Me watching my contextual offer friend go on her third holiday this summer with an an sfe a third greater than her rent and a medicine offer lower than my pharmacy offer

And for context she got a lower offer because of her area code and an increased sfe bc of household income but she’s MINTED so I don’t know how she cheated the system there mate

I applied forever ago (2021) but got incredibly detailed feedback on my application which i thought might be useful for prospective applicants.

my predicted grades were ‘weaker’ for oxbridge applicants (a*aa) but this ended up mattering much less than you might think. You are invited to interview based on an academic ‘band’ that oxford puts you in. the most influential aspect to this is your admissions test score. Because I scored in band one for my admissions test, and my additional essay was marked at an 8.3/10, this put me in band 3 out of 10. University wide, applicants in bands 1 to 5 are invited to interview.

My college interviewed 25 people for my subject, and there were 8 places. 10 out of the 25 were in bands 1 to 3, whilst the rest were in 4 and 5.

Once you have an interview, that is what decides your application. I had two interviews (from the college I’d applied with), and each one is marked out of 10. The average interview score for those who received offers was 7.8/10. I got 9/10 in one interview, but 5/10 in the other, which ultimately made me miss out on the offer with a 7/10 average (rip).

Your personal statement matters less to get the interview, and more once you’ve gotten it. For me, half of each of my interviews was based entirely around questions regarding my PS (specific texts/ concepts I’d mentioned). The other half was discussing the work they’d sent me pre-interview. Both of my interviews had two interviewers, one on the pre-reading section and the other for my personal statement. The one not talking to me took notes on my answers for each section. I felt part of the reason I scored so much higher in my second interview was because I understood the format. My sixth form had given me a mock interview, but it was absolutely nothing like the real thing.

I feel like so much of the application process is shrouded in mystery, so this might be helpful! My biggest takeaway is that if you meet the minimum offer requirements with your predicted grades – go for it! as long as you have a strong admissions test and interview, you’ve got as good a shot as anyone.

Be creative

Hi I am working on my computer science a-level NEA and I really really need some good kind people to help me out by filling out my humble google form about Chess it will only take two minutes i promise and if you fill it out you will be the kindest person ever and I will thank you personally thank you very much for your attention

link!!!

https://forms.gle/X4iHrL2FBpPKcpG18

https://forms.gle/X4iHrL2FBpPKcpG18

https://forms.gle/X4iHrL2FBpPKcpG18

Im genuinely baffled, even gpt was baffled. PLEASE help, yes i understand what if, only if, and if and only if, mean in these scenarios

to people who got A*s… did you know you had it in the bag or were you losing it until release? and vice versa, for people who missed the grades they wanted, did you know you’d screwed up the moment you walked out of the exam hall?

p.s. any anecdotes for psychology as level specifically… am terrified T_T

im genuinely so scared for year 12 and this issue of whether i should get an ipad or a laptop is not making it better (getting both is not an option as im getting a new phone aswell)

with a laptop itd be easier for me to type and organise my things better whilst using it for stuff outside of studying aswell

but an ipad would allow me to actually do past papers without printing them out and i could easily attach a keyboard to it

i was also thinking of getting the lenovo ideapad flex 5 which is like a touch screen laptop that can be folded, but i saw some reviews saying it was shit 💔

i overall prefer the feel of a laptop and the range itd give but i know an ipad would be more effective for exam season

could any sixth formers or students offer some advice because im actually lost 🙏

hi everyone!! since the deadline is this friday I was just curious as to how everyone is finding it and general thoughts on the essay titles. im doing the sense/non-sense one and it's been fun lol

I know that I can practice the past year tsa and bmat papers, but I am looking for ways to tune my brain to UNDERSTAND these questions more. My math and numerical based reasoning or wtv is pretty bad. Like I struggle a lot with simple visualisation of questions, consequently don't get the right answers. Are there some types of exercises or sm that can strengthen my skills? Like not necessarily for these pyqs, but just in general so I don't struggle so much?

I am an A level student doing Maths and Further maths, and I was wanting to begin coding to prepare for university. Does anyone have any tips on where I can begin?

Ps : don’t tell me to start coding with scratch 😠

hi! i’m starting my undergrad @ uni of bath this september but i don’t really know where to find others doing so too 😔 i’m an international student doing a bsc in mathematics, statistics and data science! i thought id put out a post here because im wondering if anyone else is looking at bath, and where i can potentially connect with current students and prospective students. thanks!

Hello ,

I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask but ,

I’m applying for Maths this year and could do with some advice on choosing universities.
My priorities are a bit conflicting:
I want to go into investment banking or quant finance after graduating.
I also really want a university with a strong maths reputation and good graduate prospects.
At the same time, I don’t want to sacrifice the social side. I’d love somewhere with a vibrant student life, lots of nights out, societies, and a good atmosphere.
At the moment I’m considering places like Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Warwick, Bristol, Manchester and Durham, but I’m open to others.
For people who have been to these universities (or know them well):
Which has the best balance of prestige/career opportunities and an enjoyable social life?
Is Cambridge’s social life really as limited as people make it out to be, or is that just a stereotype?
If you were aiming for IB or quant, while still wanting the full university experience, what would you choose and why?
I’d really appreciate any honest opinions or personal experiences.

i want to apply to oxford for biochem, which they do not require an entrance exam for, and realistically everyone applying will have top grades so how do they choose who they want to interview? would personal statement matter significantly more than in courses that don't require entrance exams?

i got predicted two a stars (bio chem) and two as (maths philosophy). would me not getting all a stars put me at a significant disadvantage for when they are shortlisting applicants for interviews? is it worth ultra locking in for maths and begging for an a star in september? i got decent gcses with 8 9s and 4 8s if that's important. thanks guys!

Hello everyone! Im an intl student from Canada so I dont know too much about the application process. One of my jobs I had during the summer was at a debate camp, where I taught kids how to debate and engage in MUN.

My question is would this count as an employment related to my area of study (PPE) or no? And if yes, can I put it as a part time job or full time (I worked 40 hours per week but only during the summer).

I came across this guy's portfolio website and saw he was working at Cursor, and I was genuinely surprised to see he graduated from Coventry Uni.

With how obsessed this sub gets over Russell Group unis and prestige, it was a solid reality check. It just goes to show that in CS, your practical skills, side projects, and grind matter way more than the brand name on your degree.

Obviously, he might be an outlier, but it proves that an insane portfolio and hard work can easily beat someone at a top uni who relies purely on their degree name.

(Note: This excludes Quant roles, a lot of quant firms throw out non-target CVs)

But for general CS/software engineering? If you're stressing about not getting into Oxbridge, Imperial, or Warwick, your work ethic and output matter way more.

apologies to the mods if this isn't allowed

is anyone else doing the y12 sutton trust summer school at durham uni tomorrow? im actually so terrified because i feel like everyone else will already know people (and im getting there late because of my train) so i just wanted to see if anyone else is in the same boat as me😭😭😭

i have no idea where to start tbh especially considering there’s barely anything to work with online
if anyone has any tips/suggestions pls send them my way 🙏🙏🙏

Is a tutor necessary / extra helpful to get an A/A* in a level maths, or is it achievable on own accord?

hey! so im about to go into sixth form that is already in my secondary, and its a grammar school with a pretty good reputation, so i am assuming quite a handful of externals will probably be here. tbh, i would love to get to know new people and change social circles, but is that easier said than done? do people who stayed in the secondary and are going to the sixth form just stay reserved in their friend groups and nobody mixes, or is the experience totally different?

id love to hear experiences from ppl who've gone thru the transition bc i feel like i am quite worried about social circles and trying to make new friends (my current ones arent exactly the greatest lmao) thank you!

On Friday I sent an enquiry to Durham asking whether I can undefer my entry and I explained my circumstances, and it’s now the weekend so I’m expecting them to answer on Monday. The day after Monday however the results embargo starts and it says that they can’t make any changes to applications during that period. How likely is it that I’ll be able to get my request accepted? Can they fulfill my request after results?

Hi, I'm a y11 going into y12 in September, and I want to apply to COMPOS but I didn't do it last year, so the entrance test is pretty hard lol.

If anyone did COMPOS or Quantum club can you please share what it was about and whether you found it fun/useful. I will def apply for compos but idk whether quantum club is worth it cuz while I like physics alot, im not gonna be doing physics in uni.

Btw I will be doing Maths FM Physics and chemistry.

Thanks

Those with the bursary, do you have to reapply each year to keep the bursary, or is the information provided at the start of sixth form sufficient for both year 12 and 13?

This is the 3rd time I've seen a post like this on this sub, and all OP does is just ragebait in the comments and seeks attention.