Will my GCSE grades stop me from getting into top universities?

I've always aspired to go to a reputable university, however after my gcse results I feel as though it will not be able to attain that dream of mine. Overall, I got 6a's and 4b's and now I'm moving to a grammar school for sixth form. Can I make up for it with AS grades?

For A levels I have chosen history, economics, maths and politics. Would my GCSE grades hold me back if I applied to a uni like Exeter, Warwick, St andrew etc...
Please my truthful

Reply 1

cheesedrew

If you're applying for Oxford, then you probably wont even get interviewed. However most other Unis only care about the AS results, Personal Statement and interview (if there is one)
Since you never mentioned Oxford, having excellent AS grades will still make you very competitive regardless of GCSEs.

What admissions staff are looking for are students with the potential to improve and go on to get good grades. Since A levels are harder, achieving top grades at AS
and surpassing your GCSE grades will show commitment to improve which is very assuring.

Good luck

Reply 2

Lau0711

I'm not currently studying at any of the uni's you have listed above, but talking from general A Level experience I would just google the university. By going on the UCAS search tool you can search your specific course, if you know what you want to do and see what thee requirements are. Some universities just want a number of GCSE's above a certain grade and aren't normally too demanding (eg 5 GCSEs A*-C). But if you do not know what you want to do at uni you can just Google the university in general and get some ideas of what standards they are looking for! My uni just wanted GCSEs and cared more about my A Levels. Hopefully someone from a university you wish to go to will be more helpful! But this is just a quick and as you wished for, truthful response from a general uni fresher!

Reply 3

Samonia

Original post by pavilionaudio

Hey, Your GCSE's shouldnt make much of a difference here but if you are looking at oxbridge, you probably will have to drop that idea sadly :/ Normal Russell group unis will be happy with any GCSE's as long as you hit their A level grades. But, it is generally expected that you will drop a grade from GCSE to A-Level. eg- ill go by what i got, i got an A* in bio at GCSE and after my AS am looking at A for my AS, For history i got an A at GCSE and, with a bit of a fight, I hope to get a B at A-level. For a Russell group it very much depends on your course. I want to do Law so instantly the grades are Evil to get :/ the lowest grades i can actually get are BBB for anywhere in the country. but for other courses they aren't as nasty but if you are wanting a Russell group, which are the Unis you have named, then you are at least looking at AAA's mainly. Looking at Your GCSE's its not impossible for you to get that, but it wont be easy. If you put your head down and work, its possible. Use your frees correctly and dont procrastinate and you might be able to do it :smile:

bur, if you get your grades and find they are slightly too low for your course all year at the uni you want, look at other uni's with that course. The best in the country for Law isn't a Russell group uni so don't just go by the Name of the Uni but by the course itself and what it offers you too. Go by course with career prospects too after the course. me and my friends have looked at some really good Unis with strong names but they were awful when we got there. Also, if your like me and dont do as well as you want in year 12, i got BCEE, you can re sit the year. Your GCSE results are really really good :smile: