A*A*A* but no FM for LSE Economics

What are the chances of me getting an offer for LSE economics with predicted of A*A*A* in Maths, Physics and Economics even though I don’t take Further Maths? If not LSE, what are the best economics courses I have a realistic chance of getting into that are still good without further maths?

LSE and Cambridge has Further Maths content in Years 1 and some in Year 2 as well. But my cousin applied in 2019 to LSE with A*A*A* predicted in Maths, Chemistry and Biology as well as an A grade achieved and certificated in AS-Level Economics. He got an offer from LSE Economics, at A*AA as he had 9A* 2B at GCSE with Bs in French and Design & Technology: Product Design. Because his grammar school did not offer progression to A-Level Economics, LSE were happy to accept the A grade in AS-Level Economics at A grade.

My cousin got A*A*B on results day in 2019 with B grade in Maths and A*'s in Chemistry and Biology but LSE rejected him. However, UCL accepted him for Economics.

Also, my other cousin got rejected by LSE as she went to a top state school and should have been able to take Further Maths. But she took Maths, French, Philosophy and Economics and achieved A*A*A*A and this was good enough to be accepted by UCL for Economics last year.

So you might not get offers from Cambridge and LSE, but certainly will from UCL, Warwick, Bristol, Nottingham, KCL, QMUL, SOAS, Manchester, Durham, York and Lancaster.

May I also say, you should consider applying for PPE at Oxford as they don't require A-Level Further Maths, but 95% of the cohort accepted had A-Level Maths.

Good luck.

If your college had Further Mathematics as an option, but you didn't choose it, chances of LSE are pretty much nil.


Like @thegeek888 said, you can defo still get into target unis like Warwick/ UCL without FM (especially with your grades which are super impressive!)

Or you could choose to study FM independently, or even to AS level - I have a couple mates at LSE who only did AS FM and got an offer.

even if your school doesn’t offer statistics in further maths? I understand that’s the only relevant section.

I don’t believe they even bother looking at the modules that you’ve done, you’re wrong to think it’s only stats that would be important, some core pure is relevant too.

Like what?
I did a bit of research and basically found that calculus is useful, but the only calculus at AS level is volumes of revolution, which is completely irrelevant.

Nah if you go to LSE, in your first year of BSc Econ you need to pick between MA107 or MA100.

MA107 is literally identical to the A Level Further Mathematics "pure" content, whereas MA100 builds on it but requires that you know the concepts - which you'd only get from doing A Level "pure" maths.

ah ok, thank you so the odds are pretty much zero without further maths? or should I just apply and hope they let me in as a one off?

Honestly OP, if LSE is your dream, I’d suggest taking the initiative to self teach FM

I wanted to do economics at LSE and take the route to becoming an investment banker, I have realised however, that because I haven't taken Further Maths that my chances are pretty impossible. Are there any alternative courses I should apply to there instead there (that would be suitable for getting me into banking) or should I aim for a different uni e.g. UCL econ?

I wanted to do economics at LSE and take the route to becoming an investment banker, I have realised however, that because I haven't taken Further Maths that my chances are pretty impossible. Are there any alternative courses I should apply to there instead there (that would be suitable for getting me into banking) or should I aim for a different uni e.g. UCL econ?