Can you still get into oxbridge with 3A*, 6As and 2B's?

Mate your school are absolute idiots. Don't just let them do that; your grades are definitely enough to be in with a solid chance of an offer! The fact they don't know that shows how naive the person making those decisions is...

Thanks for the encouragement but I'm pretty sure oxbridge wants at least 90+ and I've seen failure cases with 94 average as well as 45/45 IB prediction. Either way, I have stopped thinking about oxbridge even before the exams as I will probably end up with a 2-2 or 3rd degree in oxbridge if I get in, and a 2-1 or first hons definitely sounds better no matter what uni you come from.

Reply 21

jenkinsear

13

Original post by lecafe88

Thanks for the encouragement but I'm pretty sure oxbridge wants at least 90+ and I've seen failure cases with 94 average as well as 45/45 IB prediction. Either way, I have stopped thinking about oxbridge even before the exams as I will probably end up with a 2-2 or 3rd degree in oxbridge if I get in, and a 2-1 or first hons definitely sounds better no matter what uni you come from.

Take it from someone who got AABBB at AS level back in the day, you don't need 90+. 90+ helps, but there's more to the process than simple grade box ticking. I know a lot of people who have got in with sub 90 averages.

As for the 2.2 or 3rd that's also illogical. It depends on the subject how likely a 2.2. is, but anything humanities it's sub 4% of people getting 2.2's or less.

You'd be foolish not to apply.

Reply 22

League_Masters

2

Did anyone take engineering at oxford? If so how is it?

Reply 23

lecafe88

9

Original post by jenkinsear

Take it from someone who got AABBB at AS level back in the day, you don't need 90+. 90+ helps, but there's more to the process than simple grade box ticking. I know a lot of people who have got in with sub 90 averages.

As for the 2.2 or 3rd that's also illogical. It depends on the subject how likely a 2.2. is, but anything humanities it's sub 4% of people getting 2.2's or less.

You'd be foolish not to apply.

Cheers, I'll try asking again. It was probably my subject choice (Economics) that caused my school to send me an email immediately after results telling me to apply elsewhere, but I suppose I have a better shot at less competitive subjects.

However I enjoyed the summer as if oxbridge was not an option at all, so my statement, summer reading, other preparations etc are all severely lacking, so the interview will not really be that advantageous for me, but we'll see what my school says.

Reply 24

jenkinsear

13

Original post by lecafe88

Cheers, I'll try asking again. It was probably my subject choice (Economics) that caused my school to send me an email immediately after results telling me to apply elsewhere, but I suppose I have a better shot at less competitive subjects.

However I enjoyed the summer as if oxbridge was not an option at all, so my statement, summer reading, other preparations etc are all severely lacking, so the interview will not really be that advantageous for me, but we'll see what my school says.

E&M is competitive, more so than many courses, but grades for it are not the be all and end all. Someone in my year at school applied to the same College as me and he had 14A*'s at GCSE and virtually 100% UMS at AS level. He was rejected yet I knew people at my College who had got in for that course with lower grades than him.

As for the personal statement etc, it's not too late. You still have plenty of time. I would tell the school that it isn't their choice if you apply, it's your choice. They cannot stop you applying, they have no right to tell you where to apply either. Screw the school, they are clearly absolute cretins.

It depends what subject you're applying for, what your school got, how well you do at AS Level etc as well!

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Reply 26

Sparticus515

11

I only got 1A* and got into Cambridge so yes, it is possible. Also, it doesn't matter if you're not on your school's "Oxbridge list". I wasn't. Just work hard at AS and you'll have as much of a chance as anyone

Reply 27

Nuvertion

6

Original post by lecafe88

So you think Oxbridge will just let the whole ocean of quad A (AS) candidates to swarm into their applications without being selective whatsoever?

Also, an A in GCSE guarantees you a C at AS, it does not guarantee anything higher than that. It also depends on subject choice really. If you got an A in maths GCSE you would probably still hold on to a B+. Get an A in Chemistry GCSE and you could end up with a D because half of your GCSE course is a lie.

Using your example:

You: 2A* 6A 2B, BCCC AS
Me: GCSE 8A* 4A, AAAA AS at 87 86 86 85
My genius friend: GCSE 12 A*, AAAA AS at 100 99 90 85

If that is not a correlation I don't know what is. You can argue that the correlation is weak, I even said it myself it is not a clear cut trend. However, if you say that "gcse results indicate how you'll do at AS is absolute bull" ,thereby implying it has no correlation whatsoever, is not true I'm afraid.

Your personal statement, references, interview and entrance exam are what make you stand out from other quad A applicants (you don't get an offer before your interview).

Also, my grades were:

GCSE: 5 Bs, 4 Cs, 2 Ds and an E

AS: ABCC (Computing, Maths, Physics and Music Tech respectively)

I know people who got an A* in GCSE Maths but failed AS Maths. Also "an A in GCSE guarantees you a C at AS" is the biggest bull**** I've ever read.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 28

Sexyfartgoblin101

Ultimately there's always going to be exceptions, but c'mon, there's no point whatsoever in saying the interviews and admissions tests are even half as important as an applicant's history and achievements in public exams. They all play a part in the process, yes, but A-levels are the summation of 2 years hard work, interviews and admissions tests - 2 hours. For differentiating between similarly qualified candidates fair enough, but someone with 4 'scrapped' A's vs a candidate with full UMS across the board is still very unlikely to get in even if they ace their interviews. I agree with lecafe88 about the correlation, it's pretty plain to see (again there are exceptions) but at the end of the day no one does any work for GCSE's and the really bright students will still cruise a good fistful of A* grades regardless, so I think it is pretty fair to use them as an indicator of AS success. (assuming the student develops a work ethic!) :smile:

Reply 29

lecafe88

9

Original post by Btbbt

N.B. Nuvertion is absolutely spot on with the Maths though. An A at GCSE does little to prepare you for the A-level, however, high GCSE scores do tend to flag up those with ability and if they adapt to the increased workloads of YR12 should be able to cope with most of the AS material. The correlation though really depends on students doing the necessary 'stepping up' in terms of hard work.

Obviously it depends on your work ethic and other factors as well but generally speaking, you would at the very least pull off a C in AS maths if you got A in GCSE Mathematics. I personally did the regular OCR GCSE so I cannot speak of the Edexcel Igcse or others.

My reasoning is as follows: Core 1 is gcse material (all questions being A, A* gcse level) plus calculus, and the calculus involves the skill of multiplying a number with another and subtracting/adding the power by 1.

C2 is harder but is doable, whilst M1 will be manageable if you do physics (otherwise S1 will be the more sensible choice)

Assuming you get 80 in core 1, you only need to pull off 50 and 50 in Core 2, M1/S1 to get the C. Well within ones grasp imho.

I do know a GCSE B candidate who ended up with 6% in C1 but he had a very poor work ethic so I was not exactly surprised. So there you go, exceptions obviously exist but I highly doubt the majority of A grade gcse maths candidates could not pull off a C at AS.

Reply 30

sam19972014

OP

2

Original post by skoav

How high an A you get at AS is irrelevant, universities don't know your UMS... All they get is the grade you put into UCAS.

And saying that your GCSEs indicate how you'll do at AS may apply to you but otherwise it's absolute bull. I got 2 A*s 6 As and 2 Bs at GCSE but ended up with BCCC at AS (subjects I got A*A*AA in at GCSE btw). It depends on the individual and how well they take to their A level courses, GCSE grades are irrelevant.

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How hard did you work to get them grdaes as As? Daily?

Reply 31

sam19972014

OP

2

Original post by Sparticus515

I only got 1A* and got into Cambridge so yes, it is possible. Also, it doesn't matter if you're not on your school's "Oxbridge list". I wasn't. Just work hard at AS and you'll have as much of a chance as anyone

WOW how did you do that?

Reply 32

james22

16

I got worse grades and got into oxford, it certainly is possible.

Also, ignore anyone saying that your personal statement matters. It really doesn't. Some tutors don't even read it.

Reply 33

Sparticus515

11

Original post by sam19972014

WOW how did you do that?

Just did well at interview I guess, and worked (relatively) hard at AS.

Reply 34

sam19972014

OP

2

Original post by james22

I got worse grades and got into oxford, it certainly is possible.

Also, ignore anyone saying that your personal statement matters. It really doesn't. Some tutors don't even read it.

what grades did you get? and what did you get at a levels plus wjhat did you study at oxbrdige?

Reply 35

sam19972014

OP

2

Original post by Sparticus515

Just did well at interview I guess, and worked (relatively) hard at AS.

How was the interview? Like what did they ask? was it boring or was it like awesome where they ask you these creative questions where you have to think outside the box? because i live sh*t like that!

Reply 36

james22

16

Original post by sam19972014

what grades did you get? and what did you get at a levels plus wjhat did you study at oxbrdige?

I got very similar to you (I forget the exact grades, but I know people with worse on my course). I got straight A's and A*'s as AS and A2 level, and I study mathematics.

Reply 37

sam19972014

OP

2

Original post by james22

I got very similar to you (I forget the exact grades, but I know people with worse on my course). I got straight A's and A*'s as AS and A2 level, and I study mathematics.