Average educational background, Cambridge?

Hello everyone, looking to apply to uni but confused about where and was wondering if I stood a chance with Cambridge.
My GCSE's are pretty average at best 5B's 4C's and my AS grades aren't too much to boast about either BCC (although collectively 5 marks in total of ABC) however due to my "potential" and how close I was to the next grade my predictions are AAA/AAB.
I was wondering if I stood a chance at Cambridge if I really Buck up and get the AAA as I want to apply for the history and politics course or if I shouldn't bother. Also if I do well this year, A*'s/A's, would I stand a chance if I took a year out and applied the next year.
Any help appreciated, Thanks.

Reply 1

Plagioclase

Original post by Hopeful1423

Unfortunately you definitely will not get a place if you're applying with BCC at AS. I don't think a post-A2 application is likely to be successful either because to make a realistic application to Cambridge you really need an average UMS of >90% and that's going to be impossible unless you retake most of your AS modules, which Cambridge wouldn't want you to do. Sorry about this :frown:

Reply 2

Hopeful1423

Original post by Plagioclase

I'm on the new spec of a levels though so only 1 of my 3 AS grades count towards my A2 overall grades and UMS and I'll only be resitting 1 paper (got a A on one and a high D on the other so will be resitting the D) does this improve my chances anyhow or is it still very unlikely?

Reply 3

Plagioclase

Original post by Hopeful1423

I honestly don't know how the new system works so if it's possible for you to end up with a 90% UMS average at A2 without a load of retakes then yeah I guess it could theoretically be possible for you to apply. That would take a lot of improvement though, you'd have your work cut out for you!

Reply 4

Zacken

If you met (preferably exceeded) the standard offer for your subject post-A2 then you stand a chance at a post-A2 application. But you really have no chance with BCC at AS unless you've got massively severe extenuating circumstances, and even then, it's a push.

Honestly, your best bet is to realise that Cambridge isn't cut out for everyone and everyone isn't cut out for Cambridge - there are loads of other great uni's that you could go to - look into them!

Reply 5

Hopeful1423

Original post by Plagioclase

Yeah I've got a tough year ahead l, thanks for the response

Reply 6

Hopeful1423

Original post by Zacken

If you met (preferably exceeded) the standard offer for your subject post-A2 then you stand a chance at a post-A2 application. But you really have no chance with BCC at AS unless you've got massively severe extenuating circumstances, and even then, it's a push.
Honestly, your best bet is to realise that Cambridge isn't cut out for everyone and everyone isn't cut out for Cambridge - there are loads of other great uni's that you could go to - look into them!

I know it's not for everyone but I honestly thought it was for me and I just thought that if I bucked up and met/exceeded the offer I could get in either this year or next especially as my area sends no one to Cambridge but thanks, maybe I'm just dreaming.

Reply 7

doodle_333

Original post by Hopeful1423

Oxbridge really isn't the be all and end all... if you decide to wait til next year even if you got A*AA you could still apply to Cambridge and get nowhere, you need to really impress them at interview as well - so there'd be every chance you'd take a year out for nothing

and the likelihood is you're not going to bring BCC up to A*AA - that's simply not realistic, assuming there weren't really clear reasons why you got lower grades (e.g. being very ill during exams)

I would have a look at other options as well, see if there's anything else that appeals to you

Reply 8

Hopeful1423

Original post by doodle_333

I know it's unlikely just thought it would be a really good goal to work towards and something to be really proud of but yeah i suppose it's not the most important thing in the world

Reply 9

Zacken

Original post by Hopeful1423

I know it's unlikely just thought it would be a really good goal to work towards and something to be really proud of but yeah i suppose it's not the most important thing in the world

You can still get a really good goal to work towards that's not Cambridge.

Reply 10

doodle_333

Original post by Hopeful1423

I know it's unlikely just thought it would be a really good goal to work towards and something to be really proud of but yeah i suppose it's not the most important thing in the world

tbh raising your grades to AAB or something and going to a decent uni and getting a first (more likely to get a first at a lower uni than if your scrape into oxbridge) will still be a lot to be proud of

also - in case you think I'm being harsh or anything, I applied to cambridge (an A*AA course) and ended up at Loughborough (a AAB course) and I am very happy with how things turned out

Reply 11

SURH

Original post by doodle_333

don't believe a word of "you're not going to bring BCC up to A*AA", i know people who got D's and E's that went to A's and A*, as long as you work hard anything is possible , don't listen to people who say you can't do something. however , that being said going to cambridge will not be possible with your grades this year, since your course is linear you could reapply the year after, but there are plenty of top universities out there apart from cambridge and oxford.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 12

Hopeful1423

Original post by SURH

I know it's due to my lack of effort that my grades are so low but still I understand as if I was an A* student I shouldn't really drop below a B regardless of amount of effort I put in. I just wanted to know if it was worth thinking about Oxbridge if I did exceptional this year.
I'm still going to aim for those A's/A*'s though because someone has to be the anomaly and hopefully that'll be me