Uni of Cambridge, are my resits going to hold me back?

No one is going to be able to give you a concrete answer. Specifically in regards to Cambridge, does it look good to have to resit? No, of course not - but it doesn't mean you can't get a place. The problem is, in my opinion, doing well (even very well) in mathematics/further mathematics at A-Level does not mean you'll be a good mathematician. The skills needed to do well at A-Level differ massively from the mathematical skills needed to do well at University - which is partially why Oxford/Cambridge make people applying sit other exams and have interviews (which are vastly different to the kind of work you do at A-Level). The reason I'm saying this, is because I would say the tutors at Oxbridge look far more at your 'other non-mathematical' A-Levels than is perhaps logical, because this gives a good indication of working under pressure and coping with a workload - you'll be surprised how massively varied mathematics is at University. Unlike A-Level maths where generally the maths is the kind where if you're good at one part, you're good at near enough all of it, at University the maths is considerably more varied.

If you intend on applying after your AS-Levels then the resits will have more of an effect than if you applied post A-Level (but I guess that is somewhat obvious). It's also going to be dependent on how you perform in the summer, really unless you've got AAA in your AS-Levels the reality is your application will not be competitive whatsoever purely based on A-Levels. Some would argue that even if you did get AAA in the summer (and high As) it still wouldn't be competitive because of the resits - but that doesn't mean you can't 'wow' at the interview and get an offer because when it boils down to it, the real test is going to be sitting A2 exams and two STEP papers in the summer next year.

Thank you Noble, I understand but having AABC at level is less competitive than AAAA with resits wouldn't you say? I totally understand that there's a massive difference, and I can agree with the fact that you need to show you need to work hard under pressure.

Thanks for the genuine advice, I will still apply if I get AAAB this year minimum

Give up on your dreams of Cambridge.

Someone from cambridge admissions came to our college to talk to us about applying to Oxbridge and she said its fine to resit January exams in June because often you haven't been studying the subject long enough to reach your potential in January but you can't really be resitting any June exams in year 13.


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Someone from cambridge admissions came to our college to talk to us about applying to Oxbridge and she said its fine to resit January exams in June because often you haven't been studying the subject long enough to reach your potential in January but you can't really be resitting any June exams in year 13.


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You do realise you dont have to show retake that you took in the year of the exam?

For example if you take an AS exam in january and retake in june but your still in AS then you dont have to show you took a retake same with a2, if you retake a2 exams in a2 you dont show em but if you take an AS exam in A2 then they will see. I know oxford dont mind retakes

No, you do. Cambridge make you complete an SAQ form where you have to declare all resits.

What if you lie?

I don't mean it's okay to resit all your january exams but sometimes a result for a particular exam is significantly lower than what you're used to getting for example with English Lit results can be very unpredictable


Posted from TSR Mobile

Give up on your dreams of Cambridge.

A bit harsh?

Ok, I do Maths at Cambridge and people here definitely have resat modules. OP, if you can get all your grades up to A's (and your Maths/FM grades to high A's, preferably over 90%) your application will be fine.

Would an 80-90ums range A as a third subject disadvantage me? I'm fairly on track to get over 90 in maths and fm. And cheers

It won't be as good as other applicants, as most people do Physics and do well in it, but it won't hugely disadvantage you I wouldn't think. Basically, if you can get (decent) A's in Maths/FM you will most likely be invited to interview as they interview the vast majority of candidates. How you perform at interview is up to you. Cambridge also gives out about twice as many offers as places for Maths because STEP is so hard, so start looking at it early (the summer, for example, and work properly for it from January if you get an offer).