've told us what it is you wish to apply for...?).

[Llewellyn]

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)
I'm offended haha it is legitimate. And yes I have a certificate to show it was top in the world - thank you to the guy that actually offered constructive advice on reading around subjects. I do 12 a levels Ncea is not legal by law; particularly in private schools which are completely exempt. Ncea is regarded as sub par in comparison to the breadth, depth and academic rigor of the a level system.

Even in private education, the country's standard qualification is often favoured over any other, mainly because it is unusual to look to go abroad for tertiary education. And normally if people do look to do that they will do some form of the Baccalaureate.

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)

Spoiler:

Show

Hi guys and girls!

I am a student from New Zealand looking to apply to Oxford or Cambridge (leaning towards Cambridge)

Just want some feedback on my academics, other areas like extra curriculars are strong (DoE Gold etc)


Cambridge:

IGCSE English Language A* 97% (1st in World) [completed in y10]
IGCSE English Literature A* 100%
IGCSE Biology A* 100%
IGCSE Chemistry A* 100%
IGCSE Physics A* 100%
IGCSE French A* 99%
IGCSE Mathematics A* 98% [completed in year 10]
AS Mathematics A 97%
AS Thinking Skills A 100%
AS Biology - A (90%)
AS Chemistry - A (90%)
AS Physics - A (91%)
AS English Language - A (97%) (Top in New Zealand)
AS English Literature -A (98%)
AS Economics - A (93%)
AS French - A (85%) Distinction in Speaking
A2 Mathematics -A* (92%) (completed in year 12)
A2 Thinking Skills -A* (93%) (completed in year 12)

Cambridge Subjects for 2012

A2 Biology
A2 Chemistry
A2 Physics
A2 Economics
A2 Further Mathematics
A2 English Literature
A2 French
AS General Studies
AS Global Perspectives
AS Business Studies
A2 Business Studies

Notable Cambridge Achievements

First in World IGCSE English Language (2009) -97%
First in New Zealand AS English Language (2011)- 97%
Top in New Zealand award across 5 AS levels (2nd - 2011)

I heard its extremely competitive, what kind of chance do I have?

Cheers!

Reading this again, are you taking A levels over 3 or 4 years? Most UK students here are either: in the AS year (year 12 = 16/17yo) and about to finish AS or in the A2 year (year 13 =17/18) about to finish all their A levels.

You took 2 GCSEs in 2009, the rest in 2010. Assuming you aren't doing the ncea, you would then have immediately started A levels. But it's 2012 now and you're talking about finishing the subjects next year, that's 3 or 4 years. Doing 12 A levels over 4 years is somewhat believable, although it is a very, very odd decision. Cambridge, and most UK universities will only care about performance in 3, maybe 4, of those subjects.

The equivalent student in the UK would have already applied to universities by your age (you are y13), so that is somewhat believable.

It doesn't really matter if you are lying or not, I think you are lying about at least some aspects of what you've put down. If everything is true then you don't have to worry.

There are people who apply with similar records to that. However, those people normally do not bother with extra circulars. Those people also rarely bother visiting open internet forums. Those people rarely ask stupid, or redundant questions. You supposedly have achieved the top grade in everything you've done, how can you possibly be worried about not having done well enough academically?

[ALittleWayAway]

You don't understand the NZ college system.

College has 5 years 9-13
Year 9 - Prep
Year 10 - Prep for most, IGCSE for accelerated classes in 2 subjects
Year 11 - IG
Year 12 - AS (accelerated may do some a2)
Year 13 - A2

I am not trolling and I would not waste my time if I didn't have a legitimate reason to query the pertinence of my marks in the grand scheme of oxbridge admissions. I do extra curriculars because I love them and they are needed for the Ivy League, and a lot of a levels, because I love academia and its a diffrentiating point above and beyond the truck load of 4 A level A people, and if I can handle them all, why not do them?

Just for clarification

[Llewellyn]

(Original post by ALittleWayAway)
You don't understand the NZ college system.

College has 5 years 9-13
Year 9 - Prep
Year 10 - Prep for most, IGCSE for accelerated classes in 2 subjects
Year 11 - IG
Year 12 - AS (accelerated may do some a2)
Year 13 - A2

I am not trolling and I would not waste my time if I didn't have a legitimate reason to query the pertinence of my marks in the grand scheme of oxbridge admissions. I do extra curriculars because I love them and they are needed for the Ivy League, and a lot of a levels, because I love academia and its a diffrentiating point above and beyond the truck load of 4 A level A people, and if I can handle them all, why not do them?

Just for clarification

I do understand the NZ college system, the way your college works is very different. I think you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about in relation to the "pertinence of the Oxbridge system"; what did you expect the standard to be if you were anxious about being below it? The fact is you don't have a legitimate reason to be querying. You're either stupid or you're being satirical.

My point about the dates is that you have told us that you are in year 13 now. But you are planning on applying post year 13, which is not usual for UK students. If you plan on doing/ finishing more next year, you will be doing A levels over 3 years, which is not usual either.

I don't care if you're lying or not, you have the answer to the question you asked. Discussing whether or not you're lying is fallacious here.

Doing more than 4 A-Levels is borderline pointless, and students who do more than 4 are not favoured at all. The whole point of A levels is that students specialise more, otherwise they'd do IB. Cambridge have said they only consider the top 3, or 3 most relevant subjects for A level students.

If you had the slightest inclination to actually discover that you would visit their official website, or order a prospectus to find out. That would offer your a primary, unbiased statement. You could have emailed their admissions. Instead, you've come here. Now put on your analytical cap and try to understand that from the second person perspective; what would your reaction be?

[ak2109]

(Original post by Kidioteque)
Totally agree. Not to mention

1) for somebody whose grades clearly portray them as very, very, very clever, you'd think they'd have the common sense to realise their qualifications would be good enough for Cambridge, or, failing that, be able to use the search function and compare them against the majority of other candidates.

2) 97% in iGCSE English Language is undoubtedly very good but First in the World? Really? Hmm.

I am currently doing my IGCSEs and the First in the World thing is clearly not true...I know a few people who got 100% in their language marks!

[member591354]

Quick question. Is achieving 90 UMS across your three best subjects at AS common? I know that around 20-25% of all people get an A in each subject and 1 in 6 get straight As but I would love to know this statistic too - even if it is just an estimate. Thank you.