University A level preferences

[neveragain*]

Just adding a bit of personal experience to hopefully help - my DD took English Lit, History, gov and pol and art. Got all A's at AS, then applied to Cambridge who were more than happy with her choices and her A level combi, which in fact ( the academic ones) were very common choices amongst the HSPS students.

The tutor interviewing her first showed great interest in her Art, what it had added to her experiences etc and was glad she had breadth. Although she applied for HSPS ( human, social and political sciences) he also asked a lot about the texts she was reading in class for literature and about her own reading for pleasure! as well as her academic subject specific reading. She had to submit essays as well as do one under timed conditions on the day, and have two interviews......they know what they are looking for! Potential and the ability to do well under the tutorial system. My feeling as they positively liked well rounded individuals........

Good luck to all 2013 applicants! Anyone who would like a bit of interview info - feel free to pm me

[Daogroupie]

This is very interesting information, thank you. What were her other choices? DG

[SteveDH]

And Just adding some alternative personal Experience with a totally different department.. which may also help - also note that this will vary from college to college.
my DD took Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry... got all A's art As with high ums, applied for engineering and got invited for interview. The College had specified that they did a written test as they found this allowed students to show their ability better, so both myself and DD assumed the interviews would be more about interests in the subject and maybe some theoretical questions on engineering type topics.
The entire time of the 2 interviews consisted asking maths and physics question and managed to choose either the topics she found most difficult or in one case one she hadn't yet studied...
At no point did any of the interviews reflect any of the many practices she had had..

however despite totally messing up her interview, she got an offer, all be it via the pool...

[Guest55]

Allour practice Oxbridge maths interviews are focused on maths questions asking 'awkward' topics and pushing them to their knowledge limit and beyond ... that's when they really can show their natural ability.

[Blue_Marigold]

Thanks WP, this is really interesting. Is there any information like this regarding BTECS? Is there some that are more highly accepted than others? Is it better to have A-levels than BTECS?

The general advice I was told is that if you have high achieving child then stick to A-levels. But if your child is just scraping through their GCSES then BTECS might be a better route into uni.

[booellesmum]

Thanks WP, this is really interesting. Is there any information like this regarding BTECS? Is there some that are more highly accepted than others? Is it better to have A-levels than BTECS?

The general advice I was told is that if you have high achieving child then stick to A-levels. But if your child is just scraping through their GCSES then BTECS might be a better route into uni.

DD is currently doing 3 A levels plus BTEC Health and Social Care. The Unis we have visited have said they don't mind if she gets the results in the 3 A levels or 2 A levels and the BTEC. The problem with BTEC is offers tend to only count Distinction which is the same points as an A. A Merit only gives the same points as a C. At least with A Level you can get a B and may still meet your offer. BTEC is a bit all or nothing.
Having said that my niece only did BTEC, went to Uni, then did a Masters and went on to become a GCSE/A level science teacher.

[Jean.Brodie]

And Just adding some alternative personal Experience with a totally different department.. which may also help - also note that this will vary from college to college.
my DD took Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry... got all A's art As with high ums, applied for engineering and got invited for interview. The College had specified that they did a written test as they found this allowed students to show their ability better, so both myself and DD assumed the interviews would be more about interests in the subject and maybe some theoretical questions on engineering type topics.
The entire time of the 2 interviews consisted asking maths and physics question and managed to choose either the topics she found most difficult or in one case one she hadn't yet studied...
At no point did any of the interviews reflect any of the many practices she had had..

however despite totally messing up her interview, she got an offer, all be it via the pool...

This is absolutely normal in a Cambridge interview. The Selectors had her down as a'probable offer', anyway,helped significantly that year bu her 'high UMS' in three key subjects, Maths and Further Maths counting as one subject; the 'horrible' interviews tested her 'teachability' in Cambridge style 'Supervisions' (Tutorials) for horribly hard Maths and equally horribly hard Physics- thinking on her feet, responding positively to prompts, a bit of 'backbone' when challenged - and, possibly, a bit more evidence, if possible, on any topics which were not great for her in her Application Package or the Written Test. ... As you may know, some colleges - e.g. Christ's at Cambridge - also ask for STEP Maths as a reassurance to them that the entrant will cope with the Maths required over the 4 years of their Engineering BA-MEng course.

[SteveDH]

For engineering a lot of colleges will take Further Maths as its own subject. DDs Offer specified she needed an A* in Further Maths though.
She made her choice of College to one that didn't require STEP, and although she was later pooled to one that did, wasn't asked for it.
As an aside although although she hated a lot of her time at Cambridge while there, now that she has completed her degree and is in work she kind of misses it.

[Daogroupie]

What did she hate about it?

Was it not what she thought it would be? DG

[SteveDH]

What did she hate about it?

Was it not what she thought it would be? DG

It wasn't fully university specific, it was a number of things,
She had difficulty making friends and didn't really have any until near the end of the 2nd year.
because of this her work suffered and at Cambridge if you fail your end of years your out, no retakes.
And because the friends she made were all foreign students who all seemed to get top marks
And because counsellors don't really have time for you unless you are suicidal.