The Student Room Group

Could I really get into Cambridge?

I am a GCSE student hoping to apply to Cambridge when I reach college but currently I am terrified of trying to get into my dream uni.
I am not doing terribly in any subjects or in my mocks, I got a 9(A**) in business and biology, an 8(A*) in chemistry and r.e, 7(A) in computer science and a 6 in maths (which I’m hoping to push up to a 7 as I did terribly on one of the mock exams. (The rest of my GCSE mock results haven’t been given to me yet).
I go to a comprehensive school and am afraid of not being accepted because of that. I am also afraid that I definitely won’t be as smart as some of the people who go to Cambridge.
I am currently trying to achieve 9 or more GCSE’s that are at 7 or above to get into the colleges honours program as those get specialised help to get into Oxbrige.
Overall I am wondering if I could even compete with some of the applicants and as I’ve been discouraged my people close to me when I say I want to go to Cambridge I feel quite down about it, I would just like to know your opinions.
Original post by AmeliaFran21
I am a GCSE student hoping to apply to Cambridge when I reach college but currently I am terrified of trying to get into my dream uni.
I am not doing terribly in any subjects or in my mocks, I got a 9(A**) in business and biology, an 8(A*) in chemistry and r.e, 7(A) in computer science and a 6 in maths (which I’m hoping to push up to a 7 as I did terribly on one of the mock exams. (The rest of my GCSE mock results haven’t been given to me yet).
I go to a comprehensive school and am afraid of not being accepted because of that. I am also afraid that I definitely won’t be as smart as some of the people who go to Cambridge.
I am currently trying to achieve 9 or more GCSE’s that are at 7 or above to get into the colleges honours program as those get specialised help to get into Oxbrige.
Overall I am wondering if I could even compete with some of the applicants and as I’ve been discouraged my people close to me when I say I want to go to Cambridge I feel quite down about it, I would just like to know your opinions.


first of all going to a comprehensive will make you more not less likely you'll get in.

secondly, from my experience mock exam results don't really correspond with what you actually get so wait and see how you do there

thirdly, people on here will claim you can get in with mediocre GCSEs but the reality is if you can't get mostly 9-8s with some 7s in GCSE, you are unlikely to get exceed at Cambridge's notoriously difficult entrance exams or interviews. have you had a look at their entrance exams?
it can be done
Reply 3
I have driven there a number of times. When you're old enough to drive, I doubt much could stop you. Maybe Brexit could be worse than feared and roadblocks might get set up to stop people going there. I hope not, I have to go there again in July. I'd avoid the A14, though.
IS there a subject that you want to do or do you just want to go to cambridge?
Original post by AmeliaFran21
I am a GCSE student hoping to apply to Cambridge when I reach college but currently I am terrified of trying to get into my dream uni.
I am not doing terribly in any subjects or in my mocks, I got a 9(A**) in business and biology, an 8(A*) in chemistry and r.e, 7(A) in computer science and a 6 in maths (which I’m hoping to push up to a 7 as I did terribly on one of the mock exams. (The rest of my GCSE mock results haven’t been given to me yet).
I go to a comprehensive school and am afraid of not being accepted because of that. I am also afraid that I definitely won’t be as smart as some of the people who go to Cambridge.
I am currently trying to achieve 9 or more GCSE’s that are at 7 or above to get into the colleges honours program as those get specialised help to get into Oxbrige.
Overall I am wondering if I could even compete with some of the applicants and as I’ve been discouraged my people close to me when I say I want to go to Cambridge I feel quite down about it, I would just like to know your opinions.

Going to a comp school does not mean Cambridge will reject you, that’s just a myth perpetuated by people currently at Greenwich Uni who blame the comp school for their failures, as opposed to them simply being thick as pig sh*t
1. You’re only on gcses, I’d focus on revision and up your grades as much as you can because no GCSEs won’t matter much if you have excellent predictions, but it sounds as if getting better grades at GCSE would make you feel more confident anyway.

2. Colleges honours programs are good, but obviously not everyone who goes on them has to be accepted so I would work on other things to strengthen your application such as doing wider reading and super curriculars for the subject you wish to apply for in order to bulk out your personal statement.

3. Make sure your alevels fit two categories. One being facilitating for the subject you wish to apply for eg if you were apply for law then essay based subjects and if you were to apply for natural sciences then maths and the two appropriate sciences (those kinds of suitable combinations). The second criteria is subjects you know you can do well in. At the end of the day your alevel predictions will matter far more than gcse grades :smile:

It’s far too early to say whether someone can get in or not at your age, but it’s definitely not a bad idea to start doing the things I’ve mentioned as those are what Oxbridge is looking for and if you tick those boxes I don’t see any reason why not
Is there a particular subject or subjects you particulary enjoy and want to study? It's much better to focus on exploring stuff you find interesting and trying to do stuff like reading books, olympiads, etc. because at the end of the day your academic ability and interest in one subject is what's going count in the application.
Also a 9 ISNT classified as an A**...
Reply 9
Original post by AmeliaFran21
I am a GCSE student hoping to apply to Cambridge when I reach college but currently I am terrified of trying to get into my dream uni.
I am not doing terribly in any subjects or in my mocks, I got a 9(A**) in business and biology, an 8(A*) in chemistry and r.e, 7(A) in computer science and a 6 in maths (which I’m hoping to push up to a 7 as I did terribly on one of the mock exams. (The rest of my GCSE mock results haven’t been given to me yet).
I go to a comprehensive school and am afraid of not being accepted because of that. I am also afraid that I definitely won’t be as smart as some of the people who go to Cambridge.
I am currently trying to achieve 9 or more GCSE’s that are at 7 or above to get into the colleges honours program as those get specialised help to get into Oxbrige.
Overall I am wondering if I could even compete with some of the applicants and as I’ve been discouraged my people close to me when I say I want to go to Cambridge I feel quite down about it, I would just like to know your opinions.


There are plenty of comprehensive students at Cambridge. Which course are you interested in?

And when you get to year 12 have a look at the CUSU Shadowing Scheme
https://www.applytocambridge.com/shadowing/apply/


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Original post by Bill Nye
IS there a subject that you want to do or do you just want to go to cambridge?



I want to do psychology as it is a real passion of mine and I plan on doing extra reading in college and an EPQ
Original post by Doonesbury
There are plenty of comprehensive students at Cambridge. Which course are you interested in?

And when you get to year 12 have a look at the CUSU Shadowing Scheme
https://www.applytocambridge.com/shadowing/apply/


Posted from TSR Mobile
It's certainly possible. If you're applying to Cambridge, they really emphasise A Level grades. Some Colleges, like Peterhouse, explicitly say that A Level grades are more important and that what they want to see is a progression so that you're doing better at A Level than in your GCSEs.

The type of school you go to shouldn't matter.

Spoiler

Reply 12
Original post by oxbridgelaw
It's certainly possible. If you're applying to Cambridge, they really emphasise A Level grades. Some Colleges, like Peterhouse, explicitly say that A Level grades are more important and that what they want to see is a progression so that you're doing better at A Level than in your GCSEs.

The type of school you go to shouldn't matter.

Spoiler



For all colleges your most recent academics are more important. Peterhouse is not unusual in this.

Academic progression is always a good thing, yes, but equally having strong A-levels AND strong GCSEs will not disadvantage an applicant.

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