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So GCSE results bare no weight in the process, but are used to look at the application as a whole?
So will my as grades of AAAA not go any way in redeeming my lower GCSE's of 4A*,4A and 2B for English?
I found this post on another thread (can't remember which now) but I think this will help clear up some things:

A prospective student's application consists of several constituent parts; GCSEs, AS Levels, A2 predictions, aptitude tests, interviews, personal statement and submitted work. Each of these elements (except AS grades) is given a score depending on its strength (usually out of ten).

The score for each element of your application is uploaded to a subject specific spreadsheet that is made accessible to all admissions tutors across the university for your subject. Tutors at any college may request to interview you. It may be that you are invited to interview at a different college than the one to which you applied (and this is where you'll stay for the interview period), or you may arrive at Oxford for interviews at your first choice college and discover that you have interviews at several different colleges. The specifics will depend on the subject you are applying to study.

For example, if you score well on some aspects of your application but not so well on others, a tutor at a different college may wish to interview you to see if you perform well during an academic discussion. It could also be that a tutor at your first choice college recommends to another college that they interview you. You won't know why you are being interviewed at different colleges so it's best to not worry about it (sometimes it's even for the sake of moderation). Interviews usually last several days and so you may be called for interview at any college at any time.

When it comes to final decisions, you could receive an offer from the college who invited you to interview, another college at which you had a second or third interview, or you may receive an offer from a college who didn't interview you at all. Students may also be given an 'open offer' which is underwritten by a specific college. In this instance you will be allocated a specific college after meeting your grade offer; it could be that you take the place of someone who missed their offer at a completely different college, or you will take up the place at the college which underwrote your offer (they are obliged to take you if you meet your grades and another college doesn't require you to fill up spaces). The rationale behind this system is simple; the best students get places and those who missed their grades can be replaced by those have met their offers.

I think the user who posted this was either colourtheory or Lucilou101 so credit to them :smile:
(edited 8 years ago)
When I went to Oxford for the summer school we were told that it was purely based on GCSEs and your performance in the entrance exam :smile: Predicted grades allow them to see whether you'd meet the requirements, although as far as I remember AS levels have no impact. :smile:


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Original post by Inert1a
So GCSE results bare no weight in the process, but are used to look at the application as a whole?


They do bare weight, but how much so varies from course to course.

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Original post by furthermathsel
When do applicants generally find out if they have been called to interview and how important are interviews if you have perfect grades?


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Depends on the college. I found out about my interview on 2nd December, which was only 7 days before the date of my first interview. Also, grades are important up to a certain point (i.e. actually getting an interview), but once you get the interview, that is where the most weight is placed. I got 8A* 3As for GCSE and 4 As at AS and still got rejected, so...
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Princepieman
They do bare weight, but how much so varies from course to course.

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For maths?
Original post by Inert1a
For maths?


"A prospective student's application consists of several constituent parts; GCSEs, AS Levels, A2 predictions, aptitude tests, interviews, personal statement and submitted work. Each of these elements (except AS grades) is given a score depending on its strength (usually out of ten)."

So yes GCSEs are important for all courses, but are only one part of the application process. :smile:
Original post by Inert1a
For maths?


Pretty important for Maths, the decision to be invited to interview is based upon your GCSEs and MAT score. And then the decision on an offer is based on mainly the interview, but the other elements are looked at as well still :smile:
Wait so how much significance is placed on the submitted work, because I thought that was just for admissions to see how you write, but it wasn't considered important at all?
Original post by Lucilou101
Pretty important for Maths, the decision to be invited to interview is based upon your GCSEs and MAT score. And then the decision on an offer is based on mainly the interview, but the other elements are looked at as well still :smile:


So GCSES are more important than predicted and AS grades interms of securing an interview?
Original post by danniegee
By the way, just thought I should add that another important thing I bore in mind was whether or not colleges allowed students to live in for the entire duration of their course. This was something which I personally looked for, although it's not necessarily important for many applicants.


WOOSTA! WOOSTA! WOOSTA! :rave: :woo: :rave:
Original post by Inert1a
So GCSES are more important than predicted and AS grades int erms of securing an interview?


The MAT is the most important single criterion on which interviews are awarded. GCSEs are factored into the mix with a weighting that *roughly* equates an extra A* at GCSE with an extra point on the MAT. This leads to a default shortlisting score, but any extenuating circumstances, the strength of the teacher reference and other information will be considered, so none of this is mechanistic.

So someone with poor GCSEs can still easily get an interview, but would usually need to do that bit better than average in the MAT (~5+ marks) to make up the difference. One of the best students I taught had 2A*s at GCSE - he came top of the university for maths in his third year exams.

The reasons AS grades don't prove that helpful is because they don't really differentiate between applicants - most have AAA or better. Likewise for predicted grades. If you have impressive UMS scores then your teachers referencing those in their report would be a good idea.
(edited 8 years ago)
I did two extra GCSEs in my AS year, would Oxford count these the same as the ones I did in year 11, or just ignore them?
Reply 2514
Avatar for ylmdk
ylmdk
Original post by Bearbert
I've just got my IELTS results. First step for Oxford(and then world domination) complete^_^

Who else has the results as international applicants?

I will register to ielts if I get an offer, does it carry any weight in application?
Reply 2515
Avatar for rvas
rvas
1
Original post by Lucilou101
Pretty important for Maths, the decision to be invited to interview is based upon your GCSEs and MAT score. And then the decision on an offer is based on mainly the interview, but the other elements are looked at as well still :smile:


What about for Experimental Psychology? :-)
Original post by ylmdk
I will register to ielts if I get an offer, does it carry any weight in application?



Don't know. I think not, but I wanted to be sure(plus less work after that)
Reply 2517
Avatar for eddso
eddso
3
I registered for my aptitude test the other day (ELAT) and didn't realise you had to put down a certain college so I put down one randomly - now that I've finished my personal statement etc I've looked more in depth at the colleges and relised actually i want to apply for a different one...can I put a different college on my UCAS form than what I put on my ELAT sign up form?
Does the Norrington Table ranking matter? I was speaking to a friend about applying to Oxford and he said that I shouldn't apply to Lady Margaret Hall as it was crap because it is generally in the bottom half of the Norrington table. I thought he was being ridiculous but I heard the same from another friend so now I'm unsure.. :/
Original post by thechemistress
Does the Norrington Table ranking matter? I was speaking to a friend about applying to Oxford and he said that I shouldn't apply to Lady Margaret Hall as it was crap because it is generally in the bottom half of the Norrington table. I thought he was being ridiculous but I heard the same from another friend so now I'm unsure.. :/


No, it doesn't matter in the slightest.

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