The Student Room Group

Oxford conditional offers

I have just got 4 As at AS and am receiving conflicting advice about whether to continue with four or three subjects next year. I was wondering whether Oxford extends the usual conditional offer of AAA to AAAA if the applicant is taking 4 A levels? I enjoy all four of my subjects but if Oxford and other unis will insist on my achieving AAAA, while other applicants need only AAA, it seems silly to gamble and put the extra pressure on myself.
Does anybody know if this does happen?
Reply 1
Janey145
I have just got 4 As at AS and am receiving conflicting advice about whether to continue with four or three subjects next year. I was wondering whether Oxford extends the usual conditional offer of AAA to AAAA if the applicant is taking 4 A levels? I enjoy all four of my subjects but if Oxford and other unis will insist on my achieving AAAA, while other applicants need only AAA, it seems silly to gamble and put the extra pressure on myself.
Does anybody know if this does happen?


Well, it varies from college to college - if you apply to Wadham the standard offer for people taking four subjects is AAAB, or AAA for those taking three. However, not many other colleges are following suit - look through the offers and results threads, and you'll see the standard offer seems to be AAA however many A levels you take.

So it's really up to you - but it's better to get AAA than AABB, although plenty of people go on to get AAAA anyway :smile:
Reply 2
Athena
Well, it varies from college to college - if you apply to Wadham the standard offer for people taking four subjects is AAAB, or AAA for those taking three. However, not many other colleges are following suit - look through the offers and results threads, and you'll see the standard offer seems to be AAA however many A levels you take.

So it's really up to you - but it's better to get AAA than AABB, although plenty of people go on to get AAAA anyway :smile:


Thanks. I'm hoping to get AAAA anyway but wanted to check it wouldn't wreck my chances. Wadham's compromise of AAA and the safety net B seems reasonable.
Reply 3
I did four A levels (Bio, Chem , Maths and F.Maths) But my offer to study chemistry was AAA , i was also worried at the time that by doing four they would increase my offer but most people at my college were doing four A levels and only had a offer for three grades. If I were you i would make the decision as whether to do 3 or 4 based on whether the fourth will actually help the subject that you intend to study. I kept on with four because both maths and bio help support chemistry.:smile:

Hopes this helps.:smile:
Reply 4
I took 4 (plus general studies) but I still got an offer of 3 As, which gave me a bit of breathing room. I think generally offers of AAAA are unusual - maybe sometimes given if a candidate is borderline
Reply 5
Janey145
I have just got 4 As at AS and am receiving conflicting advice about whether to continue with four or three subjects next year. I was wondering whether Oxford extends the usual conditional offer of AAA to AAAA if the applicant is taking 4 A levels? I enjoy all four of my subjects but if Oxford and other unis will insist on my achieving AAAA, while other applicants need only AAA, it seems silly to gamble and put the extra pressure on myself.
Does anybody know if this does happen?

i was in the same position as you were, i was doing math, phys chem and bio with A's at AS, and i wasn't sure whether to drop one. I'd say keep all four for now, as it looks better on paper and may boost your chances of getting an offer. if they give you one for 3A's, then ask them if you can drop one, which is what i did (chemistry btw).
Reply 6
Trinity offered me AAA even though I was doing 4 A levels.
Reply 7
Yeah, condition of 3 with 4 subjects here too, last year. Condtions of 4 As are generally quite rare, althought my friend who got into cambridge did get a 4A offer.
Reply 8
I had a condition of AAA in any subjects doing five A levels. I think it varies from college to college though.
Reply 9
AAA is more impressive than AABB, imo; and perhaps more impressive than AAAB... since AAA is a perfect score and doesn't mean you couldn't have got AAAA.

However, if you are good at all your subjects and are confident of AAAA, do it. Rarely hurts to be stretched a little. Guys at my school who dropped a subject had too much free time - wandering around school with nothing to do.
Reply 10
I think it also depends on the subjects. Someone doing maths, further maths and phyics is going to have much much less work than someone doing history, chemistry and art, because there is so much overlap, and similar skills required.
Reply 11
Yea, the key thing to consider is just the risk that if you are doing 4, you may get an offer for 4 A grades, however I did 4 and still got just the 3 A's offer.
Reply 12
I was made an AAA offer even though I was doing five A-levels, exc. General Studies.
I think it is college-specific, as suggested by Athena.