Could I still be successful in applying to Cambridge?

My brother, (a year older than me and I'm current year 13) got no 9s at GCSE. He had predicted grades of AAA. He applied to the HSPS course at Cambridge, took the entrance exam and submitted a couple of essays... he got the interview, SMASHED the interview and then got an offer of A* A A for the course he wanted. He took a gap year, after having to take the real exams to get the grades as the government and teachers wouldn't give him the grades - he's going there in September as Cambridge said they would hold his place. He went to a Grammar School too. Sorry if this is a ramble but my point is that Cambridge don't put *much* thought into GCSE grades. They care about passion for your subject. You have to live and BREATHE it, and that HAS to reflect in your interview. If you REALLY love the course, you're in for a good chance! Good Luck! XX

I took my GCSEs in a grammar school, getting one 9, five 8s, five 7s and a 6. Whilst I’m aware they were generally good, my problem is that they were in a grammar school, so would not be in the same achievement as those getting all 9s.
I wasn’t doing great mental health wise during GCSEs (but cannot mention this as I was not diagnosed) but I also feel that my school did not represent what I would have gotten fairly (the 6 would have been an 8, and some 7s would have been 8s, while 4 of the 8s would have been 9s) and I was not allowed to appeal nor in the headspace to retake them. I am now working hard and currently on track to receiving 4A*s or 3A*s and 1A at A level, but I just wondered if Cambridge might still see me as average and be less likely to consider me, especially as our grades were not necessarily representative or standardised at GCSE.

Yeah I agree with this. To get an interview you need a decent personal statement which you can control and good predicted grades so you should be fine. They don't really care about your GCSEs unless you fail maths and English. I applied for Cambridge maths this year, and got rejected so they gave me some advice which you might want to here. They didn't give any feedback on how I should improve because there's no marking criteria at an interview unlike a levels. To be frank it was just because I wasn't good enough. Think of applying as entering a competition and the interviewers there being judges and rating you with scores.

My brother, (a year older than me and I'm current year 13) got no 9s at GCSE. He had predicted grades of AAA. He applied to the HSPS course at Cambridge, took the entrance exam and submitted a couple of essays... he got the interview, SMASHED the interview and then got an offer of A* A A for the course he wanted. He took a gap year, after having to take the real exams to get the grades as the government and teachers wouldn't give him the grades - he's going there in September as Cambridge said they would hold his place. He went to a Grammar School too. Sorry if this is a ramble but my point is that Cambridge don't put *much* thought into GCSE grades. They care about passion for your subject. You have to live and BREATHE it, and that HAS to reflect in your interview. If you REALLY love the course, you're in for a good chance! Good Luck! XX

Yeah I agree with this. To get an interview you need a decent personal statement which you can control and good predicted grades so you should be fine. They don't really care about your GCSEs unless you fail maths and English. I applied for Cambridge maths this year, and got rejected so they gave me some advice which you might want to here. They didn't give any feedback on how I should improve because there's no marking criteria at an interview unlike a levels. To be frank it was just because I wasn't good enough. Think of applying as entering a competition and the interviewers there being judges and rating you with scores.

given your alevels being so good I'd say your chances are pretty good they'll probs make up for ur GCSE's

Thank you!

Thank you so much- that’s really reassuring! I do absolutely love the course and academic environments so hopefully I can prove myself 🤞 thanks again!

Have others had similar situations?

I have a couple of friends who are at Cambridge, one studies languages and the other studies Medicine. They obviously achieved really high IB / at A level, but I would say the determining factor that got them in was how much time they took outside of their classes to study the subject- so that at interview they could really demonstrate how much they LOVED it. xxx

What did they do outside the subject? I have 2 books going, a summer school I’m waiting to hear from, some lab work experience I’m waiting to hear from and a few science magazines. Do you think that’ll show or is it worth starting my own little project for fun over summer maybe? I know you can’t directly say but if anyone can advise?

I took my GCSEs in a grammar school, getting one 9, five 8s, five 7s and a 6. Whilst I’m aware they were generally good, my problem is that they were in a grammar school, so would not be in the same achievement as those getting all 9s.
I wasn’t doing great mental health wise during GCSEs (but cannot mention this as I was not diagnosed) but I also feel that my school did not represent what I would have gotten fairly (the 6 would have been an 8, and some 7s would have been 8s, while 4 of the 8s would have been 9s) and I was not allowed to appeal nor in the headspace to retake them. I am now working hard and currently on track to receiving 4A*s or 3A*s and 1A at A level, but I just wondered if Cambridge might still see me as average and be less likely to consider me, especially as our grades were not necessarily representative or standardised at GCSE.

I think it's worth a shot, in your case, as long as you aren't applying for an extremely competitive course. However, and I speak as a current Cambridge student, please weigh up whether you can manage your mental health well enough now to thrive at Cambridge, which is extremely intense and pressurising. I went to another university before Cambridge, and I have noticed a marked difference.