a little help..

OP

Sleep

If you are too lazy to get good GCSE grades are you going to realistically do well in one of the hardest degrees? What is the point in you applying to Oxford for Law if you arent prepared to do some serious study both there and to get there? :/

oh dont get your knickers in a twist - my revision techniques in year 11 wasnt the best - unproduction revision = bad
is it hard to understand people can mature and be prepared later?
and ill take more interest in the one area ill be studying :p:

this year i prefer a lot from last year as im only doing what i like while GCSE half the subjects i didnt like

i asked for help not to be put down, so go away :eek:

Reply 23

Sleep

Aye, if you mature and want to work, its cool.

But a lot of people dont want to do work all the time once at Uni. I know someone who did Law at Bristol, thought he was going to mess around the whole time, and actually he didnt want to study Law or do the work involved in it and hated it as a result... a 3 year law course isnt suited to everyone, thats all im saying

Reply 24

OP

yea fair enough i see your point :smile:

*goes back to revising italian fascism*

Reply 25

Death

Sleep I think you are being a little too harsh here. But I do agree you really have to have your wits about you in order to succeed in law. Otherwise you will waste 3 years of your life. 3A*s and 6As doesn't sound too lazy to me but if you think you could have done better then I congratulate you because that is the first step towards motivating yourself to perform your best at A-level. (Also remember that with Art that makes 10 GCSEs which believe me is not an easy undertaking as I have learnt from personal experience.)
Personally I would choose Cambridge over Oxford but I doubt there is any significant difference between the two.

Reply 26

Phonicsdude

19

Sleep

If you are too lazy to get good GCSE grades are you going to realistically do well in one of the hardest degrees? What is the point in you applying to Oxford for Law if you arent prepared to do some serious study both there and to get there? :/

Some people just arent interested by flat, boring GCSEs/A levels. Me being one of them. The bits at school ive enjoyed the most are where weve digressed (in Economics and Eng lit) onto philosophical/political discussions and had debates.

It is possible to love and have a passion for the law and dislike maths and physics...especially if the quality of teaching at the unis you are applying for is higher than that you receive at your secondary school.

Reply 27

OP

oh im not going to mention that art... my teacher was rubbish and i just dossed about... free periods tbh :P but ill just say i had to sacrific art for my other subjects :P
and yea oxford and cambridge seemed very similar, been to cambride, nice place but my dad has a dream about me going to oxford, so why not? im not too fussed im sure either would be amazing :tongue:

and i agree with Phonicsdude - but i love maths :P
i think ive decided to add in sheffield, giving 5... was thinking maybe kings... decided not for bristol cos its miles away :O

Reply 28

OP

oh i had another question...
do Unis differ much between A and A*? or do they roughly count them the same..
when my sister applied a couple of years ago, a Uni wanted 6 As at GCSE but she has 2 A*s and 3 As so said no... do A* and A make much diff? or will it be towards the end when they have no other way to differ?

Reply 29

The 'A' grade has been tragically marginalised, for GCSE purposes; the A*, on the other hand, has acquired a new significance in lieu of the devaluation of its A-Level counterpart. If you find yourself incapable of an arbitrary number (~5, with regard to the "better" institutions), then in all probability your application will be treated with as much disdain as that of someone who failed the very subjects in which you achieved 'A' grades; only having satisfied the baseline criteria for consideration (in terms of A*s) will they then look to your remaining grades, as a means to differentiate.

Of course, there are always exceptions: Mike (Onarmedbandit) has a U.C.L. offer, despite GCSEs which might be deemed by some to be below par for the course; although, of course, he's had a year out in which to improve his prospects (work experience, etcetera).

Reply 30

Death

This is highly interesting Profesh. I was not that aware that GCSEs played such a significant part in the application process. Would you happen to have a slight idea as to what kind of GCSE grades are exepected from applicants to Oxbridge? I suppose A grades are probably viewed with very little appreciation by these 'better' institutions. Since GCSEs play such an important part in the application, how do foreign applicants who were unable to undertake the IGCSEs in their home countries successfully manage to get into some of the most prestigious universities solely relying on their A-level results.

Reply 31

Phonicsdude

19

Every country has some form of testing at 15/16. They will look at those results.

Reply 32

-Leyla-

I got 4A*s, 6As and 1B at GCSE, and so I'm incredibly wary of applying to any of the top universities. If they all reject me, I'd be screwed beyond belief, and there's no way i'd wait another year to go to university.
Does anyone know a good sort of combination of universities that would cover me fairly well?

Reply 33

Death

This is highly interesting Profesh. I was not that aware that GCSEs played such a significant part in the application process. Would you happen to have a slight idea as to what kind of GCSE grades are exepected from applicants to Oxbridge? I suppose A grades are probably viewed with very little appreciation by these 'better' institutions. Since GCSEs play such an important part in the application, how do foreign applicants who were unable to undertake the IGCSEs in their home countries successfully manage to get into some of the most prestigious universities solely relying on their A-level results.

As a foreign applicant, you will be scrutinised on your native equivalent; if there is none, then you will be expected to provide one. There is, of course, what is known as the 'Oxbridge factor' in regard to university applications: the interview process allows for more rigorous and exacting scrutiny of would-be undergaduates than might be possible at other, more vastly over-subscribed institutions (e.g. Bristol - ahem); as such, their selection process is conducted with respect to a broader array of variables. That said, there consists a point beyond which one's prospects of being called for such an interview are, in themselves, diminished (absent mitigating circumstances); although any sense of proportionality between different exam subsets, otherwise "lost in translation", may nevertheless be offset by the 'Oxbridge factor'; and, of course, the fact that you are taking U.K. A-Levels will help even out the playing field some more (certain Oxford/Cambridge colleges - and, in fact, universities in general - have been known to make nigh-on unattainable I.B. offers, vastly disproportionate to those of their A-Level counterparts). In any case, and for the most part, if you are worthy of consideration by U.C.L., L.S.E., Bristol, Nottingham, Durham, Manchester, et al, then you have a shot at Oxbridge; if you can boast a genuine fascination with/aptitude for the subject, and your grades perhaps do not reflect this, then an Oxbridge application may be even more worth your while than one to the aforementioned (and extremely exacting) London colleges. L.S.E. does, however, boast an international reputation comparable only to Oxbridge (and perhaps even exceeding that of Cambridge); so, assuming you're capable of the requisite grades, you'd probably do well to apply there: L.S.E. is no stranger to foreign students.

Regarding A-Level: 'A' grades are significant, but 'AAA' (or better, if you abstain from sleep sufficiently to complete five) is these days deemed more of an initial hurdle, than a deciding factor. Rather, as is the case with Medicine, you should have a plethora of those much vaunted "extra-curricular activities" to your name (although I believe you covered this in another thread): one Law-related work placement; ideally at least one part-time job (although the two could be synonymous) employing skills remotely applicable to Law/University in general; noted participation in debating/drama either within, or outside of, school; the undertaking of positions of responsibility, however unrelated to the course, either within, or outside of, school; a glowing reference, academic and otherwise, from one's teachers. All these will go hand-in-hand; GCSEs (or whatever the equivalent) are merely part of the equation. :smile:

Reply 34

-Leyla-

I got 4A*s, 6As and 1B at GCSE, and so I'm incredibly wary of applying to any of the top universities. If they all reject me, I'd be screwed beyond belief, and there's no way i'd wait another year to go to university.
Does anyone know a good sort of combination of universities that would cover me fairly well?

4 'A*'s... you'd be good for Bristol. I've only one more; 3 'A's and 2 'B's, and they admitted me (and unlike some, they work through a 'points' system: I very much doubt your application would be forming smoke from the admissions officer's chimney, if mine wasn't). Dreama's GCSEs tally almost parallel to mine, and she's off to Warwick. Mike (Onearmedbandit) emerged from the rear end of Year 11 with 3 'A*'s, and he's gunning for U.C.L. come the end of the Summer; although, admittedly, he's had a year's sojourn from higher ed. in which to augment his credentials (via Law-related employment). Also, and as a general rule, Oxbridge is probably theoretically attainable to anyone with a few 'A*'s and the requisite motivation; perhaps even moreso than certain, un-named London establishments (L.S.E.). :rolleyes:

Reply 35

goneaway56

6

Profesh

4 'A*'s... you'd be good for Bristol. I've only one more; 3 'A's and '2 'Bs, and they admitted me (and unlike some, they work through a 'points' system: I very much doubt your application would be forming smoke from the admissions officer's chimney, if mine wasn't). Dreama's GCSEs tally almost parallel to mine, and she's off to Warwick. Mike (Onearmedbandit) emerged from the rear end of Year 11 with 3 'A*'s, and he's gunning for U.C.L. come the end of the Summer; although, admittedly, he's had a year's sojourn from higher ed. in which to augment his credentials (via Law-related employment). Also, and as a general rule, Oxbridge is probably theoretically attainable to anyone with a few 'A*'s and the requisite motivation; perhaps even moreso than certain, un-named London establishments (L.S.E.). :rolleyes:

Dreama is off to Warwick? I thought she was going to King's!

And LSE's admissions certainly has my revulsion. :biggrin:

Oxbridge uses talent primarily as a method of selection, while LSE uses grades.

Reply 36

Phonicsdude

19

-Leyla-

I got 4A*s, 6As and 1B at GCSE, and so I'm incredibly wary of applying to any of the top universities. If they all reject me, I'd be screwed beyond belief, and there's no way i'd wait another year to go to university.
Does anyone know a good sort of combination of universities that would cover me fairly well?

You have 10 *s/As. ANY uni is within your reach! I got 5*s/2As/4Bs and got accepted at UCL and Kings. If you want a nice 6th choice uni, go for Leicester. I would also recommend, with those grades going for Kings.
Then apply to ANY of the top unis in the country! Keep the faith! Work hard to get the best possible AS levels and you'll be fine!

Reply 37