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Better chance at getting in to Oxford Physics or Cambridge Natural Sciences?

Hi TSR, let's get straight into this. School: comprehensive. GCSEs: 12A*. AS: 5A (maths, f maths, physics, chemistry, history). A2: A*A*A*A (maths, f maths, physics, history). Average UMS over AS and A2: 96.2 % (maths f maths physics). Average UMS in A2: 97% (maths further maths physics). It must be noted I expect to do averagely at best at interview. Do I have a better shot at getting into physics at Oxford or Natural Sciences at Cambridge? I was thinking Oxford pros: GCSEs and potential to do well on PAT, reducing pressure of interview. Oxford cons: taking a gap year :/ (Cambridge seem to care less about gap years). Cambridge pros: UMS score. Cambridge cons: my fourth A Level wasn't a science subject.
Reply 1
Original post by ferdy118
Hi TSR, let's get straight into this. School: comprehensive. GCSEs: 12A*. AS: 5A (maths, f maths, physics, chemistry, history). A2: A*A*A*A (maths, f maths, physics, history). Average UMS over AS and A2: 96.2 % (maths f maths physics). Average UMS in A2: 97% (maths further maths physics). It must be noted I expect to do averagely at best at interview. Do I have a better shot at getting into physics at Oxford or Natural Sciences at Cambridge? I was thinking Oxford pros: GCSEs and potential to do well on PAT, reducing pressure of interview. Oxford cons: taking a gap year :/ (Cambridge seem to care less about gap years). Cambridge pros: UMS score. Cambridge cons: my fourth A Level wasn't a science subject.


You would be competitive for Cambridge (and definitely will get an interview). Many applicants will have a 4th science, but by no means all.

The gap year is absolutely not a problem for Cambridge.
Surely the question to ask is: would I prefer a straight physics course or a combined science course?
Reply 3
Original post by ILovePancakes
Surely the question to ask is: would I prefer a straight physics course or a combined science course?


If I was taking NatSci I'd be taking all the physics-related courses (apart from Earth Sciences in first year) so it wouldn't make too much difference. All I know is that I want to study at Oxbridge haha

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