The Big "Are My Grades Good Enough for Cambridge?" Thread (Mk1)

hiya yeah I was just thinking about it these few days -

I think on GCSE results day I'll be changing my AS options to either:
Art, Physics, Maths, Geography
or
Art, Physics, Maths, Chemistry

Not further maths because apparently it's not regarded as a 'desirable' subject by some Unis according to my physics teacher who took FM, Maths, Physics and went into Mechanical Engineering but flunked the degree and did physics.

But the problem is that I'm struggling to hit high exam scores for geography.. and there's a lot of stuff to remember for it - case study detail.. but according to 6th formers who took geography in previous years, they've said that Unis are regarding geography to be a science? and that it's not a lot different to GCSE

I'm doing OK in Chemistry compared to Physics.. I feel like I struggle in lessons but do OK in exams

^^Considering Chemistry/Geography for AS

His ECs are:

Oz work abroad
Trek America
Charity work
Fundraising
Paralympic reporting
Teaching English in China

...so? Pretty darn useless unless he can apply them to show passion for his subject. UK universities don't take anywhere near as much interest in ECs compared to their American counterparts.

So he traveled to Vancouver to report on paralympians, stood in the rain collecting for a dog charity, taught English in a Chinese village, etc for no reason...

Please stop making this up. The grades you posted are so odd that I'd say they were impossible. Doing A level music without the GCSE is not believable. Then, these were your grades, then these were your brother's grades. Your brother achieved A*A*A*a, didn't go to uni, took a gap year, hasn't applied/ gone to uni again, is taking another gap year and plans to apply next year?

Is there a question or reason behind these posts or are you just enjoying this?

I never said they were my grades.

Yes, I worked hard over the 9 week summer holidays by revising via CGP books

I got all those grades, currently on a GAP teaching English in Cambodia to orphaned giraffes

No in all seriousness I am on a gap doing odd jobs down under.

I am worried about applying. I am not the stereotypical Cambodian orphaned giraffe teaching toff :P

Really?
...
So there was a family issue that stopped him from going to university or applying... yet he had time to do all of these Extra circulars, some of them abroad...

What is the point of this?

Wait what what what? If you're talking about Engineering; then your teacher doesn't know what he's on about. Maths/Further Maths/Physics <--- THE big three for Maths/Engineering/Physics at the top top Universities. I don't know about Architecture -and if you decide on that, then Further Maths probably won't be that relevant- but for Engineering, PLEASE don't disregard Further Maths because of some bad advice your physics teacher gave you.

I wrote it in first person because I didn't realise people would look at my grades.

Family issue was a break-up. His living arrangements were messed up and he didn't have a permanent address, etc.

I am looking at getting 93-95% average across my other 3 subjects but my fourth AS level I just have no interest in and I am looking at a standard A or maybe even a B, will this affect my Cambridge application?

My GCSE results were 2a* 6a 2b 1c
My predicted A levels are A* maths A* econ A psychol A further maths

would these be good enough to study maths+econ at oxbridge ?

The GCSE's are not the strongest and are usually fairly negligible in the grand scheme of things, although due to the high competitiveness of the Cambridge economics course you might be slightly disadvantaged compared to other candidates. You have good A Level predictions, but nearly everyone will have similar ones - providing some sort of feedback with regards to UMS performance would greatly help to judge, as there can be a big difference between two candidates who on paper both have A grades. The subject choice seems appropriate for the course you want to do, so that's fine.

I would say that your application will hinge greatly on the UMS, so providing some examples of that would be useful. Based on the information available though I certainly wouldn't discount you.

bronze/silver/gold DofE completed, county rower, youngest briton to climb highest mountain in europe (Mt Elbrus), walked across england in 3 days and raised £2.5k for cancer research doing so, great north run in sept raising ~£1.5k, massive amount of experience with public speaking

haha i'm basically listing extracts from my personal statement

bronze/silver/gold DofE completed, county rower, youngest briton to climb highest mountain in europe (Mt Elbrus), walked across england in 3 days and raised £2.5k for cancer research doing so, great north run in sept raising ~£1.5k, massive amount of experience with public speaking

haha i'm basically listing extracts from my personal statement