Ask an Admissions Tutor X: 20 September - 21 October

Hi there, my understanding is that as a general rule, Lucy Cavendish is willing to exempt candidates from the practical component, and make an offer based on the theoretical components only, in one of your science A-levels, provided they can demonstrate practical scientific experience elsewhere. Whether they would be willing to exempt a candidate from the practical component of all three science A-levels is more doubtful, and I recommend that you get in touch with the Admissions Office directly to check. I understand that the Admissins Officer is away until the start of next week so do it then.

I hope that helps.

There's no disadvantage in applying for a deferred place. If we reckon you are god enough for this year then you will get a place for next year. It's often comforting for colleges to know that they have got someone good in the bag for next year already.

Hi, I'm thinking about applying for Natural Sciences post A-level this year - I applied for Computer Science (at Queens' last year but was rejected and I've since decided that it's not really the subject for me, hence the gap year. My A2 results are 4 A* in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry. How important are the individual module UMS marks for a candidate who has already achieved strong overall grades? Chemistry and Physics are both around 93% overall with similar performance across the AS and A2 years - all modules ≥ 90% apart from a disappointing B grade (44/60) in the A2 Physics practical. My Maths scores average to around 92% for 12 modules but they were slightly up and down - this year I scored 100 in FP1, FP2 and S2 but only 84 and 80 in FP3 and M2. Also, based on the released specimen paper I would expect to gain a high mark in the NSAA - would this count for much when applying post A-level?

Hi,
I do not have UMS in all of the subjects I am taking to A2 (only the subject I dropped and 2 of my current subjects carry UMS). Will this count against me in any way?

I got a high B in the subject I dropped - will the lower UMS score (compared to those in which I got an A in) disadvantage me?

Woot, glad to see you back! Settling into the new college well?

Good evening Dr Spencer,
Perhaps I am slightly premature to be commenting on this forum but I am in year 11 and try to find the most suitable sixth form. Statistics show you're much more likely to be accepted into Cambridge as an undergraduate coming from a grammar school (in 2014, roughly 200% higher acceptance rate from Grammar schools than state schools). Could you verify whether j have a higher chance of being accepted from a grammar school, having the same grades as one applying from a state school?
Many thanks,
Miranda

Hello again TSR. My name is Dr Andrew Spencer and I am the Admissions Tutor at Murray Edwards College in Cambridge. Welcome to my tenth Ask an Admissions Tutor thread, this time in my new guise as Murray Edwards Admissions. The @Christ's Admissions profile, which I ran for the last three years, will continue under my successor but for the next month before the application deadline for Cambridge, I'll be answering your questions here so please fire away.

Hello again TSR. My name is Dr Andrew Spencer and I am the Admissions Tutor at Murray Edwards College in Cambridge. Welcome to my tenth Ask an Admissions Tutor thread, this time in my new guise as Murray Edwards Admissions. The @Christ's Admissions profile, which I ran for the last three years, will continue under my successor but for the next month before the application deadline for Cambridge, I'll be answering your questions here so please fire away.

Is that the case for all colleges or do they have different views on applications for deferred places?

Hello again!

Just wondering the importance of predicted grades in light of the reforms? Mine are good and I'm proud of them (A*A*A). I could move the A up to an A* at any point according to the head of English Literature, though. I don't know if I should do this or if A*A*A would be good enough? I got AAB at AS but the B grade was a fluke because of one paper and I did really well in my others (60/60 in Paper 1 History, pretty pleased and this is a true reflection of the usual standard of work I produce). Under the reforms, I don't think the strength of my other exams and the fluke underperformance will be sucessfully identified. I diccussed AS grades before, and now I'm just wondering about how important predictions are.

(B is in the subject I'm applying for. One of the A* predictions is also in the subject I'm applying for, History, with strong references and written work etc to justify this. I've performed the highest in my cohort all Year 12, apart from in the AS exam but I was the only one to get full marks in a History paper, I just slipped up in Paper 2 which is extremely uncharacteristic. My teachers predicted me an A* because I am capable of acheving this, but I understand it is a big jump to have gotten a B and be predicted an A*)

In general predictions are not given a huge amount of weight. Where they contradict with an applicant's AS performance (as in your case), if there is a good explanation in the reference as to why the candidate has been predicted an A* when they received a B at AS then we can, and do, certainly factor that into our decision making. In general, however, predicions are not hugely helpful to us for two reasons: a) they are hypothetical by their very nature and, evidence shows, not very reliable; b) basically everyone who applies is predicted at least the offer level and usually above so they don;t really distinguish between candidates very effectively.

Hello Dr Spencer,

I am applying for Chem Eng (via Nat Sci) and will take the NSAA soon. I wonder how important will the results of the NSAA be in the whole process of application, especially under the current situation that Science subjects are reformed and UMS of AS Levels of them are not available?

Also, according to Churchill College's website, they claim they will "only use performance in admissions assessments positively, not negatively, i.e. no one will be ruled out of interview by their performance in an admissions assessment, but applicants who perform strongly in an assessment, but who otherwise we were not planning to call to interview, may be invited." Is this true for other colleges too?

Thank you for your time.