How important are AS level results to get into Cambridge?

Thanks for that. The only reason I'm worried is that my teacher told my year that if you don't get an 87% average at AS level then say goodbye to Cambridge. I go to a very good school, one of the best in the country, so does that play a part in higher expectations maybe?

It's not correct to say that if you had 87% or so you'd have no chance, but it'd start looking like a long shot. I would recommend watching this talk by a Cambridge admissions tutor (from around the 25 minute mark onwards) which gives a more honest insight into how admissions works than some of the posts I've seen on this forum recently.

Reply 21

username1865079

14

Original post by lukerules1234

I didn't do as well as I would have liked purely down to lack of revision. I don't really find any of my subjects challenging, just the flame of motivation to revise was heavily dampened by depression, purposelessness, exam nerves etc. etc. It's been the same throughout this year, so I don't really have any exam evidence from this year to show that I have the capability to get A*s at A level (even though I know I can). Ah well. Bristol it is!

p.s thanks for your replies, they've been very useful :beerglass:

Have you seen any medical professional for depression and/or does your school know about it? Unless you're 100% confident you have overcome the problem, it's very important you seek professional advice and support before it gets out of hand, and it really can do if you leave it too long. And the problem is properly diagnosed, that's a legitimate extenuating circumstance, so your school can fill ECF to accompany your application. Cambridge will take that into account in their selection. (But it's not just for that purpose you should see a professional, as I'm sure you understand)

Bristol is a great uni for Geography, too. And many say Bristol (as a city) is much more fun than sleepy Cambridge. :wink:

Don't know what field of Geography you're most interested, but Durham and UCL are very good for Geography, too, as well as LSE if your only interest is in Human Geography (they don't do Physical Geography). Not quite the same calibre as these, but Royal Holloway has always had a good reputation in Geography and their presence seems to be improving even more in recent years.

Original post by lukerules1234

Thanks for that. The only reason I'm worried is that my teacher told my year that if you don't get an 87% average at AS level then say goodbye to Cambridge. I go to a very good school, one of the best in the country, so does that play a part in higher expectations maybe?

I think it does, to some extent. Been in this forum for several years, I've noticed many applicants from less competitive schools get offer from Cambridge with grades that's quite unthinkable to be successful if they had been at a school (quite competitive private school, though perhaps not as competitive as yours) my daughter went. But it's probably that they make allowance for an applicant with less than stellar grades if they were from non-competitive schooling background rather than they expect students from competitive school perform better than they actually need to.

But, as being stressed before, you really do NOT need 87% average to apply to Cambridge. If it's your school's firm policy that they don't support your application to Cambridge unless you achieve 87% average, there's nothing I can say as I know some competitive schools do discourage students with lower possibility of getting an offer from applying to Oxbridge, but that's absolutely NOT what Cambridge require. Probably @Doonesbury can dig out a table of UMS vs success rate from his big treasure trove of statistics :tongue:

, but there have been cases of applicants with low 80s UMS being successful.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 22

Doones

21

Original post by Forecast

It's not correct to say that if you had 87% or so you'd have no chance, but it'd start looking like a long shot. I would recommend watching this talk by a Cambridge admissions tutor (from around the 25 minute mark onwards) which gives a more honest insight into how admissions works than some of the posts I've seen on this forum recently.

Original post by vincrows

Probably @Doonesbury can dig out a table of UMS vs success rate from his big treasure trove of statistics :tongue:

, but there have been cases of applicants with low 80s UMS being successful.

Indeed, not no chance and yes a longer shot than others. But, again, OP doesn't even have their marks yet. And it's not this forum's job to discourage applicants with *some* chances. There are enough myths and discouragements already surrounding Cambridge admissions.

UMS success rate bands for Geography:

Screen Shot 2017-05-29 at 14.19.49.jpg

Huge caveat, averages of UMS averages ARE NOT and NEVER HAVE BEEN used to deselect or, indeed, Offer candidates.

Reply 23

username1865079

14

Original post by Doonesbury

Indeed, not no chance and yes a longer shot than others. But, again, OP doesn't even have their marks yet. And it's not this forum's job to discourage applicants with *some* chances. There are enough myths and discouragements already surrounding Cambridge admissions.

UMS success rate bands for Geography:

Screen Shot 2017-05-29 at 14.19.49.jpg

Huge caveat, averages of UMS averages ARE NOT and NEVER HAVE BEEN used to deselect or, indeed, Offer candidates.

Thank you~~! I knew you knew where to find it!

Ummm..... ..... Had thought I'd seen a few successful applicants with 80-85% UMS, but apparently I remembered wrongly.........

Reply 24

Doones

21

Original post by vincrows

Thank you~~! I knew you knew where to find it!

Ummm..... ..... Had thought I'd seen a few successful applicants with 80-85% UMS, but apparently I remembered wrongly.........

Well that was 2014 data. There was also that other slightly earlier file with various courses and GCSE Vs UMS offer rates. It doesn't have Geography but it does have History which would have a similar profile...

There's a reasonable number of sub 85 offers.

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OP

Thank you all :h:

I do realise this is a year old thread, but I'm applying for CompSci and I think I got a B in AS Spanish....(most probably As in Biology, Physics and Maths, no AS for Further Maths they are linear anyway)
Should I still apply for Cambridge, provided Spanish isn't really related to my degree?

Reply 27

Doones

21

Original post by solark

I do realise this is a year old thread, but I'm applying for CompSci and I think I got a B in AS Spanish....(most probably As in Biology, Physics and Maths, no AS for Further Maths they are linear anyway)
Should I still apply for Cambridge, provided Spanish isn't really related to my degree?

People with AABD at AS-level have got Cambridge offers.

Reply 28

sureofit

12

Original post by solark

I do realise this is a year old thread, but I'm applying for CompSci and I think I got a B in AS Spanish....(most probably As in Biology, Physics and Maths, no AS for Further Maths they are linear anyway)
Should I still apply for Cambridge, provided Spanish isn't really related to my degree?

Just to put my twopence in, I got AACC at AS and got an offer. My predictions were A*AA (I dropped an ‘A’ subject for C grade French...)

So, no I suppose it doesn’t matter. :smile:

I applied for geography, feel free to ask any questions if you like :smile:

How important are AS level results to get into Cambridge?

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