The Student Room Group
Original post by bens23
What are the chances of me getting an offer for LSE economics with predicted of A*A*A* in Maths, Physics and Economics even though I don’t take Further Maths? If not LSE, what are the best economics courses I have a realistic chance of getting into that are still good without further maths?

LSE and Cambridge has Further Maths content in Years 1 and some in Year 2 as well. But my cousin applied in 2019 to LSE with A*A*A* predicted in Maths, Chemistry and Biology as well as an A grade achieved and certificated in AS-Level Economics. He got an offer from LSE Economics, at A*AA as he had 9A* 2B at GCSE with Bs in French and Design & Technology: Product Design. Because his grammar school did not offer progression to A-Level Economics, LSE were happy to accept the A grade in AS-Level Economics at A grade.

My cousin got A*A*B on results day in 2019 with B grade in Maths and A*'s in Chemistry and Biology but LSE rejected him. However, UCL accepted him for Economics.

Also, my other cousin got rejected by LSE as she went to a top state school and should have been able to take Further Maths. But she took Maths, French, Philosophy and Economics and achieved A*A*A*A and this was good enough to be accepted by UCL for Economics last year.

So you might not get offers from Cambridge and LSE, but certainly will from UCL, Warwick, Bristol, Nottingham, KCL, QMUL, SOAS, Manchester, Durham, York and Lancaster.

May I also say, you should consider applying for PPE at Oxford as they don't require A-Level Further Maths, but 95% of the cohort accepted had A-Level Maths.

Good luck.
Reply 2
Original post by thegeek888
LSE and Cambridge has Further Maths content in Years 1 and some in Year 2 as well. But my cousin applied in 2019 to LSE with A*A*A* predicted in Maths, Chemistry and Biology as well as an A grade achieved and certificated in AS-Level Economics. He got an offer from LSE Economics, at A*AA as he had 9A* 2B at GCSE with Bs in French and Design & Technology: Product Design. Because his grammar school did not offer progression to A-Level Economics, LSE were happy to accept the A grade in AS-Level Economics at A grade.

My cousin got A*A*B on results day in 2019 with B grade in Maths and A*'s in Chemistry and Biology but LSE rejected him. However, UCL accepted him for Economics.

Also, my other cousin got rejected by LSE as she went to a top state school and should have been able to take Further Maths. But she took Maths, French, Philosophy and Economics and achieved A*A*A*A and this was good enough to be accepted by UCL for Economics last year.

So you might not get offers from Cambridge and LSE, but certainly will from UCL, Warwick, Bristol, Nottingham, KCL, QMUL, SOAS, Manchester, Durham, York and Lancaster.

May I also say, you should consider applying for PPE at Oxford as they don't require A-Level Further Maths, but 95% of the cohort accepted had A-Level Maths.

Good luck.


Thank you very much, I will take this advice into consideration
If your college had Further Mathematics as an option, but you didn't choose it, chances of LSE are pretty much nil.

Like @thegeek888 said, you can defo still get into target unis like Warwick/ UCL without FM (especially with your grades which are super impressive!)

Or you could choose to study FM independently, or even to AS level - I have a couple mates at LSE who only did AS FM and got an offer.
Original post by confuzzledteen
If your college had Further Mathematics as an option, but you didn't choose it, chances of LSE are pretty much nil.


Like @thegeek888 said, you can defo still get into target unis like Warwick/ UCL without FM (especially with your grades which are super impressive!)

Or you could choose to study FM independently, or even to AS level - I have a couple mates at LSE who only did AS FM and got an offer.


even if your school doesn’t offer statistics in further maths? I understand that’s the only relevant section.
Original post by Marc.12345
even if your school doesn’t offer statistics in further maths? I understand that’s the only relevant section.


I don’t believe they even bother looking at the modules that you’ve done, you’re wrong to think it’s only stats that would be important, some core pure is relevant too.
Original post by PixiePresents
I don’t believe they even bother looking at the modules that you’ve done, you’re wrong to think it’s only stats that would be important, some core pure is relevant too.


Like what?
I did a bit of research and basically found that calculus is useful, but the only calculus at AS level is volumes of revolution, which is completely irrelevant.
Original post by Marc.12345
Like what?
I did a bit of research and basically found that calculus is useful, but the only calculus at AS level is volumes of revolution, which is completely irrelevant.

Nah if you go to LSE, in your first year of BSc Econ you need to pick between MA107 or MA100.

MA107 is literally identical to the A Level Further Mathematics "pure" content, whereas MA100 builds on it but requires that you know the concepts - which you'd only get from doing A Level "pure" maths.
Original post by confuzzledteen
Nah if you go to LSE, in your first year of BSc Econ you need to pick between MA107 or MA100.

MA107 is literally identical to the A Level Further Mathematics "pure" content, whereas MA100 builds on it but requires that you know the concepts - which you'd only get from doing A Level "pure" maths.


ah ok, thank you :frown: so the odds are pretty much zero without further maths? or should I just apply and hope they let me in as a one off?
Original post by Marc.12345
ah ok, thank you :frown: so the odds are pretty much zero without further maths? or should I just apply and hope they let me in as a one off?


If your school offers it, but you didn’t choose to do it, then it’s not worth wasting a UCAS choice on LSE - the university have admitted to the fact that even though FM isn’t listed as a hard requirement, it basically is, and will massively disadvantage you if you didn’t choose to take it.

Honestly OP, if LSE is your dream, I’d suggest taking the initiative to self teach FM
Original post by Anonymous
Honestly OP, if LSE is your dream, I’d suggest taking the initiative to self teach FM

It's my second choice, but even so, I have seriously considered this. The problem is that I am currently studying for 3 A levels and an EPQ, so that would probably overwhelm me. But thanks anyway!
Reply 11
I wanted to do economics at LSE and take the route to becoming an investment banker, I have realised however, that because I haven't taken Further Maths that my chances are pretty impossible. Are there any alternative courses I should apply to there instead there (that would be suitable for getting me into banking) or should I aim for a different uni e.g. UCL econ?
Original post by bens23
I wanted to do economics at LSE and take the route to becoming an investment banker, I have realised however, that because I haven't taken Further Maths that my chances are pretty impossible. Are there any alternative courses I should apply to there instead there (that would be suitable for getting me into banking) or should I aim for a different uni e.g. UCL econ?

Hi, your grade predictions sounds really good. What are you taking as your A levels?

I'd say it depends on how sure you are of getting into other unis. I think you have a pretty good chance of pretty much any uni with those grades😂. The best chances for IB would be Oxbridge, Imperial, Warwick, UCL. You can also think of Durham, Notts, St Andrews and Exeter which tend to be semi targets for firms. I'd advise for you to pick maybe one of them. Then apply to 4 of the main targets. Bear in mind the course itself is super important if you feel it wouldn't fit you personally at a main target than a semi target go for the semi.

While the uni is important, your grades are as well. Unfortunately high A level grades don't always transfer to high uni grades if the course itself isn't great for you.

P.S. look at any finance, econ, accounting, and even maths based courses at LSE as well. Cos banks are really looking for the skills not the specific course.

Sorry for the overload😅
Original post by bens23
I wanted to do economics at LSE and take the route to becoming an investment banker, I have realised however, that because I haven't taken Further Maths that my chances are pretty impossible. Are there any alternative courses I should apply to there instead there (that would be suitable for getting me into banking) or should I aim for a different uni e.g. UCL econ?

For most top firms, you can get in from the target universities: Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Warwick, Imperial
Semi-targets include: KCL, Nottingham, Durham etc.
OP I applied this year for Econ with the following grades
A* in Maths, Economics and Spanish
A in Physics and EPQ
(My PS was pure fire so any rejections I got were because of my grades)

Rejected from: Warwick, Oxford (for econ and managent, but I got an interview so your grades are enough to have a chance), St Andrews

Accepted into: Bath and Lancaster

For St Andrews, it is very hard to get in unless you pay international fees or do FM. Same for Warwick, haven't seen a single person whose school offeres FM that didn't take it get in. Oxford is just Oxford. Hope seeing someone with similar stats offers helps you, good luck for next year.