Oxford Applicants for 2012 Entry

Username: Wellie
Subject: English
GCSEs: 9A*s
AS: All As in Eng Lit, Economics, Latin, History.
College: Exeter, Pembroke or Trinity.
Oxford can't see your UMS right?
Do you think it would be a problem if I dropped Latin for A2?

get your tricolour, you'll be my Irish buddy along with LexiC (planar doesn't count because he's a dirty unionist)

get your tricolour, you'll be my Irish buddy along with LexiC (planar doesn't count because he's a dirty unionist)

They can't see your UMS. But if you have amazing UMS scores I'd let the teacher mention it in the reference.

If you don't want to continue, drop it. It won't be a problem. But if you think you are able to cope with the workload, just keep it

What would you define an amazing UMS score as?

That is of course subjective but I'd consider a 94%< average as amazing. So if you apply for German for instance and you got like an 94% average or more, I'd definetely let the referee mention it in the reference

Awkward... I got 92% in German fmlll... Shall I get my reference to put it down or is that score better off left not mentioned?

I know this has been asked loooads of times... but I'm being given mixed info here! Does retaking modules put you at a disadvantage? Ignoring "mitigating circumstances", as long as I've done my A levels in the 2 years and haven't taken an extra year to get good grades, retaken AS modules are fine, aren't they? Because I've just read this on the Oxford site:


Can anybody clear this up for me once and for all ?

That is the trouble with summer exams, the universities will receive your results from the summer and take them at face value. The retake thing generally means winter exams retaken in the summer so the AS will be certificated with the new results and universities are unlikely to find out (except Cambridge). Since AS results are cashed in with predictions, universities will assess you on your current results only and would make no assumption that you'd improve (afterall how could they?) in the winter. So, even if they know you'll retake, I guess Chemistry, since the application process in before the winter exams, they'll still take that C as a C and your chances are slim.

For 2013 entry, however, if you could improve your grades next year, then retakes should have no effect since it will be your new better grades that are certificated, to answer your question, retakes should be fine for most universities except Cambridge.

Thank you but if my predictions are AAA as they need to be, shouldn't this be fine? Or would they doubt my ability to achieve these grades because they wouldn't know I'd be retaking a module?

For anyone applying for law - I was on the website earlier and noticed that the LNAT deadline for Oxford has been shortened.
You now have to register for and book the test by 5 October at the latest (I'd advise doing it well before that though!) and the deadline for actually sitting it is 20 October.