The Student Room Group
St Salvators Quad, University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews

St Andrews Hopefuls 2017

I think the title is self explanatory.

Currently we're all in Y12 (or Y13 for deferred entry!) and about to take our AS exams. Obviously we need to do well in them, so we can use this thread as a place to get/give motivation to study and excel!

More importantly though, this is a good place to ask questions about St Andrews. I'm not a representative for St Andrews and so hopefully this thread will attract successful applicants, students and anyone else associated with the university on TSR.

I'll do a little FAQ section here later on this month.

Just so we can get to know each other, make your first post in the thread using the following structure!...

Course Applying:
AS/A2 subjects:
GCSE grades:
AS predicted:
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars:
Other unis considering/applying to:

Later this evening I'll put some links here and other important info that will be of use to anyone wanting to apply to St Andrews.

This will later become the 'St Andrews Applicants 2017' thread, however technically we are not applying yet and so is misleading. When applications open, I'll rename the thread.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Course Applying: Economics
AS/A2 subjects: Maths, Politics, History, AS Biology and AS FM (in Y13)
GCSE grades: 1A*, 5As and 5Bs (top 10% of school cohort)
AS predicted: AABB (aiming for AAAB)
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: Peterhouse Cambridge Residential, PwC Business Insight Week, head boy (TBC), Sutton Trust summer school at St Andrews for Economics (TBC), EPQ on Brexit impact on the economy
Other unis considering/applying to: Surrey, Bath, Exeter, Cambridge (if I get the UMS) and Reading
(edited 8 years ago)
St Salvators Quad, University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
Course Applying: Earth Sciences
AS/A2 subjects: Maths, Chemistry, Geography, Biology
GCSE grades: 10A*s and 1A
AS predicted: AAAB
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: Headstart summer school at Southampton, Lectures at local university, reading, taster days
Other unis considering/applying to: Oxford, Durham, Bristol, Southampton
Reply 3
Course Applying: Zoology
AS/A2 subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Philosophy
GCSE grades: 2 A*s and 7A's
AS predicted: AAAB
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: EPQ, 2 weeks at a conservation project in Dominica with Operation Wallacea, 2 weeks work experience at Blackpool Zoo, 2 weeks work experience at an equine vets, taster courses at unis.
Other unis considering/applying to: Edinburugh, York, Glasgow, RVC
Course Applying: German and Russian
AS/A2 subjects: German, English Lit, Biology, Psychology
GCSE grades: 5A*, 6A, 1B
AS predicted: AABB
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: 2 weeks translation work experience, 7-10 days in Germany, extra-reading, EPQ, essay competition
Other unis considering/applying to: Cambridge (maybe), Edinburgh, Glasgow, Exeter
Reply 5
Course Applying: German and Economics
AS/A2 subjects: German, French, Economics
GCSE grades: 9A*, 1A
AS predicted: AAA
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: work experience in Germany and at Lloyds in London, 3 weeks in Germany, extra-reading, EPQ, essay on 3rd world debt competition win, Oxford and Cambridge taster days, Oxford German Olympiad competition (results pending), EU youth parliament debate.
Other unis considering/applying to: Oxford, Warwick, Durham, Bristol
Reply 6
Course Applying: Philosohpy and French
AS/A2 subjects: French, Philosophy and Ethics, Economics, (Maths AS)
GCSE grades: 6A*, 2A, 3B
AS predicted: AAAB
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: Wider reading, 6 week programme at Oxford, part of my school's Model United Nations team, tutoring a girl in 3rd year in French
Other unis considering/applying to: UCL, KCL, Exeter, Bristol, Leeds, York, Southampton
Course Applying: History
AS/A2 subjects: History, economics, psychology, German
GCSE grades: 4A*6A
AS predicted: AAAA
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: taster day at KCL, contributor to history website, wider reading
Other unis considering/applying to: Durham, Bristol, Exeter, Warwick, Edinburgh
Reply 8
Course Applying: History and English
AS/A2 subjects: English literature, Theology, Geography, English
GCSE grades: 6A*s, 2A's, 3B's
AS predicted: AAAA
AS grades: AAAA
A level predicted: A*A*A*
Supra-curriculars: publication/work experience in Cambridge Evening News,Debating, wider reading (the sports, music etc)
Other Unis: Oxford, Edinburgh, Durham, Exeter
(edited 7 years ago)
Course Applying: Philosophy
AS/A2 subjects: English Lit, Philosophy, Psychology
GCSE grades: 2A*'s, 3B's, 2C's (I was in a poor performing high school)
AS predicted: AAB
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: vice chair labour party, drama, debate club, student council, attended philosophical/psychological lectures, attending 2x philosophy summer schools, wider reading: philosophy now, netball, fundraising, etc, etc.
Other unis considering/applying to: East Anglia, Durham, UCL, Warwick
Course Applying: maths
AS/A2 subjects: maths, further maths, biology, chemistry
GCSE grades: 10A* 2A
AS predicted: AAAA
AS grades:
Supra-curriculars: EPQ, team maths challenge, 2 silver intermediate maths challenge and 2 silver senior maths challenge, grade 5-7 flute, grade 5 music theory, Go4SET, prefect
Other unis considering/applying to: cambridge/oxford, ICL
Course Applying: History
AS/A2 subjects: History, English Literature, Government and Politics, Maths (probably dropping Maths after AS but not certain yet)
GCSE grades: 10 A* 2 A
AS predicted: AAAA
AS grades: AAAC (and an A in General Studies)
A2 predicted: A*A*A* (and an A* in General Studies)
Supra-curriculars: county cricketer, politics talks etc, been to a fair few lectures from historians, involved in EU referendum campaigning, lots of extra reading/research projects
Other unis considering/applying to: Oxford, Durham, Leeds, Loughborough
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 12
Course Applying: Computer Science
AS/A2 subjects: Maths, Further Maths, Economics, Physics, French
GCSE grades: 8A*, 1A at IGCSE
AS predicted: idk lol
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: MUN, International EYP, DofE, Junior Achievement, 2 Months Work Experience, Wider Reading
Other unis considering/applying to: Cambridge (hopeful), Southampton, Bath and I'm not really sure
(edited 7 years ago)
Course Applying: Physics

AS/A2 subjects: A2 Maths in Y12, A2 Further Maths in Y13, Physics, Literature

GCSE grades: 6A*s, 3As, 1C

AS predicted: A* (Maths), A, A

AS grades: (when the time comes!)

Supra-curriculars: EPQ, Service project in Latvia, Girlguiding, Young Enterprise, Sheffield Uni STEM Programme, Ballet to Intermediate + Grade 7, Work Experience in Accountancy

Other unis considering/applying to: Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham

Note: If I got an A in my Maths A Level, a B in Physics AS and a B in Literature AS (if the worst came to the worst) do people think it would be worth applying or not?
(edited 7 years ago)
No idea if it's even worth me applying but:
Course Applying: English or International Relations
AS/A2 subjects: English Literature, Government and Politics, Geography, Creative Writing, Global Perspectives
GCSE grades: 4A* 4A 2B
AS predicted: AABB and a distinction in global perspectives
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars: Work experience in a court and with my local MP, take part in various things in school (school council, mentoring of younger students, debate club, prefect, help at school shows etc), I do English tutoring as my part time job, help with Brownies. I do Creative Writing A level which is an extra curricular option for me. Going to try and get some work experience in journalism somehow.
Other unis considering/applying to: Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester ??, Edinburgh, maybe Lancaster or Nottingham. Not too sure on my five yet, only visited a couple.
Course Applying: Maths and Physics, Mathematis and theoretical physics (depends on uni)
AS/A2 subjects:Maths, Further Maths, Physcs, Chemistry and Biology.
GCSE grades:9As 1B couldve gotten A*s but litterally did 0 hours of revision for GCSE's still dont get why ppl revise for it
AS predicted:AAAAB (B in bio cus who wants to do that..)
AS grades: (when the time comes!)
Supra-curriculars:British Physics Olympiad
Other unis considering/applying to: ICL,UCL,Oxford,Warwick,St Andrews..

Really like st andrews as its fairly small i think id really like that kind of environment.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by daisysaxelby
Course Applying: Physics

AS/A2 subjects: A2 Maths in Y12, A2 Further Maths in Y13, Physics, Literature

GCSE grades: 6A*s, 3As, 1C

AS predicted: A* (Maths), A, A

AS grades: (when the time comes!)

Supra-curriculars: EPQ, Service project in Latvia, Girlguiding, Young Enterprise, Sheffield Uni STEM Programme, Ballet to Intermediate + Grade 7, Work Experience in Accountancy

Other unis considering/applying to: Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham

Note: If I got an A in my Maths A Level, a B in Physics AS and a B in Literature AS (if the worst came to the worst) do people think it would be worth applying or not?

Why not try your luck with oxbridge or imperial? You seem pretty sharp with maths i wdve done A2 maths yr12 same as you if i wasnt doing 5 As levels
I did IB!

38 points (HL 6,6,6 SL 7,6,5)
HL: Finnish A, Biology, Psychology
SL: English B, History, Math
Super-curriculars: open uni course of Arabic(with good grades), spanish and swedish (took exams also, second best grade from both), working with immigrants in some organizations in my city(basically organizing concents that are meant to teach immigrants language and teach culture), voluteering in winter swimming world championships, singing and music theory (grade 5)
Other unis: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen

St Andrews is my dream uni, just not sure if my grades are enough. I'm thinking to apply to arabic&middle eastern studies or languages
(edited 7 years ago)
Course Applying: MPhys Physics
AS/A2 subjects: Maths, Physics, Chemistry, [Computer Science - dropped after AS]
GCSE grades: 4 A*'s, 3 A's, 3 B's
AS predicted: AABB
AS grades: AAAB
Supra-curriculars: Week-long work experience placement at Durham University (Centre for Advanced Instrumentation), summer school at University of York, summer school at Newcastle University, attended lecture by Helen Sharman (first Briton in space), attended talk on CERN by Physics professor at Durham University, attended talk by NASA scientist working on JWST, wider reading (pop-sci books as well as more niche books)
Other unis considering/applying to: Edinburgh, UCL, Nottingham, undecided on 5th
(edited 7 years ago)
Course Applying: Psychology
AS/A2 subjects: Psychology, Sociology, History, French (dropped French after AS)
GCSE grades: 4 A*s, 3As, 3Bs
AS predicted: My tmgs were 4Bs at the start, but I don't know my predicted grades now.
AS grades: AAAB
Supra-curriculars: Prefect, EPQ, GO4SET, Volunteer at a Food Ban, Part of Psychology and Sociology Book and Magazine Clubs, Debate Club, Poetry Challenges
Other unis considering/applying to: Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Aberystwyth
St Andrews seems kind of small and like a community, and I'd like that. I don't want to be in the centre of a big city.
Also, the area is great and so is the school.

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