Are my grades too low from GCSE to be helpful?

Hi. So, I basically got ABBB in my AS Levels and I'm a bit disappointed with them, and I didn't do too well at GCSE either - and I'm starting to wonder if my GCSE grades are already bad enough for me to not be able to get into a Russell Group uni - UCL in particular is where I'd like, Oxford at a push.

GCSE:
A* - English Literature, History, Latin
A - French, ICT, English Language,
B - Physics, Biology
C - Maths, Chemistry
D - Art

AS:
English Lit - A
History - B (so frustrated by this one)
Sociology - B (was like 3 marks off an A)
Philosophy - B (again, just a few marks off A)

So...what realistically are my chances of getting into a Russell Group uni (particularly UCL and Oxford) with GCSEs like that and AS Levels as low as that?

- excellent personal statement?
-excellent teacher reference?
- what course you want to do?
- what your predicted grades are
- your extra curricular/employment status
- any other qualifications you have done - entry exam/epq

You have done fine at GCSE and AS level. Just work hard next year to push up those grades.

If I am being honest, you have no chance with Oxford and probably not UCL either - but there are plenty of other really good unis which will take you _ guessing you want to do an Arts subject.

My daughter was rejected from Oxford with 7 A* and 3 A at GCSE and then 2A* and an A at A level.

You have done fine at GCSE and AS level. Just work hard next year to push up those grades.

If I am being honest, you have no chance with Oxford and probably not UCL either - but there are plenty of other really good unis which will take you _ guessing you want to do an Arts subject. Look at places like KCL and Nottingham or Manchester - fine unis.

My daughter was rejected from Oxford with 7 A* and 3 A at GCSE and then 2A* and an A at A level.

Ah, sorry - I thought I put it down, but I'm looking to do either Law or History (I wanted to do Psychology but I didn't take sciences). Law is incredibly competitive though as well, so I'll probably end up having to do History.




-Statement is pretty good, I had a lot of help from teachers with it
-teacher reference I don't know about, I know they were trying to get me to go to Cambridge if I got AAAB though
-Law, History or Psychology (Law preferably)
-Currently A*AA-B
-I suppose the LNAT would count for a qualification?




Thank you for the honesty, I'll try UCL to be ambitious, but steer clear of Oxford.



That's ridiculous. Was it a heavily competitive course or something? It doesn't make sense to me why they'd reject her.

Ah, sorry - I thought I put it down, but I'm looking to do either Law or History (I wanted to do Psychology but I didn't take sciences). Law is incredibly competitive though as well, so I'll probably end up having to do History.




-Statement is pretty good, I had a lot of help from teachers with it
-teacher reference I don't know about, I know they were trying to get me to go to Cambridge if I got AAAB though
-Law, History or Psychology (Law preferably)
-Currently A*AA-B
-I suppose the LNAT would count for a qualification?




Thank you for the honesty, I'll try UCL to be ambitious, but steer clear of Oxford.



That's ridiculous. Was it a heavily competitive course or something? It doesn't make sense to me why they'd reject her.

She was rejected because they have so many top notch candidates - her grades were less than others. And all courses are competitive at Oxford - but it is not the only university!!!! ( And just to give you a little impetus - she did eventually end up at UCL and got a first. She was offered a place at Cambridge to do a Masters and turned it down - she is going to Imperial )

Yeah law is mad competitive. Apparently in the UCL open day, they said 1/18 law places are accepted lol ffs. History is also competitive, I just don't know how far. If the uni didn't require an LNAT, then your score on that will be useless - at least according to lse. Yeah if you try UCL it's only 1/5 options anyways.