Applying for E&M at Oxford (after a gap year) with 5A*, 2A, 3B at GCSE and A*A*A*A at A-level.

Is there any point with only 5A*'s at GCSE? I know that in Medicine nobody was admitted with less than 60% A* at GCSE, is this similar for E&M?

Thanks.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2383

emilys106

GCSE grades: 7A*s, 4A's and 1B :smile:

A-Levels: Biology, Chemistry, Maths, AS English Lit (AS results - AABB, respectively)
Course: Biomedical sciences!
College: St John's (but not 100% decided, any advice?)

Reply 2384

tanyapotter

20

Original post by KIDO123

Applying for E&M at Oxford (after a gap year) with 5A*, 2A, 3B at GCSE and A*A*A*A at A-level.

Is there any point with only 5A*'s at GCSE? I know that in Medicine nobody was admitted with less than 60% A* at GCSE, is this similar for E&M?

Thanks.

about 4500 people applied for EM last year and they only had 86 places so although your a-levels are amazing, your gcses may be on the slightly lower end and you could perhaps consider cambridge?

Reply 2385

antigone-

20

Original post by emilys106

GCSE grades: 7A*s, 4A's and 1B :smile:

A-Levels: Biology, Chemistry, Maths, AS English Lit (AS results - AABB, respectively)
Course: Biomedical sciences!
College: St John's (but not 100% decided, any advice?)

St Johns is lovely and also the richest college (not that this makes so much of a difference). It has lovely gardens and seemed very tranquil to me when I visited. The accomodation was okay, not amazing but decent. From what I can remember, it's not very central, but is right near the science facilities. My friend is also applying there for biomed for that very reason :smile:

Reply 2386

emilys106

Original post by antigone-

St Johns is lovely and also the richest college (not that this makes so much of a difference). It has lovely gardens and seemed very tranquil to me when I visited. The accomodation was okay, not amazing but decent. From what I can remember, it's not very central, but is right near the science facilities. My friend is also applying there for biomed for that very reason :smile:

Thank you so much! What was it about the accommodation that made you think that (if you don't mind me asking)? :biggrin:

Reply 2387

antigone-

20

Original post by emilys106

Thank you so much! What was it about the accommodation that made you think that (if you don't mind me asking)? :biggrin:

We went into Tony Blair's old room and it was small - a bed, desk and a sink. It was in the Beehive where pretty much all first years stay, and it reminded me a lot of a block of flats. To be honest though, most first year accomodation isn't great and nothing was particularly "bad" about it. The good accomodation comes later, and it does operate on a graded system. If you stay in a D rated room, you'll get allocated a higher graded room the next year (hopefully), so I wouldn't worry so much! Good luck :smile:

Reply 2388

KIDO123

2

Original post by tanyapotter

about 4500 people applied for EM last year and they only had 86 places so although your a-levels are amazing, your gcses may be on the slightly lower end and you could perhaps consider cambridge?

I didn't do FM at A-level and that is pretty much a requirement for Cambridge. I also prefer the Oxford course greatly as it is more flexible with its Management side.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2389

tanyapotter

20

Original post by KIDO123

I didn't do FM at A-level and that is pretty much a requirement for Cambridge. I also prefer the Oxford course greatly as it is more flexible with its Management side.

that's totally fair and i do think you stand a great chance at oxford so just go for it

Reply 2390

emilys106

Original post by antigone-

We went into Tony Blair's old room and it was small - a bed, desk and a sink. It was in the Beehive where pretty much all first years stay, and it reminded me a lot of a block of flats. To be honest though, most first year accomodation isn't great and nothing was particularly "bad" about it. The good accomodation comes later, and it does operate on a graded system. If you stay in a D rated room, you'll get allocated a higher graded room the next year (hopefully), so I wouldn't worry so much! Good luck :smile:

Thanks again, you too! :tongue:

Reply 2391

danniegee

8

Original post by emilys106

College: St John's (but not 100% decided, any advice?)

Original post by antigone-

We went into Tony Blair's old room and it was small - a bed, desk and a sink. It was in the Beehive where pretty much all first years stay, and it reminded me a lot of a block of flats. To be honest though, most first year accomodation isn't great and nothing was particularly "bad" about it. The good accomodation comes later, and it does operate on a graded system. If you stay in a D rated room, you'll get allocated a higher graded room the next year (hopefully), so I wouldn't worry so much! Good luck :smile:

Hi there!

I feel as though I shouldn't really be giving advice for at least a couple of weeks yet, but I couldn't resist :biggrin:

I'm going to be studying French and Philosophy at St John's (going up in 13 days - not that I'm counting, or anything), and I thought it might be helpful if I told you a bit out why I applied to St John's and my experience of it so far (mainly during interviews, although I have visited a few times now).

I wanted to apply to a college which...
...was not massive, but not tiny either
...had access to a kitchen
...had wifi available in college
...was not extra formal, but wasn't really casual either
...would have a fun side but would still be a great place to study

I'm sure that lots of the colleges would fit this description, but St John's was the one which stood out for me at the Open Day - I felt as though I could imagine myself there, in a way, as though I fit in.

I'm really excited to join the St John's crew, as all the people I've met so far have been lovely - eager to give advice to freshers and to make them feel welcome :smile:

Whilst I was visiting the college in December, I had a fun time exploring - St John's is big enough to have new things to discover, but not so massive that you will be lost forever in its depths if you stray too far from your room :P Talking of the rooms, I was lucky enough to be put in Garden Quad during my interviews, which has lovely enormous rooms with beautiful views from the windows. This year, I've been given a room in Tommy White - most first years stay in Tommy White, and some stay in the Beehive in North Quad. A few of my fellow interviewees showed me the rooms which they were staying in in Tommy White, and though they may be small they aren't bad by any means! I think that they definitely have the potential of being nice and cosy! In fact, as lovely as the Garden Quad room was, I almost thought that it was too big, at least for a first year - it was at least twice the size of my room at home, minus the little sister. I have a feeling that Tommy White will be quite noisy and busy, but this is to be expected in any (probably every) college where the first years are pretty much all put together.

Apologies for the essay :s-smilie:

P.S. I think that I was told that there are only a couple of D grade rooms in the whole of college, and to be honest, even these aren't 'bad' places to live :smile:

Reply 2392

emilys106

Original post by danniegee

Hi there!
I feel as though I shouldn't really be giving advice for at least a couple of weeks yet, but I couldn't resist :biggrin:

Aaah thank you so much! I feel so much more confident about my choice now. Good luck to you in your first year and thanks again for the info! :biggrin:

Reply 2393

danniegee

8

Original post by emilys106

Aaah thank you so much! I feel so much more confident about my choice now. Good luck to you in your first year and thanks again for the info! :biggrin:

You're welcome! :P

Reply 2394

maberg

Original post by tanyapotter

about 4500 people applied for EM last year and they only had 86 places so although your a-levels are amazing, your gcses may be on the slightly lower end and you could perhaps consider cambridge?

Where did you get the stats? What I have read in 2014 or 2013 about 1000-1200 applied. Are the 2015 stats available somewhere? I think I couldn't find it weeks ago.

Reply 2395

fluteflute

19

Original post by antigone-

We went into Tony Blair's old room and it was small - a bed, desk and a sink. It was in the Beehive where pretty much all first years stay, and it reminded me a lot of a block of flats. To be honest though, most first year accomodation isn't great and nothing was particularly "bad" about it. The good accomodation comes later, and it does operate on a graded system. If you stay in a D rated room, you'll get allocated a higher graded room the next year (hopefully), so I wouldn't worry so much! Good luck :smile:

About a third of John's freshers live in the Beehive - the other fresher rooms vary in size (some a tad smaller, some quite a lot bigger) though I think Beehive is representative.

Without wanting to be rude - if you thought rooms in the beehive are small, I certainly hope you don't end up in London (or at any other university really). Apparently Beehive rooms are 200 square feet, well above the typical size for university rooms at the time of 100-140 square feet.

I can understand where you're coming from though, there are much bigger rooms around (both in John's and Oxford more widely).

Reply 2396

Marina Stomeo

1

Original post by chicken15642

firstly, good luck to all the new applicants (I was in your position last year and sympathise with the nerves you all must be feeling)! I'm considering making a YouTube channel which would post weekly videos about my experience at Oxford as I'll be starting there this October. I could also post some videos about what my interview experience was like; everyone has a different experience but I remember wanting all possible information and stories before I was interviewed!

Please do it! It would be extra-super-mega helpful :biggrin:

Reply 2397

fluteflute

19

Original post by danniegee

This year, I've been given a room in Tommy White - most first years stay in Tommy White, and some stay in the Beehive in North Quad. A few of my fellow interviewees showed me the rooms which they were staying in in Tommy White, and though they may be small they aren't bad by any means!

Sidenote: have you seen that you've got one of the biggest rooms in TW?

Reply 2398

itsConnor_

11

Original post by tanyapotter

about 4500 people applied for EM last year and they only had 86 places so although your a-levels are amazing, your gcses may be on the slightly lower end and you could perhaps consider cambridge?

Without being rude, why discourage someone with excellent GCSEs and a prediction of A*A*A*A at A-level? It's only 1 choice at the end of the day :smile:

Just saying because it's hard enough to convince yourself to apply without people telling you not to (still considering myself) and I can't see any reason why KIDO would be disadvantaged :smile:

Reply 2399

antigone-

20

Original post by fluteflute

About a third of John's freshers live in the Beehive - the other fresher rooms vary in size (some a tad smaller, some quite a lot bigger) though I think Beehive is representative.

Without wanting to be rude - if you thought rooms in the beehive are small, I certainly hope you don't end up in London (or at any other university really). Apparently Beehive rooms are 200 square feet, well above the typical size for university rooms at the time of 100-140 square feet.

I can understand where you're coming from though, there are much bigger rooms around (both in John's and Oxford more widely).

Maybe I just saw the smaller rooms, but they were much smaller than any rooms I've seen in London accomodation (which is only LSE so maybe not an accurate representation). Although there will obviously be variation. I was told by current Johns students that's where the majority stay, maybe it's changed. The rooms I saw were definitely not 200 square feet, around 100 square feet, but as I said there will be variation obviously, and I saw like 3 rooms. Otherwise I thought St Johns was really nice, the gardens were very pretty. :smile:

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