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Original poster

What % get 4 A* at A level?

36 replies

houselikeashed · 27/08/2020 15:23

I was just wondering how manny kids actually achieve this? And do they all go to Oxbridge?

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 27/08/2020 20:37

It's more common in maths and sciences (it's just statistically more likely). In more hums, Arts subjects it is rare to do 4 subjects but even 3A* would be very rare for say a combo of English, French and history.

Some subjects (eg media) only have 1.5% of students gaining an A*.

1ucia · 27/08/2020 20:36

K no o I lots of students get turned down from unis with 4 A OP, particularly for more competitive degrees such as Medicine or Computer Science. You could google the Cambridge admissions stats and see for yourself if you were interested in Oxbridge. I know a boy this year who had 4A and was turned down at Cambridge, St Andrews and Durham for Computer Science, but he got into Warwick.

paddingtonbearsmarmalade · 27/08/2020 20:32

I got 3 A & an A in 2011 and chose to go to drama school to my school’s utter bemusement Grin. (I realise that’s not 4 A but still would have got me into Oxbridge assuming I’d have passed the interview!)

mimbleandlittlemy · 27/08/2020 20:29

Friend’s dd did last year but wasn’t interested in Oxbridge and went to Durham.

MrsHamlet · 27/08/2020 20:23

One of my year 13 got 5! She's going to do a degree level apprenticeship.

Original poster
houselikeashed · 27/08/2020 18:50

Just wondering, because I've heard that pupils do achieve this, and wondered if it was a rare thing or not these days.

OP posts:
doadeer · 27/08/2020 18:36

Lots don't do 4 A Levels.

My brother just got 3 A* (state school) and is going to Cambridge next month. There were two in his year that got this grade.

MrsSchadenfreude · 27/08/2020 18:35

90% of Mumsnetters’ children?

loveyouradvice · 27/08/2020 18:31

The answer is increasingly few - except for mathematicians doing Further Maths. Schools are encouraging their brightest students to focus on three A levels, and perhaps an EPQ and other stuff alongside now that the fourth A level doesn't count for uni.

As someone who went to "Oxbridge", the key thing one needs to remember is that they aren't looking for people who get top marks in their A levels but people whose thinking can go on to the next level - which is why their offers are often A*AA rather than all A stars. That's why they interview and look at other metrics rather than A level grades.

Also wondering why you are asking???

It's an intriguing question and I'll look forward to someone coming along and telling us ... if I had to guess I would think it is less than 1% of A level students, but I could be way off!

Zodlebud · 27/08/2020 18:23

I know a boy from a top independent with 4 A* who was rejected by Oxford. Apparently he was exceptionally good at learning but lacked free thought and application of the knowledge (feedback from his interview).

Darbs76 · 27/08/2020 16:54

Good question. I’d be interested to see. My son is hoping to apply to Oxbridge depending how A levels go. He got 9x9 and 2x8 at GCSE

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