Bad G.C.S.E.'S - Big Problem?

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Just to clarify, I wasn't thinking about lying, i was thinking about what would happen to someone who did it. I have morals!

Reply 21

Fluffy

che_guevara

Just to clarify, I wasn't thinking about lying, i was thinking about what would happen to someone who did it. I have morals!

I didn't say you were - just that they check more often than you suggested. I grew up in Cheltenham and a lot of my old school friends work for UCAS....

Reply 22

stratomaster

Even though they probably check at interivew UCAS should check all of the forms really cos that's just undermining (sp) other candidates hard work.

Also i think oxbridge look at your gcse's taking into account the percentage rates at your high school. So few A*s from bad comprehensive>lots of A*s from private school. Maybe.

Reply 23

Fluffy

The other thing is that most competative courses require you to provide your exam certificates before you can enrole to start your course. That catches a lot of people out :wink:

Reply 24

Fluffy

ailuros neg repped me for being realistic - if that upsets any of you - sorry!

But lets face it - what is the point of saying 'Yeah! You'll make it', if it's not really likely. Those GCSE and A level grades are not going to get you in unless you are exceptional - and you would have to be able to piss solid gold or just be plain lucky to get your UCAS form to a selector who is going to get past your grads in order to give your PS any consideration.

If you want to move uni because you hate your current one, then be more realistic - what about City?

If you want to move because you are an academic snob, then what about getting a 1st (and proove your academic worth) and then apply for a masters at LSE/OxBridge/Whatever.

It's people like ailuros who are all that is wrong with TSR. This is the real world we live in not an ego massaging internet bubble...

Realism is the name of the game, not ego massage.

Reply 25

GoodasGyal

Ok thanks for the advice, im now screwed since I was in hospital when my GCSE's took place and I was only able to attend 4 exams. 4 GCSE's that looks reallllllllll good!

Reply 26

Fluffy

TopShopper_girl

Ok thanks for the advice, im now screwed since I was in hospital when my GCSE's took place and I was only able to attend 4 exams. 4 GCSE's that looks reallllllllll good!

That's a different kettle of fish altogether - you have mitigating circumstances - mention it in your PS and get your referee to mention it in your reference. Do well in your A-Levels and you'll be fine.

Reply 27

rachelrainbow32

So what do you think the min grades are really for getting into a top law uni

Reply 28

holdencaulfield

'Bad' GCSE's are not a problem. Oxbridge like other universities base their admissions on a number of factors. GCSE's, references, AS grades if provided, predicted grades, personal statement, in the case of some subjects an admissions test, written work submitted and most importantly an interview.

It's a cliche but I know of people from my school with straight A*'s and straight A's at A-level who have been rejected by Oxford and other people with mediocre grades who've got in. Grades seriously are not everything and perfect grades no guarantee of getting into Oxbridge or indeed any other top university.

Whilst many on this forum wish universities were stupid - they're not. Universities realise that it would be unfair to directly compare in terms of grades a privileged upper class student from Eton with perfect grades with someone from a struggling comp. The superior facilities and incredibly low number of students per teacher give many private schools an undeniable advantage.

Apply to wherever you want and ignore people on here saying that you don't stand a chance. They're not admission tutors. They're also not privy to all the information that admission tutors will have access to. Good luck.

Reply 29

Fluffy

He already has ABB at A-Level, and is a 1st year law student at QMUL.

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rachelrainbow32

So what do you think the min grades are really for getting into a top law uni

you'll probably need better A2's than ABB. Especially when applying with your grades already as there's no potential to get more (unlike ABB predictions). You certainly wouldn't make OxBridge with ABB combinded with 'below OxBridge' GSCEs.

Reply 30

rachelrainbow32

Fluffy

He already has ABB at A-Level, and is a 1st year law student at QMUL.

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you'll probably need better A2's than ABB. Especially when applying with your grades already as there's no potential to get more (unlike ABB predictions). You certainly wouldn't make OxBridge with ABB combinded with 'below OxBridge' GSCEs.

I dont have ABB, i was just wondering.

Reply 31

Fluffy

As already pointed out, there's no magic formula.

However, grades are what gets your UCAS form past the 'sifter' to an actual selector when it comes to competative courses. If your grades do not meet the mark, then you can almost guarentee that your form will not get as far as someone to read your PS and make a decision on your application i.e offer/interview/reject.

Reply 32

Che!

To do Law at a top Uni, i'm pretty sure you'd need AAA predictions. My friend has 6A*s and 3As at GCSE and a 3A prediction and still got rejected from Manchester. The competition is v v v tough. Good grades will help you though.

Reply 33

dappleddawndrawndauphin

Unfortunately they do seem pretty important for the competitive courses and universities. With Oxbridge, if you get as far as interview you have other chances to prove yourself. The others may well place quite a lot of emphasis on GCSEs though - I'm probably being paranoid, but the people on TSR who have early offers from my favourite university for English seem to be the ones with the higher GCSEs...

Still, they take other factors into account so it's always worth a go if you get good AS results and predictions :smile:

Reply 34

lostinfantasies

What about health courses such as OT?

Lets just say I didn't get exactly the same sort of grades that you people are thinking "bad". And now I'm worried.

Reply 35

dappleddawndrawndauphin

Fluffy

Yep *this* is what scares me - knowing my luck it'll be 6A*s :frown:

Reply 36

Fluffy

che_guevara

Exactly - read through the websites of the uni's mentioned in post no 1 and their law requirements.

This is Oxford's:

http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/courses/enreq.shtml

For A-level students, most conditional offers are likely to be set at AAA, or sometimes AAB in three subjects taken as full A-levels. In addition, colleges may specify a certain grade to be achieved in an AS-level (if it has not been achieved already).

LSE's:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/undergraduateAdmissions/AdmissionsCriteria/law.htm

Standard Offer AAA/AAB/38 points

UCL's

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/prospective/undergraduate/index.shtml?entry

GCE Advanced Level Examinations: AAA plus a pass at a fourth subject a AS level

I rest my case.

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lostinfantasies

What about health courses such as OT?

Lets just say I didn't get exactly the same sort of grades that you people are thinking "bad". And now I'm worried.

OT isn;t the course under debate - law is.

OT is a vocational training degree. The best courses are usually ran by 1992-universities (as that was always their speciality when poly's), and they are not as heavily over subscribed.

Things like making sure you have at least A-C passes in 5 GCSEs (which must include Maths and English), are more important for health related course.

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*Bethany*

He already has ABB at A2 according to another post of his - http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showpost.php?p=3578464&postcount=1

Reply 37

barb24

Hello, I'm currently doing law at Oxford, and I'm pretty sure I have one of the worst sets of GCSEs ever round these parts. I got, ahem, 1 A*, 1 A, 5 C's and 3 D's. I was informed by my tutor it was the first EVER time they had let someone in with grades like this (still can't figure out whether this is a compliment). But the point is that it can be done.
Having said that, I'm prob not in the same boat as a lot of you. For a start, when I applied, I was a little bit older than the average (but still under 25, so in mature student no-mans-land!). I had worked in some relevent jobs, for an MP and a lobby group etc.
Also, I had my A-Level grades. I, for some reason known only to my masochistic side, I decided to take them in a year. Somehow, I got three A's and the fact I did them fast-track helped, I'm sure.
If you have got bad/average GCSEs and there are mitigating circumstances as to why, then for God's sake, tell them. I typed a letter explaining mine in detail (basically home probs, missed bout 70% of school for 3 years) and just attached it to the oxford application form.
Anyway, just thought if you were in similar circumstances that my experience would be helpful to you. Best of luck, whatever you choose to do. :smile:

Reply 38

yo_dude

If such mitigating circumstances aren't conveyed in a PS or reference, what is there left to do?

Reply 39

barb24

yo_dude

If such mitigating circumstances aren't conveyed in a PS or reference, what is there left to do?

The majority of universities are happy to receive correspondence outlining the details of circumstances which could had an adverse effect on your results. If you are applying to Oxford or Cambridge, you have the additional option of using the extra information it on the application form specific to oxbridge entry. Is also a good idea, if the circumstances related to an illness of yours or a family member, to get a signature from your family doctor to confirm. There is plenty left to do, for the universities I applied to that weren't Oxford, I just wrote a letter. In the end, I got offers from all of them, and I'm convinced that this wouldn't have been the case if I hadn't let them know.