AEA/GCSEs

Would an AEA compensate poor GCSEs in comparison to most Oxbridge applicants? I have 2 As and 9 Bs and I was thinking about doing an AEA in Psychology or Business Studies. I would like to do a Law degree.

Reply 1

Godmaster

7

kirstinx

Would an AEA compensate poor GCSEs in comparison to most Oxbridge applicants? I have 2 As and 9 Bs and I was thinking about doing an AEA in Psychology or Business Studies. I would like to do a Law degree.

An AEA in Business Studies wont impress that much because Business Studies itself doesn't really impress prima facie. I would advise you to take the Psychology and possibly English Lit/History as an AEA. Also, not dropping any subjects for A2 will be an advantage however little people think it is as you need to compensate on paper for the 'poor' GCSE's.

Remember, for Oxbridge, GCSE's are important, but too is the individual in the interview and their academic history. If you went to a poor school, you can apply through the special access scheme for Cambridge which I used so they are aware of any disadvantages etc;

Good Luck, Law is a tough but rewarding course!

Reply 2

SithMaster

AEA's are not always compulsory, but they do show commitment and dedication to your subject. With your grades I would advice taking it.

Reply 3

kellywood_5

17

I'd say AEAs look pretty good because they show commitment to your subjects and a willingness to be challenged, but just be aware that you could get an offer including them, even though it's quite rare. Oxbridge like to see that those with 'poor' GCSEs have improved a lot at A-level and I think AEAs, as well as obviously good predicted A-level grades, would show that.

Reply 4

JJ Marsden

AFAIK the admissions regulations will not permit an offer based on AEAs, because most students don't have the chance to take them - the same reason 4-subject offers are (except with Further Maths) incredibly rare to nonexistent. STEP offers are sometimes made by Cambridge for Maths, Physics and suchlike.

Reply 5

JohnStuartMill

8

Athena, I believe Christ's have asked people to take AEAs where they previously had not planned to as part of their offer.

JJ, the admissions regulations don't stop offers that have an AEA included and 4-subject offers aren't that rare. I believe Wadham has a policy whereby it will make a four subject offer if a student is taking four subjects. Also, STEP is always included for Maths by Cambridge.

Reply 6

kizer

15

Someone at my school has a matriculation offer (EE), on condition he takes at least 2 AEAs. Note - he doesn't even have to pass! What a ****** eh.

Reply 7

xedx

nowadays aren't the only people who get EE offers like the captain of the british physics olympiad team, or similar? you can't just really impress at interview and get it...can you?

a friend of mine got an AAB offer for maths at trinity cambridge, which apparently is really rare. he was on the maths olympiad team.

Reply 8

kizer

15

History at Chists's. I know EE offers there are quite common, but still, he wasn't exactly everyone's favourite person when offers came out.

Reply 9

kizer

15

^^ Especially because he chose to do an AEA in economics.. and he hadn't done economics. Still expected to get a distinction.

Reply 10

henryt

17

kizer

^^ Especially because he chose to do an AEA in economics.. and he hadn't done economics. Still expected to get a distinction.

Is that Giles? I haven't really been keeping up with Remove gossip...

Reply 11

kizer

15

^ yes

EDIT: strictly speaking you are the remove now! On the intranet it now says 'left the school 1st august 2006.'

Reply 12

opolunina

Christs apparently have a policy of giving out 1/3 of their offers as EE + AEA and the rest of them require As in whatever subjects you're taking (if that's 5, so be it).

Reply 13

henryt

17

^ Another Westminster! Wow!

Reply 14

superdillon

7

kirstinx

Would an AEA compensate poor GCSEs in comparison to most Oxbridge applicants? I have 2 As and 9 Bs and I was thinking about doing an AEA in Psychology or Business Studies. I would like to do a Law degree.

I don't think that the AEA's would compensate your "poor" GCSE performance unfortunately. Doing an AEA would show good academia but wouldn't be interpreted as making up for poor GCSE grades.
Also I wouldn't have thought an AEA in Psychology or business studies would be the ideal one to choose, if the only reason you are doing so is to make your application to study law look better. Better choices would have English/History/Philosophy.
At the time you will be submitting your application, all that an Oxbridge university would know is that you are doing an AEA i.e. they would not know how well you performed in it, which in itself can't really mean much.
A solid AS performance that shows that you have the capability to achieve AAA at A-level is something that Oxbridge universities would be more concerned with.

Reply 15

Purple

OP

18

It doesnt matter, I am not applying to Oxbridge.

Reply 16

apd35

9

xedx

a friend of mine got an AAB offer for maths at trinity cambridge, which apparently is really rare. he was on the maths olympiad team.

AAB + 1 in STEP II and 1 on STEP III is the standard offer at Trinity, thats what I got.

Reply 17

apd35

9

I think 1 in both STEPs was just trin when I applied, some other colleges wanted AAA at A-level, some only wanted a 1single 1 at STEP, others wanted a 1 and a 2.

Reply 18

kizer

15

^^ agreed.

Friends I know with 1,1 offers are ****ing themselves.

Reply 19

Sammyted1

1

superdillon

I don't think that the AEA's would compensate your "poor" GCSE performance unfortunately. Doing an AEA would show good academia but wouldn't be interpreted as making up for poor GCSE grades.
Also I wouldn't have thought an AEA in Psychology or business studies would be the ideal one to choose, if the only reason you are doing so is to make your application to study law look better. Better choices would have English/History/Philosophy.
At the time you will be submitting your application, all that an Oxbridge university would know is that you are doing an AEA i.e. they would not know how well you performed in it, which in itself can't really mean much.
A solid AS performance that shows that you have the capability to achieve AAA at A-level is something that Oxbridge universities would be more concerned with.

So are you saying that people with that sort of GCSE result don't have too much chance of staking a claim of getting in?

AEA/GCSEs

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