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GCSEs and Oxbridge

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What was the rest of your application like???

AAAA AS: maths physics chemistry economics respectively UMS ~84/85% with extenuating circumstances
A*A*AAA: maths chemistry physics economics FM AS (FP1 M1 M2) respectively

Reply 61

SCalver

Original post by Little Toy Gun

The burden of proof is on the people asserting that they should avoid Oxford.

'...Tutors will also consider your achieved or predicted grades at A-level (or other equivalent qualifications)...Tutors will want to see how you improve your academic performance after your GCSEs and that you do well in your A-levels or other equivalent qualifications.'
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/entrance-requirements

Do you /facepalm when your markers ask you to reference when claiming a fact?

---

Now, the question is: Are you helping anyone by making the myth look like a truth?

Well I didn't see you making any references until asked, but thanks for giving the references. And this myth you speak of, can you just define it for me real quick. And it was a /facepalm because you seem to assert that the internet is a gospel of truth.

But one thing I would like to discuss is that everywhere I go on Studentroom I see people flinging around the statement extenuating circumstances, one might think that well... a lot of them are just using it as a scapegoat for doing badly (in their reference frame).

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 62

El Salvador

Original post by SCalver

Well I didn't see you making any references until asked, but thanks for giving the references. And this myth you speak of, can you just define it for me real quick.

Original post by SCalver

And it was a /facepalm because you seem to assert that the internet is a gospel of truth.

I tried to be more responsible to look for information myself and I couldn't find any. So I was hoping the people who claimed that could give me evidence, which they have so far all failed to do so.

Reply 63

SCalver

Original post by Little Toy Gun

That if you've got bad GCSEs but good a-levels, you should avoid Oxford and apply to Cambridge.

Based on currently available evidence, you can apply to either as long as you've got good a-levels, and if anything, you should apply to Oxford if you have an improvement from your GCSEs.

I tried to be more responsible to look for information myself and I couldn't find any. So I was hoping the people who claimed that could give me evidence, which they have so far all failed to do so.

I don't think you should avoid it, but I _think_, I have no proof, that you have a better chance, statistically, at Cambridge (of getting an offer that is, not meeting your offer).

Reply 64

Doones

And that's why the Cambridge (and I think Oxford) Admissions Tutors host invaluable threads at various times during the year.

Reply 65

roarchika

Original post by SCalver

But one thing I would like to discuss is that everywhere I go on Studentroom I see people flinging around the statement extenuating circumstances, one might think that well... a lot of them are just using it as a scapegoat for doing badly (in their reference frame).

True, but some of us have circumstances such as moving schools twice in the six months before your first GCSE exams, the first move to a school which doesn't teach in a language you know, and then having to self-teach your first set of GCSEs whilst you're also starting your A Levels thanks to being mistakenly entered into year 12 instead of 11 by your parents for the second school, and thus sitting your first set of exams whilst you're also having to revise for AS Levels. So your first set of GCSEs went absolutely awfully, to put it lightly.

I mean, I called the admissions team, and they agreed that those were extenuating circumstances :wink:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 66

El Salvador

Original post by SCalver

I don't think you should avoid it, but I _think_, I have no proof, that you have a better chance, statistically, at Cambridge (of getting an offer that is, not meeting your offer).

In that case you'd need to first show that Cambridge students do have lower GCSE grades...Is it even a reasonable assumption to begin with?

Unless there's a drastic difference between people's GCSEs and a-levels throughout, with people with higher a-levels, Cambridge should have, if anything, successful candidates with better GCSEs. The only thing from them is that most have 4 As or A*s, which could mean at least it's similar to Oxford's 3 A*s.

Reply 67

ChocolateCosmos

Original post by Thediplomat56

AAAA AS: maths physics chemistry economics respectively UMS ~84/85% with extenuating circumstances
A*A*AAA: maths chemistry physics economics FM AS (FP1 M1 M2) respectively

What about in terms of your entry examination/other skills/achievements etc?

Reply 68

Thediplomat56

Original post by ChocolateCosmos

What about in terms of your entry examination/other skills/achievements etc?

Ummm, done some online courses in single, multi variable calculus and solid state chemistry, did fairly well in physics AS challenge and Cambridge chemistry challenge

Did two weeks of work exp in the chem eng department at bath university

Read two chem eng books

No tests for the course I applied to at the college I applied to.

Nothing special

Reply 69

ChocolateCosmos