The Student Room Group
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

How has Oxbridge entry requirements changed over the years?

Has it always been really high? Prince Charles got into Trinity with a B and C in History and French, respectively. Is it because he is a Royal?
*******Have********
Reply 2
Avatar for _Fergo
_Fergo
19
No, it's because he was handsome :facepalm2:
I don't know when it changed, but a long time ago entry used to be determined by a special exam and interview. If accepted, then a minimum of two E grades was required - though must applicants did considerably better than that.
Reply 4
Avatar for Doones
Doones
21
Original post by ageshallnot
I don't know when it changed, but a long time ago entry used to be determined by a special exam and interview. If accepted, then a minimum of two E grades was required - though must applicants did considerably better than that.


1986

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9828740/Cambridge-University-entrance-exam-to-make-a-comeback.html

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by jneill


Thanks - it will be interesting to see what happens.
Reply 6
Avatar for Doones
Doones
21
Original post by ageshallnot
Thanks - it will be interesting to see what happens.


Indeed. The Cambridge Admissions Tutors are saying the new process will be announced "in the next few months".
Original post by jneill
Indeed. The Cambridge Admissions Tutors are saying the new process will be announced "in the next few months".


Back to the days of the History Boys?

Long before 1986 I had a go at the Oxford entrance exam for History though my (very bog-standard) comp had little to no idea about how to prepare students for Oxbridge exams. My A-level History teacher went to Oxford and we had a few extra lunchtime sessions. However, all I can recall from such 'extra tuition' is him having to scale the walls to get back into college after getting drunk in the town, and that finals were 10 three-hour papers, morning and afternoon, Monday to Friday.

I hope that things might be better if entrance exams are reintroduced!
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 8
Avatar for davros
davros
16
Original post by hihihihihi
Has it always been really high? Prince Charles got into Trinity with a B and C in History and French, respectively. Is it because he is a Royal?


I suspect he took the CCE, and then it didn't matter what he got in his A levels - see my explanation below :smile:

Original post by ageshallnot
I don't know when it changed, but a long time ago entry used to be determined by a special exam and interview. If accepted, then a minimum of two E grades was required - though must applicants did considerably better than that.


In the 1980s when I applied (and got in) there were basically 2 routes into Cambridge:

(i) a conditional offer based on A levels + S levels, e.g. AAA + 11 where a '1' was the highest grade in S level (you could get a 1, a 2 or a U!)

(ii) passing the Cambridge Colleges Entrance exam (CCE) sat in November, after which you just needed to satisfy the Matriculation Requirements of 2 A level 'passes at EE or above (as well as the basic requirement of 5 O levels at grade C or above, inc. Maths, English and a Modern Language)

I went for the CCE route because I went to an 'ordinary' Comp and wasn't overly confident about getting AAA11 (this was in the days when very few people did A levels, and even fewer got anywhere near AAA. And I think only about 2 people at my school had done S levels!). As it happened, I passed the CCE and had an offer by January, so there was absolutely no pressure in my A levels and I achieved the AAA anyway.
Reply 9
Avatar for Doones
Doones
21
Original post by davros
I suspect he took the CCE, and then it didn't matter what he got in his A levels - see my explanation below :smile:

In the 1980s when I applied (and got in) there were basically 2 routes into Cambridge:

(i) a conditional offer based on A levels + S levels, e.g. AAA + 11 where a '1' was the highest grade in S level (you could get a 1, a 2 or a U!)

(ii) passing the Cambridge Colleges Entrance exam (CCE) sat in November, after which you just needed to satisfy the Matriculation Requirements of 2 A level 'passes at EE or above (as well as the basic requirement of 5 O levels at grade C or above, inc. Maths, English and a Modern Language)

I went for the CCE route because I went to an 'ordinary' Comp and wasn't overly confident about getting AAA11 (this was in the days when very few people did A levels, and even fewer got anywhere near AAA. And I think only about 2 people at my school had done S levels!). As it happened, I passed the CCE and had an offer by January, so there was absolutely no pressure in my A levels and I achieved the AAA anyway.


I'm pretty sure most Cambridge applicants from my old school (max 1 per year) would do the CCE the November after they sat their A-levels. Or am I mis-remembering? This was also in the 80's. They would usually be made head boy and then have a year of ordering youngsters about before going up the following Oct...
Reply 10
Avatar for davros
davros
16
Original post by jneill
I'm pretty sure most Cambridge applicants from my old school (max 1 per year) would do the CCE the November after they sat their A-levels. Or am I mis-remembering? This was also in the 80's. They would usually be made head boy and then have a year of ordering youngsters about before going up the following Oct...


I have no real experience outside myself as I was the first person from my school to get into Cambridge(!), but I believe at some of the 'posher' schools it was common to take the CCE as a 'seventh term applicant' as you describe it. From what I remember from looking at the prospectus at the time, if you were a 'post A level candidate' then you sat harder papers, or an additional paper, compared to people like me who were pre-A level applicants. I certainly wouldn't have risked that as I had limited support, so my approach worked for me as I sat the CCE in November; had an interview in early Dec; received an offer in late Dec/early Jan (certainly during the Xmas hol period); and then had absoutely no pressure for my A levels. Which was nice :smile:
Original post by davros


In the 1980s when I applied (and got in) there were basically 2 routes into Cambridge:

(i) a conditional offer based on A levels + S levels, e.g. AAA + 11 where a '1' was the highest grade in S level (you could get a 1, a 2 or a U!)

(ii) passing the Cambridge Colleges Entrance exam (CCE) sat in November, after which you just needed to satisfy the Matriculation Requirements of 2 A level 'passes at EE or above (as well as the basic requirement of 5 O levels at grade C or above, inc. Maths, English and a Modern Language)

I went for the CCE route because I went to an 'ordinary' Comp and wasn't overly confident about getting AAA11 (this was in the days when very few people did A levels, and even fewer got anywhere near AAA. And I think only about 2 people at my school had done S levels!). As it happened, I passed the CCE and had an offer by January, so there was absolutely no pressure in my A levels and I achieved the AAA anyway.


In the previous decade it was possible to use both these routes when applying to Oxford - I don't know about Cambridge. Having two bites at the cherry didn't stop me failing spectacularly at both!!!
Original post by hihihihihi
Has it always been really high? Prince Charles got into Trinity with a B and C in History and French, respectively. Is it because he is a Royal?


His sons didn't get in though. Prince Andrew didn't get an offer (may not have applied) and went on to get ABC (before A*).

Charles got his degree in 1970, a 2ii. 45 years ago everything was very different. It didn't take female undergraduates till 1978!
Original post by Colmans
His sons didn't get in though. Prince Andrew didn't get an offer (may not have applied) and went on to get ABC (before A*).

Charles got his degree in 1970, a 2ii. 45 years ago everything was very different. It didn't take female undergraduates till 1978!


Ahh, I heard that he was the only student to ever be allowed a car while living in the college.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you