If you have the minimum grades required for the course, I'd apply if you are very passionate about the course you want to undertake and have goals and a lot of commitment show through in your P.S. and interview (if you get offered one).

It all depends on how much reading you do around your subject and the interest you have in it. Your exam results determine your intellectual capabilities and intelligence.

Reply 29

NapoleonDynamite

Original post by bramz19

Prone to stupid comments?

Perhaps an internet connection isn't for you.

Your comment had 7 reps when I clicked and it went straight to 9 :wink:

Reply 30

bramz19

May as well actually address the OP, seeing as I'm getting dragged back here: Oxford, no question.

Reply 31

bramz19

Original post by NapoleonDynamite

Your comment had 7 reps when I clicked and it went straight to 9 :wink:

Okay then...

Reply 32

doloroushazy

Oxford (maybe I'm biased..)
I mean you have a good chance either way because you have brilliant grades etc, although Cambridge do look at UMS for AS levels as you said in your original post haha.. . Plus, Oxford is meant to be better for English.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 33

deltabomber

Original post by Wellie

2) Latin is not English. I'm being highly realistic here as I achieved a low A in AS. This could translate into a B next year if I take it. The jump from AS Latin to A2 Latin is astronomical, a lot larger than the GCSE/AS jump. The Economics jump, according to various sources, is not as big.

Maybe, but i read an article from stewart lee who did english at st edmund cambridge that not having a good grasp of latin held him back and so got a 2.1

Reply 34

deltabomber

Plus the only reason i posted was because no-one else was answering you for 3 hours and posting usually provokes some interest in a thread...

Reply 35

Wellie

Original post by deltabomber

Maybe, but i read an article from stewart lee who did english at st edmund cambridge that not having a good grasp of latin held him back and so got a 2.1

Because he probably did the foreign language option at Cambridge in which he also highly probably took Latin, something that you don't do with Oxford. But I do see what you mean. Do you think it would look weak dropping it?

Reply 36

Wellie

Original post by deltabomber

Plus the only reason i posted was because no-one else was answering you for 3 hours and posting usually provokes some interest in a thread...

Ok, don't worry

Reply 37

deltabomber

Original post by Wellie

No, and heres where i reveal myself to be a hypocrite, i dropped my chemistry from as to a2 so i could concentrate on physics and further maths for uni :rolleyes:

no questions were asked as i got almost 100% in most exams

Reply 38

purplefrog

I would say Oxford due to your UMS. But are the courses at the two places very similar in terms of structure and module options? At the end of the day, apply to whichever course you like the most. And I do know quite a few people at Cambridge that missed their offer for their college, but got accepted anyway because they were liked (only seems to be with arts subjects though, all the science ones i know who missed their offer would not get any leeway).

and two guys in my year got into eng lit at oxford - one took bio, chem, history, eng lit. the other took chem, hist, eng lit, maths so your subjects should be fine as long as you have two substantial essay subjects in there :smile:

Reply 39

Wellie

Original post by deltabomber

No, and heres where i reveal myself to be a hypocrite, i dropped my chemistry from as to a2 so i could concentrate on physics and further maths for uni :rolleyes:

no questions were asked as i got almost 100% in most exams

But did you apply to Cambridge? If you had really high UMS points then they might not care if you drop a subject. They would be able to see your high UMS marks and know that you would hit that A*AA, thus not needing Chemistry. And were your A2s Maths, Further Maths and Physics then?

Original post by purplefrog

Oxford's course is less flexible, options only becoming available in the third year. You do Shakespeare at different times and Cambridge have a unique Tragedy paper. With Cambridge you have an option to do either Old English (650-mid1300s), an English Language option, or the foreign literature paper which is the most common. Taking Latin to A2, Cambridge would expect me to carry it on for this paper in the second year (another reason for my reluctance with Cambridge rather than Oxford). Oxford you have to study Old English but there is no foreign language specified requirement for any part of the course. Oxford, as far as I can gather, incorporates more English Language/Creativity within the field of 'English' than Cambridge does. They are the main differences. Also, Cambridge's English course has some set texts whereas Oxford's is nearly entiely open and is more college specific.

Some questions:
How about me dropping Latin as it is relevant, would that be a hindrance? Also, I would only be taking three A2s. With such high competition and no UMS maybe Oxford want me to take four A2s (something I think I would struggle with taking into account Latin!!!) as to show my commitment and academic merit, just as your two friends who got in? So would dropping Latin be foolish and should I take 4 A2s with Oxford? Finally, do you know how well those two did with ELAT and their acedemic records, as to establish ELAT's significance with admissions?