This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Do Cambridge want over 90%

jcb914

You should complain about this. All applicants should be auto-pooled if they meet those criteria.

City_chic, I thought you got 6 and a half A*s, technically, having done a short course GCSE? In which case the college wasn't under any obligation to pool you.

Reply 21

city_chic

13

Lidka

City_chic, I thought you got 6 and a half A*s, technically, having done a short course GCSE? In which case the college wasn't under any obligation to pool you.

Ah yes, forgot that short course GCSEs are only counted as half GCSEs. I worked that out a while ago and forgot about it. So yes, I suppose they weren't under any obligation to auto pool me.

Reply 22

Zoedotdot

18

Don't you need 90%+ in all of your modules to get an A*? I'm sure I read that somewhere... If that is true, A*A*A* would be an exceedingly tough offer.

Reply 23

HappyHupo

Zoedotdot

Don't you need 90%+ in all of your modules to get an A*? I'm sure I read that somewhere... If that is true, A*A*A* would be an exceedingly tough offer.

I don't think you need 90% in every single module, you would just need 90%+ overall, so 540/600 UMS at A-level. To be honest that should be possible if you want to get into Cambridge. I got over 90% in all four of my A-levels and my one AS-Level, as I expect did many people here.

Reply 24

qgujxj39

17

Do you get auto-pooled if you have 7 A*s at GCSE, is that true or just a rule of thumb?

Reply 25

qgujxj39

17

Zoedotdot

Don't you need 90%+ in all of your modules to get an A*? I'm sure I read that somewhere... If that is true, A*A*A* would be an exceedingly tough offer.

No, you need 80% overall and 90% overall in your A2 modules.

Reply 26

DFranklin

18

epitome

By far the more important thing is that you are a good, thoughtful mathematician. You do *not* need 90+% to get into Cambridge, though of course the higher your marks, the more persuasive your application. What matters, though, is that you have interest and ability in your chosen subject.The thing is, that there's a very strong correlation between being a good thoughtful mathematician and getting 90+% in your maths exams.

Certainly when I went to Cambridge the vast majority of mathmos I knew scored well above 90% (system then was raw marks): the typical comment would be "I probably dropped the odd mark or two by carelessness".

But I confess I'm not totally sure of the rationale by which Cambridge rejects mathmo applicants. I think they reject about 50%; if it was me, I'd reject far fewer, and "let STEP sort them out". Maybe that's a bit cruel.

Reply 27

jcb914

11

tommmmmmmmmm

Do you get auto-pooled if you have 7 A*s at GCSE, is that true or just a rule of thumb?

If you have 7A* grades (or more) and 90% (or higher) in 3 AS subjects, then you are automatically pooled.

Reply 28

qgujxj39

17

jcb914

If you have 7A* grades (or more) and 90% (or higher) in 3 AS subjects, then you are automatically pooled.

Wow, I finally have an incentive to work my arse off over the next couple of months.

Reply 29

Eustace

There seems to be confusion over this whole A* business. My understanding (and I'm fairly sure that I'm right) is, as I think was mentioned earlier, that you need 270/300 in your A2 modules (90%) as well as having got 480/600 in the whole A-level. You do not need 90% overall.

Reply 30

scollins

MikeyWhitto, you already know the answer to this question as I saw you discussing it in school with Stephen Greatley. You have also read the prospectus and saw that they ask for this. Why bother asking other people.

Reply 31

Zoedotdot

18

HappyHupo

I don't think you need 90% in every single module, you would just need 90%+ overall, so 540/600 UMS at A-level. To be honest that should be possible if you want to get into Cambridge. I got over 90% in all four of my A-levels and my one AS-Level, as I expect did many people here.

I, on the other hand, managed 90% in three of my AS levels, only just scraping it in Spanish (I have an offer for MML) and missed it significantly in my fourth, although I still got an A. I'm not really on track to get 90%+ in all of my A2s either, although I am on track to meet my offer. If it was an A* offer, therefore, it would be pretty tough. Speaking personally, that is - I'm sure there are a lot of people going to Cambridge who are far more intelligent than I am :smile:

chris1200

Sadly it's not quite that simple. To score an A* at A level, you will now have to get 90% overall INCLUDING 90% at A2. Thus getting 100% at AS, and then 85% at A2 will NOT be an A* - even though you have scored over 90% overall.

This is a bit rubbish for students like me who enjoy the fact that after their AS performance, they only need a C in some subjects to get an A overall....

Hmmm, I thought it was something like that. Yeah, I'm glad I'm still in this system, I like the fact that I need Ds in two Maths modules to get an A overall :biggrin:

Reply 32

Greatleysteg

19

scollins

MikeyWhitto, you already know the answer to this question as I saw you discussing it in school with Stephen Greatley. You have also read the prospectus and saw that they ask for this. Why bother asking other people.

Lol! Sam... I think Whitto only started this thread because he wanted to see if he could - I was telling him on Skype but he was so dense that even a culmination of the efforts of him, Simon and Neil didn't come to fruition :p:

he he, he reckoned you couldn't start a thread!

I was telling him all about Oxbridge actually, not just the 90% module thing, seeing as I AM the fountain of knowledge on al things uni-related (obv). :smile:

I'll poke him in school tomorrow for wasting TSR's time, shall I?

Reply 33

Eustace

chris1200

Sadly it's not quite that simple. To score an A* at A level, you will now have to get 90% overall INCLUDING 90% at A2. Thus getting 100% at AS, and then 85% at A2 will NOT be an A* - even though you have scored over 90% overall.

To clarify, the conditions to get an A* are 480/600 overall and at least 270/300 on the A2 modules. Actually (not that it is very likely) but you could get as little as 180/300 in your AS units and still come away with an A* overall should you get 300/300 in the A2 modules. The idea is to reward those who perform on the harder questions which naturally tend to occur in the A2 papers.

Reply 34

Nimbus

12

So...
regardless of whatever you get in AS, you need at least 90% or above in A2 and 90% overall for the A-level?

Reply 35

qgujxj39

17

yg110uk

So...
regardless of whatever you get in AS, you need at least 90% or above in A2 and 90% overall for the A-level?

No, you need 80% overall and 90% in A2. Four possible extreme scenarios:

1) person gets 70% in their AS modules and 90% in their A2 modules. This is an A*, with an overall mark of 80%.

2) person gets 100% in their AS modules and 89% in their A2 modules. This is only an A, despite an overall mark of 94.5%.

3) person gets 59% in their AS modules and 100% in their A2 modules. This is an A, with an overall mark of 79.5%.

4) person gets 60% in their AS modules and 100% in their A2 modules. This is an A*, with an overall mark of 80%.

Reply 36

Rudrax

12

tommmmmmmmmm

No, you need 80% overall and 90% in A2. Two possible extreme scenarios:

1) person gets 70% in their AS modules and 90% in their A2 modules. This is an A*, with an overall mark of 80%.

2) person gets 100% in their AS modules and 89% in their A2 modules. This is only an A, despite an overall mark of 94.5%.

Thats my complaint with this new A* system. Most people think it should be if you get a 90+% overall with your AS and A2 because then you're being rewarded for consistent high performance.

I'm just glad I miss it.