Will my gcse grades stop me from getting into oxford???

uni2018

I am thinking about applying for the Classics course II 2018 entry. I'm nervous about devoting a lot of time on an application because I think my GCSE grades aren't strong enough. I got:

latin: A*
geography: A*
history: A*
german: A
english lit: A
english lang: A
physics: B
chemistry: B
maths: C

I am doing a levels in history, geography and politics and have predictions of A*A*A

i would really appreciate if you could give me a straight answer whether you think I would have a chance? i definitely can't get my hopes up if it just is not going to happen

Reply 1

cambio wechsel

Original post by uni2018

grades

The grades are fine in themselves, with the weakish ones found in subjects unrelated to the course. More pressing issues would be:

•

that you have GCSE Latin suggests Latin as taught at your school. Why (and with an A*) didn't you keep it up? And if the offering stopped at GCSE but you self-taught even to AS, you'd be golden.

•

You're applying for a course that requires that you learn two languages, one of them very difficult. A modern foreign language at A-level would provide evidence of aptitude for language learning, and German (that you have at GCSE but chose not to pursue further) is in itself useful for Classics just because so much Classical scholarship is in German. Instead, though: Geography.

Access is a key issue for Classics, and the Oxford department is the biggest in the world and has to fill places except with only Wykehamists. If applying from a state school and with neither classical language offered there at A-level, you'll almost certainly be invited to take the CLAT:
http://www.classics.ox.ac.uk/tests.html

If applying from a private school, and the more so if it's one at which Latin A level is offered, then you're probably buggered.

Reply 2

uni2018

Original post by cambio wechsel

The grades are fine in themselves, with the weakish ones found in subjects unrelated to the course. More pressing issues would be:

•

that you have GCSE Latin suggests Latin as taught at your school. Why (and with an A*) didn't you keep it up? And if the offering stopped at GCSE but you self-taught even to AS, you'd be golden.

•

I won't lie i am applying from a private school however I really am not sure if latin a-level was offered and i am convinced no one is taking it.

Is there anything I can do to make up for not having it at A-level? I know you can opt to just learn latin so I'm not so worried about the aptitude for linguistics,

i am taking an EPQ related to the subject which helps to show i'm passionate if that has any bearing?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

cambio wechsel

Original post by uni2018

I won't lie i am applying from a private school however I really am not sure if latin a-level was offered and i am convinced no one is taking it.

presumably the VIth form prospectus reveals it as offered or not. Such that you could check, and an admissions tutor as well could (though these likely know anyway).

But you need to see that Classics II was developed in response to the legitimate concern that the intake was too narrowly drawn from the privately schooled. In applying for that course, you're bidding for a place that was created to make sure that it wasn't only 'people like you'.

If I were you, I'd speak to whoever taught me Latin GCSE and ask whether s/he is amenable to helping with a 16 month tilt at Latin, at least to AS. That might mean lunchtime tutoring or might only mean getting the exam specs, past papers and reading lists and letting you have at it in the library.

"I am self-teaching Latin" or "I am the only candidate in my entire school taking A-level Latin, which has made it a sometimes lonely process". That kind of thing is PS gold.

"I go to a posh school but should like the Access route, thanks" is rather not.

Reply 4

uni2018

"If I were you, I'd speak to whoever taught me Latin GCSE and ask whether s/he is amenable to helping with a 16 month tilt at Latin, at least to AS. That might mean lunchtime tutoring or might only mean getting the exam specs, past papers and reading lists and letting you have at it in the library."

thanks for the idea i'll email him in the morning!

Reply 5

readingblack

Hey.
Don't ponder over your GCSE grades too much. I got 1 a*, 5 as, 4bs and a c, yet received an offer from Oxford this morning to study classics :smile: