Are my grades good enough for Oxbridge?

For universities like those I've heard that they prefer that you take triple science in GCSE as core and additional has less content.

However, I think that the D grade and the lack of A* might be a problem if applying to an Oxbridge university.

I have just received my GCSE results and although I am mostly okay with them they are lower than I was expecting. I got:

BTEC IT: Distinction*(A*)
Maths: A
History:A
Spanish:A
Philosophy and Ethics: A
Core Science: A
Additional Science: A
Media Studies: A
English Language: A
English Literature: B
Drama: D

I want to go on to study Law however I am worried that my lack of A*s and my D would make Oxford or Cambridge less likely to consider me especially as Law is such a competitive field.

I have decided to take Maths, Spanish, History and Philosophy and Ethics at AS and will most likely carry on all four to A2. Do you think those are the right choices for what I want to go onto?

Thank you for any help.

I have just received my GCSE results and although I am mostly okay with them they are lower than I was expecting. I got:

BTEC IT: Distinction*(A*)
Maths: A
History:A
Spanish:A
Philosophy and Ethics: A
Core Science: A
Additional Science: A
Media Studies: A
English Language: A
English Literature: B
Drama: D

I want to go on to study Law however I am worried that my lack of A*s and my D would make Oxford or Cambridge less likely to consider me especially as Law is such a competitive field.

I have decided to take Maths, Spanish, History and Philosophy and Ethics at AS and will most likely carry on all four to A2. Do you think those are the right choices for what I want to go onto?

Thank you for any help.

I have just received my GCSE results and although I am mostly okay with them they are lower than I was expecting. I got:

BTEC IT: Distinction*(A*)
Maths: A
History:A
Spanish:A
Philosophy and Ethics: A
Core Science: A
Additional Science: A
Media Studies: A
English Language: A
English Literature: B
Drama: D

I want to go on to study Law however I am worried that my lack of A*s and my D would make Oxford or Cambridge less likely to consider me especially as Law is such a competitive field.

I have decided to take Maths, Spanish, History and Philosophy and Ethics at AS and will most likely carry on all four to A2. Do you think those are the right choices for what I want to go onto?

Thank you for any help.

they're both very good universities and i also find them a lot more forward thinking - to me , whilst oxbridge is obviously amazing to get into , they're behind and so archaic in their view of applicants.

Can I ask how they are 'behind and so archaic' or is this just the ever so prevalent 'I got rejected, so I'll slag off the admissions system'?

the issue i had with it was that everything was really old school - the teaching style hadn't moved forward (such as refusing to accommodate new combinations of degrees, at cambridge , like law with any language , and insisting you learn the language separately and in your own time with no dual honours)

and everything is seen as a privilege - like you should be thanking them for letting you in but you're the one paying £9000 a year.

my uni and many others are now seen as equal to oxbridge

moreover , the emphasis oxbridge places on gcse's is stupid - many people , such as myself , haven't matured by gcse level. i achieved three A*s at A2 , but my gcse grades didn't display that (4A*s, 10As and 1B). thus , they wouldn't accept me because i didn't get 10 A*s at gcse? it just seems a bit stupid to not look at the candidate in front of you and instead place so much emphasis on their past achievements.

i could apply again next year and get in

Nothing to do with their 'view of applicants', merely their philosophy about education.




I've never experienced this at Oxbridge. The students see it as a privilege, but the university puts plenty more into their education than merely the £9000 and what the government gives them per student. The university goes the extra mile, never taking students for granted, which they could easily do with their reputation.




Honestly, there aren't any UK universities that are seen as equal to Oxford and Cambridge. There are certain departments at other universities, and the League Tables show them as closer, but to say that they are generally seen as equal is dreaming. You clearly don't believe what you say here, because you admit yourself that you would have gone if you got the offer, despite the fact that UCL had a more appropriate course.



Cambridge certainly don't place excessive emphasis on GCSEs and state this quite clearly themselves - plenty of people get in with GCSEs as good as yours. The problem was much more likely your *relatively* poor AS performance, with AAABB. Most people will be applying with straight As, and very high ones at that (we're talking 95% across the top 3 for successful applicants). Oxbridge as universities take into account far more than other universities. They are the only ones to have a rigorous interview procedure and plenty of separate admissions tests. Their admissions systems are the most advanced among all UK universities.




No-one can be sure of something like this. Saying this with such confidence merely comes across as arrogant.

Nothing to do with their 'view of applicants', merely their philosophy about education.




I've never experienced this at Oxbridge. The students see it as a privilege, but the university puts plenty more into their education than merely the £9000 and what the government gives them per student. The university goes the extra mile, never taking students for granted, which they could easily do with their reputation.




Honestly, there aren't any UK universities that are seen as equal to Oxford and Cambridge. There are certain departments at other universities, and the League Tables show them as closer, but to say that they are generally seen as equal is dreaming. You clearly don't believe what you say here, because you admit yourself that you would have gone if you got the offer, despite the fact that UCL had a more appropriate course.



Cambridge certainly don't place excessive emphasis on GCSEs and state this quite clearly themselves - plenty of people get in with GCSEs as good as yours. The problem was much more likely your *relatively* poor AS performance, with AAABB. Most people will be applying with straight As, and very high ones at that (we're talking 95% across the top 3 for successful applicants). Oxbridge as universities take into account far more than other universities. They are the only ones to have a rigorous interview procedure and plenty of separate admissions tests. Their admissions systems are the most advanced among all UK universities.




No-one can be sure of something like this. Saying this with such confidence merely comes across as arrogant.

I have just received my GCSE results and although I am mostly okay with them they are lower than I was expecting. I got:

BTEC IT: Distinction*(A*)
Maths: A
History:A
Spanish:A
Philosophy and Ethics: A
Core Science: A
Additional Science: A
Media Studies: A
English Language: A
English Literature: B
Drama: D

I want to go on to study Law however I am worried that my lack of A*s and my D would make Oxford or Cambridge less likely to consider me especially as Law is such a competitive field.

I have decided to take Maths, Spanish, History and Philosophy and Ethics at AS and will most likely carry on all four to A2. Do you think those are the right choices for what I want to go onto?

Thank you for any help.

Nothing to do with their 'view of applicants', merely their philosophy about education.

I've never experienced this at Oxbridge. The students see it as a privilege, but the university puts plenty more into their education than merely the £9000 and what the government gives them per student. The university goes the extra mile, never taking students for granted, which they could easily do with their reputation.

Honestly, there aren't any UK universities that are seen as equal to Oxford and Cambridge. There are certain departments at other universities, and the League Tables show them as closer, but to say that they are generally seen as equal is dreaming. You clearly don't believe what you say here, because you admit yourself that you would have gone if you got the offer, despite the fact that UCL had a more appropriate course.

Cambridge certainly don't place excessive emphasis on GCSEs and state this quite clearly themselves - plenty of people get in with GCSEs as good as yours. The problem was much more likely your *relatively* poor AS performance, with AAABB. Most people will be applying with straight As, and very high ones at that (we're talking 95% across the top 3 for successful applicants). Oxbridge as universities take into account far more than other universities. They are the only ones to have a rigorous interview procedure and plenty of separate admissions tests. Their admissions systems are the most advanced among all UK universities.

No-one can be sure of something like this. Saying this with such confidence merely comes across as arrogant.

Anything is possible! I would say with Oxford that it's very unlikely, however, don't give up on Cambridge!

I only got 1 *A at GCSE and 4 As I got a few Bs as well and a C.

However, I got AAAB at AS with really high UMS for the As and got a conditional offer at Cambridge, bearing in mind I had a very strong personal statement- they like academics but also someone who is exciting and slightly untraditional.

Good luck OP!

What did you apply for?