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Just wondering....

They don't even know your AS results, just your predicted A-level grades. They really don't matter. As long as you get your 3As at A-level results are irrelevant. Cambridge works in a different way to A-levels. Being good at doing school exams is not the criterion Cambridge uses to decide who will be good.

Reply 21

Willa

11

then why do they request UMS marks?

I thought they did consider your AS results in their decisions. My friend who got turned away was told in the report afterwards that they felt that his academic record did not suggest he would be suited to be heavy workload at cambridge. That says to me "you aint got the grades, so we dont want you"

So I just wanna know if you are categorically saying they completely ignore your AS grades in the application process?

Furthermore, this definitely can not be the case at oxford, because they turn people away before interview if they dont have good enough grades.

Reply 22

Ticki

8

Willa

I actually just read in the league table that the "Average" cambridge student as MORE THAN 4 A Grade A levels......mayhaps you should rethink what you have to offer cambridge.

I get very scared when I meet people with so many A-levels. My ex has something like 6 whereas I've only got 3 A-levels and an AS.

I think you do have to say what your AS results are though, 3rdyear, unless they've not been "cashed in". But as Willa says, they're only one part of the application. Interviewers look for someone with the potential to get at least a 2.i at Cambridge, and academic records in the context of your academic environment certainly help them to establish whether or not you would thrive at Cambridge.

As far as colleges who like state schools, the ones with around 60% state school intake are Sidney, Magdalene, Jesus, Clare, King's, Emma, Fitz. That doesn't mean that you're limited to those colleges though - John's, for example, is trying really hard to encourage more state school applicants.

Reply 23

posh_git

OP

1

cool. thanks for all ur advice! im gonna go 4 it. but i want the college 2 b quite centre in the city but a new college lol if u c wot i mean? which one's would you reccomend 4 tht? churchill does look quite good, but that's like on the outside of the city isn't it.

Reply 24

fishpaste

please make sure you come back here in january and post in this thread what happened, you owe it to people next year wondering about their grades!

Reply 25

priya

14

posh_git

cool. thanks for all ur advice! im gonna go 4 it. but i want the college 2 b quite centre in the city but a new college lol if u c wot i mean? which one's would you reccomend 4 tht? churchill does look quite good, but that's like on the outside of the city isn't it.

most of the new colleges are utside of the city centre. robinson is fairly new, but again it's on the outside, near churchill.

Reply 26

priya

14

do you want the whole thing to be new or just the accommodation or what? Caius has new first year accommodation..it's about a ten minute walk from the college, but it's apparantly very modern. i think most of the central colleges have a choice of old/new accommodation as well...however i doubt you'd get a choice in this, you'd have to see which rooms in the different colleges were generally given to first years.

if you want the whole college to be new, then ignore this lol

Reply 27

Acaila

17

posh_git

cool. thanks for all ur advice! im gonna go 4 it. but i want the college 2 b quite centre in the city but a new college lol if u c wot i mean? which one's would you reccomend 4 tht? churchill does look quite good, but that's like on the outside of the city isn't it.

Robinson's not too far out. It's not the most central but it's not bad. It's the newest college and has brilliant accommodation (and squirrels! :biggrin:

)

OP

ok!

On the map it looks like Robinson and Churchill are the same distance from the city centre ie a 10 minute walk, as they are in a straight line from Madingley to Grange Road

Reply 30

MadNatSci

12

3rdyear

As for Kings, don't touch it with a barge pole unless you're from a state school.

I was told that too, but I do wonder if it isn't self-perpetuating. Anyway it isn't 100% state so if you really like it go for it anyway, even if you are from a private school - they must take some! A friend from my school is starting there in October this year. Admittedly he's not exactly your stereotypical public schoolboy... But to be honest not that many people are :smile:

Reply 31

visesh

17

3rdyear

As for Kings, don't touch it with a barge pole unless you're from a state school.

No one told me that before I applied last year...then again I didn't do much research. I guess I must have just slipped through the iron curtain... :tongue:

!

Reply 32

jcw

posh_git

Just wondering, i didn't do that well in my AS's (well that's a matter of opinion). ... The university says it does look at other factors except for AS grades but do you think that i would be disadvantaged because i didn't do well in my AS grades?

In short, yes, you will of course be disadvantaged. They have far more applicants than they could take who have at least AAA at AS. They are trying to assess your academic ability and whether you will cope with the stress of the Cambidge course and make best use of the resources Cambridge has. If you, for whatever reason, couldn't get AAA at AS, this is obviously a relevant factor for admissions to consider as it suggests either (i) you don't work hard enough (and it is VERY easy to be distracted at Cambridge where you do learn independently) or (ii) you don't work well under pressure (and 'Cambridge' is, at times, a synonym for 'pressure') or (iii) that is your academic ability (in which case, it is unlikely you are really of Oxbridge standard).

That said, the advantage of Oxbridge admissions is that they have ways of considering this in perspective. They can find out if ABB is really what you are capable of, or whether you were having a bad day (or the AS level marker was!). To that extent, your AS results are one factor amongst many. Equally, if not more important, are your teacher reference, any admissions tests, your personal statement and your predictions. Realistically, both you and Cambridge need to think that you stand a reasonable chance of getting AAA at A-level as otherwise you aren't likely to meet any offer that you might receive.

Further, your academic ability predicted by AS/A-levels are nothing like as important at Oxbridge as they are at other universities, as Oxbridge has interviews to see your mind in action at the very subject you are going to be studying. In some ways, AS/A levels are a more useful display of whether your mind is adaptable (to different subjects at the same time) and whether you are willing to put in the work. So, even if you are only likely to scrape the AAA necessary to meet an offer, if you show off at interview that you are worthy of the huge amount of money that will be invested in you through the supervision system, you will get an offer. The interview is a superb way to check (i) the 'quality' of your mind, in particular for your chosen subject and (ii) your interest in the subject (which is necessary to ensure that you put the work in when you get here!).

So, in summary, ABB isn't great. You need to convince Oxbridge that that isn't the limit of your ability: you do that through your interview and through your predictions (ie: be convincing your teachers). That will require work that other students aren't having to do, who already have that on paper; to that extent, you are at a disadvantage. But this is merely one factor: your interview will give admissions a whole host of other relevant factors to rely on. So, don't feel down because you have ABB, but work hard to ensure you get on track for an AAA. Your chances are probably no worse, nor better, than every other serious applicants -- your aptitude for the subject will be key, and that will mainly be evaluated at your interview.

Reply 33

slinec

Willa

I actually just read in the league table that the "Average" cambridge student as MORE THAN 4 A Grade A levels......mayhaps you should rethink what you have to offer cambridge.

As I say...if you think you've got that extra special something, and will really shine in the interview, well then apply.

So does the average Oxford student (498 points [ 120 pts = an A ] )

Reply 34

Willa

11

where's that figure from?

Reply 35

Squishy

11

The Sunday Times University Guide says

Average Cambridge A-level points: 509
Average Oxford A-level points: 498

It hardly means anything anyway...

Reply 36

Pixelfairy #1

Minta

On the map it looks like Robinson and Churchill are the same distance from the city centre ie a 10 minute walk, as they are in a straight line from Madingley to Grange Road

That map's deceptive though... It's a very long walk from Sidney to the CompSci (William Gates) building! especially on the hottest day of the year when you've just spent 4 hours on a minibus :eek:

It was worth the walk though :biggrin:

... just get the citi bus back cos it's free if you're a student there!!!

Reply 37

priya

14

3rdyear

As for Kings, don't touch it with a barge pole unless you're from a state school.

funny that, i was from state school and we were told not to touch it with a barge pole too!! a friend of mine still applied regardless, and didn't get in (it was for english though)

Reply 38

stephx

Squishy

The Sunday Times University Guide says

Average Cambridge A-level points: 509
Average Oxford A-level points: 498

It hardly means anything anyway...

i only have 460 !!! :eek:

bleh, STEP should be factored in :mad:

Reply 39

christ's-boy

priya

funny that, i was from state school and we were told not to touch it with a barge pole too!! a friend of mine still applied regardless, and didn't get in (it was for english though)

Around about the time of the applications for the 2003 entry, there was a large article in (I think) the Times about how King's, concerned about falling academic standards and growing radicalism, was attempting to tone down the number of state school pupils it took, nearer to the Cambridge average.

Didn't ever hear anything else about it. A friend (state school) applied there for med and got rejected.

Personally, I wouldn't touch it either way. The place is in crisis.

Just wondering....

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