Which other universities to apply for with Oxford?

OP

Original post by JackYoung471

I will soon be applying for Physics at:
Oxford - A*AA
Imperial - A*A*A
Manchester - A*A*A - A*AA

Even though I am confident (but not cocky) that I can achieve at least 1 A*, I am unsure which other two universities to apply for?
The other universities in my list are:
Durham - A*AA
Newcastle - AAA
Birmingham - A*AA
Nottingham - A*AA
Warwick - A*AA

Also, I am worried that I have too many universities on my application top 5 that have too high offers, and hence I may not get offers from any?

I appreciate any advice,
Jack

PS: I am studying 4 subjects (Phys, Chem, Maths, FM) and doing an EPQ on dark matter (if that's any help).
I am not asking for advice on the universities and their physics courses etc, I am wondering if putting 4 courses which ask for an A* and 1 that asks for AAA is too high, even for an Oxford applicant. I have seen quite a few oxford applicants apply for places with AAB etc.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2

Original post by JackYoung471

I am worried that I have too many universities on my application top 5 that have too high offers, and hence I may not get offers from any?

Then don't apply for universities with offers as high as A*AA for your other two?

Reply 3

izpenguin

15

You should get some offers, but it may be advisable to have a uni that asks for AAB, or at the very least AAA, to hold as insurance in case your exams don't go as well as expected.
Otherwise, really it's hard for anyone on here to tell you which unis to apply for. Have you looked at the course structures for each uni? The course should always be the most important thing. Also have you visited any? Which did you like best?

Reply 4

ashaxo99

15

personally, i don't feel as if that's too high at all :smile:

if you're confident you like all the universities you've put and can only see yourself going to a university of that par, then by all means aim high and work hard to achieve those grades you need! if you miss the grades, you can always take a productive gap year and then reapply to different universities. however, if you manage to squeeze a spot in for a lower university, then you might as well add one in as that seems like the most sensible thing to do.

Reply 5

OP

Original post by honour

Then don't apply for universities with offers as high as A*AA for your other two?

That's what I was asking. I should have said that newcastle in one of the other two due to it's offer not containing an A*. However, I would love to go to all of the above unis. Therefore, would it be silly to put another A* offer in or should I add another AAA?

Reply 6

OP

Original post by izpenguin

You should get some offers, but it may be advisable to have a uni that asks for AAB, or at the very least AAA, to hold as insurance in case your exams don't go as well as expected.
Otherwise, really it's hard for anyone on here to tell you which unis to apply for. Have you looked at the course structures for each uni? The course should always be the most important thing. Also have you visited any? Which did you like best?

I have visited Oxford and Manchester and am going to ICL in september. Also have heard a lot about newcastle online and it seems like a very good physics course.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by ashaxo99

personally, i don't feel as if that's too high at all :smile:

if you're confident you like all the universities you've put and can only see yourself going to a university of that par, then by all means aim high and work hard to achieve those grades you need! if you miss the grades, you can always take a productive gap year and then reapply to different universities. however, if you manage to squeeze a spot in for a lower university, then you might as well add one in as that seems like the most sensible thing to do.

Thank you. Would you go as low as AAB even though I have never had a B? Not trying to sound cocky or anything, I'm trying to determine whether putting AAA would be a low enough offer considering I am doing 4 a levels?

Reply 8

Original post by JackYoung471

That's what I was asking. I should have said that newcastle in one of the other two due to it's offer not containing an A*. However, I would love to go to all of the above unis. Therefore, would it be silly to put another A* offer in or should I add another AAA?

What are your predicted grades, if you have them already?

Reply 9

ashaxo99

15

well personally, i'm in the same boat as you! i haven't seen any AAB universities i've liked and so i don't feel as if i'll be putting any on my application (although my parents will probably force me to put my local university, which is BBB). my backup if i don't get the grades is honestly to redo a levels to get the right grades for the higher universities, but truly i think that if you aim for 4 A*s and work really hard, you should at least be able to gain minimum 4 As and go to one of your unis :smile:

although the advice i've given you right now is probably not the most sensible, i'm such a firm believer in hard work paying off if you put it in, that you shouldn't need to think about lowering your standards. but just so that no one calls me out for being too optimistic (although there's no such thing as that), i think that in the end, having that one AAB just in case will definitely be reassuring on the wait to results day

Reply 10

Aspiring123

16

Original post by JackYoung471

I will soon be applying for Physics at:
Oxford - A*AA
Imperial - A*A*A
Manchester - A*A*A - A*AA

Even though I am confident (but not cocky) that I can achieve at least 1 A*, I am unsure which other two universities to apply for?
The other universities in my list are:
Durham - A*AA
Newcastle - AAA
Birmingham - A*AA
Nottingham - A*AA
Warwick - A*AA

Also, I am worried that I have too many universities on my application top 5 that have too high offers, and hence I may not get offers from any?

I appreciate any advice,
Jack

Idk about you but people at my school even the ones going to imperial and Cambridge apply for unis with a B in phys as a requirement, you cant never guarantee an A in phys/A* like you can with maths/fm

Reply 11

OP

Original post by honour

What are your predicted grades, if you have them already?

Not yet but I'm 99% sure that Phys and Maths is an A*, as well as chemistry more than likely being an A* and FM being an A (we don't currently have a teacher)

Reply 12

Original post by Samendra

Idk about you but people at my school even the ones going to imperial and Cambridge apply for unis with a B in phys as a requirement, you cant never guarantee an A in phys/A* like you can with maths/fm

@JackYoung471

I absolutely agree. Physics and Chemistry exams can be a bit unpredictable - it's always handy to have a AAB or A*AB as your insurance. Besides, if you got accepted at 3 A*AA universities, you'll only be able to choose one as your firm, so why not put a safe university instead?

Reply 13

Original post by JackYoung471

Not yet but I'm 99% sure that Phys and Maths is an A*, as well as chemistry more than likely being an A* and FM being an A (we don't currently have a teacher)

Wow, wow, hold your horses. Don't rush to settle on which universities to apply for before even receiving your predicted grades! It's good to have some idea, but you maybe inclined to change if your predicted grades aren't what you think.

Reply 14

black1blade

19

This whole headache with predicted grades is why I am so so so glad that I did as exams. If I get the % required for A* at a-level in my as papers- I can be pretty sure I'll get an A* in my physics and chemistry.

Reply 15

OP

Original post by honour

Wow, wow, hold your horses. Don't rush to settle on which universities to apply for before even receiving your predicted grades! It's good to have some idea, but you maybe inclined to change if your predicted grades aren't what you think.

I have spoken to my teachers about them and they pretty much said that they would be as I have said above but I haven't officially got them (that's why I'm not 100% sure)

Reply 16

OP

Original post by honour

@JackYoung471

I absolutely agree. Physics and Chemistry exams can be a bit unpredictable - it's always handy to have a AAB or A*AB as your insurance. Besides, if you got accepted at 3 A*AA universities, you'll only be able to choose one as your firm, so why not put a safe university instead?

That makes a lot of sense about the 3 A*AA universities. Thank you :smile:

Reply 17

black1blade

19

Or say if I get the difference between A and B over the grade boundary for A in my as-level papers- I'll be fairly confident for the A* at a-level.

Reply 18

black1blade

19

Also I've done maths a year early which is a much better choice for people doing maths and further maths imo. Not only do you have all the foundation stuff for studying further maths right from the start of year 13 but you also have an a-level grade (hopefully A* :biggrin:

) already in the bag.

Reply 19