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Welcome back. :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by vincrows
Welcome back. :smile:


Many thanks! It's good to be back. :smile:
Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions
Many thanks! It's good to be back. :smile:


Wish you another great success here, this time in a new role of a girl-snatcher! :biggrin:
Reply 4
Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions
Hello again TSR. My name is Dr Andrew Spencer and I am the Admissions Tutor at Murray Edwards College in Cambridge. Welcome to my tenth Ask an Admissions Tutor thread, this time in my new guise as Murray Edwards Admissions. The @Christ's Admissions profile, which I ran for the last three years, will continue under my successor but for the next month before the application deadline for Cambridge, I'll be answering your questions here so please fire away.


I've added you to the master list
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4242660
:smile:
My two modular grades are both my best and worst- one (my chosen subject) is 99% UMS and the other, my worst, is a high B. Will an average of these be made as an equivalent to the former 3 best grades way of doing things, or will they just be looked at as separate grades? Just wondering because an average wouldn't reflect my high performance in my subject, so I wondered if they are going to do some sort of average system for modular or not.
Hi dr spencer, thanks for doing an ama, its very helpful. i would like to ask your opinion on my UMS for my application. i am applying for economics

GCSE:11A*s
A-level: Maths A*
As-level: Maths A, Economics A. Physics A

C1:100/100
C2:98/100
C3: 92/100
c4: 94/100
S1:94/100
M1:95/100
S2:87/100
M2:73/100


Are S2 and M2 a worry?? im taking the full further maths m a-level and am predited an A* in this, with an a* prediction in economics and a A for physics
Hello Dr. Spencer. I am not specifically applying to Murray Edwards College but I am applying for History, which I believe is your expertise, so I hope you can help me. I have a couple of questions:

For History, is there some sort of UMS threshold at AS that is needed to secure an interview? I got AAAB at AS, with around 85 UMS in all of my A's - bar one that was 92. Is this suitable for History? Similarly, if you know, What percentage are interviewed for History in general at Cambridge?

Also, have you got any tips for preparing for the HAA, considering there is only one specimen paper to look at?

My last question is, Why is the % acceptance rate for History so much higher at Cambridge compared to Oxford? I know there obviously isn't a definitive answer, but if you've got an idea why, I would love to know. I don't want to fall into the trap of picking Cambridge over Oxford due to % figures that mean nothing.

Thanks a lot for doing this!
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by HolyRomanEmpire
My last question is, Why is the % acceptance rate for History so much higher at Cambridge compared to Oxford? I know there obviously isn't a definitive answer, but if you've got an idea why, I would love to know. I don't want to fall into the trap of picking Cambridge over Oxford due to % figures that mean nothing.

Thanks a lot for doing this!


Pick Cambridge over Oxford if you think the course is better. Not because of variations in admissions procedures.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by pamplemousse.
My two modular grades are both my best and worst- one (my chosen subject) is 99% UMS and the other, my worst, is a high B. Will an average of these be made as an equivalent to the former 3 best grades way of doing things, or will they just be looked at as separate grades? Just wondering because an average wouldn't reflect my high performance in my subject, so I wondered if they are going to do some sort of average system for modular or not.


We won't be creating UMS averages unless you have three unreformed subjects. Each result will therefore be looked at as separate grades. If you've done very well in your chosen subject that will certainly be regarded as a good thing.
Original post by nabster458
Hi dr spencer, thanks for doing an ama, its very helpful. i would like to ask your opinion on my UMS for my application. i am applying for economics

GCSE:11A*s
A-level: Maths A*
As-level: Maths A, Economics A. Physics A

C1:100/100
C2:98/100
C3: 92/100
c4: 94/100
S1:94/100
M1:95/100
S2:87/100
M2:73/100


Are S2 and M2 a worry?? im taking the full further maths m a-level and am predited an A* in this, with an a* prediction in economics and a A for physics


Hello and thank you for your question. You have a good combination of subjects and some strong modular scores. Mechanics is not really relevant for the type of Maths in Economics so you don#'t need to worry too much about that. In S2, it's not a poor score, a bit below where you might like, but you have taken it a year before most students do, so that would be part of our thinking. Your Maths profile is not blemish free but it's not unlike plenty of successful candidates.
How serious are resits like if you did real bad and had to resit 3 modules in total but otherwise had very good 95% averages or something like that would you be ruled out or would you still stand a chance in getting through? Also how important is the reference? I am self taught so would only have a work reference I know they wouldn't be mean but I wouldn't expect a lot more then Luke works hard and has worked here for 2 years or something like that. Whilst other candidates will have two page essays from their references talking about how they turned water into wine.

I don't stand a chance even if i score 100% in every exam from now on do I?
Original post by HolyRomanEmpire
Hello Dr. Spencer. I am not specifically applying to Murray Edwards College but I am applying for History, which I believe is your expertise, so I hope you can help me. I have a couple of questions:

For History, is there some sort of UMS threshold at AS that is needed to secure an interview? I got AAAB at AS, with around 85 UMS in all of my A's - bar one that was 92. Is this suitable for History? Similarly, if you know, What percentage are interviewed for History in general at Cambridge?

Also, have you got any tips for preparing for the HAA, considering there is only one specimen paper to look at?

My last question is, Why is the % acceptance rate for History so much higher at Cambridge compared to Oxford? I know there obviously isn't a definitive answer, but if you've got an idea why, I would love to know. I don't want to fall into the trap of picking Cambridge over Oxford due to % figures that mean nothing.

Thanks a lot for doing this!


That;s ok, you don't need to be thinking of applying to Murray Edwards to post in here.

Have you been doing unreformed AS Levels to get UMS or are you from Wales or NI? Around 80% of History students get interviewed and that is likely to be the case in he future.

To prepare for the HAA, I would practice looking at ufamiliar sources and practising source criticism - that is what the HAA is going to focus on, your ability to criticise and compare source material, rather than relying on existing subject knowledge which is part of the HAT.

Oxford has had more applicants for History than Cambridge, hence the proportion of offers has been lower. I think that is a consequence of a number of things. First, they have had a number of joint honours courses for a number of years and that is popular. As you may know, Cambridge is accepting applications for two new joint honours courses - History and Politics and History and Modern Languages - from this year so that might change things a little. Second, Oxford's offer is lower than Cambridge's (AAA compared to A*AA) and therefore in the reach of more students. Third, Cambridge;s heavy focus on AS performance in the past meant that many people self-selected out of applying to Cambridge and applied to Oxford instead. Thus, our field of applicants, while smaller, had a much shorter 'tail' of weak applicants. All this is why it's important not to read too much into simple applicants per offer stats! :smile:

I hope that helps and best of luck.
Hi Dr. Spencer,

Excuse me trampling your Murray Edwards thread (I'm too ancient and hoping to apply to Lucy)!

I asked a question in the General and 21+ forums, and unfortunately can't seem get a reply. Busy ATs right now!

Would you mind lending me your ear if I repost?

:smile:
Original post by Luke7456
How serious are resits like if you did real bad and had to resit 3 modules in total but otherwise had very good 95% averages or something like that would you be ruled out or would you still stand a chance in getting through? Also how important is the reference? I am self taught so would only have a work reference I know they wouldn't be mean but I wouldn't expect a lot more then Luke works hard and has worked here for 2 years or something like that. Whilst other candidates will have two page essays from their references talking about how they turned water into wine.

I don't stand a chance even if i score 100% in every exam from now on do I?


A few resists is not a huge problem, especially if you are self taught, and even more so if you improve significantly. If you do not have a school reference then that is ok and it need not be the same as one would expect from a school reference. There are other ways to shine so try not to worry about what you dont have and focus on the positive.
Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions
A few resists is not a huge problem, especially if you are self taught, and even more so if you improve significantly. If you do not have a school reference then that is ok and it need not be the same as one would expect from a school reference. There are other ways to shine so try not to worry about what you dont have and focus on the positive.


thanks so much that is very reassuring.
Hi Dr Spencer,

I asked this question to another admissions tutor on here, but as I am applying for History I would be really interested to know your view:

Is there any risk in being predicted more than the A*AA generally offered? I have been told that it is a positive in order to be given an offer in the first place, but under what circumstances would you ask for these predictions to be met?

Thanks so much - really appreciate you taking part in this forum:smile:
Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions
Hello again TSR. My name is Dr Andrew Spencer and I am the Admissions Tutor at Murray Edwards College in Cambridge. Welcome to my tenth Ask an Admissions Tutor thread, this time in my new guise as Murray Edwards Admissions. The @Christ's Admissions profile, which I ran for the last three years, will continue under my successor but for the next month before the application deadline for Cambridge, I'll be answering your questions here so please fire away.


What kind of things do you look for in an applicant? I've heard a lot of rumours so hopefully you can clear them up.
Hi Dr Spencer,

If an applicant took 4 A' Levels is there a chance that any offer they might receive would ask for 4 grades (for instance, A*AAA), or would an offer always ask for only 3 grades?

Thank you
Reply 19
Original post by Sophhhowa
What kind of things do you look for in an applicant? I've heard a lot of rumours so hopefully you can clear them up.


It might be worth including your age :smile:

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