Do Oxbridge care about GCSEs?

Title.

I can't understand why, surely if your GCSE results are a bit below other applicants but your AS results are higher then the GCSEs are meaningless?

I finished my AS's with 4 A's, which obviously can only be beaten by people who took more than 4 AS's.

My GCSE's were 6A*'s and 5A's, which I was extremely pleased with but I'm aware that most people applying to Oxbridge will have more.

This isn't really a "Am I good enough thread", I'm just curious as to if/why they'd care about GCSE's and was using myself as an example.

Thanks

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Reply 1

ValerieKR

Oxford does more than Cam, almost everything else is more important though.

Reply 2

Doones

Original post by BurdMan

For which course?

For most, GCSEs are not as important as other aspects of your application. And that applies to both Cambridge and Oxford. (TSR generally thinks Oxford likes GCSEs more than Cambridge, they dont for most courses.)

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

BurdMan

Original post by jneill

Maths

Reply 4

Doones

Original post by BurdMan

Maths

MAT is much more important than GCSEs for Oxford, and your ASs Maths UMS is more important for Cambridge. And then the interview is important for both, and then the main filter for Cambridge is STEP.

GCSEs are not very relevant for Maths at either Cambridge or Oxford.

Reply 5

username1865079

Original post by BurdMan

What they are interested in is your most recent exam results because that's the best indicator for how you might do at university.
I don't know how exactly Oxford uses GCSE result in their overall assessment, but for Cambridge GCSE is just used as a contextual data; your performance compared to your school's. Also if your GCSE grades weren't really great but your AS are really good, they'd regard it as a good sign as you're on an upward trajectory. (Not good if it's opposite) that's all they use GCSE data for. (Except for medicine applicants) Meaning they use GCSE to compare you and your school's average perform and and to compare you in the past and you at present.

So, GCSE doesn't play much significant role in assessment, then you'll have interview/test and STEP on top of that for a maths applicant, so even A-level result is just one aspect of application. And they look at each applicant individually and holistically, so you never know which part/s of your application becomes a game-breaker or not.

Reply 6

nexttime

AS is not a very good distinguishing feature as everyone has 4As or more. GCSEs show some variation. Where they are used i.e. where they are proven to correlate with results better than other factors, that is one of the key reasons.

Reply 7

BurdMan

Original post by nexttime

Ah ****.

Reply 8

Doones

Original post by BurdMan

Ah ****.

For medicine perhaps, not for Maths.

What was your module-by-module UMS in maths (and FM).

Reply 9

KloppOClock

Original post by BurdMan

they're fine, im applying with a lot less

Reply 10

nexttime

Original post by BurdMan

Ah ****.

? I didn't comment about the relevance to you. Your GCSEs should not preclude an application for maths as far as I'm aware.

Oxford medicine is the place they are used most heavily and medicine + biomed science at ox are the only subjects where we have definitive evidence for what difference they make.

Reply 11

BurdMan

Original post by jneill

for medicine perhaps, not for maths.

What was your module-by-module ums in maths (and fm).

c1- 100
m1- 100
s1- 100
d1- 98
c2- 87
fp1- 81

Reply 12

BurdMan

Original post by KloppOClock

they're fine, im applying with a lot less

Good luck buddy : )

Reply 13

KloppOClock

Original post by BurdMan

Good luck buddy : )

fight me

Reply 14

BurdMan

Original post by KloppOClock

fight me

I was being genuine : (

Reply 15

KloppOClock

Original post by BurdMan

I was being genuine : (

i wasnt

Reply 16

BurdMan

Original post by KloppOClock

i wasnt

Fight me anyway :^)

Reply 17

Doones

Original post by BurdMan

c1- 100
m1- 100
s1- 100
d1- 98
c2- 87
fp1- 81

You'll almost certainly get an interview.

Reply 18

1144297

Original post by BurdMan

I got worse GCSE results than you and equivalent AS Levels (I did more A Levels) and I'm going to Cambridge in a few days - your results should be fine, easily enough to get an interview.