Should I take a year out and apply to Oxbridge?

Keeping in mind that Oxford and Cambridge are pretty much the best universities you can get in to and if you did apply and get accepted, that'd be fantastic.

I think you should talk to the career advisers at your college. They will tell you whether honestly you have a chance.

But, personally, i think if you could get an A* you might, but without it i don't think so, unless you had a really strong interview or something. Most Oxbridge applicants have lots of As and A*s at GCSE from what i've seen.

In my opinion, you should see whether you get an offer from any other unis, and spend a lot of time thinking about if you took a year out, how would you explain it? and theres always a chance you won't get accepted.

I don't know you though, so you'd still be better off talking to someone at college.

If you were to get A*AA then you could quite possibly get into Durham, Nottingham or Bristol for Law via adjustment. I don't think with the grades you currently have, taking a gap year to apply to Oxbridge would be wise. They would expect at least 1 A* at A2.

Nice name

Thanka for your reply. Unfortunately, only a small amount of students at my college actually pass their a levels so my college has little experience with russel group universities. I think if I told them I was considering rejecting a russel group in the hope of Oxbridge they'd think I was nuts. Perhaps I shall just see what I can find in adjustment because queen Mary's offer is abb which I hope to beat! :-)

Most top unis don't enter into adjustment. Before you enter into it, make sure there are unis in it you'd be happy with. Otherwise, the options are taking a year out and being happy where you are.

If you get straight As you've certainly got a shot at quite a few of the Bristol/ King's range (though King's want A*AA), but nothing's guaranteed. You're risking your current place if you do... it depends upon how confident you are and how bothered you are

That's what I thought, but now I've spoken to people who have gone to Durham/Exeter and Kings through adjustment!

Through adjustment I wouldn't have to risk my place at QM because you don't have to decline your offer, you can keep them waiting whilst you try other places.

And true, I think I am quite bothered though because I wouldn't even think about going through all this trouble if I wasn't. I work really hard for my grades and I kind of want to go to a Uni that shows that. I know Queen Mary is a very good University, but none of my family seem to know it... so to them I'm just going any old place

I don't think taking a year out to solely go for Oxbridge would be wise. It's incredibly difficult to get a place, not only do you need mostly A's and A*'s at GCSE, you need to stand out exceptionally not only academically at A Level. I have a friend who achieved all A*'s at GCSE, and got AAA* at A level and was rejected by Oxford.

It's a huge gamble to take a year out just for Oxbridge, especially when you admit yourself you come from a poor college (They really want to see private school applicants.)

By all means, take a year out and apply once you have your grades! It's what I've done, but I warn you, over confidence can be completely shattering. I got AAA* at Alevel and was rejected by Leeds and Bristol. I have options between QMUL, Glasgow and York now.

You could take a year out and apply to Oxbridge, (so you won't always wonder) but have a safety net of other universities with lower requirements.

Thanks for your reply. Wow! I'm so suprised Bristol & Leeds rejected you when you have such a high grades! Is this for Law?

Where do you think you will choose now?

And thanks, I think I will try adjustment to other Uni's and then if not perhaps take a year out anyway.

I don't think taking a year out to solely go for Oxbridge would be wise. It's incredibly difficult to get a place, not only do you need mostly A's and A*'s at GCSE, you need to stand out exceptionally not only academically at A Level.

(They really want to see private school applicants.)

This is (to put it mildly) wrong.

(A) GCSEs aren't (at least for Cambridge, for courses other than medicine) important in and of themselves (and they're not the dominant factor at Oxford, especially once you've reached the interview stage). The GCSE averages are high because people who achieve high ums scores at A level and are intelligent and genuinely interested in their subject (these being the actual criteria) tend to be people who've achieved highly in their A levels.

(B) Many Oxbridge tutors have come out publicly saying that they don't give a hoot what instruments you play or about anything similar. One reason for this is that a lot of people don't have the opportunity to do that kind of thing. Another is that being a great pianist doesn't say a whole lot about how good a student of your subject you'll be.




This one is a vicious lie that operates only to put off promising state school applicants. If you're going to make such attacks, provide evidence.

If your friend didn't get into Oxford it's because he didn't show himself to be good enough through the tests, essays and interviews. Getting an A* doesn't say much when every other applicant has (at least) one, too.

I don't think I'm making an attack, but you can't deny that places for Oxbridge are ridiculously competitive. You've claimed that GCSE's don't necessarily matter, nor do your extra curricular activities, or whether you go to private school or not. You have at least realised everyone has AAA* (or more).

They are going to take the best possible applicants, which means to keep up with your competition (to even get to interview), you are going to need fantastic GCSE's and A Levels. You will need things that make you stand out not just academically. They will want the students who can cope with the prestige of such a university.

I think it's naive to believe state school pupils are given equal consideration, especially since private school coach you specifically for Oxbridge entry. Most state school students have probably seen a single copy of the ELAT before they sit it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14069516 (Maybe worth looking at?)

You're confidently putting forward nonsense on the basis of incoherent conjecture. It's harmful, and I'd request that you stop it.

"[Y]ou are going to need fantastic GCSEs..."

I'm taking law at Cambridge with A*A*AABBBC. Many others are in a similar situation. They don't care about GCSEs, because GCSEs don't show much. Anyone can do very well in GCSEs if they're trained properly and put in effort.

Cambridge interview 95% of applicants, and place their emphasis on that, A level ums scores, and the essays and tests they have you send and do. This is not to say that it is not very competitive. Of course it is. But the idea that because it's competitive they must take into account things that don't clearly say anything about a candidate's capacity to do well in their course makes no sense, and in any event is contradicted by solid evidence.

As I've said, tutors have publicly stated that they don't consider extra curriculars relevant, but even aside from that, you can't explain why people, like me, very often get in with poor GCSEs and no real extra curriculars (I mentioned none of my scant extra curriculars on my personal statement, precisely because they're not relevant).

On the private school thing, you're making the mistake of assuming that it must be the fact that they went to the private school which is important. Actually, it's much more likely that it's because the private schools are producing the best people (and choosing the best people, through admissions tests) that more of them get in. As for their advantages in interview, through preparation, tutors recognise this, and take it into account; clearly they aren't going to expect the kind of poise and confidence one would expect of an Etonian whose parents are alumni of the college to which he's applying from someone from a state comprehensive.

It would make absolutely no sense for tutors to prefer private school kids because they're from private schools. Firstly, many admissions tutors are foreign. Quite why they'd have any particular preference for upper class English people calls for explanation. Secondly, tutors have to spend time teaching their selected applicants in small groups. They'd obviously prefer to teach a thoughtful and intelligent person with a regional accent and a non-privileged background than a nice but dim public schoolboy -- that's just how academics are.

I would suggest that you do research, in future, before giving bad advice to someone on a matter that could have serious effects on their life.

What kind of solicitor do you want to be, out of interest?

Basically, I go to an absolutely awful College and didn't even consider Oxbridge because I never thought I'd get the grades. However, after my AS year I achieved ABBB which I was happy about. I have been predicted AAA for my A2 levels and achieved AA in my January A2 Exams.

I'm already a year behind because I took a year out before going into A levels as I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Currently, I'm most likely going to end up at Queen Mary (uni of london) in Sept 2013, but is it worth taking another year out to go to Oxbridge? I want to be a solicitor so the Uni I go to is quite important.

My GCSE's aren't amazing, but I did go to a school where only 50% of pupils received 5A*-C grades so in comparison to that they're ok.
I got A*ABBBBC

What do you guys think? I just don't want to go to Queen Mary always thinking I could have done better. Or maybe I should try for Kings' or Bristol in adjustment?

Sorry just seen this reply- I'm quite interested in Family Law. I see you are studying Law, do you also want to be a Solicitor?

thanks for your input :-) what do you think I should do then?

Have you checked course requirements?

It sounds to me like you're missing an A* grade.

You'd be applying with grades though, so at least you'd know what you were in for.

If you have something worthwhile to do for a year, then go for it, if not Oxford or Cambridge, you may end up somewhere between there and QMUL as a result.

If you don't have something relevant and worthwhile to do for a year, then no, I wouldn't bother. They won't like it. They already won't like the gap between GCSE and A level, and you'd have to be careful of College choice with those GCSEs too - although not bad, some Colleges will not like "only" 2 A*/A.


If I were you, I'd see what I could get in Adjustment. If I could do well (but obviously not Ox/Cam), then I'd accept. If not, I'd find work experience for a year and reapply.