2014 AS and A2 Results Day (Thursday 14th August) Official Thread - 8 days to go!

Hi. That's a really tough question: and one we can't answer without seeing how well you do in the MAT and the interviews. And how well everyone else who applies that year does.

Your GCSEs are about the average of what we see for successful candidates for CompSci. Nothing to worry about there. The A* in Maths would have been good, but not a deal-breaker as long as you're doing well at AS Maths and FM. But, remember GCSEs are only a small part of what look at when we decide who to give a place too. Have a look at the past MAT tests. They'll give you an idea of what we're looking for.

We aren't looking for any specific knowledge of computing from our applicants. There's no magic ticklist of things you need to tell us you've done on your personal statement. (If there was personal statements would be really very dull, and not at all personal.) So some stuff you enjoy in the field and tell us about it. Show your enthusiasm for the subject. You may already have found this, but if not these might be useful: http://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/ugadmissions/how_to_apply/personal_statement.html
http://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/ugadmissions/why_oxford/what_do_tutors_look_for?.html

Sadly we can't make offers to every great candidate we see. And we do have to turn away good candidates every year. What we can guarantee is that if you don't apply we can't consider you. If you apply you're in with a shot.

Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

Oh my goodness wouldn't know where to start to work out what I need at A2 to meet my offer lol - see how clever you are already!! Good luck x

Just wanted to say I think its great that you have taken the time to offer really useful advice to future potential candidates! Keep up the good work and maybe others may follow your lead!

I worked out for my place at uni this year I would have needed to achieve:
Geography: AA for A overall :'(
Psychology: BC for B overall
Health & social care: AAD or BBC for B overall.

Byebye uni

I dont understand how half of you are able to remember the papers and questions and what you wrote. Its madness

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I dont understand how half of you are able to remember the papers and questions and what you wrote. Its madness

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I only remember odd snippets - think its more the maths/science crowd that do! I did all essay based subjects and I think its harder to remember what you wrote in them as there isn't a straightforward "right" answer. But the doubts do creep in that maybe I wrote a load of tosh!

I keep having a full on RS4 induced meltdown even though I know I wrote what I was supposed to!

I needed a B, and I haven't! Too chicken about it after all, coupled with the fact I'm not able to get to my laptop to check the files properly.

That is true... I just hope I got a nice examiner who had a nice day, perhaps found £10 in their jeans pocket when they took them out of the wash, and was feeling particularly understanding and generous. I hope the same for all us SNAB Biologers.

One thing I do know though - my courseworks for AS and A2 are awful. Decent grades in both AS and A2 examinations may not be enough to balance it out.

I have been described as a pessimist by some. A lot, maybe. But I think it's a good headspace; you're either right or pleasantly surprised.

Thank you for your kind words! You'll do fine in August I'm sure! Where and what do you want to do?

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RS4 is a crazy way to do an exam - it might as well have been a coursework module!

I know! Although I spoke to somebody whose college teaches all three questions and they're made to memorise all three essays! The same way some colleges teach all 4 modules for RS3.

WHATTTTTTT!!!!!!

That's crazy! That is surely how to fail an exam lol. One was quite enough thank you.

If our college did that I would have dropped RS after AS level for sure

Why do so many people get in who missed their offers?-it seems ridiculous to me that people are getting in with grades more than 1 below the offer.Surely universities should just drop the entry requirements if they are going to do that? or do they love piling stress on students by forcing them in to clearing?

It is because applicants are silly and shallow.

Applicants are swayed by universities that ask for high grades - it is seen as a proxy for "high quality".

So universities have high standard offers that are much higher than the actual level needed to succeed on the course.

If an applicant gets good enough grades to be teachable and the university has space to teach them then they'll get accepted. The initial "asking price" has as much in common with the grades accepted as the asking price for houses have to the amount finally agreed on.

Fingers cross I will
Just worried about not getting them but let's wait and see!

I swear every Asian girl goes to uni to study law while every Asian boy goes does engineering or business etc..
Haha

I can still remember some of my GCSE questions and answers

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Weirdly enough, so can I