Oxford PPE vs. Cambridge SPS – am I considering this right?

Cambridge will judge you based on your ASs, as you have to fill in a unit sheet with your marks. Oxford care much less about ASs. This seems to be the major stumbling block.

I'd be very wary of league table graduate prospect rankings. Though I have some bias, I am pretty certain that no grad employer would look down on PPE vis-a-vis SPS; other way around is more likely. PPE is Oxford's flagship course; SPS certainly isn't Cambridge's. If you've got a mathsy brain (which you must do if you're thinking of switching to engineering of all things) then you would probably find economics more satisfying that psychology/anthropology, and the quantitative aspect of economics (should you choose those options) would indeed give a broader range of possibilities post-university. You can also do plenty of sociology in PPE in 2nd and 3rd years.

Not sure what you meant by 'potent' replies, but my gut instinct would be that you would have a very, very tough time trying to transfer between SPS and engineering halfway through the tripos, to the extent that I really wouldn't base my decision on anything like that.

Dear Peter,
Thank you for your message. I'm afraid your grades achieved so far would make a conditional offer to study Cambridge highly unlikely and we do not take into account of the results of re-sits. I am sorry to disappoint you but I assume you would prefer to know the truth now.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Jan Eade

why on earth are you looking at SPS (or PPE for that matter) at all?

From my earliest memories, I've tried relentlessly to further my knowledge of the enigmatic world in which we live. 'Knowledge is power' I would reflect, but certain knowledge gives only certain power, and for me personally, it has been the ability to help my fellow human in their struggle to enjoy life to the fullest that I have aspired to master. With such a grand ethos some speculated this was a quixotic viewpoint, but I did not let this dull my enthusiasm. Initially, I took a deep interest in exploring maths and science and jumped at opportunities to study these further, achieving extra qualifications, sometimes several years earlier than the typical candidate. I was fascinated by our everyday reliance on complex ideas and technology, and realised that it was the practical application of this knowledge that could improve the quality of human life ineffably.
Later, I became inspired and captivated by political novels, such as 'Catch 22' and 'Brave New World'; modern classics that I felt contained an almost dialectic aura, elucidating their own concerns for the well being of mankind. I realised such moralities were akin to my original aspiration I had harboured for so long. I expanded my literary exploration into classic works (Plato's 'The Republic' and Aristotle's 'Politics') developments on these (Rousseau's 'The Social Contract' and Hobbe's 'Leviathan') alongside contemporary views (David Miller's 'Political Philosophy') to add more depth and history to my understanding of politics, interlacing with the dynamic modern controversies I tracked in my own time and discussed at a debate club. I marvelled at how everyday emotions, such as love and fear, came to manifest, not an array of scholarly subjects - like books on a shelf - but rather a single body of reasoning that governs the entirety of our everyday lives -the lives I endeavoured to improve. My realisation of the similarities between the real-world results of what at first seemed diverse interests, encouraged me to maintain my scientific background, studying further maths and a physics AEA in my spare time.
Having grown up in an area of mixed social backgrounds, I have seen firsthand the inequality of life, and developed a strong feeling of duty to assist those less fortunate than myself and readily act upon it, such as voluntary work at a day care centre and developing fundraising techniques for a charity consortium, both yielding beneficial results. I also look after and aid the development of my autistic brother, helping him to live with Asperger's Syndrome.
I take pride in getting involved in my local community and have used my skills to promote events from student rallies, to school election campaigns to charity rock gigs. While serving as a Prefect and a member of the school council I used my inter-personal skills to improve the welfare of pupils, successfully campaigning for the re-emergence of Summer Uniform. I relish new and exhilarating experiences, am working towards my Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award and currently designing and constructing a switching audio amp. I have certificates in a variety of personal interests, including food technology, ICT, manufacturing techniques, geographical expeditions, the mathematics challenge and stock market trading. I take interest in film, music and other media. Reflecting my determination, I am the current record holder of the 'Bleep' Fitness Test at my high school and enjoy sport, particularly badminton.
I was proud to become a Member of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth and have demonstrated my ability to reach ambitious goals - often using improvisation and creativity to facilitate success. I sincerely believe that university will offer the incredible environment I can only dream of, combining the finest education and a cosmopolitan social atmosphere, to not only further my knowledge; contribute to the university and my subject; but ultimately progress my development as a human being.

Why not do Economics, Engineering and Management? Bit of both

Furthermore, at Oxford there is a PPE admissions test, which my head of sixth form reckons I would be able to shine on and outweigh the ‘AS Incidents’