AABB in AS, possible for Oxbridge?

[star2013]

Dd got AABB in her AS result today. School's predicted grade are A*AA for the best three subjects. Dd desires to go for Oxbridge. Is it possible?

[MrsHathaway]

Well done her!

What subject does she want to read? Very popular subjects like medicine or law can afford to reject anyone without straight As. She has probably missed all the open days so needs to get on the phone in the next few days to see what's available before the form needs to be submitted in October.

Best of luck.

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

No harm applying.

They'll be busy today, but the admissions office would be able to help her figure it out.

Tel: +44 (0)1223 333308
Fax: +44 (0)1223 746868
Email: [email protected]

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Showing my bias and posting too fast.

Oxford here: www.ox.ac.uk/admissions

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Flipping heck those Oxford term dates are short-they're never there.

[star2013]

Thank you so much for your support MrsHathaway**. Dd is very upset now. She wants to apply humanity course, not many students are interest in it.

[star2013]

ThroughThick sorry, I don't get it.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Sorry OP I derailed a bit I clicked on Jeannes Oxford link, the Michaelmas term starts on 11th October and ends on 5th December, a very short term, as are the following two. All those fees for so little time!

[star2013]

Thanks Jeanne! We saw that basic requirement is AAA in Oxford. So not sure how much chance to have an interview with just AABB in AS.

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Well, so, email and ask them. This is AS not A Level, and her predicted grades are good, right?

through - yeah, but it's an intense 8 weeks, with no reading week like you have elsewhere.

[MrsHathaway]

Long holidays also means long holidays, which is useful if you need to work to earn money.

[NarrativeArc]

What GCSE grades did she get OP?

[star2013]

NarrativeArc no, dd didn't take GCSE. The only reference is her school grades.

[IceBeing]

Its possible for sure - but it might be a tough sell. If the school is not so good or your area flags up as one which doesn't send many people to university or she has some interesting points in her statement then she could be classed as showing excellent potential and invited to interview.

With those grades she will certainly get in somewhere so using up a slot on oxbridge will do no harm! Go for it is my advice but getting some input from people who read UCAS statements and do admissions is a good idea too...PM if you are interested (NB. I don't vet for oxbridge and I do STEM subjects)

[star2013]

Just knew that dd has attained the highest rank in one of the subjects... so the predicted grades should be AAA. However, the B she got today is still an obvious barrier. And we heard that Oxford does weigh a lot on GCSE results which she doesn't have. Is it true?

[Kez100]

It might also depend on what subjects she is doing at A level.

[star2013]

Kez, she is doing a mixture of humanities and science.

[LIZS]

Specifically ?

[MrsHathaway]

Yes, more detail is needed in what she's got, what she's carrying on with, and what she wants to do. Because, with the greatest respect, Media Studies and Human Biology don't get you on to Engineering courses.

[scatterthenuns]

My cousin just got interviewed with AABB at AS for English at Oxford. He didn't get in mind, but they let him in the door rather than rejecting him outright. He had outstanding GCSE results though.

[Kez100]

At another high ranking Uni (but not Oxford) a mate of mines son got an interview with aabb but all of them were facilitating subjects.

He, also, did not get an offer.

[ChinaBird]

All those fees for so little time!

I don't think my DS has ever had an 8 week term (going into 4th year at Oxford). The teaching weeks are numbered 1 - 8, but there is also 0th week (preparing for term, chilling) and 9th week ( exams / balls / chilling ) and 10th week (multitudinous strange goings on). I think they have to be there for weeks 1-8, plus exams, but a lot of other stuff happens either side.

One thing you really, really don't need to worry about an Oxbridge degree is whether they are getting their money's worth


AABB might be worth a shot (it's just one space on her form) especially if she has any extenuating circumstances or goes to a less than great school. Definitely try Oxford rather than Cambridge as Cambridge set more score on AS levels.

[star2013]

ChinaBird Dd school has five students accepted by Oxbridge this year. I don't know if it counts as great. I think we may try Oxford even without GCSE backup. No extenuating circumstance. Extracurricular activities maybe?

[LIZS]

You do need the support of the school. Have you had a discussion with them yet? They write a reference which can recommend, or not, and the personal statement is important. At dc school the Oxbridge candidates have been nurtured over several years including trips to colleges, encouraging urge to taster courses and seminars. Not sure if it is too late to attend those for 2016 entry now. The culture doesn't suit everyone.

[star2013]

LIZS Dd's referee at school encouraged her to pursuit Oxford. Dd has also made a visit in their open day and got to know most of the colleges. Has just sent an email to the teacher for substantiate advice on PS.

[xavierfondue]

kez100 - can I ask you which uni and which course this was? DD wants to do History at UCL but she got AABC (4 marks off an A for the B) - she's crying her eyes out now, thinking she won't get in. I'm trying to steer her toward Royal Holloway.