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Are my gcses good enough for cambridge?

I got 87766664 L1D L2M, 8 in comp sci, 77 in maths and eng lang, 4 in dt and the btecs are enterprise and creative it

I do kinda have extenuating circumstances, but if I get predicted like A*A*A*A in fm, maths, comp sci and physics, do good on interview and the TMUA, surely by GCSEs won't hold me down? Applying for comp sci 2024.
Reply 1
Cambridge are more lenient with GCSEs compared to Oxford, but I'm not sure about the 4 as it may weigh you down. I'd say do well on the admissions test as any course at Cambridge is incredibly competitive. As you have extenuating circumstances you may possibly be welcomed for an interview but it's difficult to say. Most Cambridge applicants have a majority of 9s, 8s and 7s at GCSE
Original post by pingpong14
Cambridge are more lenient with GCSEs compared to Oxford, but I'm not sure about the 4 as it may weigh you down. I'd say do well on the admissions test as any course at Cambridge is incredibly competitive. As you have extenuating circumstances you may possibly be welcomed for an interview but it's difficult to say. Most Cambridge applicants have a majority of 9s, 8s and 7s at GCSE


I mean isn't that due to people getting 7s 8s 9s are on the path to get A*s anyway? So in theory someone could do bad at GCSEs but get the same a level grades as all the other applicants and their GCSEs shouldn't really weigh them down, and from looking around on the website about similar questions I think Cambridge don't really think GCSEs are an accurate performance indicator (and I also did above average in my school) and they don't really emphasise it too much, I think the best indicators are the interview and the TMUA, compared to GCSEs. And I think once you get an interview, the grades won't really matter much but TMUA and interview (maybe predicted grades as well) will.
Original post by AcademicWeaponFR
I mean isn't that due to people getting 7s 8s 9s are on the path to get A*s anyway? So in theory someone could do bad at GCSEs but get the same a level grades as all the other applicants and their GCSEs shouldn't really weigh them down, and from looking around on the website about similar questions I think Cambridge don't really think GCSEs are an accurate performance indicator (and I also did above average in my school) and they don't really emphasise it too much, I think the best indicators are the interview and the TMUA, compared to GCSEs. And I think once you get an interview, the grades won't really matter much but TMUA and interview (maybe predicted grades as well) will.

I mean you seem to have already made up your mind about this anyway but..
They use gcses as a way to see how you actually perform in real life exams - a level predicted grades are often inflated so they need a way to see how you actually can perform in exams
Reply 4
Original post by AcademicWeaponFR
I got 87766664 L1D L2M, 8 in comp sci, 77 in maths and eng lang, 4 in dt and the btecs are enterprise and creative it

I do kinda have extenuating circumstances, but if I get predicted like A*A*A*A in fm, maths, comp sci and physics, do good on interview and the TMUA, surely by GCSEs won't hold me down? Applying for comp sci 2024.

The best way is to apply post A-Level with your grades achieved. Also, Computer Science at Cambridge University is so competitive, that even A*A*A* and A*A*A*A* applicants get rejected. :frown:
Original post by Emmmaaaa...
I mean you seem to have already made up your mind about this anyway but..
They use gcses as a way to see how you actually perform in real life exams - a level predicted grades are often inflated so they need a way to see how you actually can perform in exams


That's why you should do superb in the entrance exams because they are the most accurate performance indicator.

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