GCSEs and Oxbridge...

MarcusLL

What constitutes to you having a 'serious chance'?

Well he said that my GCSE's may prove a hinderence, but since i scored 100% in several of my modules (one economics and one politics funnily enough) at AS, and I interview well, I should be fine.

Also let me point out, people on this forum always say applying to the outside colleges is exactly the same as the big ones. That also is crap, you are far better off applying to the less prestigious ones if you want to get in as they attract the "lower end" of the oxbridge spectrum.

Reply 42

MarcusLL

necessarily benevolent

As much as I dislike this fellow he has a point. No-one ever has a 'serious chance' prior to the admissions process. A reasonable chance, maybe, but not serious.

Huh? People do have a serious chance. If you have amazing grades (GCSEs + UMS's) then obv. you have an amazing chance. I was just making that comment to that previous poster because i dont believe he has a 'serious chance'.

Reply 43

Solid_Snake_100

Well he said that my GCSE's may prove a hinderence, but since i scored 100% in several of my modules (one economics and one politics funnily enough) at AS, and I interview well, I should be fine.

Also let me point out, people on this forum always say applying to the outside colleges is exactly the same as the big ones. That also is crap, you are far better off applying to the less prestigious ones if you want to get in as they attract the "lower end" of the oxbridge spectrum.

If the TSA is anything like the HAT then a particular score means you'll be invited for interview. That means that if you have this score you'll be reallocated to a different college anyway if that particular one is oversubscribed, not rejected.

Reply 44

MarcusLL

Solid_Snake_100

Well he said that my GCSE's may prove a hinderence, but since i scored 100% in several of my modules (one economics and one politics funnily enough) at AS, and I interview well, I should be fine.

Also let me point out, people on this forum always say applying to the outside colleges is exactly the same as the big ones. That also is crap, you are far better off applying to the less prestigious ones if you want to get in as they attract the "lower end" of the oxbridge spectrum.

Fine? Interviewing well? Counting your eggs before they hatch I think.

Reply 45

^^Oh, PS I forgot to add that PPE has an entrance examination too based on thinking assessment. This counts a LOT. Obviously I dont want to be arrogant, when i said "serious", I meant i stood a good chance of getting in if I kept working at it. For some people, they think that chance is there but realistically it isn't.

Reply 46

MarcusLL

Fine? Interviewing well? Counting your eggs before they hatch I think.

lol, we have interview training actually. Some of the tutors used to teach at oxford, they know what they are doing :smile:

Reply 47

MarcusLL

Huh? People do have a serious chance. If you have amazing grades (GCSEs + UMS's) then obv. you have an amazing chance. I was just making that comment to that previous poster because i dont believe he has a 'serious chance'.

No, if you have amazing grades (I think it's over 7A*s and 90%+ UMS in relevant AS modules) you're automatically pooled, but this doesn't mean definite acceptance (I think it's a third of pooled applicants accepted). You're interviewed again, and if you fail this hurdle (combined with a weak interview the first time round) you'd be rejected. So yes, a better chance but still not an amazing chance.

Reply 48

beachboi

1

Oxbridge seem to only place a emphasis on A levels; to an extent anyway so try your best and hope! :tongue:

Reply 49

MarcusLL

beachboi

2A*,7A,1B good enough for a school with a 40% pass rate?

Yeh v. good.

Reply 50

necessarily benevolent

If the TSA is anything like the HAT then a particular score means you'll be invited for interview. That means that if you have this score you'll be reallocated to a different college anyway if that particular one is oversubscribed, not rejected.

No, you wont get reallocated, you get interviewed at your college of choice, and they will pool you based on the interview (so if you did well, they might send you to a "better college" so that they can see the standard of the first), and you may get an offer at the second. This is merely so colleges can be more universal in talent, as previously there was media bias of elitist and then the worse colleges.

Reply 51

range-free

I got A*A*AAAABBC @ GCSE and got into Oxbridge 2006 entry. I am doing PPE.

Reply 52

Solid_Snake_100

No, you wont get reallocated, you get interviewed at your college of choice, and they will pool you based on the interview (so if you did well, they might send you to a "better college" so that they can see the standard of the first), and you may get an offer at the second. This is merely so colleges can be more universal in talent, as previously there was media bias of elitist and then the worse colleges.

I mean pre-interview pooling. Are you referring to the pooling during interview? If a college is oversubscribed but there are people above a particular HAT score (I can only comment on my subject I'm afraid) they'll be reallocated to a lesser college.

Andrea Hopkins - History Admissions Officer

The HAT desummoning score is the same for all colleges. The system provides that colleges who have filled their places with higher ranking
candidates pass on the other good applicants to less popular colleges.
The method of calculating rank in Admissions is also consistent across
all colleges. The aim is that no candidate should be disadvantaged by
applying to any particular college.

Reply 53

Sk1lLz

OP

necessarily benevolent

I mean pre-interview pooling. Are you referring to the pooling during interview? If a college is oversubscribed but there are people above a particular HAT score (I can only comment on my subject I'm afraid) they'll be reallocated to a lesser college.

Andrea Hopkins - History Admissions Officer

That doesn't really matter though. Practically everyone gets through to the interview... Well, that's what I heard.

Reply 54

necessarily benevolent

I mean pre-interview pooling. Are you referring to the pooling during interview? If a college is oversubscribed but there are people above a particular HAT score (I can only comment on my subject I'm afraid) they'll be reallocated to a lesser college.

Andrea Hopkins - History Admissions Officer

Ahh ok. No that doesnt happen. There is no pre-interview pooling, only after your interview at the first choice college.

Reply 55

Solid_Snake_100

Ahh ok. No that doesnt happen. There is no pre-interview pooling, only after your interview at the first choice college.

But in that case aren't colleges like Magdalen and Merton absolutely chockablock when interviewing where the likes of St. Catz have very few applicants to get through at first?

Reply 56

Sk1lLz

That doesn't really matter though. Practically everyone gets through to the interview... Well, that's what I heard.

The HAT culls the bottom 20%. Around 52% is required to get an interview apparently.

Reply 57

Sk1lLz

OP

necessarily benevolent

The HAT culls the bottom 20%. Around 52% is required to get an interview apparently.

Okay, fair enough. Why do some colleges have more applicants than others anyway?

Reply 58

Sk1lLz

Okay, fair enough. Why do some colleges have more applicants than others anyway?

For various reasons. They're better located, they're aesthetically pleasing, they provide quality accomodation for the duration of the course etc. Basically, they're more popular.

Reply 59