Are my GCSEs 'Oxbridge Worthy'?

I'm not trying to be one of those people on TSR who says 'are my GCSEs good enough? I only got ten Grade 9s????!!!' I know I did well in some of my GCSEs. but I am by no means an all rounder.

I got four Grade 9s, two Grade 8s, two Grade 6s, two Grade 5s. My 5s and 6s were in Maths/Triple science. If I apply to Oxford I would like to do History, which is a GCSE I got a 9 in, do you think I'll be too disadvantaged due to having 5s and 6s, or do I still have a shot as my higher grade GCSEs were in essay based subjects like History/English/humanities and that's what I'm applying to do?

Reply 1

User135792468

Original post by ewpfs

Oxbridge application are 80% A level grades, 15% personal statement and 5% GCSE grades

Reply 2

barror1

Study Forum Helper, Universities Forum Helper

Yeah I would not worry too much provided that you can prove yourself at A-level. You have a great set of results and honestly even if you get rejected I found the whole Oxbridge admissions process to be super beneficial. Just go for it! :hugs:

Reply 3

MQ99

Original post by User135792468

Oxbridge application are 80% A level grades, 15% personal statement and 5% GCSE grades

Less of all of these i think(?)... Especially gcse... More displayed aptitude at interview and admissions test performance

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 4

Quick-use

Original post by User135792468

Oxbridge application are 80% A level grades, 15% personal statement and 5% GCSE grades

In a short time, you've become rather infamous for lying, trolling and spreading misinformation. Quite the life you must lead!

@ewpfs Your GCSEs will be detrimental if you were to apply to Oxford as they place strong emphasis on GCSEs. Cambridge, however, don't place as much emphasis on GCSEs, so I'd encourage you to consider applying there (assuming your predicted grades etc are meet their requirements).

Reply 5

User135792468

Original post by MQ99

Less of all of these i think(?)... Especially gcse... More displayed aptitude at interview and admissions test performance

I’m not too sure about the application process but I thought they interview you and make you do a test after they consider you?

Original post by User135792468

I’m not too sure about the application process but I thought they interview you and make you do a testb after they consider you?

Idk about humanities and/or oxford but most sciences at camb require pre-interview admissions tests. In some cases tests are done at/on the day of the interview. A lot of humanities subjects also have to submit pieces of work pre-interview.

Reply 8

username4169146

Original post by Lostx

she is allowed to ask this question you know.

Reply 9

MQ99

Iv also heard that at camb (maybe less so for humanities) PS is barely looked at for making decisions. They might just use it as fuel for conversation at interview. Also heard from applicants to sciences (particularly maths and/or computer science) that PS wasnt even mentioned at interview. But this depends on the interviewer, admissions tutor, subject, etc. Plus other unis put emphasis more on it so dont think its meaningless.
This is just based on what iv heard, being a camb applicant this year.

Reply 10

lauren2712

Original post by ewpfs

As always it depends on many things, when I looked at the oxford statistics for the course I wanted to do, it said the large majority of applicants and offer holders had at least 8 (most 9 if not 10) A* grades at GCSE. At Cambridge there is less weight put on GCSEs, at least that's how it comes across, so I would consider applying to Cambridge instead if you're worried but again offers from Oxbridge are based on many things, also depends if you got those grades at a state or private school.