Cambridge with bad GCSEs

Hello,
I am currently in Year 12 and I am looking to apply to top universities (Cambridge is my main goal for a multitude of reasons, some general some personal) in Year 13 to study Information/Computer Engineering. For context I am studying 5 A-Levels right now (Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computer Science and Welsh Baccalaureate - I know WBQ is not usually accepted but I feel like it would help to prove that I can handle heavy workloads + the IP aspect of A2 could help me with showcasing my passion for technology and engineering by exploring its impacts and importance to society).

I’ve been looking into the application process for some time now and one thing that has been consistently making me worried is the importance of GCSEs.
I achieved A*AAAAAABBBCCCU (for England I imagine this translates to 9777777666555) in GCSE - the U was in Level 2 Additional Maths in which just about everyone in my year also failed the subject.
The A* was in English Lit (almost 100% UMS in exam so I’d say 9) so I feel like it would be irrelevant, and as for the most relevant subjects - I had an A in Mathematics + Numeracy, AA in Double Science and C in Computer Science, which I’m worried about.
Compared to the rest of my year group, this would put me in the top 35% according to my headmaster.

Right now I am working at consistent As in all 5 of my A levels, and I wish to take all 5 to A2 as I hope to get 5 A* (I know that’s a very very tough task, and I know Year 13 is a massive workload, but I am willing to put in the work however stressful it may be. Again, I know it will hurt a lot, but at this point I want nothing more than to just work my ass off if I know it will pay off and prove to them I can handle heavy workloads and pressure - and also compensate for my bad GCSEs).

I have emailed Cambridge recently with this question and I was directed to the extenuating circumstances conditions, which I figured would be my best bet.

I did have extenuating circumstances at the time of my GCSEs - I was going back and forth to GPs as I was dealing with major anxiety at the time, having a lot of panic attacks and tension headaches and the sort that made it very difficult for me to focus, let alone manage myself and sleep well, hence my attendance score in Year 11 being 69.2% and my Year 10 one being even worse from what I remember. I did not get an anxiety disorder diagnosis though, so I’m worried this will be ignored.
I also did get an ASD diagnosis in August which helped me understand and address a lot of the issues that were bugging me heavily during this period too.
I dealt with the usual bullying/isolation/alienation a lot then, and in the case of isolation and loneliness still very much do now, but this hasn’t really been brought up anywhere in the the EC criteria so I’m not sure if this is worth clarifying.
If it’s worth mentioning I’m also dealing with a lot as I am going on right now - father left and split with my mother in September and I’ve been consoling her consistently each day since then, grandmother got a terminal cancer diagnosis very recently which means both of my grandparents have little time left as grandfather is getting bad with dementia - and although it hurts me a lot, I still want to try my hardest.

So, above all I want to ask what exactly I should do to solve this as much as possible. Is it worth arranging with my GP to get diagnosed with anxiety, as I am still dealing with it daily to this day, even if I have figured out my ways of managing it now?

(I’m really sorry if this was a painstakingly long/depressing read - but above all I just want whatever advice and input I can get.)

Thanks

Reply 1

AhsokaTano-

12

u can apply for foundation year, get it diagnosed and u still have extenuating circumstances for a levels anyways

also ask your head of year for extra time too, it'll help

Reply 2

melancollege

Universities Forum Helper

18

Original post by AhsokaTano-

u can apply for foundation year, get it diagnosed and u still have extenuating circumstances for a levels anyways

also ask your head of year for extra time too, it'll help

Note in order to apply for the foundation year, OP would need to meet the eligibility criteria, which means meeting the criteria from at least two of the three listed categories here (https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/eligibility_guidelines_2025_entry.pdf), unless they were also care-experienced or a refugee or an asylum seeker which then suffices.

It would appear that OP meets the criteria from category 1 but original post does not point towards meeting the criteria from at least one of category 2 or category 3 as far as I can see. OP can likely ascertain whether these apply.

Reply 3

httpk

OP

2

Original post by melancollege

Note in order to apply for the foundation year, OP would need to meet the eligibility criteria, which means meeting the criteria from at least two of the three listed categories here (https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/eligibility_guidelines_2025_entry.pdf), unless they were also care-experienced or a refugee or an asylum seeker which then suffices.
It would appear that OP meets the criteria from category 1 but original post does not point towards meeting the criteria from at least one of category 2 or category 3 as far as I can see. OP can likely ascertain whether these apply.

I’ve been looking into the foundation year and I do meet a significant amount of the criteria listed so I feel as if I’d be okay on that front, but the main issue I’ve seen is that foundation year focuses on arts, humanities and social sciences - whilst the course I’m looking into is engineering. Unless it can count for every subject, all of the fields it is stated to cover aren’t relevant to what I want to study, so I’m concerned about that.

Reply 4

kaiittlouu

9

Original post by httpk

I’ve been looking into the foundation year and I do meet a significant amount of the criteria listed so I feel as if I’d be okay on that front, but the main issue I’ve seen is that foundation year focuses on arts, humanities and social sciences - whilst the course I’m looking into is engineering. Unless it can count for every subject, all of the fields it is stated to cover aren’t relevant to what I want to study, so I’m concerned about that.

Foundation year will not get you into engineering. I am applying this year for the 2025 intake and its catered towards humanities and social sciences. Your personal statement would likely be around engineering, which they will see as a reason against admitting you, and even in their FYSAQ (Questionnaire), where they ask how you are eligible and why you want to study what they are teaching, you'd have to show some interest in completing a humanities subject. It also is not a guaranteed entry to Cambridge, you have to pass with a high percentage to be offered to join the undergraduate degrees.

Reply 5

httpk

OP

2

Original post by kaiittlouu

Foundation year will not get you into engineering. I am applying this year for the 2025 intake and its catered towards humanities and social sciences. Your personal statement would likely be around engineering, which they will see as a reason against admitting you, and even in their FYSAQ (Questionnaire), where they ask how you are eligible and why you want to study what they are teaching, you'd have to show some interest in completing a humanities subject. It also is not a guaranteed entry to Cambridge, you have to pass with a high percentage to be offered to join the undergraduate degrees.

Yeah, what you said is very much true.
Since I made my original post I have been in touch with a doctor and he explained that they have my records and can help me with an EC application and provide me with a GAD diagnosis, which I was grateful for.
I guess now staying on top of my studies and building a good attitude and background is the most important thing for me to do.
By the way, good luck with your application!

Cambridge with bad GCSEs

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