Ask an Admissions Tutor X: 20 September - 21 October

You might get one, though if you are applying for Bio Nat Sci I would think it's unlikely. I assume you've met the standard offer already?

Yeah I have. So if I get an offer it will just be unconditional?

I think it's likely but if you still have outstanding qualifications then the college might ask you to achieve a certain grade.

ok thanks! don't know why I am dithering over this because if I get any sort of offer I'll be over the moon.
Good luck with your new job

Hi Dr. Spencer,

I'm a post-IB applicant for History who scored 41 in the IB with 776 (History, French, English literature) at Higher Level. I was wondering what my chances would be of getting an interview? (Of course, taking into account my performance in the HAA)

Thank you!

Hello and thanks for your question. With 776 achieved at HL then you should get an interview. You might want to check with individual colleges as some do ask for 42 points as their standard for he IB.

Hello.
I am Cypriot applicant applying for computer science. I have done 3 A Levels in Maths,Further Maths and Physics all with grade A* but they were not completed in the same year. I also have the Cypriot Apolytirion with grade 18.1/20. How much value do you put in the Apolytirion and how much of a problem will it be that my A levels were not completed in the same year?
Thank you.

Hello and thank you for your questions. Well done on your results thus far, you will certainly be strong on paper. Try not to worry too much about the assessment and the interview. Yes, they are important but you should go into them with the confidence of a strong paper application. You have already achieved the necessary IELTS score so the assessment and interview will hopefully not pose too much of a problem in terms of your English.

Obviously the interview and assessment are primarily academic exercises but they do offer us an opportunity to ensure that your English is of sufficient quality to undertake the course.

It's impossible to say exactly how important the interviews and assessment will be because it will be different for each candidate. The important thing is that the whole application is assessed before a decision is made.

Hi! Thanks for creating this thread!
I'm applying to study MML (French and Spanish post A-level)
In my AS I got AAA(French, Spanish and Politics) and B in History (extenuating circumstances)
I'm just on here as my two languages are unreformed so I have UMS - 99% in French so really happy but only 83% in Spanish :-( it was one of 2 As out of a huge class and my college has applied to have all orals remarked (long story).. Shall I put on my SAQ that the school is having the orals remoderated, should I get my teacher to put it in the reference or do I not mention it?
Thanks for your help :-)

If you are retaking A Levels, first we'd need to know why you are retaking as the vast majority of successful candidates have achieved or exceeded the offer in two years of A Level study. If you have met the STEP offer before you apply then you'll be in a much stronger position than having yet to do it.

Thanks for your reply and encouragement. I will definitely try my best, but will I be disadvantaged compared to other economics applicants as I am not so familiar with the economic history/issues in the UK/EU?

With average UMS 96%, do you think I will have the chance of getting an offer even if I am 'average' in the admission assessment and interview?

Moreover, I am planning to apply for a scholarship at Cambridge. Will applying for the scholarship lower my chance of receiving an offer? And will the college still consider me even I was rejected by the scholarship committee?

Sorry for bombarding you with so many questions. Thank you for answering my queries.

This is slightly off topic so I apologize in advance, But as an experienced AT, have you have ever regretted any decisions e.g. pooling a candidate who has gone on to do really well at another college? If so, at what point (e.g. after A Level results are released) do you normally realize "the one that got away?"

Slightly related: I thought Trinity pooling this years Senior Wrangler to Churchill was pretty funny.

This is slightly off topic so I apologize in advance, But as an experienced AT, have you have ever regretted any decisions e.g. pooling a candidate who has gone on to do really well at another college? If so, at what point (e.g. after A Level results are released) do you normally realize "the one that got away?"

Yes, though I don't tend to keep track of those who get picked up by other colleges (partly because there were a lot each year at Christ's and one can only do so for other colleges by checking the lists outside Senate House).

I've ended up teaching quite a few people that I've pooled to other colleges, which is a little odd sometimes but not normally (and often I don't even remember until they point it out as I interview a lot of people).

Hi, we seem to be in a really similar situation I'm applying for MML, I have AAAB too (AAA French, Eng Lit and History, and B Politics :/ ), and 99% UMS in French, but my only other unreformed subject is my worst haha. 97% raw marks in my English Lit too (no UMS) which I want to mention somewhere. Only A in my class, excluding a native speaker who doesn't actually turn up to class (but doesn't mean you have perfect grammar as I beat her in the exam!) I'm applying for French and ab initio Italian at Newnham. Have you decided on a college?