GCSE results good enough for oxford???

So i just received my CAGs and heard the huge increases in grade 7-9s which will surely make 2020 cohort more challenging for places at oxford. Personally, I have earned

8 A*s (2 x grade 9, 6x grade 8)
1 B
1 C
also waiting on my btec ict grade next week.

As a asian muslim at a white dominated, christian school with a badly rated ofsted report 'requires improvement' and eng/maths pass rate of 17% (Grade 5) will I stand a chance against all other competetors in similar positions. I know GCSE is only one part they look at inlcuding TSA, interveiw, AS etc... but I feel like the system has failed and many students got straight A*s this year leaving me with minimal chance.

Finally, On my UCAS and job application can i leave out the C and B or would it be a good idea to say why i messed those subjects up (french and Graphics) as i have a good reason- teaching, lack of guidance and inaccurate mocks and data corruption (its really confusing).

Plz help :frown:

Thank you!!!!

Reply 1

liverninthered

12

Another year, another "are my GCSEs good enough for Oxbridge?" thread.

The answer is yes. Especially if your school is underperforming.

It depends what subject you're applying for.

Don't leave the grades out on your UCAS form - they could easily find out and reject you in principle. If there is a reason, it could be included in your teacher reference. Employers won't care about your GCSEs, so just include them all.

Reply 2

OxFossil

19

Original post by ZedTV

So i just received my CAGs and heard the huge increases in grade 7-9s which will surely make 2020 cohort more challenging for places at oxford. Personally, I have earned

8 A*s (2 x grade 9, 6x grade 8)
1 B
1 C
also waiting on my btec ict grade next week.

As a asian muslim at a white dominated, christian school with a badly rated ofsted report 'requires improvement' and eng/maths pass rate of 17% (Grade 5) will I stand a chance against all other competetors in similar positions. I know GCSE is only one part they look at inlcuding TSA, interveiw, AS etc... but I feel like the system has failed and many students got straight A*s this year leaving me with minimal chance.

Finally, On my UCAS and job application can i leave out the C and B or would it be a good idea to say why i messed those subjects up (french and Graphics) as i have a good reason- teaching, lack of guidance and inaccurate mocks and data corruption (its really confusing).

Plz help :frown:

Thank you!!!!

Your GCSEs appear good enough for most subjects (perhaps not Medicine), and if you omit any on your application, you risk being disqualified.
You will qualify for a contextual flag on the basis of postcode, school performance and experience in the care system. Experience as an ethnic minority and poor teaching will only feature if your academic referee mentions these as significant mitigating factors in their supporting statement - how much weight they might carry is impossible to say in general.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/decisions/contextual-data

Reply 3

nexttime

22

Whats the C in amd what are you applying for?

Even for medicine those would not preclude an application.

Reply 4

ZedTV

OP

13

Original post by nexttime

Whats the C in amd what are you applying for?

Even for medicine those would not preclude an application.

that's ok, i don't really want do apply for medicine. I'm more looking into oxfords human sciences course

the c grade 5 was in graphics communication and it was coursework dominated- we did have a teacher from year 9 to 10 which was all coursework time. our mocks that were used to give our final grades were unfair. It's usually a 10 hour exam and for the november 2019 mock, it was a 2 hour exam and the march 2020 mock was 4 hours, no where near the actual length of exam. this was so unfair as I had to rush my artwork. would this be considered a good excuse-

also most of my graphics class failed as no one did the coursework due to lack of guidance but I started my coursework in christmas holidays of year 11 Wheren I dedicated about 7 hours a day to catch and secure the only grade 5 (with no one achieving higher) this year for our school

Reply 5

ZedTV

OP

13

Original post by OxFossil

Your GCSEs appear good enough for most subjects (perhaps not Medicine), and if you omit any on your application, you risk being disqualified.
You will qualify for a contextual flag on the basis of postcode, school performance and experience in the care system. Experience as an ethnic minority and poor teaching will only feature if your academic referee mentions these as significant mitigating factors in their supporting statement - how much weight they might carry is impossible to say in general.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/decisions/contextual-data

yeah I dont really like the sound of medicine. I'm more looking into human sciences with a less admission rate. so even If I resit a gcse, and say get a 2, I have to provide that?

Reply 6

OxFossil

19

Original post by ZedTV

yeah I dont really like the sound of medicine. I'm more looking into human sciences with a less admission rate. so even If I resit a gcse, and say get a 2, I have to provide that?

In another thread, @liverninthered said, "Your UCAS form includes your Unique Learner Number which includes all exam records no matter what "bit of paper" it's on. Universities can easily check your honest about your GCSEs. Schools usually check students don't do this also. I'm sure there are many who do it without consequence, but it's a big risk"

GCSE results good enough for oxford???

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