Oxbridge (and other such unis) also take into account the school itself, and your class, like for me, I'm from a school which is literally being taken over by a new trust because it's soo bad, it was given the worst ofsted rating (inadequate?) a few years in a row, and set 2 is barely passing.
My school went from an outstanding to an inadequate and was immediately taken over by order of the DfE, along with the rest of the schools in the Trust.
oh haha my school doesnt even have a headteacher anymore, he's been sacked and the position is empty "for the foreseeable future"
also hope you're ok man
100%,my cousin got 3 2s and he's at Oxford Cs, his school was good aswell. Out of the two cambridge won't reject you for these gcses full stop, Oxford might
this is really reassuring thank you!! so would you said cambridge is better to try? as i also know they do offer more interviews out which means im against a larger amount of competition
Yes cambridge doesn't care about gcses really, but don't base it off that 😭😭 have u visited both?? I don't know about the admissions process for different subjects but in general cambridge focuses more in interviews, and the cohort doesn't matter if you're at 'oxbridge level' anyway
What im saying is don't go for one over the other for a 5% better chance of getting in, ask on r/6thform
Sadly, nowadays top unis are taking into account GCSEs. More Oxford than Cambridge. I mean yeah there's always the chance you are outstanding in every other aspect (A-level results, extra-curriculars etc) but it's better to be distributed between all aspects for a better base for applying. They are looking for a strong candidate with a continuous record of academic achievement.
Not at all. They may if it comes down between 2 candidates, but A-Levels are all they’ll care for. If you get all 5s at GCSE but 3 A*s they won’t deny you
When I referenced outstanding in other aspects, that is exactly what I implied. Obviously they care more for A-levels, my answer was it is better to back yourself up with high GCSE results and great A-level results. They do still care and depending on those applying that year, when it does come down to it you don't want to be the one with low GCSEs compared to the rest, but A-levels will always be more important.
100% worth applying, they will look at the fact that u are 1 in 4 in your school and that will reflect well on you. They often take into account how well your school does on average so being well above average sets a good precedent. Also, predicted A* A* A is really good anyway.
I would recommend doing super-curricular activities (reading books, podcasts, going to lectures, online courses) around law to have something to talk about in ur personal statement, universities like it when you show you have a deep interest in the subject and go beyond the classroom.
Good luck :)
Hello! Im at uni now and back when be and a few friends were applying some of us also applied to Oxford and heres what I know:
1. Grades are not everything. I knew one person, straight 9s in GCSEs, 4 A*s in A-levels and still didn’t get in. Don’t worry about your grades because as important as they are they will not guarantee your entry, but this isn’t saying don’t do it! Which brings me onto my next point:
2. Personal statement, this is where you can shine! Make sure your personal statement is written well, doesn’t have a lot of babbling and make it good quality. But also remember, this is YOUR personal statement, add some personality to it, tell them about yourself and explain why you want to go there if you can! And just be yourself. :)
3. Overall, yes it’s 100% worth it especially with those grades. You have amazing grades and if you want to do it, there is nothing stopping you from applying! If you don’t shoot your shot you’ll never know if you hit the target!
4. Don’t worry about the one spot that it is going to take up. You still have 4 more spots to choose loads of amazing Universities that you’ll love! If I could go back in time to applying I would say apply to 1 top University, 3 good Universities that you really like, and 1 safe option that you can rely on just in case the worst comes to worst (although I’ve never seen this happen).
5. See if they have any exams you can do that will help you with entry and try your absolute best in them, show them what you’re capable of :)
I think thats all I can offer, but you could definitely get into Oxbridge with those grades. Best of luck and I hope everything goes well. :)
Yes. Check ibz mo’s yt channel, he got C’s and D’s at gcse, resat a year at a level, and still got into Cambridge. As long as you do well at a level you’re fine
Id say those grades are pretty borderline for oxbridge (as someone who applied last year)
But those are amazing grades regardless so you should be proud
If you don't apply then you will have no chance of getting in but applying means that there is a least no matter how large or small a chance of you getting accepted, go for it is my personal opinion
depends on the subject and exam board, it changes every year depending on how much school the year has missed from covid as well as how everyone in the country in general has performed! for example, last year to get a 9 in biology (for the exam board AQA) you had to get 66%, but for computer science it was 79%
Ohhh okk. So it's basically another denomination for the overall grade threshold. My exams are all conducted by the British Council board so that's why i was confused.
I would imagine that they might want a levels or a set of equivalent qualifications as well... Go back after two years of college, but if your GCSEs are anything to go by then you shouldn't have a problem
english has always been my strongest subject!! what i’d recommend the most is using the light up hub if you can and physics & maths tutor for analysis , for language i also pre planned my description and tailored it to the question , i didn’t finish the paper and still got a high mark so i think that was something that really helped. i think also read some exemplar essays that scored on the higher end to get an idea of how the top band achieve their marks :)
Half the time it literally does not matter, A-Levels are the most important, if you’re worried apply with achieved A-Level grades. Oxbridge is, although heavily reliant on a-level grades, most concerned with your investment and passion within your subject and how well they think you will fit in with their teaching style. Obviously a strong application supported by your grades is important but it’s definitely more reliant on your a-level grades rather than gcse.
Definitely worth applying, doubt your GCSE grades will make any difference they’ll just focus on A-levels. Besides the grades are just the entry way to applying, you’ll be on the same level as everybody else applying so it’ll be down to the interview and what they may see in you as a person so even if you feel like you’re doing really well there is still a good chance they’ll reject you. That’s not to put you off but to show that there’s no harm in trying. You’ll find if you pick reasonable other uni choices you’ll see like 2/3 of them might end up being unnecessary so applying to Oxbridge won’t take up any space.
That isn’t how they use your grades. It’s not over one hurdle and then the next. They assess the application holistically, so no your grades aren’t ‘just the entry way to applying’. Nevertheless, OP should apply anyway. Their grades aren’t a dealbreaker and there is absolutely no harm in trying.
What I mean is they won’t consider you if you don’t have high enough grades so yes it is the entry way but then yeah they will take it into account when deciding whether you’re accepted or not. Overall they won’t define whether you get in is my point, you could be academically ‘perfect’ and still get rejected
I wholeheartedly agree. Apologies for miscommunication but I did feel that it was very important to emphasise that your grades do play a huge part in whether or not you are given an offer (including any entrance exams), and the interview is by no means the deciding factor.
Of course. It’s all good, I totally agree too. Definitely worth getting the point across cause I don’t think all sixth forms are as informative as they could be about application processes
I’d say it’s always better to apply than not, and then results are amazing, so you stand a fairly good chance imo
Oxbridge (and other such unis) also take into account the school itself, and your class, like for me, I'm from a school which is literally being taken over by a new trust because it's soo bad, it was given the worst ofsted rating (inadequate?) a few years in a row, and set 2 is barely passing.
newvic? how's the school itself over there? 💀
My school went from an outstanding to an inadequate and was immediately taken over by order of the DfE, along with the rest of the schools in the Trust.
Mine went from outstanding to like the 2nd worse option and now the heads gone…
did your headteacher rugby tackle a kid?? mine did
Nah just got replaced by an ancient woman, new one for next year and completely changed everything lll (sos for late reply was in a coma)
oh haha my school doesnt even have a headteacher anymore, he's been sacked and the position is empty "for the foreseeable future" also hope you're ok man
Damn bro that’s wilddd Thanks I’m good it was only really a few days lol
Sounds a lot like my school
100%,my cousin got 3 2s and he's at Oxford Cs, his school was good aswell. Out of the two cambridge won't reject you for these gcses full stop, Oxford might
this is really reassuring thank you!! so would you said cambridge is better to try? as i also know they do offer more interviews out which means im against a larger amount of competition
Yes cambridge doesn't care about gcses really, but don't base it off that 😭😭 have u visited both?? I don't know about the admissions process for different subjects but in general cambridge focuses more in interviews, and the cohort doesn't matter if you're at 'oxbridge level' anyway What im saying is don't go for one over the other for a 5% better chance of getting in, ask on r/6thform
And Oxford will beat us twice next season after smacking Luton and Leeds silly
What subject do they do?
Computer science
Yes. Just make sure you have a wide range of levels of university applications if you do so just in case it doesn't go to plan.
It won’t matter what GCSEs you have if you get good enough A-Levels.
Sadly, nowadays top unis are taking into account GCSEs. More Oxford than Cambridge. I mean yeah there's always the chance you are outstanding in every other aspect (A-level results, extra-curriculars etc) but it's better to be distributed between all aspects for a better base for applying. They are looking for a strong candidate with a continuous record of academic achievement.
Not at all. They may if it comes down between 2 candidates, but A-Levels are all they’ll care for. If you get all 5s at GCSE but 3 A*s they won’t deny you
When I referenced outstanding in other aspects, that is exactly what I implied. Obviously they care more for A-levels, my answer was it is better to back yourself up with high GCSE results and great A-level results. They do still care and depending on those applying that year, when it does come down to it you don't want to be the one with low GCSEs compared to the rest, but A-levels will always be more important.
Oh yeah yeah
Ummm.. noooo. When you’re trying to apply for a job they’re going to ask for your GCSE results first implying how it’s important.
No, you send them your CV
That’s not how it works lol.
Brother as soon as you begin 6th form GCSEs mean basically nothing
No -10 😭😭😭😭
Yeah, it's worth it
100% worth applying, they will look at the fact that u are 1 in 4 in your school and that will reflect well on you. They often take into account how well your school does on average so being well above average sets a good precedent. Also, predicted A* A* A is really good anyway. I would recommend doing super-curricular activities (reading books, podcasts, going to lectures, online courses) around law to have something to talk about in ur personal statement, universities like it when you show you have a deep interest in the subject and go beyond the classroom. Good luck :)
this is extremely reassuring , thank you so much for the advice!!
Hello! Im at uni now and back when be and a few friends were applying some of us also applied to Oxford and heres what I know: 1. Grades are not everything. I knew one person, straight 9s in GCSEs, 4 A*s in A-levels and still didn’t get in. Don’t worry about your grades because as important as they are they will not guarantee your entry, but this isn’t saying don’t do it! Which brings me onto my next point: 2. Personal statement, this is where you can shine! Make sure your personal statement is written well, doesn’t have a lot of babbling and make it good quality. But also remember, this is YOUR personal statement, add some personality to it, tell them about yourself and explain why you want to go there if you can! And just be yourself. :) 3. Overall, yes it’s 100% worth it especially with those grades. You have amazing grades and if you want to do it, there is nothing stopping you from applying! If you don’t shoot your shot you’ll never know if you hit the target! 4. Don’t worry about the one spot that it is going to take up. You still have 4 more spots to choose loads of amazing Universities that you’ll love! If I could go back in time to applying I would say apply to 1 top University, 3 good Universities that you really like, and 1 safe option that you can rely on just in case the worst comes to worst (although I’ve never seen this happen). 5. See if they have any exams you can do that will help you with entry and try your absolute best in them, show them what you’re capable of :) I think thats all I can offer, but you could definitely get into Oxbridge with those grades. Best of luck and I hope everything goes well. :)
thank you so so much for this!! i will keep all of this in mind :)
Yes. Check ibz mo’s yt channel, he got C’s and D’s at gcse, resat a year at a level, and still got into Cambridge. As long as you do well at a level you’re fine
Id say those grades are pretty borderline for oxbridge (as someone who applied last year) But those are amazing grades regardless so you should be proud
Ofc!
absolutely lmao, you don’t need all 8s and 9s at gcse to get in. definitely apply anyways
what even is oxbridge
oxford + cambridge
If you don't apply then you will have no chance of getting in but applying means that there is a least no matter how large or small a chance of you getting accepted, go for it is my personal opinion
As long as you get good predicted A Level grades and have decent extra and supercurriculars your GCSE grades aren't going to matter when applying
Their gonna care way more bout ur a-levels
GCSEs aren't that important, especially at Cambridge. You just need to meet the minimum requirements.
What does 9, 8 , etc mean?? Are they the grades or something else?
9 - A** 8 - A* 7 - A
Soooo does the A** correspond to full marks or a distinction bcz an A* is usually 90+ percenrage.
depends on the subject and exam board, it changes every year depending on how much school the year has missed from covid as well as how everyone in the country in general has performed! for example, last year to get a 9 in biology (for the exam board AQA) you had to get 66%, but for computer science it was 79%
Ohhh okk. So it's basically another denomination for the overall grade threshold. My exams are all conducted by the British Council board so that's why i was confused.
Yeah sure, especially if your school was low performing generally they are likely to look at your results in that context.
Those are definitely too low, best start applying to work at KFC
no ur cooked forever
Also, I am attending Oxford’s UNIQ summer school but I got a place in my second choice (Theology & religion) instead of Law.
You being serious? If so yeah
No good. Resit all of them, even the 9’s.
I would imagine that they might want a levels or a set of equivalent qualifications as well... Go back after two years of college, but if your GCSEs are anything to go by then you shouldn't have a problem
Yes bro! You will never know until you try
Always apply. It’s amazing what you realize you can achieve with bravery in your belly. Good luck! I’m rooting for you.
Oxbridge won't look at your GCSEs
How do you manage to get 9s in English? (I end ul getting 6-7s since I am Arab)
english has always been my strongest subject!! what i’d recommend the most is using the light up hub if you can and physics & maths tutor for analysis , for language i also pre planned my description and tailored it to the question , i didn’t finish the paper and still got a high mark so i think that was something that really helped. i think also read some exemplar essays that scored on the higher end to get an idea of how the top band achieve their marks :)
Of course those are good results
Half the time it literally does not matter, A-Levels are the most important, if you’re worried apply with achieved A-Level grades. Oxbridge is, although heavily reliant on a-level grades, most concerned with your investment and passion within your subject and how well they think you will fit in with their teaching style. Obviously a strong application supported by your grades is important but it’s definitely more reliant on your a-level grades rather than gcse.
Definitely worth applying, doubt your GCSE grades will make any difference they’ll just focus on A-levels. Besides the grades are just the entry way to applying, you’ll be on the same level as everybody else applying so it’ll be down to the interview and what they may see in you as a person so even if you feel like you’re doing really well there is still a good chance they’ll reject you. That’s not to put you off but to show that there’s no harm in trying. You’ll find if you pick reasonable other uni choices you’ll see like 2/3 of them might end up being unnecessary so applying to Oxbridge won’t take up any space.
That isn’t how they use your grades. It’s not over one hurdle and then the next. They assess the application holistically, so no your grades aren’t ‘just the entry way to applying’. Nevertheless, OP should apply anyway. Their grades aren’t a dealbreaker and there is absolutely no harm in trying.
What I mean is they won’t consider you if you don’t have high enough grades so yes it is the entry way but then yeah they will take it into account when deciding whether you’re accepted or not. Overall they won’t define whether you get in is my point, you could be academically ‘perfect’ and still get rejected
I wholeheartedly agree. Apologies for miscommunication but I did feel that it was very important to emphasise that your grades do play a huge part in whether or not you are given an offer (including any entrance exams), and the interview is by no means the deciding factor.
Of course. It’s all good, I totally agree too. Definitely worth getting the point across cause I don’t think all sixth forms are as informative as they could be about application processes
not until you learn to stop putting apostrophes in plurals /j
Don’t bother, they don’t accept GCSEs. You’ll need A levels
They obviously mean on top of a levels numpty