Russell group - GCSE's

On a serious note, does GCSE matter or not? Universities ask for A-level grades then say mention "B/C" on a specific GCSE subject(s). But I'm talking on an overall scale, does it matter or not. I'm not stupid, many know that people applying for uni will have A*'s when it asks for B's. I'm not talking about Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial or LSE. All others part of these.


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Add Warwick to this list. All other universities don't really give two ****s from my own understanding. Unless you're applying to Medicine or Law, or something else that's really really competitive. Regarding RGs, QMUL/Liverpool etc.. will take you with practically anything given you have the grades in the necessary specified subjects and overall 5* A-C's

I've 5* A-C and a bit more, but obviously that's not really good. They only mention A-levels but GCSE's are a real concern. Although I do have mitigating circumstances. I want to go somewhere like Southampton, UCL if possible. Kings is good too. I was considering bath and royal holloway but they aren't part of RG.


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RG don't mean much anymore. The only recognisable difference to a RG university is they get extra-funding by RG organisation for their research departments which means they can specialise in certain areas and higher decent researchers who are also lecturers. Bath for instance is amongst one of the best universities in the country. In all honesty a degree at Bath is better than a degree say Southampton (by a stretch). I'd recommend looking at what subject you want to do and then looking at the rankings of how that subject places if you want to go for the best universities for your particular course. The only real RG brilliant universities are the target schools.. Oxbridge, Warwick, Imperial, LSE, UCL. Further down, they just stray in with the rest of the universities.

For a Economics degree. Say you meet all requirements but your over all GCSE's are really poor but can be explained due to extenuating circumstances.


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Lol i applied for economics too. But i think UCL are a stretch if your gcses are really really mediocre. Most people applying there are going to Oxbridge wannabe applicants bear in mind.

FYI Bath for economics probably beats more than half of the RG uni's for undergraduates, their campus is probably one of the best in the country too.

Yeaa, but with mitigating circumstances I'll give it a shot. As for Bath, I've been hearing that a lot too. But the number of placement they have is way too low. It's almost a offer to rejects from Oxbridge, imperial, lse.


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Curious what subjects do you do?

Southampton and KCL and more than reasonable with good. AS grades. (FYI I think Kings does not offer a pure economics degree, rather some weird politics/Econ combo )


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Yup, I know that really bothers me, I may not apply there.

I do Maths, Economics and English Language, Media studies. I'll be dropping media an picking up Further Maths next year.


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To be fair, you may as well live dangerously and aim really high on one of your options, if you like the look of a uni like UCL. It's only one of your five choices, and I tend to think that if you don't get at least one rejection, you probably didn't aim high enough in the first place - and you may get lucky. Who knows?

What are your actual grades?

I have really terrible GCSE's but I've just firmed an RG uni for physics. I think that if they ask for a certain GCSE at a certain grade and you have it, and if you have good AS grades and personal statement then you have a shot.

All I had were my rubbish GCSE's, current grades and personal statement and I got offers. I mean, I didn't have a good reference, even got a few complaints about it! ):

Yes, I understand. I'm about to do these exams. Haven't got any grades for them yet.


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That's a great insight, but then again depending on the competitiveness if the course and position of the RG group may also be a factor.


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Nah, what are your GCSE grades? Your other posts suggest that you're currently in the sixth form.