how much do oxford and cambridge consider GCSEs?

i received 9, 9, Distinction, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6, 4. i’m applying for english literature, which i received an A for. the 7s are GCSE English Lit and Lang. but i got a 4 in maths, not a woman in STEM unfortunately. would they really take gcse maths into consideration, although it’s quite literally the opposite of english?

Reply 1

user488949439

19

only if they state a higher grade is required but unlikely for English. If it is stated as a requirement you will be rejected. Check the entry requirement. I believe a London university does have it is a requirement for every subject.

Reply 2

username6062917

0

9

Original post by kaxxxxc2

i received 9, 9, Distinction, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6, 4. i’m applying for english literature, which i received an A for. the 7s are GCSE English Lit and Lang. but i got a 4 in maths, not a woman in STEM unfortunately. would they really take gcse maths into consideration, although it’s quite literally the opposite of english?

They don't really mark down with GCSEs, so having one low grade in an unrelated subject isn't much of an issue. The 7s in English are more of a problem, as most applicants will have 9s in the relevant subjects they're applying for. It's difficult for us to say how they'll be assessed, as Oxbridge don't have strict GCSE requirements. They'll compare your grades to the averages for your school and your cohort specifically, alongside other data, so they can contextualise your academic achievements. Without knowing all of this contextual information about you, it's hard to judge how they'll be received by Oxbridge. It's definitely not unheard of for people to receive offers without 9s anyway - I'm one of them.

Reply 3

Enzic

12

Original post by kaxxxxc2

i received 9, 9, Distinction, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6, 4. i’m applying for english literature, which i received an A for. the 7s are GCSE English Lit and Lang. but i got a 4 in maths, not a woman in STEM unfortunately. would they really take gcse maths into consideration, although it’s quite literally the opposite of english?

They look at your application holistically, so yes your 4 in maths will affect your application, as im pretty sure 5/6 is the minium you need to achieve. Also as you attained 7s in english at gcses, that in it self will look bad on your application as most applicants would have 9s.

Reply 4

Picnicl

17

Oxford care about GCSES a lot more than Cambridge. Cambridge kind of balance this out by tending to require slightly higher A Level grades than Oxford on average, although it depends on the course. For example, average A Level entry grades for Politics are higher at Oxford than Cambridge (and Oxford is known for more politicians than Cambridge and Oxford has a more famous union).

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 5

kaxxxxc2

OP

13

Original post by Picnicl

Oxford care about GCSES a lot more than Cambridge. Cambridge kind of balance this out by tending to require slightly higher A Level grades than Oxford on average, although it depends on the course. For example, average A Level entry grades for Politics are higher at Oxford than Cambridge (and Oxford is known for more politicians than Cambridge and Oxford has a more famous union).

i actually ended up applying to cambridge and getting in! glad they overlooked my awful maths grade ahaha. thanks for your reply either way!

Reply 6

anonymousakhi

6

Original post by kaxxxxc2

i actually ended up applying to cambridge and getting in! glad they overlooked my awful maths grade ahaha. thanks for your reply either way!

That’s so good brother what grades did u get

Reply 7

kaxxxxc2

OP

13

Original post by anonymousakhi

That’s so good brother what grades did u get

thank you!! my gcses were 99777764 and a distinction. my alevels were two A stars and an A.

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

Original post by kaxxxxc2

i received 9, 9, Distinction, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6, 4. i’m applying for english literature, which i received an A for. the 7s are GCSE English Lit and Lang. but i got a 4 in maths, not a woman in STEM unfortunately. would they really take gcse maths into consideration, although it’s quite literally the opposite of english?

Hi!! From my experience of applying to do History at Oxford and getting an offer, the only GCSE's that really matter are the ones in your subject and the ones related to your A-Levels. I got 887777776, the 6 was in maths and the 8's were in English Literature and French. What matters most is your A-Level (or equivalent) predicted grades, your personal statement, any written work you need to submit and the admissions test. Two other people in my class applied for the same course as me but didn't get through to the interview despite the fact that they had higher GCSE's than me; it is more likely that it was due to their admissions test and/or their personal statements as well as the written work they submitted.

Reply 9

Helpmeedu

5

Oxford and Cambridge do look at GCSEs, but they focus more on your A-level predictions and entrance test performance. Since you're applying for English Lit and have strong grades in related subjects, the 4 in maths shouldn't be a dealbreaker.

Reply 10

sldkldsa

12

Original post by kaxxxxc2

i actually ended up applying to cambridge and getting in! glad they overlooked my awful maths grade ahaha. thanks for your reply either way!

well done!! what college did you apply for?

Reply 11

kaxxxxc2

OP

13

Original post by sldkldsa

well done!! what college did you apply for?

thank you so much! i applied to clare originally but got pooled to wolfson, which i don’t mind as im 20, closer to the mature age than the school leaver age.

how much do oxford and cambridge consider GCSEs?

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