[CJM13]

Hey chaps,

I'll start off with a quick disclaimer; I know these types of thread can be tiresome and I often get annoyed with them myself. I apologise in advance for this, as I also know that in terms of determining how likely I am to get a place there can be no single answer as none of you represent the University of St Andrews. I'm mainly looking for anecdotal evidence or personal experience as to how likely I am to get in with this set of grades.

Thanks in advance.

Right, my GCSEs first of all are very average:

English Language A
English Literature A
Classical Civilisation A
IGCSE Mathematics B
IGCSE Double Award Science BC
IGCSE French C
Fine Art C
Geography C

I'm studying at AS level these subjects and hope to achieve:

Classical Civilisation A
Government and Politics A
Philosophy B
History C

If it turns out like this, I am likely to drop History and aim for AAB/AAA with the remaining subjects. I may retake to get the History AS to a good B.

If I was to apply to St Andrews for Ancient History (Classics) with these grades, a good set of extracurriculars and a strong personal statement how would you rate my chances? Does St Andrews place a great deal of emphasis on any particular area?

I'm looking for a blunt answer. If I've not got a hope in hell please say so.

I'm very sorry for the length, but thanks for reading through.
CJM.

[Ecosse_14]

The first thing is you need to meet the entrance requirements for the faculty of arts. The fact you have a C in French may cause you problems but I've found conflicting information from 2 sources on the St Andrews website (and I'm not sure which is most up to date or correct).

Faculty of Arts
Students entering the Faculty of Arts must have gained a pass at Credit Level Standard Grade or GCSE (at grade A or B) or equivalent in English, a language other than English (with the exception of Modern Languages students who will have higher entry requirements) and either Mathematics or an approved science.

Arts
SQA Standard Grade (1, 2, or 3) or GCSE (A, B or C) or equivalent, in English, a language other than English and either Mathematics or an approved science.

I would email admissions and find out if you do meet the faculty of arts requirements. Apart from that, with AAB/AAA predictions your grades should be fine. St Andrews places massive emphasis on the personal statement so you really need to work on that. ECs don't really matter so I wouldn't focus on them heavily.

EDIT: After looking at the PDF closer (second quote) it seems out of date as entrance requirements have definitely increased a couple of years ago from what is stated there so I think you would need an A/B in French but I'd still email admissions for clarification and if you'd be accepted into the faculty based on your grades.

[CJM13]

(Original post by Ecosse_14)
The first thing is you need to meet the entrance requirements for the faculty of arts. The fact you have a C in French may cause you problems but I've found conflicting information from 2 sources on the St Andrews website (and I'm not sure which is most up to date or correct).


I would email admissions and find out if you do meet the faculty of arts requirements. Apart from that, with AAB/AAA predictions your grades should be fine. St Andrews places massive emphasis on the personal statement so you really need to work on that. ECs don't really matter so I wouldn't focus on them heavily.

EDIT: After looking at the PDF closer (second quote) it seems out of date as entrance requirements have definitely increased a couple of years ago from what is stated there so I think you would need an A/B in French but I'd still email admissions for clarification and if you'd be accepted into the faculty based on your grades.

Thanks very much, I've just sent an email and I'll ring up at some point as well to be sure. It says that the "Dean of Faculty" can make an "exemption" for some of the requirements, but I'm not sure if thats only if the student hasn't had the chance to take a language. Either way I'll try and get clarification.

[Oxy]

(Original post by CJM13)
Hey chaps,

I'll start off with a quick disclaimer; I know these types of thread can be tiresome and I often get annoyed with them myself. I apologise in advance for this, as I also know that in terms of determining how likely I am to get a place there can be no single answer as none of you represent the University of St Andrews. I'm mainly looking for anecdotal evidence or personal experience as to how likely I am to get in with this set of grades.

Thanks in advance.

Right, my GCSEs first of all are very average:

English Language A
English Literature A
Classical Civilisation A
IGCSE Mathematics B
IGCSE Double Award Science BC
IGCSE French C
Fine Art C
Geography C

I'm studying at AS level these subjects and hope to achieve:

Classical Civilisation A
Government and Politics A
Philosophy B
History C

If it turns out like this, I am likely to drop History and aim for AAB/AAA with the remaining subjects. I may retake to get the History AS to a good B.

If I was to apply to St Andrews for Ancient History (Classics) with these grades, a good set of extracurriculars and a strong personal statement how would you rate my chances? Does St Andrews place a great deal of emphasis on any particular area?

I'm looking for a blunt answer. If I've not got a hope in hell please say so.

I'm very sorry for the length, but thanks for reading through.
CJM.

My GCSE's are worse. I got ABBB at AS-level but I got a place for MChem Chemistry. My teachers were nice enough to predict me AAA but from GCSE grades my A-level predictions were like CDE. I was ultimately only aiming for AAB and wouldn't of dreamed of getting what I did.

Short answer: Yes you have a chance but is it big? I'm not so sure. If you have lots of other choices, I probably wouldn't bother applying. Otherwise you have nothing to lose from applying, apart from a UCAS application of course.

[CJM13]

Ok, having rung up, it seems that the requirements are almost set in stone. I have been given someone else more "in the know" to email, but I don't hold out much hope.

Would it be possible to take GCSE French in a year do you think, and would the university make it part of my offer?

[CJ99]

It would depend on the course but St Andrews in my experience tend to be more lax with the entry requirements that most Universities so if you bumped up the history to a B and then got straight A's I would say there is a decent chance of the French grade being a non-issue. I would however say that if you are applying to study Ancient History not have an A grade A level in history will probably hurt your chances.

[CJM13]

(Original post by CJ99)
It would depend on the course but St Andrews in my experience tend to be more lax with the entry requirements that most Universities so if you bumped up the history to a B and then got straight A's I would say there is a decent chance of the French grade being a non-issue. I would however say that if you are applying to study Ancient History not have an A grade A level in history will probably hurt your chances.

I guess there's always hope. With it being one of my five choices I may apply without the B and see what happens. The History shouldn't be an issue, only because despite the confusing title it isn't a history degree, its a classics degree. My A (hopefully) in Classics should count in my favour.

[Ecosse_14]

(Original post by CJM13)
Ok, having rung up, it seems that the requirements are almost set in stone. I have been given someone else more "in the know" to email, but I don't hold out much hope.

Would it be possible to take GCSE French in a year do you think, and would the university make it part of my offer?

I would ask this person who's email you have whether having a C in French means you get an outright rejection and if they'd consider you if you sat it next year to up your grade. It would be part of your offer in that case I believe. I have no idea about redoing GCSEs though.

[CJ99]

(Original post by CJM13)
I guess there's always hope. With it being one of my five choices I may apply without the B and see what happens. The History shouldn't be an issue, only because despite the confusing title it isn't a history degree, its a classics degree. My A (hopefully) in Classics should count in my favour.

Even then I think it would count against you. My flatmate does classics and by all accounts it's a fairly good school. If you have the option to resit for a B (or A?) I think it would be a smart idea if you are keen on St Andrews.

[Oxy]

(Original post by CJM13)
Ok, having rung up, it seems that the requirements are almost set in stone. I have been given someone else more "in the know" to email, but I don't hold out much hope.

Would it be possible to take GCSE French in a year do you think, and would the university make it part of my offer?

Yes GCSE French is a pile of piss, easily done in a year.

[CJM13]

(Original post by CJ99)
Even then I think it would count against you. My flatmate does classics and by all accounts it's a fairly good school. If you have the option to resit for a B (or A?) I think it would be a smart idea if you are keen on St Andrews.

Fair enough, makes sense. I'll see how my results turn out, then make decisions on resits.

Looks like I'll be revisiting French as well.

[Negaduck]

I got rejected for Maths at St Andrews even though I got all A* or A at GCSE and wa spredicted an A* in both MAths and Further Maths at A-level... So i'm assuming their standards are pretty high. MY friend also got rejected for his course and he has got better grades than me.

[CJ99]

(Original post by Negaduck)
I got rejected for Maths at St Andrews even though I got all A* or A at GCSE and wa spredicted an A* in both MAths and Further Maths at A-level... So i'm assuming their standards are pretty high. MY friend also got rejected for his course and he has got better grades than me.

That's the direct opposite experience of myself. On my second time applying they told me that with an A in AH Maths I was more or less guaranteed a place and I received an unconditional. Maybe it's because you're RUK or your PS wasn't great(they place a big emphasis on PS)?

[Negaduck]

(Original post by CJ99)
That's the direct opposite experience of myself. On my second time applying they told me that with an A in AH Maths I was more or less guaranteed a place and I received an unconditional. Maybe it's because you're RUK or your PS wasn't great(they place a big emphasis on PS)?

Yeah, i'm pretty sure that they can't give a place to a RUK student over a Scottish student who has the grades. Or something along those lines. I did throw my PS together at the last second but i'm pretty sure they don't care that much about it a more prestigious Universities. When I was at Cambridge the interviewer actually told me he hadn't even read my PS.

[Ecosse_14]

(Original post by Negaduck)
Yeah, i'm pretty sure that they can't give a place to a RUK student over a Scottish student who has the grades. Or something along those lines. I did throw my PS together at the last second but i'm pretty sure they don't care that much about it a more prestigious Universities. When I was at Cambridge the interviewer actually told me he hadn't even read my PS.

Not at St Andrews.. they place A LOT of emphasis on the PS.

[Negaduck]

(Original post by Ecosse_14)
Not at St Andrews.. they place A LOT of emphasis on the PS.

Oh really? They failed to tell me this at the open day! Mine was pretty ****ty to be honest.

[CJ99]

(Original post by Negaduck)
Yeah, i'm pretty sure that they can't give a place to a RUK student over a Scottish student who has the grades. Or something along those lines. I did throw my PS together at the last second but i'm pretty sure they don't care that much about it a more prestigious Universities. When I was at Cambridge the interviewer actually told me he hadn't even read my PS.

As Ecosse said they care a huge amount about PS at St Andrews. They have a quota to fill of Scottish/EU and RUK, of which there are more Scottish/EU places and more RUK applicants but it's not that big a difference. I suppose an A in A levels isn't that uncommon whereas an A in AH is quite rare.

[Holly Unsightly]

I'd definitely try and bump your History AS up as much as possible. Ancient History may be in the School of Classics, but it IS history and you do study historians/historiography as opposed to more literary/cultural stuff which is covered in Classical Studies (are you sure you don't want to apply for this?)

Also, I'm studying Classics (Greek & Latin) here and my grade requirements were AAB with an A in French (I took French, History, Classical Civilisations and Maths) - this almost certainly because of the language aspects of my degree, but is worth bearing in mind.

[Bella_trixxx]

I had no idea that there were GCSE requirements for St Andrews - I know a few people who definitely don't have a language GCSE at grade A or B! Is that just a recent thing?

[Ecosse_14]

(Original post by Bella_trixxx)
I had no idea that there were GCSE requirements for St Andrews - I know a few people who definitely don't have a language GCSE at grade A or B! Is that just a recent thing?

It differs between faculty. They've had it for at least a few years, I know they did when I was applying in 2009.