should I apply for oxford if I can achieve entry requirements yet AS grades weak

If you have a lot of A* grades at GSCE Oxford might interview you, they put more weight on GSCE than AS. You'd need to do well in the Thinking Skills Assesment http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/tests. Cambridge put more weight on AS than GSCE and you don't mention further maths - they might interview you but a place is doubtful.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

Original post by parentlurker

If you have a lot of A* grades at GSCE Oxford might interview you, they put more weight on GSCE than AS. You'd need to do well in the Thinking Skills Assesment http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/tests. Cambridge put more weight on AS than GSCE ad you don't mention further maths - they might interview you but a place is doubtful.

And if I'm an European student who yet lives in UK for two years (I completed my A levels with A*A*AA), what would they do? Cause I have no GCSEs apart from English that is required in order to prove my language level.

Reply 3

If you have foreign qualifications equivalent to GSCE they can look at you might have a chance this year, otherwise you've mentioned AAB but not a 4th AS so I'm confused about how you will get A*A*AA. If you aren't studying further maths I'd suggest trying to pick up at least the AS.

Reply 4

Original post by parentlurker

If you have foreign qualifications equivalent to GSCE they can look at you might have a chance this year, otherwise you've mentioned AAB but not a 4th AS so I'm confused about how you will get A*A*AA. If you aren't studying further maths I'd suggest trying to pick up at least the AS.

You probably didn't see it was me who asked that question, not him. :biggrin:

Reply 5

Original post by Ucki

You probably didn't see it was me who asked that question, not him. :biggrin:

Yes I missed that - always best to start your own thread and say what subject you intend to apply for as that makes a difference. Presumably you're on a gap year. Cambridge would look at achieved grades, Oxford still say they take GSCE into account.

Reply 6

Original post by parentlurker

Yes I missed that - always best to start your own thread and say what subject you intend to apply for as that makes a difference. Presumably you're on a gap year. Cambridge would look at achieved grades, Oxford still say they take GSCE into account.

But it would be unfair if I had to spend two extra years doing GCSEs - I've already spend one extra year by doing A levels. Should have been at uni now...

Reply 7

sunnydespair

I think it would be good to have a 4th AS level in further maths- maybe you could study for that whilst you do your A2 levels- some schools do offer this option to students where you can do a lunchtime further maths AS level

Reply 8

Original post by Ucki

But it would be unfair if I had to spend two extra years doing GCSEs - I've already spend one extra year by doing A levels. Should have been at uni now...

No-one ever said life was fair. You are able to take A levels, not living in a country at war where you worry about survival. You haven't said what you want to apply for or what subjects you got A* in at A level, you might have an interview at Cambridge.

Reply 9

Original post by parentlurker

No-one ever said life was fair. You are able to take A levels, not living in a country at war where you worry about survival. You haven't said what you want to apply for or what subjects you got A* in at A level, you might have an interview at Cambridge.

Medicine.

At Oxford, Imperial, King's and Bristol + maths at Queen Mary as insurance. A*A*AA - maths, French, biology and chemistry respectively.

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Reply 10

Original post by Ucki

Medicine.

At Oxford, Imperial, King's and Bristol + maths at Queen Mary as insurance. A*A*AA - maths, French, biology and chemistry respectively.

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Are you French and do you have any qualifications equivalent to GCSE? If you are French the A* won't really be considered and without GCSE or equivalent Oxford is risky. They take some wierd decisions so they are difficult to predict. Cambridge I'd expect to interview you provided you did well in BMAT, It's less unpredictable than UKCAT but you only have As in Biology and Chemistry so you may not do quite well enough to get a place against the very high competition. Probably better to risk Oxford. Imperial you have a good chance of an offer. King's have messed up their exams recently, putting off good candidates and London is an expensive place to live. Bristol are hot on personal statements. Maths as your 5th choice suggests a lack of commitment to medicine (although universities dont see it so wont know). If you think its a well paid career think again, you'd do better with maths.

Reply 11

Original post by parentlurker

Are you French and do you have any qualifications equivalent to GCSE? If you are French the A* won't really be considered and without GCSE or equivalent Oxford is risky. They take some wierd decisions so they are difficult to predict. Cambridge I'd expect to interview you provided you did well in BMAT, It's less unpredictable than UKCAT but you only have As in Biology and Chemistry so you may not do quite well enough to get a place against the very high competition. Probably better to risk Oxford. Imperial you have a good chance of an offer. King's have messed up their exams recently, putting off good candidates and London is an expensive place to live. Bristol are hot on personal statements. Maths as your 5th choice suggests a lack of commitment to medicine (although universities dont see it so wont know). If you think its a well paid career think again, you'd do better with maths.

Seems like you don't want me to apply to Oxford. I'm not French. I'm Slovakian - though I speak four languages. I have Slovak equivalent of GCSEs... I definitely don't want to apply to Cambridge. And I chose maths becsuse I thought I cannot have more medicine (-related) courses. o.O

Reply 12

Original post by Ucki

Seems like you don't want me to apply to Oxford. I'm not French. I'm Slovakian - though I speak four languages. I have Slovak equivalent of GCSEs... I definitely don't want to apply to Cambridge. And I chose maths becsuse I thought I cannot have more medicine (-related) courses. o.O

Trying to get you to see your chance of success clearly, whether you apply is up to you. Most people aplying for medicine at Oxford will have a lot of A* GSCEs and they'll look for the equivalent in your qualifications. I'd suggest you contact admission tutors at any college that interests you and see how they will regard your GSCE type qualifications.

Most people applying for medicine have a 5th choice that will allow them to do something medical. Some apply for Biomedical sciences, some Chemistry, some Neuroscience. Some will subsequenty apply for graduate medicine, although that is insanely competitive. A few courses offer either the prospect of transfer to medicine in the second year or a guaranteed interview for graduate medicine and they are popular 5th choices. A personal statement aimed at medicine is not going to look good when applying for a maths course, biomedical sciences are used to being a 5th choice for medics. Sometimes you can submit a different personal statement. Some medical schools will offer you a place on one of the alternative courses if they reject you for medicine - UEA is one that I know sometimes do this.

Reply 13

nexttime

22

Original post by Ucki

Seems like you don't want me to apply to Oxford. I'm not French. I'm Slovakian - though I speak four languages. I have Slovak equivalent of GCSEs... I definitely don't want to apply to Cambridge. And I chose maths becsuse I thought I cannot have more medicine (-related) courses. o.O

If you do not offer GCSE or IGCSE then they will shortlist on BMAT alone. http://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics

Your 5th can be anything except medicine. It needs to be something you actually want to study. If that's maths then so be it.

Reply 14