Is it worth me applying to Durham with these grades (entry 2008)

Heya

I have 3A*,3A,2B,2C in my GCSEs, and have got ABBB in my AS's (will resit a few modules). Im dropping one of the subjects I got a B in (geog), but I'm keeping the other three and am likely to be predicted 3As. I'd like to apply for Law. Would I have a realistic chance of getting in?

Thanks

Reply 1

~Kirsty~

I think so - with resits i can't see why not.

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Reply 2

freshlybaked

Thanks for the reply Kirsty.

I forgot to add that I went to a terrible secondary school which only had about 15-20% of people getting 4 C grades or better at GCSE - would this cut any ice with the admissions team or would I be dismissed as a whinger?!

don't mention it.

Yeah, those grades are definitely good enough. If you're that worried about it, decline all your AS grades, and they'll appear as 'Pending' on your application form (as mine did).. :p:

Reply 5

Jelkin

Can you get one of your teachers to mention the awful school record on your references? That seems the best way to bring it in - if you write it in your PS or something it probably won't go down well.

Reply 6

~Kirsty~

I don't think it goes down well wherever its put in the UCAS application! They ahve the name and address of your school, they will know its not a good area without you rubbing it in.

Reply 7

Jelkin

They can't know everything about every school in the country, and if his teachers write about it, it won't necessarily look like he asked them to. I have no idea what my teachers said about me. They could say something like, "x is doing fantastically well, far above the school's average," or something like that, so it's not being shoved down the admissions team's throats.

Reply 8

WokSz

The LNAT plays a very important part in the selection process. So, make sure you do very well (e.g. 20+).

Reply 9

ssmoose

Go for it. One of my friends who does law managed to spell something wrong in his personal statment's first sentence so they're obviously not that strict.

Reply 10

pikaboo

But the personal statement is a very important part of the admissions process - with people getting very similar grades, there's only the PS to distinguish personalities.

Reply 11

forever_lost

LNAT seems to be the most crucial factor.

Reply 12

~Kirsty~

does everyone do LNAT?

Reply 13

WokSz

To read Law at Durham? Yes. There are only a few Universities who state that the LNAT is compulsory for consideration, and Oxbridge and Durham are some of the members who set the highest cut-off grade (20+). It's actually funny because I was rejected from Oxford simply because of my LNAT. They said in their feedback that my LNAT score was not high enough. For **** sakes, I got 23/30. That's 7 points higher than the national average. ARGH!