GCSE resits Cambridge

I’m in year 11 and I already know Cambridge is way out of my reach.
But theoretically if my gcse results are 999988888877 but I retake 3 so they become 999999988877, would Cambridge have a problem with my retakes?
Like would they use my retakes or my original grades?

Reply 1

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

Your GCSE grades are fine for Cambridge. There is no need to retake them; Cambridge only looks at the top 7 or 8 (depending on course) GCSEs anyway. You can retake them if you wish- however, they will know if you have resat them.

Reply 2

Muttley79

Original post by Anonymous

Cambridge are less focused on GCSEs than Oxford - don't resit as you need to declare all grades anyway.

Reply 3

Picnicl

Cambridge don't care about GCSES to any major amount. They do care about the chances of you getting very high A Level grades since then.

n.b. some other top universities, such as Oxford, do care more about GCSES (and not necessarily quite so much about having more than 1 A star, or even any for some subjects, at A Level).

Cambridge can afford not to care so much about GCSES as they interview 70-80% of applicants, whereas Oxford, who set admissions tests, only interview about 40-45%. And the 55-60% who don't get invited to interview at Oxford do not get in to Oxford.

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 4

SpiderCrab

Please don't waste time re-taking GCSEs.
Instead use the time to read deeply about your favourite topics, pay close attention to your A level syllabus and mark schemes. Enjoy spending hours with your books. Don't get too obsessed about your university choices but make sure you have a happy selection of unis to enter into UCAS. Good luck with Years 12 and 13.