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Oxbridge Computer Science

Hi, I'm an A-Level student and applying to university next year. I hope to apply for either Oxford or Cambridge but cannot decide which one. Cambridge has an offer of A*A*A whereas Oxford has an offer of A*AA.

I think it could be possible for me to achieve the A*A*A grades needed for Cambridge although I am not entirely sure about this.

I heard that Cambridge have a higher acceptance rate whilst also hearing rumours that I would have a higher chance of being interviewed. My question is: Which uni will give me a higher chance at being accepted?
Reply 1
Original post by blankboi
Hi, I'm an A-Level student and applying to university next year. I hope to apply for either Oxford or Cambridge but cannot decide which one. Cambridge has an offer of A*A*A whereas Oxford has an offer of A*AA.

I think it could be possible for me to achieve the A*A*A grades needed for Cambridge although I am not entirely sure about this.

I heard that Cambridge have a higher acceptance rate whilst also hearing rumours that I would have a higher chance of being interviewed. My question is: Which uni will give me a higher chance at being accepted?


Pick the course, not the admissions process.
wait till you get your results. your ums is important to cambridge
Reply 3
Original post by jneill
Pick the course, not the admissions process.


Having looked at both courses, I don't really have a strong preference as both seem quite interesting.



Ah thats a good point that I forgot to take in to account
Reply 4
Original post by blankboi
Having looked at both courses, I don't really have a strong preference as both seem quite interesting.



Ah thats a good point that I forgot to take in to account


You will likely only have UMS for Maths. There's no UMS for linear/reformed A-levels.
Reply 5
Original post by jneill
You will likely only have UMS for Maths. There's no UMS for linear/reformed A-levels.


That's quite good news for me i guess :smile:
Thank you
Reply 6
Original post by blankboi
Hi, I'm an A-Level student and applying to university next year. I hope to apply for either Oxford or Cambridge but cannot decide which one. Cambridge has an offer of A*A*A whereas Oxford has an offer of A*AA.

I think it could be possible for me to achieve the A*A*A grades needed for Cambridge although I am not entirely sure about this.

I heard that Cambridge have a higher acceptance rate whilst also hearing rumours that I would have a higher chance of being interviewed. My question is: Which uni will give me a higher chance at being accepted?


As far as I'm aware Oxford has about 22 places for CompSci whereas Cambridge has about 106 ish, I can't remember specifically but i think overall Oxford has something like 1/10 chance of getting in, Cambridge has about 1/6. Oxford you take the MAT and you have a higher chance at getting an interview but lower chance of actually getting a place, and it has lower boundaries.

I know at Oxford you learn Haskell in first year, at Cambridge you don't I think you stick with things like Java. For that reason alone I would go to Oxford
Reply 7
Original post by blankboi
That's quite good news for me i guess :smile:
Thank you


Cambridge has the CSAT btw
https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/admissions-test/

And STEP if you want to do the CompSci w/Maths option.
As far as I'm aware Oxford has about 22 places for CompSci

For the record: there were 34 offers for Computer Science last year (plus 38 for Maths & CS, and 11 for CS & Philosophy). We expect the number of offers to go up this year, as an additional college will be accepting CS students.

Gavin
Reply 9
I think you and I are in the same situation.
I think there will be many exams in Cambridge, and I am not really excellent in math, so i choose Oxford.
Reply 10
Original post by y1999zk
I think you and I are in the same situation.
I think there will be many exams in Cambridge, and I am not really excellent in math, so i choose Oxford.


?

No. You have CSAT at Cambridge, or MAT at Oxford. By the way, MAT = *Maths* Admissions Test

Both courses will expect you to be strong in maths. Oxford expects at least a A, and specifies A* in Maths or FM or Computing.

Cambridge adds a STEP requirement but that's only if you are applying for the w/Maths option.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by y1999zk
I think you and I are in the same situation.
I think there will be many exams in Cambridge, and I am not really excellent in math, so i choose Oxford.


Unfortunately if you're "not really excellent in maths" then you may want to consider choosing another subject because most of computer science is basically maths.
Reply 12
Original post by jneill
?

No. You have CSAT at Cambridge, or MAT at Oxford. By the way, MAT = *Maths* Admissions Test

Both courses will expect you to be strong in maths. Oxford expects at least a A, and specifies A* in Maths or FM or Computing.

Cambridge adds a STEP requirement but that's only if you are applying for the w/Maths option.

Posted from TSR Mobile


I have got A* in both math and further math.
But i think step, especially STEP2 and 3 are very difficult for me, but MAT is a little bit easy.

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