Importance of GCSE's

I was wondering how important GCSE results are when applying to oxbridge. I am a very logical person and I am best at science and maths. However because you have to do a range of subjects at GCSE some of them might let me down. It is subjects like drama and english literature that I dont do well in.

So my question is: If I get great A level results (prob all A's) how important are GCSE results? (Obvioisly they will still be good (A*-B))

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Reply 1

necessarily benevolent

I was rejected without an interview this year, and I got 3 As, 2.5 Bs and a C and an A in my course's A level from Year 11. But I still maintain that it was a combination of those with my cocky PS and a substandard HAT that got me rejected. And I have no reason to be dishonest here, I could easily have blamed it on my GCSEs and, in turn, have neglected the issue of aptitude in my subject, but I'm willing to accept that I panicked terribly in the HAT. How complex the HAT was though, I'd say that a high score in that would overturn them. Someone got an interview this year whose hightest GCSE was a D. I might be reapplying though if I get another 3 As; applying post-A level seems to give that slight advantage, si. That's for Oxford though, Cambridge might be different.

not very.

3 As, 2.5 Bs and a C

well, the Bs and C obviously were what let you down.

Reply 4

lola1993

got an offer for english this year with A*A*ABBCCCC.

gcse's are important, you're in the minority who got in with those grades. but of course, the more competitive the course, the better your gcse grades need to be (:

Reply 5

Malsy

- depends on what course you're wanting to apply to
-an A at A level maths is better than any low grade at GCSE so wouldn't think it is that important
but generally I do think they're important but like I said it's more important in the fact whether or not you meet the req. of what you want to do and if your grades don't at GCSE but they do at A Level then surely they will consider that

Reply 6

Crucio404

I got an interview with 8A*s 2A's. Saying that, i'm not that great at english, geog, history etc, but gcses are easy enough to get A*'s in even if your bad, imo...

Reply 7

necessarily benevolent

lola1993

well, the Bs and C obviously were what let you down.

As I said, I could easily turn to that as an excuse, and not dent my apparent aptitude in the subject. But, I know the HAT ultimately destroyed my app.

Edit: I'm not sure whether they got in but someone on TSR got interviewed with nothing above a D in their GCSEs.

Reply 8

lola1993

Someone got an interview this year whose hightest GCSE was a D.

Wtf, why? That person must have been clever (i assume they got good AS/A-Level grades) but something severly affected their performance in their GCSEs. They don't ever take D grade students :/

Reply 9

skagitup

lola1993

gcse's are important, you're in the minority who got in with those grades. but of course, the more competitive the course, the better your gcse grades need to be (:

am i in the minority because oxford won't accept people with poor gcse grades, or because people with poor gcse grades are less likely to do well at as level (and consequently apply to oxford)?

Reply 10

purplefrog

depends on the course you wish to pursue. If it's Medicine at Oxford, then they matter A LOT as it is ur GCSE results and ur BMAT scores that get numbercrunched and ranked... from that, the top 10-15% get shortlisted for interview.

Reply 11

necessarily benevolent

skagitup

am i in the minority because oxford won't accept people with poor gcse grades, or because people with poor gcse grades are less likely to do well at as level (and consequently apply to oxford)?

I'm so pleased for your offer btw. :smile:

Reply 12

skagitup

necessarily benevolent

I'm so pleased for your offer btw. :smile:

thanks 'nev.

Reply 13

necessarily benevolent

lola1993

Wtf, why? That person must have been clever (i assume they got good AS/A-Level grades) but something severly affected their performance in their GCSEs. They don't ever take D grade students :/

Why do you care anyway? :dontknow:

Reply 14

Khodu

Don't care about them.. They're like :fart:

to me.

Reply 15

shamrock92

Importance of apostrophes?

Reply 16

TomTeeTom

I dunno I got A*AAAAAABBC and got in but i went to a very bad school. I would say they are fairly important but of all the factors they take into consideration i would say it's not one of the make or break ones such as the pre interview test/interview or AS results/predicted A level.

Reply 17

E_D_B

skagitup

am i in the minority because oxford won't accept people with poor gcse grades, or because people with poor gcse grades are less likely to do well at as level (and consequently apply to oxford)?

This.

IMO GCSEs aren't particularly important (for most courses) in themselves, it's just that intelligent people tend to do well at GCSE and intelligence is needed to do well at Oxbridge interviews. Having said that, 11 A*s is never going to do you any harm.

Reply 18

TomTeeTom

Also another thing is although Oxbridge may not place to much of an empahasis on GCSE's because they have other factors such as admission tests universities such as Imperial,UCL or LSE and most of the London Uni's take them seriously