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The official UCL am I good enough / GCSE freak out thread

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Reply 60
Original post by uttamo
Yeah hopefully :cool: and physics mainly and also chemistry, like how the cause of something like the malleability of metals can be explained on an atomic level and stuff like why diamond is so hard. In physics it's just mainly natural phenomena like the Doppler effect (it's simple yes but incredibly satisfying when you learn it) and radioactive isotopes (although we don't do that at A-Level:frown:)


Maybe you can look at the effects of the metal and create a project based around it, though it may be a bit expensive or even try to shadow a researcher at university.
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Reply 61
Original post by Iqbal007
Maybe you can look at the effects of the metal and create a project based around it, though it may be a bit expensive or even try to shadow a researcher at university.


Yeah good idea, I'll do something science-based for my EPQ. Do you think I should do EPQ, on top of maths, further maths, chemistry and physics? I'm in year 12 btw.
Reply 62
Original post by uttamo
Yeah good idea, I'll do something science-based for my EPQ. Do you think I should do EPQ, on top of maths, further maths, chemistry and physics? I'm in year 12 btw.


If it's science based, it would make you stand out.............but I can't say whether you should not, cos I don't know how motivated you are or how you work.
Reply 63
Original post by Iqbal007
If it's science based, it would make you stand out.............but I can't say whether you should not, cos I don't know how motivated you are or how you work.


Yeah I am motivated and really desperately want to get into UCL! Ok I'll do it then, thanks for your advice!
Reply 64
Original post by uttamo
Yeah I am motivated and really desperately want to get into UCL! Ok I'll do it then, thanks for your advice!


Don't tell me, show it to the UCL admissions people :smile:
...English Language and Literature Combined as an A-level, as opposed to English Literature alone?

I'd love to study French and Spanish at UCL, and I'm predicted A's in my AS Levels, and the ones that I am going to continue with are French, Spanish, and English Language + Literature Combined.

However, is it true that, with UCL being a very prestigious school, having chosen to study English Lang + Lit instead of Lit alone might have an effect on whether or not I am accepted?

Thanks in advance for your help, and I hope that made some sort of sense haha :biggrin:
Reply 66
I'm in year 12, and have seen that UCL require you to have a language GCSE. I didn't take one, as I just hated languages. Does this mean I just have no chance of getting in if I applied? And do you know if any other universities require you to have a language GCSE? Thanks...
Reply 67
Original post by ummm
I'm in year 12, and have seen that UCL require you to have a language GCSE. I didn't take one, as I just hated languages. Does this mean I just have no chance of getting in if I applied? And do you know if any other universities require you to have a language GCSE? Thanks...


On the website it says 'For students who do not have a Modern Language GCSE UCL will provide opportunities to meet the language requirement once enrolled at UCL.' but I'm not sure whether that's only for people who couldn't do a language at GCSE, seeing as you could but you chose not to. The best thing to do is to email them about it.

And you should just check on other unis' websites to see whether they require languages GCSE. So far I've come across none apart from UCL... :smile:
Reply 68
Original post by uttamo
On the website it says 'For students who do not have a Modern Language GCSE UCL will provide opportunities to meet the language requirement once enrolled at UCL.' but I'm not sure whether that's only for people who couldn't do a language at GCSE, seeing as you could but you chose not to. The best thing to do is to email them about it.

And you should just check on other unis' websites to see whether they require languages GCSE. So far I've come across none apart from UCL... :smile:


Thanks for the help! Hmm, it kind of sucks. I was going to do Spanish at GCSE, but I suddenly had to change schools to one that didn't offer it, and I always hated French so really didn't want to do it... Oh well, I'll probably email them like you said. Thanks!
Reply 69
I applied there without a language GCSE, simply because I didnt think I would need in later life.
I got an email after they received my application basically saying I needed a language GCSE for them to review my application unless I provide a valid reason.

My reason wasn't good enough so I was rejected lool.

But if you weren't offered it as an option from your school then you should be fine; you just need to get your school to contact UCL when they send you an email like they did with me.

Hope that makes it a bit clearer for you.
Reply 70
Original post by Jack842
I applied there without a language GCSE, simply because I didnt think I would need in later life.
I got an email after they received my application basically saying I needed a language GCSE for them to review my application unless I provide a valid reason.

My reason wasn't good enough so I was rejected lool.

But if you weren't offered it as an option from your school then you should be fine; you just need to get your school to contact UCL when they send you an email like they did with me.

Hope that makes it a bit clearer for you.


I don't really have a good enough reason - I had the opportunity to do French, but I just didn't want to. :frown: What was your reason for it? Hope I'm not missing out on too much by not being able to apply there. I wouldn't want to do some language course while I was there anyway...
Reply 71
Original post by ummm
I don't really have a good enough reason - I had the opportunity to do French, but I just didn't want to. :frown: What was your reason for it? Hope I'm not missing out on too much by not being able to apply there. I wouldn't want to do some language course while I was there anyway...


My reason was that it was in the same option block as business, which is the subject I wanted to do an uni.
Reply 72
If it wasn't available to you, then I think that's fine! I've got a friend who recently got an offer for English and didn't have a language GCSE. It was because at our school you either had to choose History or a language.
You dont need one. But if you get an offer you must complete a language during your time at UCL.

I got an offer without a GCSE, which was a relife
Reply 74
See the thing is, I applied to UCL this year - I have yet to hear from them. But I have yet to be rejected, either!
I don't have a language GCSE, so I think there are exceptions to that. If you're worried, I suggest you contact them before you apply and explain your situation.
Reply 75
I didn't have a language GCSE and they asked me for the reasons. And I gave them a valid reason, but also really emphasised the fact that if I get in I will fulfill any outstanding requirement for languages - e.g: weekend or summer classes. And also you could get your teacher to ring in. Also if you can speak a second language at home or something, then you could mention that too.
As long as you're predicted a good enough grade, I shouldn't think it will make all that much difference.
Reply 77
I was just wondering how competitive UCL currently is. I'm currently studying AS and thinking about which universities to apply to next year for a straight Mathematics course. If i were to get 3 As in Further Maths, Maths and Physics with a B in Economics, and I'd also most likely drop Economics for A2. What do you guys think my chances are for getting in? Should I even consider applying?

All advice is appreciated. :smile:
It all depends really . Are you international or home student ? If you are home , then you need an A* in maths , and also how strong your PS would be . If it was in previous years , i would have told you , you wont a chance with a B in like econ , but with the changes in fees for home/EU students , the Gvt has categorically told universities to give more places to home students since the fees will be much higher compared to previous years where only the very best home students made it to ucl or lse but from what i ve seen this year , its all changed . I ve seen some people with lower grades getting into lse or ucl of which if these very same applicants had applied in the previous cycles , they wouldn't have been allowed through the gates , so its worth a try .
On another note , your subjects are strong so that should put you in good stead , try have an A* in maths and i m sure you will get in . Good luck .
pretty ****ing competative

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