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Bad gcse results

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Reply 20
Original post by Theafricanlegend
The circumstance is actually very relevant, that is why you have different degrees of ''mark boosting'', for example, a parent passed away will be 5% extra marks. where as divorce of parents/sepeartion is like 3% i remember reading somewhere. Id just like to add you only have one year of volunteering. Anyways i thought you wanted to apply to physics? Physics does not require volunteering.
here are tables of correlation between GCSEs and tripos exams, I sugeest you read:
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/admissions/research/docs/prefective_effectiveness_of_metrics_in_admission.pdf

This is also very interesting:http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/teachers/presentations/teachersforum2010.pdf
Out of 16 applicants that had no A*s in gcse none got in. Obviously if you smash that 95percent you have a really good chance! Its also worth noting that out of the 16 none got above 90percent so maybe thats what failed them?

Good luck for the future.


I have 3 years of volunteering, not 1 year.
I was going to apply to read physics/natural sciences because they are less popular than medicine so I figured as long as I have great grades at AS (and a2 obviously) I would be okay to get on the course and then apply to medicine as a grad, however after much thought I think I will just go straight for medicine and put a load of effort in to work exp. etc throughout the year.

Sure, very relevant to the uni's, I'm not discussing it on here. Also, it's much more than a silly divorce or separation, that's no excuse for not getting A*s in comparison.

And yes, I see the results however I do wonder whether they had bad results because of lack of effort.
Thanks for the statistics, it only makes me more determined not to be one of those.
(edited 11 years ago)
Can anyone help me? Is a OCR Level 2 award, a vocational qualification? thanks
The two subjects are Business/finance and ICT.
Original post by Abdirashid16
Can anyone help me? Is a OCR Level 2 award, a vocational qualification? thanks


dont really know, but level 3 courses i think are the harder than level 2.
Reply 24
Original post by Occams Chainsaw
Hi guys!

First of all; Just a quick note to show my appreciation for TSR, although I am a very recent member I have been using the TSR for a few years now, browsing over forums and posts and generally have found it to be very insightful and helpful - I thank you all for your great work!

Now, moving on...

I sat my GCSEs in years 2009-2011 meaning this year I should have actually been sitting my A Levels but due to some extenuating circumstances I took some time out of school. Unfortunately a mix of the circumstances I brushed over, a lackluster attitude and an ego the size of a ... I can't think of a non-sexual metaphor :/ I failed to do anything at GCSE, I got my Level 2 threshold (5a*-c) achieving mainly all Cs with my subjects... no As, despite that being what I was expected to get for every subject by my teachers. I think they have been more disappointed than me with my results tbh.

Next year I want to go to college to study biology, chemistry, maths and physics at AS with the hope to drop bio the year after and take on further maths since it is meant to be relatively easy when you have done maths core 1 and 2 compared to without.

My aim is to eventually go in to medicine (hence the bio) but since my GCSEs are suckish and I am too prideful to claim extenuating circumstances to get my grades boosted I don't stand much of a chance, even if I got As and A*s in everything at A Level so the plan is to do Physics (hence the further maths) which is a real interest of mine, then apply to medicine as a graduate which seems sensible imo :smile:

Anyway, the real issue is that since my GCSE grades were so low I don't actually meet the entry requirements at my local colleges for those specific subjects!! :frown: I was wondering if one of you lovely people could tell me if with a lot of kissing ass and showing my enthusiasm at the interview, and maybe getting references from my teachers who, without my sounding to big headed, have told me im a genius (hence the ego i suppose) I would be able to get in under the requirements... Or if its even allowed! Even if I have to be put on 'probation' and watched closely for the 1st few weeks/months I'm happy to feel them breathing down my neck if it means I get to do the subjects I want and fulfill my dreams in gaining a medical licence someday and being able to solve medical puzzles (im one of the few who is interested in medicine for reasons other than the cliche!).

Thanks a lot in advance and sorry for the length of the query! Maybe I should be a lawyer or political instead, eh!?

You sound like you really want to do this degree but a problem I can think of is that say you get admitted to a sixth form college and per chance get 3 A's and get an interview. Chances are the admissions tutor will question the huge contrast between GCSE's and AS levels. However this shows that you have finally taken your grades seriously and I reckon they will be impressed by that. Good luck with your future. I hope you achieve your goals :smile:
Original post by Theafricanlegend
dont really know, but level 3 courses i think are the harder than level 2.


Do you know if it's a vocational qualification?
Original post by Abdirashid16
Do you know if it's a vocational qualification?


Don't do level 2's if you are aiming for top unis
Original post by Theafricanlegend
Don't do level 2's if you are aiming for top unis


Thanks for the reply, but I cocked up my GCSEs last year, and am doing a resit course, OCR National Certificate Level 2, and want to know if it's a vocational qualification.
Reply 28
Original post by Abdirashid16
Thanks for the reply, but I cocked up my GCSEs last year, and am doing a resit course, OCR National Certificate Level 2, and want to know if it's a vocational qualification.


Perhaps ask that on a relevant thread.
Reply 29
Original post by Occams Chainsaw
Just doing an update as promised - I was accepted to do chemistry, maths, further maths and physics at college! :biggrin:

How did you mange that? I haven’t been accepted yet and I’m really worried
But all the best for you :smile:

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