GCSEs and Oxbridge

Original post by Little Toy Gun

I tried googling your 'fact' and could find nothing.

Earlier I was told it's 3A*s, and now in a course of a few days it's changed to 8A*s? What a progression.

It's very likely the typical applicant has 8A*s. I think we are agreed that this is very different from being a requirement for all applicants.

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Reply 22

Original post by jneill

It's very likely the typical applicant has 8A*s. I think we are agreed that this is very different from being a requirement for all applicants.

Posted from TSR Mobile

And that is higher than Cambridge's?

Where's the source? Or just another made-up fact?

Reply 23

Original post by autumnblue

You're attitude is totally cynical. I saw my fact on a data sheet that Oxford provided.

Source? Evidence?

You need to prove both of these:
1. The typical successful candidate at Oxford has more than 8A*s in GCSE.
2. The typical successful candidate at Cambridge doesn't.

Only then we can start discussing whether this shows that if you don't have good GCSEs, you shouldn't apply to Oxford no matter what a-levels you are getting.

To prove this, you will at least need to prove that people with great a-levels but poor GCSEs are rejected from Oxford but will not be rejected by Cambridge.

Reply 24

Doones

Original post by Little Toy Gun

And that is higher than Cambridge's?

Where's the source? Or just another made-up fact?

Eh? I'm not saying it's a fact or that it's higher than Cambridge. I'm saying it wouldn't be that unlikely. And actually I'd expect Cambridge to be broadly similar.

Edit to add: Which Uni "guesstimate" is also 8 A* for both
http://university.which.co.uk/advice/ucas-application/what-do-i-need-to-get-into-oxford-or-cambridge-straight-a-s

But the key point, again, is that it's not a requirement.

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(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 25

Original post by autumnblue

I'm in year 12 and a compulsive worrier. I just want to get things sorted this year (well, 2015/2016) so I don't have to think about them next year.

Hey, I'm absolutely the same - don't worry!! I'm trying to get all the work experience etc done this year so I don't need to be thinking about it next year :biggrin:

(I'm probably going to be done writing my personal statement by the second week of my summer holidays too. I like to prepare ahead eheheh!)

Original post by Little Toy Gun

Straight from the horse's mouth!But this is TSR - people will continue asserting that Oxford doesn't take in applicants with very good post-GCSE grades if their GCSEs are not good.

\(^O^. It's sad, because Oxford are really really understanding about things like this! I'm from one of those families where if you don't get into Oxford you're a sad sad chickadee, so when I got my first set of GCSE results I was... not very okay. TSR definitely did not help me in this regard! And yet, somehow here I am a year later having been told by the Oxford Admissions team that my application will not be weaker than the average, even for law - it's funny how these things work.... :wink:

Reply 26

Original post by Hydeman

While you have a point about the tendency for opinions on TSR to be absolutist and not take into consideration the finer details, Oxford is quite clear that AS grades are only used to the extent that it gives them confidence that you're on track to achieve their standard offer -- the stated reason for why it's not used extensively in the admissions process is that not all applicants have AS grades because some schools don't cash them in. Cambridge has managed to get around this by using the SAQ, which requires all grades and marks to be declared, cashed in or not. Oxford hasn't, and therefore it relies on performance in entrance exams and GCSEs more than on AS... (really sticking my neck out on that one :tongue:

)

And Oxford says they take into account of the improvement so there's no reason to assert that people with poor GCSEs but great a-levels should avoid Oxford.

Reply 27

Original post by jneill

Posted from TSR Mobile

Does this empty post symbolise the fact that you simply don't have evidence to back your claim up?

Reply 28

Original post by roarchika

\(^O^. It's sad, because Oxford are really really understanding about things like this! I'm from one of those families where if you don't get into Oxford you're a sad sad chickadee, so when I got my first set of GCSE results I was... not very okay. TSR definitely did not help me in this regard! And yet, somehow here I am a year later having been told by the Oxford Admissions team that my application will not be weaker than the average, even for law - it's funny how these things work.... :wink:

Lesson: Don't take serious advice from TSR.

Reply 29

Original post by jneill

It's very likely the typical applicant has 8A*s. I think we are agreed that this is very different from being a requirement for all applicants.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Original post by Little Toy Gun

And that is higher than Cambridge's?

Where's the source? Or just another made-up fact?

Once again from Oxford admissions: on the down-low, it's considered that ~4A*s is the 'threshold' of sorts (though there are candidates who get in with much less), and most applicants have between 6-8 A*s.

Reply 30

Original post by roarchika

Once again from Oxford admissions: on the down-low, it's considered that ~4A*s is the 'threshold' of sorts (though there are candidates who get in with much less), and most applicants have between 6-8 A*s.

And Cambridge's successful candidates don't have A*s?

Reply 31

Original post by Little Toy Gun

And Cambridge's successful candidates don't have A*s?

Hell if I know, though I'd assume it's around the same? :biggrin:

I just asked my sister - apparently Cambridge has more course-specific tests for admissions, but otherwise their standards are basically the same. She did extensive research on both since she had freedom of choice (though I, unless I want to be a traitor, cannot go to anywhere but Oxford(!) ), so I'm going with what she says!

Reply 32

troubadour.

19

Original post by Little Toy Gun

And Oxford says they take into account of the improvement so there's no reason to assert that people with poor GCSEs but great a-levels should avoid Oxford.

Indeed there isn't -- I'm one of the first people to say that people in that situation should apply because, after all, there's only one way you're guaranteed not to get in and that's if you don't apply. They also say quite clearly that most competitive candidates will have a large majority of A*s and As at GCSE, although there aren't any formal requirements.

What I'm trying to say is that, while Oxford does take into account improvement (and contextual factors at GCSE -- people with 2 A*s or fewer from low-performing schools have got in on the back of a good performance in an entrance exam followed by a good interview), AS performance isn't used to shortlist for interview which, for Oxford, is the first big hurdle that approximately half the applicants for any given subject will trip up on (I'm aware there are exceptions like chemistry, that normally interviews 90 percent of applicants).

I'm inclined to think people with less than stellar GCSEs would be in a better position with achieved A Levels or, at the very least, do as Oxford advises and declare their UMS scores at AS voluntarily on their reference if they're excellent.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 33

troubadour.

19

Original post by Little Toy Gun

Does this empty post symbolise the fact that you simply don't have evidence to back your claim up?

I accept that you have valid points but you need to calm down. Don't take everything as an insult. :tongue:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 34

Doones

Original post by Little Toy Gun

Does this empty post symbolise the fact that you simply don't have evidence to back your claim up?

Why are you being deliberately obtuse. Re-read my edit. (And I'll try to prevent the mobile app from submitting my reply too early next time.)

I'm agreeing with you for goodness sake. Or at least I'm agreeing that a large number of A*s are NOT a requirement for most courses at Oxford.

Reply 35

Chief Wiggum

20

Original post by roarchika

Hell if I know, though I'd assume it's around the same? :biggrin:

I just asked my sister - apparently Cambridge has more course-specific tests for admissions, but otherwise their standards are basically the same. She did extensive research on both since she had freedom of choice (though I, unless I want to be a traitor, cannot go to anywhere but Oxford(!) ), so I'm going with what she says!

Pretty sure that Oxford has more course-specific admission tests.

Reply 36

autumnblue

OP

2

Original post by jneill

It's very likely the typical applicant has 8A*s. I think we are agreed that this is very different from being a requirement for all applicants.

Posted from TSR Mobile

It isn't a requirement at all, it's just that successful applicants tend to achieve around that.

Reply 37