[a rusH]

I'm applying to uni in September, and if I get good AS grades/A2 predictions, I'd like to apply for medicine at either Cambridge or Oxford.
I've researched around a little, and I know that Cambridge like to focus on anatomy and have human dissections.
But other than the courses, what made you choose to go to either Cambridge or Oxford? Was it just a gut feeling, are the people different, do the atmospheres differ, or is there something more?
How did you decide?

[AreebWithaHat]

I applied to oxford and got rejected-so I hope you don't mind me answering
I liked the way oxford do admissions so 50% gcse's and 50% BMAT score. Whilst Cambridge have varying admissions procedures and they focus on AS UMS scores a lot (you need to be at 95%+) And they also took into account that I came from a poor school. Also, on the open day the colleges seemed much nicer at Oxford and I applied as I felt more at home. But the courses are very very similar.

[a rusH]

(Original post by areebmazhar)
I applied to oxford and got rejected-so I hope you don't mind me answering
I liked the way oxford do admissions so 50% gcse's and 50% BMAT score. Whilst Cambridge have varying admissions procedures and they focus on AS UMS scores a lot (you need to be at 95%+) And they also took into account that I came from a poor school. Also, on the open day the colleges seemed much nicer at Oxford and I applied as I felt more at home. But the courses are very very similar.

That's fine, of course I don't mind!
Yeah, that's the problem I have with Cambridge, the whole nosiness into UMS grades. However I just think it looks so beautiful, compared with Oxford. My GCSEs are pretty strong, but I am a bit concerned about the BMAT- I've heard it's very hard! How did you find it?

[AreebWithaHat]

(Original post by a rusH)
That's fine, of course I don't mind!
Yeah, that's the problem I have with Cambridge, the whole nosiness into UMS grades. However I just think it looks so beautiful, compared with Oxford. My GCSEs are pretty strong, but I am a bit concerned about the BMAT- I've heard it's very hard! How did you find it?

What are your GSCE's like?

[a rusH]

(Original post by areebmazhar)
What are your GSCE's like?

I (somehow) came out with 10A*s, and I did an FMSQ which I got an A.

[tooambitious]

(Original post by a rusH)
I (somehow) came out with 10A*s, and I did an FMSQ which I got an A.

Congrats ! As the above poster said, gcses are weighted mire heavily at Oxford which may be to your favour, it all depends on AS UMS are like, I'm not a current student, but my sister was and she explained some of it to me

[AreebWithaHat]

(Original post by a rusH)
I (somehow) came out with 10A*s, and I did an FMSQ which I got an A.

Wow that's really good! So you have a 100% A* GCSE ratio. If you can do decent on the BMAT then you will get an interview at Oxford. For instance I prepared for about 2/3 hours and got 6.3(very good)4.6(below average) 4A for the essay which is very good. And I had an 83% A* ratio and narrowly missed out on the interview. The only reason I did bad on section 2 was because I didn't revise my GCSE science on things like pregnancy hormones etc!

[AreebWithaHat]

I would personally go for Oxford as your GCSE's will provide you a huge advantage applying there, Cambridge won't really care. Unless you can do very very well in AS

[a rusH]

(Original post by tooambitious)
Congrats ! As the above poster said, gcses are weighted mire heavily at Oxford which may be to your favour, it all depends on AS UMS are like, I'm not a current student, but my sister was and she explained some of it to me

Thank you Well in my opinion, the chances of me getting 95%+ in every module is very slim, so that's why I'm a bit wary of Cambridge.

(Original post by areebmazhar)
Wow that's really good! So you have a 100% A* GCSE ratio. If you can do decent on the BMAT then you will get an interview at Oxford. For instance I prepared for about 2/3 hours and got 6.3(very good)4.6(below average) 4A for the essay which is very good. And I had an 83% A* ratio and narrowly missed out on the interview. The only reason I did bad on section 2 was because I didn't revise my GCSE science on things like pregnancy hormones etc!

Thanks! So I'll have to get out my old GCSE books then... good job I haven't thrown them away! I've already probably forgotten around 80% of it, haha.

(Original post by areebmazhar)
I would personally go for Oxford as your GCSE's will provide you a huge advantage applying there, Cambridge won't really care. Unless you can do very very well in AS

Thank you, I'll keep that in mind. It's more competitive at Oxford isn't it?

[AreebWithaHat]

(Original post by a rusH)
Thank you Well in my opinion, the chances of me getting 95%+ in every module is very slim, so that's why I'm a bit wary of Cambridge.



Thanks! So I'll have to get out my old GCSE books then... good job I haven't thrown them away! I've already probably forgotten around 80% of it, haha.



Thank you, I'll keep that in mind. It's more competitive at Oxford isn't it?

It's about the same, you've got a very good chance for an interview. And then it's 40% chance of an offer

[a rusH]

(Original post by areebmazhar)
It's about the same, you've got a very good chance for an interview. And then it's 40% chance of an offer

Oh, okay. I go to a private school, however I'm on scholarship, so we don't pay fees- do you know if they would take that into account? I also live in quite a rough area. Or do they just ignore that?

[ROBBY7896]

(Original post by a rusH)
Thank you Well in my opinion, the chances of me getting 95%+ in every module is very slim, so that's why I'm a bit wary of Cambridge.



Thanks! So I'll have to get out my old GCSE books then... good job I haven't thrown them away! I've already probably forgotten around 80% of it, haha.



Thank you, I'll keep that in mind. It's more competitive at Oxford isn't it?

Just wanted to add that, when they say 95%, they mean 95% on the UMS scale. You probably already know this, but this certainly doesn't mean you actually need to get 95% of the questions right on the paper. For instance, in my experience, you can get less than 90% in the exam and still come out with 100%. Basically, what I'm saying is don't be intimidated by the 95% thing, its easier than it sounds. Also, as long as you are getting 90+ in all your exams that would be fine. Cambridge know that, once you are getting above 90, the difference is only exam technique, not knowledge.

[a rusH]

(Original post by ROBBY7896)
Just wanted to add that, when they say 95%, they mean 95% on the UMS scale. You probably already know this, but this certainly doesn't mean you actually need to get 95% of the questions right on the paper. For instance, in my experience, you can get less than 90% in the exam and still come out with 100%. Basically, what I'm saying is don't be intimidated by the 95% thing, its easier than it sounds. Also, as long as you are getting 90+ in all your exams that would be fine. Cambridge know that, once you are getting above 90, the difference is only exam technique, not knowledge.

Yeah, thanks unfortunately I'm behind on revision so I'm not sure if I'll be getting over 90, that's the problem!

[a rusH]

What about anybody else?

[AreebWithaHat]

(Original post by a rusH)
Oh, okay. I go to a private school, however I'm on scholarship, so we don't pay fees- do you know if they would take that into account? I also live in quite a rough area. Or do they just ignore that?

Sorry no idea

[VaVe]

I went with gut feeling for Cambridge since I looked at it before Oxford (alphabetical) and it was a very rushed decision (essentially I was given a weekend to tell my 6th form if I wanted to apply and to which one including college, spent a day looking at Cambridge and figured it looked good and there wasn't going to be much difference between the two that I could pick up that quickly).
Given my GCSE results then it's pretty say that I wouldn't have been made an offer from Oxford so it was lucky that I got bored of looking at the websites I guess.

[manic_fuzz]

I chose to apply to Oxford generally because I preferred it right from the beginning. The websites were actually somewhat influential considering when I first looked into the unis I didn't understand how to even find the Courses on the Cambridge site
Plus, last year I spent a residential trip at both universities and definitely preferred Oxford as a city. As well as this, Oxford has their FHS for 3rd Year where you do extra research into 1 of 5 areas of medicine which seems rather interesting

However overall I would really say that it was more of a gut instinct thing than anything

[Pride]

(Original post by a rusH)
Oh, okay. I go to a private school, however I'm on scholarship, so we don't pay fees- do you know if they would take that into account? I also live in quite a rough area. Or do they just ignore that?

they won't take into account whether you pay your school fees or not.

They will however look at how you are compared to what your school averages. This is why high achievers in badly performing comprehensives tend to do well, they aren't common. They won't take into account the area you live in either.

[a rusH]

(Original post by manic_fuzz)
I chose to apply to Oxford generally because I preferred it right from the beginning. The websites were actually somewhat influential considering when I first looked into the unis I didn't understand how to even find the Courses on the Cambridge site
Plus, last year I spent a residential trip at both universities and definitely preferred Oxford as a city. As well as this, Oxford has their FHS for 3rd Year where you do extra research into 1 of 5 areas of medicine which seems rather interesting

However overall I would really say that it was more of a gut instinct thing than anything

Hola amigo! Remember me?
Congrats on your offer!! What were the interviews like?
I haven't been to either city before but I'm planning to this summer. Don't Cambridge have a year of intercalation too? Or is that slightly different?
I'm beginning to lean towards Oxford now, so if I decide to apply, do you mind if I steal any tricks/hints off you in the future?

[a rusH]

(Original post by Pride)
they won't take into account whether you pay your school fees or not.

They will however look at how you are compared to what your school averages. This is why high achievers in badly performing comprehensives tend to do well, they aren't common. They won't take into account the area you live in either.

Oh dear... in my year, there were 10 pupils that got 11A*s, 10A*s, and 10*s & A. So they probably wont see my results as a great achievement.
Maybe I should have chosen to go to the local state school, eh?