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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Which Oxbridge Courses / Colleges take most state school students?

197 replies

KingscoteStaff · 31/01/2019 16:17

Is the state school/independent school split very different on different courses? Is it very different at different colleges?

Is this data available for last years offers/places?

Is it available for this year's offers?

OP posts:

MariaNovella · 10/02/2019 16:32

adrinkofwater - how difficult for your DS. I hope someone in the know on this thread will be able to give you a reassuring answer.

It is hardly surprising that uptake of A-level MFL falls constantly if teaching is so bad that A-level MFL presents a serious risk to an applicant’s chances of the best possible university place.

FordPerfect · 10/02/2019 16:58

adrinkofwater - as far as I'm aware and this is for Oxford and not for Cambridge, the offer is based on 3, not 4, A Levels - I have not heard of any Oxford offers based on 4. If your DS applies to Oxford for Maths and gets an offer, it will be for 3 A Levels with Maths and FM at A* and a third in any other subject ie in either Physics or French. However, I recommend you double check that with the Oxford Maths department. It would be a real shame to give up the French which shows breadth and may give him an edge later in life. AFAIK Cambridge can and does regularly give offers based on 4 A Levels. I hope that helps but please check with each university.

Needmoresleep · 10/02/2019 17:32

Why not ask admissions.

Our observation was that Cambridge sometimes varied their offers, but this was for selective private schools with excellent teaching. Oxford rarely, if at all.

Littlespace · 10/02/2019 18:01

Are we right in thinking that Oxbridge always give offers based on all A levels you are doing even if the standard offer is for 3 A levels?

No. They have given ds an offer based on three A Levels for Maths. He has completed one already and is doing three this year.

adrinkofwater · 10/02/2019 18:04

littlespace so is his offer just for 2 more as he already has 1? Also is it for Oxford or Cambridge? Thanks

Littlespace · 10/02/2019 18:09

As follows -

This offer is subject to you obtaining
GCE A level
Grades A*A in any order in
Further Mathematics
Physics

Sixth Term Examination Paper Grades 1 and 1 in STEP Mathematics II and Mathematics III.

Littlespace · 10/02/2019 18:09

Cambridge

Littlespace · 10/02/2019 18:10

So they are not interested in his other A Level, although he is still continuing it as he enjoys it.

adrinkofwater · 10/02/2019 18:18

Thanks littlespace that's really good to know!

ErrolTheDragon · 10/02/2019 18:40

The only cases I know for sure where the offers were on the basis of 4A levels were Cambridge Nat sci and engineering. (I'm pretty sure one of DDs peers with such an offer was from a state school). The other point to note is that entry requirements can vary a bit by college. So I'd suggest your DS identifies two or three colleges he likes the look of, checks for whether there is specific information on their webpages and if it's not really clear, he should email their admissions.

goodbyestranger · 10/02/2019 18:40

Thanks both openday and sendsummer for the Classics advice.

adrinkofwater DD2's Oxford college added a note to the offer letter saying that all candidates who had entered a fourth A level on their application form must, as part of the condition of the offer, sit that subject and pass it - although not with any particular grade.

goodbyestranger · 10/02/2019 18:41

DD2's offer was for History but this requirement was clearly across all subjects.

goodbyestranger · 10/02/2019 18:42

And clearly this was for applicants from both sectors.

adrinkofwater · 10/02/2019 19:10

Thanks goodbye. I think passing it should be do-able, but not with what he considers a good grade!

Yes Errol he could do that. I think that is part of the uncertainty that offers can vary between colleges. Not that an offer is anywhere near a certainly, but it would be so annoying to get an offer, but not a place because of the French!!

Needmoresleep · 10/02/2019 19:16

DC knew a few who had 4xA* offers for Cambridge Nat Sci/Engineering but this was selective private sector and all made them. I understand they are unusual. Imperial will also vary grades depending on applicants, with those from the same school getting different offers after interview. One of DS' friends had a 5 A level offer.

I have not heard of the same from Oxford.

There can be advantages in taking more than three subjects beyond a broader education in that knowing that you can afford a bad paper helps with stress when it comes to exams.

ErrolTheDragon · 10/02/2019 20:09

It was a bit easier when they could decide to ditch the 4th subject after AS (which is what DD did).

OTOH one of her pals started maths but, having done French as well as double maths and physics, was able to switch to MML when she decided being a mathmo wasn't right for her after all (don't know if she had a 3 or 4 A level offer, I'm afraid, obviously she'd aced the French too anyway)

IrmaFayLear · 11/02/2019 08:43

I understand why they say that you must sit a 4th A Level if you have put it down in your application. Otherwise you'd get people saying they were taking 25 A Levels in order to stand out from the crowd with the intention all along of only sitting three. (Slight exaggeration!)

adrinkofwater - ds was in your ds's position, wanting to take French A Level but fearful of not getting at least an A in it in case he blew his chances for Oxbridge. Now dd is in the same position. She'd like to carry on with it to keep up a language, but wary of it bringing her down, especially if you are considering a post A Level application.

Littlespace · 11/02/2019 09:16

The A Levels are not the hurdle in any case for maths. The STEP paper is the big unknown which may trip ds or others up.

Still worth a try though. He who dares.

MariaNovella · 11/02/2019 10:10

DC knew a few who had 4xA offers for Cambridge Nat Sci/Engineering but this was selective private sector and all made them.*

I know two siblings who attended a middle of the road state sixth form college in the North West of England who both had 4xA* offers for STEM subjects at Cambridge (and both made their offers).

Needmoresleep · 11/02/2019 10:14

Wasn't the PP asking about maths at Oxford. They don't ask for STEP. So the offer will be just A levels.

I cant see why showing that a clever student is capable of juggling a heavy load, or has broader interests, would do any harm. I know Oxbridge do not look for extra/super curricular, but they presumably are looking for students who will thrive. Again a small sample, but some of Oxbridge students DC knew who least enjoyed their time there were taking maths/sciences and who achieved great A level grades by working very hard indeed. Perhaps when the going got tougher they had less head room, or less to fall back on.

ErrolTheDragon · 11/02/2019 10:19

Wasn't the PP asking about maths at Oxford

Oxbridge, undecided between the two.
On the face of it oxford might be the safer bet, but I think they have a higher applicant to offer ratio - possibly partially because of not needing STEP.

MariaNovella · 11/02/2019 10:20

You are right, NeedMoreSleep, that there are issues around students working flat out for examination results at school and dropping other activities and then not having the bandwidth to step up to the next level when they get to university. And it could be useful to signal that you do have that extra bandwidth when applying to university.

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