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Considering my position, Oxford or Cambridge for English?

Hiya

I know this must have been done a squillion times before, so sorry if it's boring.
Here's my problem: I want to do English at Oxbridge. I go to Steiner school, my GCSE's are rubbish for Oxbridge standards (3A*, 4A and C in maths :o:

).
They already put me at a disadvantage.
Every single time I hear 'Oh but my friend got in with two Cs' or 'my friend got in with no GCSEs at all' - both of which I have heard personally, they are refering to Oxford, not Cambridge.
Nobody from my school has gone to Cambridge, just Oxford. (my school is tiny and Steiner so the fact we have any Oxbridge alumini is quite something)
Apparently, Cambridge look at retakes and UMS marks, whereas Oxford don't.
For Cambridge, there is no ELAT - but there is for Oxford.
It looks like it would be easier for me to get into Oxford, simply because they have the ELAT to judge people by wheras Cambridge don't and so will be more cut-throat, grade wise.
BUT I have one of those instinct things about Cambridge, I've been going there since I was little for daytrips and stuff (not the uni, the town :biggrin:

), AND I really want to get involved with the drama side of things - and Cambridge is the place for that over Oxford, no?
Also, somebody from my school went to do English at Oxford so if I applied to that college they would know the whole Steiner thing as they've already had an applicant from a Steiner school.

I just don't know :frown:

my instinct says Cambridge, my mind says Oxford.
any help is greatly appreciated!
:smile:

Reply 1

eenie_pod

OP

Ok I just re read my thread and a lot of people are going to be asking wtf is a Steiner school - please google it :smile:

Reply 2

Noémie

17

whose course do you like better?
end of :smile:

Reply 3

ilikepiesandstuff

11

Just tell us what it is?

I got lower GCSEs than you and I've applied to Cambridge. Go look at both and see what you feel most comfortable with!

Reply 4

serrellen

11

Apply to Cambridge.

It's where you really want to go, and not to be vicious but you're as likely to get rejected from Oxford as Cambridge anyway. Also, they ask for module scores (UMS scores) so if you have high scores they will like that.

Reply 5

Dionysia

12

Cambridge usually has an admissions test at interview, but I'd personally go for Oxford if you're worried grade-wise.

Reply 6

iSimon

1

This is for medicine so english may be totally different but Oxford looked heavily at GCSE grades while Cambridge look heavily at A level ums marks.

So if that's the same for English then I'd apply for Cambridge....but I dunno.

Reply 7

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

17

Im so academic to the rescue
:party:

Reply 8

dakws

I just got an offer for Cambridge (yesterday) with very similar GCSEs to you, apart from a B instead of a C. Not for English mind, but it is possible. Do not let your GCSEs put you off, if you don't apply then you will never know!
The most important thing for you to consider is not which would be 'easier' to get in to, but the course which you feel is more suitable for you. The courses are very different - My brother is currently at Oxford reading English; choosing Oxford over Cambridge was a very conscious decision for him as he wanted to take the old English option that was not available in the Cambridge course.
My main advice I guess would be to read the prospectuses really thoroughly, and maybe try to speak to a current student from each to see which feels more 'you'.
Above all, don't go with which one you feel would be 'easier'! If you end up feeling that you don't like the course that you are doing, you will regret it and it won't matter whether you get a place or not!

Reply 9

queen_georgie

10

Is that a state or private school? If it's state then they aren't as specific with GCSE's and things. Because I come from a private school I was told 6 A stars minimum at GCSE. (Yeah, silly, I know.) You have a very good chance if you went to a state school with those grades. But at the same time, if you did FANTASTICALLY in your AS's then that wouldn't matter as much.
Cambridge have the SAQ form - such a pain - which looks at EVERYTHING in little details. I.e they ask class sizes, main topics covered in lessons, specific marks in modules and, yes, whether you're retaking any of your AS modules.
Oxford don't, but then they only interview about 50% of applicants or something and you have to be good to be even considered.
However, in my personal experience, my friends who got into Cambridge were few and all were perfect in every way.
I had many more friends who got into oxford, even if their GCSEs were average and I would never have considered them clever enough (Not being mean).
But I think you should research the course thoroughly, and find which you prefer. It also helps if you apply to colleges no one else wants to go to (i.e. all girls ones or those far away from the towns themselves.)
Both Oxford and Cambridge are amazing though so which ever you decide to apply to I'm sure you'd be happy.
X

Reply 10

username219321

14

Visit both on their open days, find out more info about the course etc then decide off that.

Reply 11

eenie_pod

OP

queen_georgie

Is that a state or private school? If it's state then they aren't as specific with GCSE's and things. Because I come from a private school I was told 6 A stars minimum at GCSE. (Yeah, silly, I know.) You have a very good chance if you went to a state school with those grades. But at the same time, if you did FANTASTICALLY in your AS's then that wouldn't matter as much.
Cambridge have the SAQ form - such a pain - which looks at EVERYTHING in little details. I.e they ask class sizes, main topics covered in lessons, specific marks in modules and, yes, whether you're retaking any of your AS modules.
Oxford don't, but then they only interview about 50% of applicants or something and you have to be good to be even considered.
However, in my personal experience, my friends who got into Cambridge were few and all were perfect in every way.
I had many more friends who got into oxford, even if their GCSEs were average and I would never have considered them clever enough (Not being mean).
But I think you should research the course thoroughly, and find which you prefer. It also helps if you apply to colleges no one else wants to go to (i.e. all girls ones or those far away from the towns themselves.)
Both Oxford and Cambridge are amazing though so which ever you decide to apply to I'm sure you'd be happy.
X

thanks!

a Steiner school is an independent school so yes, it is 'private' in that sense, but it really is NOT a 'private school'. It is based on 'educating the whole child' and is not exam focused at all, so my GCSE grades are pretty good for my school. The classes are tiny, one class per year.
Because at a Steiner school the steiner curriculum (which includes lessons on subjects you aren't studying for A level and things like singing, plays etc) is included in your timetable, I have less AS lessons than most schools.
It should, in reality, come under the 'disadvantaged school' umbrella (they only just reintroduced history GCSE ffs!), but on paper it won't, because you pay for it (albeit 1/16th of the price you'd pay for a proper private school).
It just looks like a failing private school, which in terms of exam results, it is, but its focus is on producing rounded individuals who can think for themselves, not academic and examination excellence.
*sigh*
the college at Oxford, who accepted the girl from my school who ended up with a 1st, would perhaps have more of an idea of my academic background?

But yeah, I have to visit both and really think about the courses.
I know one is not easier to get into than the other, but one may be more favourable considering my shaky grades/independent school thing.

Reply 12

eenie_pod

OP

ilikepiesandstuff

Just tell us what it is?

I got lower GCSEs than you and I've applied to Cambridge. Go look at both and see what you feel most comfortable with!

^^^^^

Reply 13

eenie_pod

OP

queen_georgie

.
However, in my personal experience, my friends who got into Cambridge were few and all were perfect in every way.I had many more friends who got into oxford, even if their GCSEs were average and I would never have considered them clever enough (Not being mean).

X

this is exactly my point and what I seem to be hearing all the time - in which case I am certainly not Cambridge material, but Oxford.

but the drama...
:frown:

I won't base my decision on that but it's quite important. Like it would be a serioius factor in choosing a college for example (after location and all the other things - I just wouldn't go to a college that has great playing fields or something but no theatre)

Reply 14

queen_georgie

10

eenie_pod

the college at Oxford, who accepted the girl from my school who ended up with a 1st, would perhaps have more of an idea of my academic background?

The college who accepted the girl from your school probably wouldn't remember. They get thousands of applicants every year. And in their minds, although you're school is different, yes, you still pay for it. Statistically speaking, you wouldn't count as disadvantaged in any way because you chose to go there. (If anything though I would be more likely to accept the well rounded individual - but I'm not a professor lol.) My schools aims are similar, although we do well academically. But we also believe in giving us a well-rounded education. For example after our AS's we had 2 weeks of "The Pygmalian Project," which taught us things like how to cook, make a dress and repair a car! I don't like it when school are so totally focused on results that they don't care about other things!
X

Reply 15

eenie_pod

OP

queen_georgie

The college who accepted the girl from your school probably wouldn't remember. They get thousands of applicants every year. And in their minds, although you're school is different, yes, you still pay for it. Statistically speaking, you wouldn't count as disadvantaged in any way because you chose to go there. (If anything though I would be more likely to accept the well rounded individual - but I'm not a professor lol.) My schools aims are similar, although we do well academically. But we also believe in giving us a well-rounded education. For example after our AS's we had 2 weeks of "The Pygmalian Project," which taught us things like how to cook, make a dress and repair a car! I don't like it when school are so totally focused on results that they don't care about other things!
X

Apparently, they look at your school and then at past students? Or maybe that's just with strange schools like mine. That's what my English teacher said anyway.

after your ASs.. lucky. My school makes you do that kind of shiz during! well.. not during actual exam week but atm we have that kind of stuff.
That project sounds groovy though! :smile:

Rounded is the way to go :yep:

apparently Imperial had to add on an extra year to their maths/engineering courses cos students, despite having 4 As, didnt know how to think for themselves or know their arse from their elbow when it came to anything other than their specified field. tut tut :biggrin:

Reply 16

rkd

12

Oxford drama isn't that bad. Comedy at Cambridge has an awesome reputation, obviously, because of the Footlights - but Oxford produced Rowan Atkinson, at least, and it's well-catered for. There are two sketch comedy societies, the Imps and the Revue, a central university drama group (OUDS), a classical drama group that puts plays on in Greek, various college drama groups (and just groups of people who write and perform things for Cuppers), and the Light Entertainment Society who take absolutely anyone that's interested.

Reply 17

eenie_pod

OP

rkd

Oxford drama isn't that bad. Comedy at Cambridge has an awesome reputation, obviously, because of the Footlights - but Oxford produced Rowan Atkinson, at least, and it's well-catered for. There are two sketch comedy societies, the Imps and the Revue, a central university drama group (OUDS), a classical drama group that puts plays on in Greek, various college drama groups (and just groups of people who write and perform things for Cuppers), and the Light Entertainment Society who take absolutely anyone that's interested.

What's Cuppers?

Reply 18

eenie_pod

OP

EDIT: the English course at Cambridge is way more my thing than Oxfords which focuses a lot on Medieval literature (though both incorporate that period).
WHich just makes things even more complicated. I obv don't have a chance for Cambridge, grade-wise I am just not strong enough :frown:

Oxford is obviously the one I should go for... but the course? :dontknow:

Guess I'll just go to both open days and then decide.

Reply 19

Lidka

13

eenie_pod

EDIT: the English course at Cambridge is way more my thing than Oxfords which focuses a lot on Medieval literature (though both incorporate that period).
WHich just makes things even more complicated. I obv don't have a chance for Cambridge, grade-wise I am just not strong enough :frown:

Oxford is obviously the one I should go for... but the course? :dontknow:

Guess I'll just go to both open days and then decide.

eenie_pod, I already replied to your post about grades. Personally, I don't see where you've got all this pessimism from, or this idea that Cambridge are more GCSE focused than Oxford. Your GCSEs are not the worst admissions tutors will have seen, and you have a reason for them. Of course tutors will know what a Steiner school is - they're not stupid! Each applicant's school is looked at pre-interview anyway. Theoretically, it shouldn't matter what your grades have been in the past - what does matter is that you can prove to the university that you have enough interest and self-motivation to do well now and later, via a solid personal statement, test (most Cambridge colleges have tests for English at interview these days) and interviews. But your best bet would be to email admissions tutors at your preferred colleges and ask them whether they think you should apply. No one here can realistically give you anything except anecdotes. :smile:

Good luck.

Considering my position, Oxford or Cambridge for English?

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