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Is this a good idea? ADVISE please?

So I'm in year 13 and I was wondering, if it would be a good idea to sit the three STEPs at the end of the year. And if I get 1,1 in STEPs 2 and 3 would it be worth taking a gap year and applying to Cambridge? Would I defiantly get and offer or is it risky? any advise?

Thanks :colondollar:
Reply 1
Avatar for davros
davros
16
Original post by 3.1415927
So I'm in year 13 and I was wondering, if it would be a good idea to sit the three STEPs at the end of the year. And if I get 1,1 in STEPs 2 and 3 would it be worth taking a gap year and applying to Cambridge? Would I defiantly get and offer or is it risky? any advise?

Thanks :colondollar:


If you're in Year 13 does that mean you have already applied for Uni courses starting next September? If so, why did you not apply to Cambridge this time round?

You are not guaranteed an offer from anywhere - it depends on all sorts of things such as your A level grades, STEP performance, interview performance etc.

If you take a gap year, Cambridge may well ask you how you are going to maintain your maths standard over that year AND insist you re-take STEP at the end of it, giving you a tougher offer (e.g. S, 1) because you've had more time to prepare!

We can't really help more without knowing your circumstances like AS/A-level performance, predicted grades, etc :smile:

(Oh, and it's "definitely" not "defiantly" - pet hate of mine :smile: )
Reply 2
Avatar for 3.1415927
3.1415927
OP
Original post by davros
If you're in Year 13 does that mean you have already applied for Uni courses starting next September? If so, why did you not apply to Cambridge this time round?

You are not guaranteed an offer from anywhere - it depends on all sorts of things such as your A level grades, STEP performance, interview performance etc.

If you take a gap year, Cambridge may well ask you how you are going to maintain your maths standard over that year AND insist you re-take STEP at the end of it, giving you a tougher offer (e.g. S, 1) because you've had more time to prepare!

We can't really help more without knowing your circumstances like AS/A-level performance, predicted grades, etc :smile:

(Oh, and it's "definitely" not "defiantly" - pet hate of mine :smile: )


I had an interview at Oxford, but it went awfully. So I'm thinking of a back up plan.

Ok, so hypothetically if I get A*A*A (In Maths Further Maths and Chemistry) and 1,1 In STEP 2 and STEP 3, would I get an interview, or is it hard to say?

Is that 100% that I'll be asked to sit STEP again and attain S,1 ? or are you saying they might do that? Have you seen this happen before?

For AS I only did 3 and got : Maths A(296/300), Further Maths A(269/300) and Chemistry A(264/300).
Predicted Grades are 3 A*s
Reply 3
Avatar for davros
davros
16
Original post by 3.1415927
I had an interview at Oxford, but it went awfully. So I'm thinking of a back up plan.

Ok, so hypothetically if I get A*A*A (In Maths Further Maths and Chemistry) and 1,1 In STEP 2 and STEP 3, would I get an interview, or is it hard to say?

Is that 100% that I'll be asked to sit STEP again and attain S,1 ? or are you saying they might do that? Have you seen this happen before?

For AS I only did 3 and got : Maths A(296/300), Further Maths A(269/300) and Chemistry A(264/300).
Predicted Grades are 3 A*s


My personal opinion is that if you get A*A*A and 1, 1 then you're in a good position to secure an interview.

I don't keep track of everyone's offers, but I'm sure I've seen examples on TSR of people who have been given tougher STEP offers if they've taken a gap year after A levels. You might want to post your question in the STEP 2014 thread in the Maths Exams subforum because some of the recent STEPpers/ Cambridge undergraduates hang out there and may be able to quote you "real examples" of offers for gap year students :smile:
Reply 4
Avatar for Liamnut
Liamnut
13
I think they like two a levels , other than maths and FMs.

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