Triple science award at gcse and gpa

Oldernotwiser

apple_pies wrote: »

My secondary head of sixth recommended that everyone should take at least one "contrasting subject", i.e. humanities/arts students taking a maths or science A Level and vice versa, especially when applying to Oxbridge.

Trinity College's page confirms this:

Actually, it doesn't and I would disagree with what your HOS said and what you're recommending.

Oldernotwiser

glowgirl wrote: »

Thank you apple_pies, the thought of her taking a science or maths further than gcse makes her feel physically ill:eek:

As it would many Arts/Humanities students - myself included!

melancholly

well they let me in for science with 2 maths a levels and 2 sciences....... they need high grades to it's best to take subjects you enjoy and that you'll do well in. swapping history for maths (or vice versa) and dropping a grade will do much more harm than good (and i'm honestly not sure it would do any good).

Oldernotwiser

melancholly wrote: »

well they let me in for science with 2 maths a levels and 2 sciences....... they need high grades to it's best to take subjects you enjoy and that you'll do well in. swapping history for maths (or vice versa) and dropping a grade will do much more harm than good (and i'm honestly not sure it would do any good).

Two maths and two sciences - I'm impressed!:)

Voyager2002

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Two maths and two sciences - I'm impressed!:)

Me too! But then, I didn't even get as far as applying for Cambridge, never mind being interviewed and getting a place.

melancholly

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Two maths and two sciences - I'm impressed!:)

why thank you!

apple_pies

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Actually, it doesn't and I would disagree with what your HOS said and what you're recommending.

I quoted the exact part that stated that.

Keep recommending that a C grade student goes to Oxbridge if you want, it will only ensure that we keep dumbing down degrees right to the top.

Getting a C in a GCSE is either indicative of absolutely no effort to learn or no natural intelligence - either of which should exclude this person from the most prestigious universities in the country if I'm to retain any faith in humanity.

FrankieBoyle

Oxbridge are looking for 10A/A* at GCSE and AAAA at AS/A Level. At Cambridge most applicants have around 9+ GCSE points. (An A* is a 1.0, and an A is a 0.6. So you can work out where your DD stands.)

However if she does brilliantly at Interview and has an EXCELLENT TSA score and UMS score then yes just maybe...... but a very slim maybe....

Oxford/Birmingham/Edinburgh are GCSE obsessed by the way.

Cambridge seems to be the place you hear the most stories of 'mediocre' GCSE successes.

Oldernotwiser

apple_pies wrote: »

I quoted the exact part that stated that.

Sorry, you really didn't. Go back and read it again.

Keep recommending that a C grade student goes to Oxbridge if you want, it will only ensure that we keep dumbing down degrees right to the top.

Getting a C in a GCSE is either indicative of absolutely no effort to learn or no natural intelligence - either of which should exclude this person from the most prestigious universities in the country if I'm to retain any faith in humanity.

I have no idea where your comments about "C grades" and "dumbing down" come from as this hasn't been part of the discussion and is something I'm very much against.

The discussion is simply about whether someone wanting to do an English degree would be better offering English, French and History (as an example) compared to offering English, French and Chemistry. That sort of combination shows a lack of focus and, for many students, will make the difference between achieving 3 A grades and and 2 A grades and a B/C.

As I said before, it's very poor advice.

glowgirl_2

Thank you everyone, dd hasnt had a chance yet to read this thread but I have given her an idea of whats been said, yesterday at college she found out that certain students in her year have been marked out as Oxbridge applicants and will receive some sort of help or training (not sure what) from January, dd is not one of these students and neither is her friend who has a higher gpa than her, however, dd is determined she will apply to Cambridge with or without the help/support of her college (its quite common for us to do things our own way) and she also has other uni's in mind but Cambridge is number one for her.