AS UMS possible for oxford over a* at gcse?

OP

Original post by knope

Oxford don't see your UMS.

so is it only pretty much cambridge that cares?

Reply 4

Original post by pathosL

say a person didn't get any a* at gcse, but managed to get 95+ UMS at AS level average across their subjects, do they have any chance of getting in?

if it is based off subjects more then:
-medicine (strong bmat and ukcat)
-maths (strong step)
-physics
-engineering

thank you!

Oxford care a lot about their admissions test; if you did well in STEP you will do in the MAT/PAT.

Cambridge care more about GCSES than Oxford does. Cambridge care more about raw UMS than Oxford does.

Reply 5

ElLeonNino

5

Original post by Melthusa

Oxford care a lot about their admissions test; if you did well in STEP you will do in the MAT/PAT.

Cambridge care more about GCSES than Oxford does. Cambridge care more about raw UMS than Oxford does.

What Uni's ignore Poor/Mediocre GCSE grade's, if there are strong AS?

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Melthusa

Oxford care a lot about their admissions test; if you did well in STEP you will do in the MAT/PAT.

Cambridge care more about GCSES than Oxford does. Cambridge care more about raw UMS than Oxford does.

i dont think so

Reply 7

Original post by pathosL

i dont think so

Why is it, when people like me who are most knowledgeable about this issue quote facts and figures people like you throw around your opinion, contributing absolutely nothing to discussion?

If you want to contradict me, provide evidence or explain why you are more qualified than somebody who is heavily involved in Oxford and Cambridge access?

Reply 8

manic_fuzz

17

Original post by pathosL

say a person didn't get any a* at gcse, but managed to get 95+ UMS at AS level average across their subjects, do they have any chance of getting in?

if it is based off subjects more then:
-medicine (strong bmat and ukcat)
-maths (strong step)
-physics
-engineering

thank you!

For Medicine Oxford bases shortlisting for interview on A*s at GCSE and BMAT score. Generally people with below 50% A* don't get an interview, let alone people with none. Also, Oxford make no use of the UKCAT.

Reply 9

OP

Original post by Melthusa

Why is it, when people like me who are most knowledgeable about this issue quote facts and figures people like you throw around your opinion, contributing absolutely nothing to discussion?

If you want to contradict me, provide evidence or explain why you are more qualified than somebody who is heavily involved in Oxford and Cambridge access?

from what 've heard you're wrong

Reply 10

qwertyuiop1993

16

Original post by Melthusa

Why is it, when people like me who are most knowledgeable about this issue quote facts and figures people like you throw around your opinion, contributing absolutely nothing to discussion?

If you want to contradict me, provide evidence or explain why you are more qualified than somebody who is heavily involved in Oxford and Cambridge access?

Actually, the evidence would suggest that you are actually wrong.

Cambridge's website explicitly states, "Our research shows that post-16 examination performance is a much better predictor of degree success at Cambridge"

"Our research shows that performance at AS/A Level as measured by average UMS percentages is a much better predictor of degree potential than GCSE results."

http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/requirements/thefacts.html

While in a study of Oxford admissions involving 19 tutors across the subject range, the conclusion was that "prior attainment, in particular at GCSE level, bears the strongest
relationship with admissions decisions" p. 319 (this is discounting interview performance/subject tests). Source: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/learningteaching/kli/staff/staff-resources/annazimdars/azimdars2010-fairness-undergraduateOxford.pdf

The fact that Cambridge has gone out of its way to emphasise the importance of AS UMS over GCSE and that in the Oxford study GCSE performance was singled out, seems to support the view that Oxford cares more about GCSEs than Cambridge and not the other way around.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 11

OP

Original post by qwertyuiop1993

Actually, the evidence would suggest that you are actually wrong.

Cambridge's website explicitly states, "Our research shows that post-16 examination performance is a much better predictor of degree success at Cambridge"

"Our research shows that performance at AS/A Level as measured by average UMS percentages is a much better predictor of degree potential than GCSE results."

http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/requirements/thefacts.html

While in a study of Oxford admissions involving 19 tutors across the subject range, the conclusion was that "prior attainment, in particular at GCSE level, bears the strongest
relationship with admissions decisions" p. 319 (this is discounting interview performance/subject tests). Source: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/learningteaching/kli/staff/staff-resources/annazimdars/azimdars2010-fairness-undergraduateOxford.pdf

The fact that Cambridge has gone out of its way to emphasise the importance of AS UMS over GCSE and that in the Oxford study GCSE performance was singled out, seems to support the view that Oxford cares more about GCSEs than Cambridge and not the other way around.

thank you! will rep when my limit is over!

Reply 12

username1155925

14

Original post by pathosL

say a person didn't get any a* at gcse, but managed to get 95+ UMS at AS level average across their subjects, do they have any chance of getting in?

if it is based off subjects more then:
-medicine (strong bmat and ukcat)
-maths (strong step)
-physics
-engineering

thank you!

For medicine they just look at proportion of a*s at gcse and bmat, you'd have to a) get a reeeally strong bmat and b) justify the lack of a*s at gcse with some sort of mitigating circumstances

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 13

Original post by qwertyuiop1993

Actually, the evidence would suggest that you are actually wrong.

Cambridge's website explicitly states, "Our research shows that post-16 examination performance is a much better predictor of degree success at Cambridge"

"Our research shows that performance at AS/A Level as measured by average UMS percentages is a much better predictor of degree potential than GCSE results."

http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/requirements/thefacts.html

While in a study of Oxford admissions involving 19 tutors across the subject range, the conclusion was that "prior attainment, in particular at GCSE level, bears the strongest
relationship with admissions decisions" p. 319 (this is discounting interview performance/subject tests). Source: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/learningteaching/kli/staff/staff-resources/annazimdars/azimdars2010-fairness-undergraduateOxford.pdf

The fact that Cambridge has gone out of its way to emphasise the importance of AS UMS over GCSE and that in the Oxford study GCSE performance was singled out, seems to support the view that Oxford cares more about GCSEs than Cambridge and not the other way around.

That's kings college London, and not Oxford you're quoting. :cockup:

Reply 14

manic_fuzz

17

Original post by Melthusa

That's kings college London, and not Oxford you're quoting. :cockup:

Did you even look at the source? It's a review of the Oxford admissions process...

Reply 15

qwertyuiop1993

16

Original post by Melthusa

That's kings college London, and not Oxford you're quoting. :cockup:

Don't be ungracious, just accept that you were wrong. I'm not saying GCSEs are a massive deal at Oxford, just that they seem more important than at Cambridge... To quote a certain someone: "Why is it, when people like me who are most knowledgeable about this issue quote facts and figures people like you throw around your opinion, contributing absolutely nothing to discussion?" I think I'll take the evidence from "20 interviews with admissions tutors, three interviews with university and college officials and observations of eight admissions meetings" (p. 311 of the study on Oxford admissions) over the opinion of some randomer on TSR. It's so ironic that you've perfectly articulated your own failure.

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 16