Should I apply for Oxford/Cambridge?

I'm applying to do history at university, but am not sure whether my grades better suit Oxford or Cambridge, or whether it is even worth applying

For AS I got:
Psychology, A, 96% UMS
English, A, 94% UMS
History, A, 85% UMS
But I also got a C in Spanish with just 65% UMS.

So I have an average of 91.7% across 3 subjects and 85% across 4. I don't know how much your fourth AS counts for, although obviously they use it to separate candidates even if it isn't relevant to the subject you want to do. I would apply to Homerton if I applied for Cambridge.

For GCSEs I got 4 A*s (in both English gcses, geography and spanish), 5 As, distinction in OCR ICT (equivalent to 2 As so I'm told) and also 2 Bs in physics and chemistry.
So I didn't get an A* in history (one mark off) which would weaken my application more, but there is also the HAT test.

Based on the AS vs GCSE scores, which university would I have a better chance of getting in to? Sorry this is so detailed!

Note that only some Cambridge colleges use the HAT.

I'm applying to do history at university, but am not sure whether my grades better suit Oxford or Cambridge, or whether it is even worth applying

For AS I got:
Psychology, A, 96% UMS
English, A, 94% UMS
History, A, 85% UMS
But I also got a C in Spanish with just 65% UMS.

So I have an average of 91.7% across 3 subjects and 85% across 4. I don't know how much your fourth AS counts for, although obviously they use it to separate candidates even if it isn't relevant to the subject you want to do. I would apply to Homerton if I applied for Cambridge.

For GCSEs I got 4 A*s (in both English gcses, geography and spanish), 5 As, distinction in OCR ICT (equivalent to 2 As so I'm told) and also 2 Bs in physics and chemistry.
So I didn't get an A* in history (one mark off) which would weaken my application more, but there is also the HAT test.

Based on the AS vs GCSE scores, which university would I have a better chance of getting in to? Sorry this is so detailed!

The advice from Cambridge is here:

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/entrance-requirements

- you need to read the pages on AS levels and on GCSEs. According to these, you would be fine, but be careful because Cambridge look at your GCSEs in the context of how you did compared to others at your school (as do Oxford).

So, for both Oxford and Cambridge, if 4A*s puts you in the top (say 10%) of your year 11, then that's fine. Note that only some Cambridge colleges use the HAT.

.... but there is also the HAT test.....

I had thought that only Oxford applicants took the HAT until I read:


"...Some colleges, too, like to have applicants sit the HAT, History Aptitude Test, which like the BMAT or LNAT is subject-specific; unlike those examples, it is specific to Cambridge alone...." (from
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/History_at_Cambridge )

and

"Is there a written test?

A number of Colleges have been piloting a common-form written test taken at time of interview. But this is a relatively informal thing and essentially provides additional written material to be considered alongside the submitted essays, and in a similar way. " (from
http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-undergrads/apply-to-cambridge/general-information )

The wiki is wrong Perhaps they did at some stage but definately not now.

There may be a test which might (?) have HAT-like questions, but it's at the time of interview, not taken in advance and used to determine if an interview will be offered (so completely unlike the HAT).

Here's the current info from Cambridge's own pages for the colleges:
http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/history
College Assessmentof applicant for this subject
Christ's School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview
Churchill School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview
Clare School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview
Corpus Christi School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview; College test at interview
Downing School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview
Emmanuel School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading before interview
Fitzwilliam School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview
Girton School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview
Gonville & Caius School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview
Homerton School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview
Hughes Hall College test at interview
Jesus School/collegeessay; College test at interview
King's School/collegeessays
Lucy Cavendish School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading before interview; College test at interview
Magdalene School/collegeessays
Murray Edwards School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview
Newnham School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview; College test at interview
Pembroke School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview; College test at interview
Peterhouse School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview; College test at interview
Queens' School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading at interview
Robinson School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview;
College test at interview
St Catharine's School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview
St Edmund's School/collegeessays; College test at interview
St John's School/collegeessays; One-and-a-half hour timed essay at interview
Selwyn School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview
Sidney Sussex 'School/collegeessays; College-set study/reading before interview; College test at interview
Trinity School/collegeessay; College-set study/reading at interview
Trinity Hall School/collegeessays
Wolfson School/collegeessay; College test at interview