Is Oxford still possible?

[almostthere11]

Just wondering whether it’s worth it applying for Oxford if dc didn't get the predicted grades needed but believe that they can get a very good result in the admission test and achieve at least the minimum grades required? Or will dc be rejected straight away? Dc needed 2 A* (and an A) but is only predicted one and 3xA’s.

If you took them before 2017 you will have taken them before the curriculum changes which made them harder and with more content. Three A levels is the norm on which all universities will offer although some schools still encourage students to study four A levels.

So will they be doing lets of extra work over the summer to consolidate?

I'd have thought anyone planning on doing any of the various entrance tests would be doing so.

Because Year 13 maths won't allow time for that, it will go straight into new, harder concepts which rely on the Year 12 ones. It's not uncommon for DC to go "backwards" in maths in Year 13. And getting an A star and not an A really relies on being able to master the harder level work.

The endgame of maths A levels (both when I did mine in the dark ages and dd hers more recently) was shedloads of past papers.

Can I also gently suggest that if your DC needs time to consolidate and practice, then Oxford may not be the best choice for them. It's fairly high pressured and they are just expected to get on with it and keep up.

My dd did engineering at Cambridge - she most certainly spent time doing consolidation and practice in the Xmas and Easter vacations. (It may be some students who've been able to 'wing it' at school and aren't in the habit of doing so who have trouble if they get to oxbridge. ). Doing past papers and looking at 'model answers' is actually one of the key strategies for many of the students.

Agree with past papers. My DS did maths and further Maths and got 2 x A and he did so many past papers. He also applied to Oxford and didn’t even get an interview (predicted and achieved 3 x A)

If it helps @almostthere11 the process at our school was that Oxford applications were only supported if the students had 3 A* predictions out of 4 even if the likely tariff was 3 x A. This was because after the hurdle of the subject test the next part of the application is to look contextually at the rest of the application including GCSE results and A level PGs, the PS and the school before being invited to interview (which is subjective in itself) DC’s school was an Indie so the very best grades were expected.

Your DC’s school needs do decide if they want to given them the best chance of getting to the interview stage really - so I’d be having a chat about the PG’s.