Do Top Universities Place Too Much Weight on GCSEs?

Reply 20

User1255194

OP

12

Original post by L'Evil Fish

Lol guys shut up

You're fine

It's not necessarily specific to us. It is a general question.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 21

natninja

21

Original post by EHZ17

So many people, including myself, have improved dramatically over AS but it is the GCSEs that provide a flaw in application. How are we supposed to know what University we want to go to during GCSEs? I only decided I wanted to go to Uni midway through year 11!

It seems absurd that you can be rejected based on qualifications you took 2 years ago!

Posted from TSR Mobile

It seems a bit of an odd one... My tutor at Oxford says that if he has two candidates who are equal in everything the one with less good GCSEs may be picked (depending on a few other factors) as that can show better academic potential.

Reply 22

User1255194

OP

12

Original post by Jasey

Yeah exactly, and since it's just talking about the subject I love I don't think I'll go completely wrong about it. We can only wait and see I guess! It would just be a very nice personal victory in a lot of ways as well haha

Yeah true! Unfortunately for the course im doing (econ) there is a proper hard maths interview, but also a nice econ one too :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 23

User1255194

OP

12

Original post by natninja

It seems a bit of an odd one... My tutor at Oxford says that if he has two candidates who are equal in everything the one with less good GCSEs may be picked (depending on a few other factors) as that can show better academic potential.

I've never heard that before, how weird. I guess they are looking at the potential to improve perhaps?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 24

tomfailinghelp

17

Original post by EHZ17

Exactly man. Its annoying but Cambridge should overlook GCSEs with those averages. It's just other unis that dont ask for UMS are problems as well.

I joke to my friend who is applying to Oxford. All those at Oxford are students with low As at AS but thousands of As*s at GCSE hah

What are you applying for again?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Haha yes, what a system! It seems strange that universities will reject someone because they didn't get enough A*s are GCSE, though they may have had a 10 of 15% stronger average than other candidates.

Philosophy! Subject that's full of public school kids though, so I guess they'll all have great GCSEs.

Reply 25

L'Evil Fish

18

Original post by EHZ17

It's not necessarily specific to us. It is a general question.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I honestly think it's a huge advantage to have worse GCSEs and better AS than someone.

It shows you're capable and have potential.

GCSEs show at best your work ethic maybe. The harder you work the more A*s, because it isn't about intelligence. Obviously there are exceptions with some who do no work and get decent GCSEs but for the most part it's about effort.

Reply 26

username1258398

19

Original post by EHZ17

So many people, including myself, have improved dramatically over AS but it is the GCSEs that provide a flaw in application. How are we supposed to know what University we want to go to during GCSEs? I only decided I wanted to go to Uni midway through year 11!

It seems absurd that you can be rejected based on qualifications you took 2 years ago!

Knowing which University you want to go should be irrelevant to how hard you work during GCSEs.

Reply 27

Chlorophile

20

Original post by EHZ17

Applying to Cambridge :wink:

Don't get me wrong, I'm not too ashamed of my GCSEs its just I think there is too much weight on them.

I got 7A* but a 99.22% avg at AS in best 3 subjects with 4As.

At Oxford for example, I would be second priority over someone with 12A*, 85% average with 4As.

Even though I have done better in recent years, I wouldn't be able to compete due to GCSEs. HENCE why I've applied to Cambridge, a more UMS friendly Uni.

I think the UMS take is much better than GCSEs in the filtering process.
Posted from TSR Mobile

Are you actually serious? You can't possibly believe that Cambridge would hold your GCSEs against you with that UMS percentage. Please use some common sense...

Reply 28

SerLorasTyrell

15

Original post by StrangeBanana

Knowing which University you want to go should be irrelevant to how hard you work during GCSEs.

But it's not, more motivation to do well usually leads to better grades.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 29

lauzjw

2

GCSEs are way easier than A Levels, there's something wrong if you can't get decent GCSE grades. And they also show your versatility at a wide range of subjects and that's really important, you'd be deluded to think that just because you're doing one subject at uni you won't need to draw on knowledge from other areas that you may not have focused on at AS.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 30

username937760

16

Original post by FunsoFH

Don't worry about it! Universities will be more impressed with those who have improved a lot from GCSEs since it shows that you have put the effort in to improve! Just as long as you weren't thinking of applying to Oxbridge who want minimum 5A*s (which I discovered in year 12 after going on a trip there, thus ending my dreams of applying there)

Come on - all it takes is 5 minutes in Google to find out that this is completely false, at least for Cambridge.

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

Reply 31

Maker

20

Its a bit daft to coast through GCSEs and rely on good AS and A levels. Some unis may rely less on GCSEs than others but policies change all the time and you could end up having less choice in unis if they do change and want candidates will better GCSEs.

Also employers may also look at GCSEs as well as your other qualifications.

Reply 32

Uchiha_

2

I'm doing the IB but I'm also doing two A levels aswell (Maths and FM). Would this make up for less than stellar GCSEs (2 A*s, 7 As and 1 B) for a Uni like Cambridge

Reply 33

Funch04

Original post by DJMayes

Come on - all it takes is 5 minutes in Google to find out that this is completely false, at least for Cambridge.

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

I understand exactly what you mean! I checked the website and was all ready to apply, but then went on trips to the universities (once to Oxford, three times to Cambridge) and on 3 occasions, (Oxford and twice at cambridge) I asked the same question: Do you care about the amount of A*s someone has at GCSE? They all said some variation of yes, and the numbers '5' and '8' were mentioned when talking about As and A*s.

At Murray Edwards (one of the colleges at Cambridge) the admissions officer even explicitly told me (and I quote): Due to the amount of applicants, it is very unlikely that we will look at candidates with less than 5A*s at GCSE excluding those who were under extenuating circumstances.

Maybe they told us this on the day to put us off applying I don't know, but I was confused when I saw it didn't correspond with what was on the website.

Reply 34

username1258398

19

Original post by SerLorasTyrell

But it's not, more motivation to do well usually leads to better grades.

This is all silly. If you did poorly in your GCSEs, that's because you didn't work hard enough, or you aren't intelligent enough to merit a place at a top university (extenuating circumstances are allowed for).

Reply 35

L'Evil Fish

18

Original post by StrangeBanana

This is all silly. If you did poorly in your GCSEs, that's because you didn't work hard enough, or you aren't intelligent enough to merit a place at a top university (extenuating circumstances are allowed for).

So?

Who cares, they're a waste of time. It's AS that counts. If you have AAAA at AS in good solid subjects, it just shows you enjoyed your gcse years.

Reply 36

himynameiswill

7

Original post by StrangeBanana

This is all silly. If you did poorly in your GCSEs, that's because you didn't work hard enough, or you aren't intelligent enough to merit a place at a top university (extenuating circumstances are allowed for).

Working hard and intelligence are totally different. If someone has motivation, they will work harder, taking in knowledge and in turn becoming more intelligent.

Some people may naturally be intelligent and get good grades so yes, they merit a place at a top university. Others aren't and require motivation for studying. And that's why i think secondary schools should stress the importance of GCSE's to students as it affects their choice of university. If they know they want to go to uni and have been told how important GCSE's are, they will be motivated to do well

As i said, my school said you need 5 A* to C's to get into sixth form and didn't even mention uni places. If they would have told me that my GCSE grades hold higher importance i would have worked much harder. And now that I've been told the importance of A Levels for uni i am motivated to do well now

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 37

SerLorasTyrell

15

Original post by StrangeBanana

This is all silly. If you did poorly in your GCSEs, that's because you didn't work hard enough, or you aren't intelligent enough to merit a place at a top university (extenuating circumstances are allowed for).

Yes, most people don't work hard though if they see no benefit in working hard. GCSE's hardly require intelligence just some drive, that you would have if you knew it'd help with the uni you want to go to.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 38

AndroidOS

2

When I went to the open day at Oxford, I was told by the Admissions Tutor that they also look at how you did in comparison to the rest of your school (in regards to your GCSEs). For example, I may have only gotten 2 A*s (with one B and the rest coming out as an A), but for my school that is exceptional (there was only about 5 of us who got any A*'s at all).

But looking at this thread I feel pretty demoralised. :tongue:

I'm not applying 'till next year (I'm in Y12 at the minute), and I'll be applying to Cambridge which don't look as much at your GCSEs than Oxford, but looking at this it makes me feel as tough I have no chance of getting in, despite my predicted grades being AAAA/A*A*A*A (AS/A2 respectively).

Oh well. It's worth a shot anyhow, haha.

Reply 39

User1255194

OP

12

Original post by StrangeBanana

Knowing which University you want to go should be irrelevant to how hard you work during GCSEs.

I didn't want to go to University before year 11 so it didn't hold huge relevance to me. I knew I was capable of getting 5A*-C so I didn't stress about it, I tried to enjoy what years I had left of my childhood.

But you do have a point, you should try the best you can no matter what you are doing.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Do Top Universities Place Too Much Weight on GCSEs?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you