[Pandin]

(Original post by tooambitious)
im not sure because im not familiar with the system, but Oxford want "Diploma de Ensino Secundário/Certificado with a score of 18 or higher.", generally Oxford ask for lower grades for internationals that Cambridge, for examle only 15 in le bac and 1.0-1.5 in the abitur (compared to Cambridge's requirement of 1.0-1.3), if we assume this is the general pattern then for Cambridge yoour grades wold not be good enough :/. Hoever i would send an email!

Additionally, in order to stand a real chance at Cambridge it's vital having e.g. an Abitur of 1.0 - that's at least what I heard from some successful applicants.

[Colmans]

(Original post by Kimchi_59)
Thankyou I didn't realise that they looked at the three best.

To answer your last\ question I think AS/A2 business studies would do absolutely nothing to enhance an English application. It is regarded as a soft A-level, only generally of any value for Economics applicants whose school doesnt offer Economics. You would do better to devote your energies to lots of reading around your subject and getting maximum grades in your three A2. EPQs don't particularly add to your application as many schools don't do them but if you tailor it to your subject the wider reading can help you at interview.

[Dallairius]

Hey guys, so in my GCSEs I got 9A*s and an A, but during this year I suffered from depression and put in a dismal amount of effort for my AS levels; I expect equally dismal grades tbh. I don't deserve good grades, I know that.

I've gotten one A so far (French) and I hope to have gotten at least 2 more despite circumstances (English and Music), but I have a bad feeling that the other two (Maths and Further Maths) will be absolutely terrible Particularly Further Maths - and I don't mean this in the 'anything below an A is absolutely terrible' way - I've genuinely done very badly. I am dropping it next year if that makes a difference...

Do I still stand a chance of getting into Oxbridge? Or am I better off not applying? It's frustrating because I know that had I worked properly I would have been capable of acheiving 5 As. I do intend to resit any modules below an A to bring them up to As, and next year I hope to do much better...but is it too late?

I'm applying for Music, if that helps (:

[Stretton]

If your three AS are around 90% the others will be less of a disadvantage especially if somebody mention your problems in your reference. However Cambridge can be a stressful place and you want to be sure it is right for you. A post qualification application once you have good grades may be worth considering.


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[Xiomara]

I'm sure this has been asked before but from your (multiple people) experiences, what UMS % does the average successful Medicine applicant have?

[Extricated]

(Original post by Dallairius)
Hey guys, so in my GCSEs I got 9A*s and an A, but during this year I suffered from depression and put in a dismal amount of effort for my AS levels; I expect equally dismal grades tbh. I don't deserve good grades, I know that.

I've gotten one A so far (French) and I hope to have gotten at least 2 more despite circumstances (English and Music), but I have a bad feeling that the other two (Maths and Further Maths) will be absolutely terrible Particularly Further Maths - and I don't mean this in the 'anything below an A is absolutely terrible' way - I've genuinely done very badly. I am dropping it next year if that makes a difference...

Do I still stand a chance of getting into Oxbridge? Or am I better off not applying? It's frustrating because I know that had I worked properly I would have been capable of acheiving 5 As. I do intend to resit any modules below an A to bring them up to As, and next year I hope to do much better...but is it too late?

I'm applying for Music, if that helps (:

Apply through the special access scheme. Cambridge look at your best three AS UMS % scores so Music, English and French will be your best, and M/FM are counted as 1 subject so will be meaningless, especially if you explain circumstances. You definitely have a chance! Good luck

[Rahul.S]

(Original post by Extricated)
Apply through the special access scheme. Cambridge look at your best three AS UMS % scores so Music, English and French will be your best, and M/FM are counted as 1 subject so will be meaningless, especially if you explain circumstances. You definitely have a chance! Good luck

does the special access scheme account for a student being on road and shotting food?

[kitkat19]

I keep hearing that maths an further maths count as one subject. But if i apply for maths at cambridge and do A2 maths, firther maths and physics...this would still count as 3 A2's right? And they would still consider me even though im doing 3 and not 4...

[tooambitious]

(Original post by kitkat19)
I keep hearing that maths an further maths count as one subject. But if i apply for maths at cambridge and do A2 maths, firther maths and physics...this would still count as 3 A2's right? And they would still consider me even though im doing 3 and not 4...

When we say as one subject, we mean when they calculate UMS average rather than taking Maths, FM + 1 other, they'll take maths, FM + 2 others. Of course of you're applying for maths, maths, FM, physics is fine!

[lp386]

(Original post by Xiomara)
I'm sure this has been asked before but from your (multiple people) experiences, what UMS % does the average successful Medicine applicant have?

Generally across the university in the most relevant three subjects, the average applicant has 90% and the average successful applicant has 95% - but of course it's worth noting that these are averages and so half of successful applicants (across the university) will be below this, and that in medicine the BMAT may mean a lower focus on UMS.

[Chief Wiggum]

(Original post by Xiomara)
I'm sure this has been asked before but from your (multiple people) experiences, what UMS % does the average successful Medicine applicant have?

http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergrad...sforum2010.pdf

The average UMS from Bio/Chem/Maths/Physics for both "all applicants" and "successful applicants" for Medicine 2010 entry can be viewed in the above document.

[CD315]

Probably been asked before, but;

Are there any particular colleges that place more emphasis on certain aspects of the admissions process? For example, is there a certain college/number of colleges who would focus more on GCSEs, or the interview, etc?

[Melz0r]

(Original post by CD315)
Probably been asked before, but;

Are there any particular colleges that place more emphasis on certain aspects of the admissions process? For example, is there a certain college/number of colleges who would focus more on GCSEs, or the interview, etc?

In general, no. There are a few cases of specific requirements for specific colleges (for example, Churchill tend to set particularly challenging offers for Law) but in general, it's as uniform as possible.

[526540828]

hi, I just received my IB result, I got 5 in physics HL, 6 in chemistry HL and 7 in maths HL, 7 in language B HL, i did meet the condition of 776 in highers, but not total score 40, (only have 37), do i still have chance??? is chemical engineering popular in Downing, Cambridge??

thanks for any advice....!

[ukdragon37]

(Original post by 526540828)
hi, I just received my IB result, I got 5 in physics HL, 6 in chemistry HL and 7 in maths HL, 7 in language B HL, i did meet the condition of 776 in highers, but not total score 40, (only have 37), do i still have chance??? is chemical engineering popular in Downing, Cambridge??

thanks for any advice....!

You should email Downing immediately if they had made you the offer.

[526540828]

(Original post by ukdragon37)
You should email Downing immediately if they had made you the offer.

I did. All they say is waiting until mid Aug......

[ukdragon37]

(Original post by 526540828)
I did. All they say is waiting until mid Aug......

Ah then that means they are waiting to see how well the other offerees do and they would make a decision then based on how you compare. You'd just have to wait I'm afraid. Hopefully this year isn't competitive. Unfortunately they may treat Chemical Engineering as an Engineering/NatSci stream for admissions so would compare you against others applying to those two, which is always competitive everywhere.

[526540828]

(Original post by ukdragon37)
Ah then that means they are waiting to see how well the other offerees do and they would make a decision then based on how you compare. You'd just have to wait I'm afraid. Hopefully this year isn't competitive. Unfortunately they may treat Chemical Engineering as an Engineering/NatSci stream for admissions so would compare you against others applying to those two, which is always competitive everywhere.

Thanks. But 5 in physics hl is hard to be accepted to do engineering....and 37 is too low for cambridge... but i heard this year a level is hard as well

[Bulbasaur]

On the Cambridge website it says this:

Ranking

Three AS/A2 UMS averages will be generated and presented in three adjacent columns: the average of the best three subjects; the average of the best four subjects; for applicants for science courses, the average across any science subjects taken (where for this purpose the science subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Maths [including Further Maths] and Physics).

On this page: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/a...tion1/1_4.html under 1.4.4

I always thought they only measured the top 3 for arts and 3 most relevant for sciences? Does it really matter if your 4th is much lower than the rest? For example if someone had 92/91/87/68. An average of the first 3 gives 90%, yet only 84.5% of the top 4. Would this be much more damaging than if the 68 was an 84, for example?

[Colmans]

(Original post by Bulbasaur)
On the Cambridge website it says this:



On this page: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/a...tion1/1_4.html under 1.4.4

I always thought they only measured the top 3 for arts and 3 most relevant for sciences? Does it really matter if your 4th is much lower than the rest? For example if someone had 92/91/87/68. An average of the first 3 gives 90%, yet only 84.5% of the top 4. Would this be much more damaging than if the 68 was an 84, for example?

If you wanted someone to do a science degree which was well known for being very academically demanding and involved broad study in the first year, and if you knew that the various disciplines of science were interlinked and had transferable skills which one would you prefer?

In reality even the first will be quite a bit below the average for success. Trinity says that a post-qualification student needs A*A*A* to be competitive for sciences and Cambridge says the average UMS is nearer 94-96%