are my grades good enough for Oxbridge?

Hi there,

I am currently in my AS year and study French, Spanish, Politics and History. I am predicted AAAA at AS and hope to get that up to A*s at A2. I am really interested in law and wanted to study it with a language if I can.

I only got 4A* and 6A at GCSE and clearly the average Oxbridge student has done a lot better than me at GCSE.

Despite this, I have done relevant work experience, debating, public speaking and the junior magistrates and bar mock competition. I am also very active in terms of extra curricular activities in and outside school such as music, Duke of Edinburgh etc...

Am I being realistic?

Thanks in advance.

Reply 1

username1530463

They don't care about extracurriculars not linked to the subject, ever, but relevant work experience, debating, public speaking, junior magistrates and the bat mock competition are very good extracurriculars for Law. However, you have to remember Law is a very competitive subject, but your grades look good. If you have UMS over 90 and you're amazing at interviews, you should apply to Cambridge since most applicants get an interview and they place a lot of emphasis on these interviews. If you have UMS less than 90 and you think you can do very well in the Law entrance exam and do well in the interviews, apply to Oxford.
This is what Cambridge says about combining Law with another subject:

"If you wish to combine law with another subject it's best to discuss this with your preferred College before submitting your application.
Students who wish to combine law with another subject usually study law after that subject rather than before. It's desirable to study law for two years wherever possible, since it's not possible to pass all seven 'foundation' subjects at Cambridge in less than two years.
If your first subject has a two-year Part I, you need to consider the implications – especially the financial implications – of four years as an undergraduate."

At Oxford, you can do British Law and do Law in another European country for a year, so you'll learn a European language:

UCAS code:
Law (Jurisprudence) M100
Law with Law Studies in Europe: M190
Law with French Law M191
Law with German Law M192
Law with Italian Law M193
Law with Spanish Law M194

Also, at Cambridge there are, on average 5 applications per place (2014 entry). At Oxford, only 48% of applicants get an interview and only 15% get accepted (2014 entry).

Additionally, Cambridge's entry requirements are A*AA and Oxford's entry requirements are AAA, but obviously applicants have likely to have better grades than that.