Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Are my gcses good enough for Cambridge?

Hello,
I'm a year 12 student that wants to apply Cambridge to study medicine but i have quite bad GCSEs.
6 in Art and Design
8 in Citizenship studies
6 in Physics
7 in Biology
8 in History
8 in Geography
9 in English
6 in Maths
8 in Italian
6 in PE
9 in Computer science
7 in Chemistry

Are those grades acceptable? I'm currently on a widening access programme but I don't know if that counts. Thank you very much :smile:

Reply 1

wandizhang

Hi, sorry to bother, I want to ask that are GCSEs necessary for applying to Cambridge, cuz I don't have GCSEs because I was studying in China that time.

Reply 2

Tatakae L

Original post by Anonymous #1

Hello,
I'm a year 12 student that wants to apply Cambridge to study medicine but i have quite bad GCSEs.
6 in Art and Design
8 in Citizenship studies
6 in Physics
7 in Biology
8 in History
8 in Geography
9 in English
6 in Maths
8 in Italian
6 in PE
9 in Computer science
7 in Chemistry
Are those grades acceptable? I'm currently on a widening access programme but I don't know if that counts. Thank you very much :smile:

I think those are fine from the looks of it, but if I was you I would check the entry requirements just in case as they might have a specific number of a certain grade that they want (like sheffield wants 5 GCSES at a 7 or higher).

Reply 3

Tatakae L

Original post by wandizhang

Hi, sorry to bother, I want to ask that are GCSEs necessary for applying to Cambridge, cuz I don't have GCSEs because I was studying in China that time.

I think they are. You could always check what they say for like the international students or GCSE equivelents but to be honest I would think they want them. You could also always email them about it and then depending on what they say, go from there.

Reply 4

A Rolling Stone

Original post by Anonymous #1

Hello,
I'm a year 12 student that wants to apply Cambridge to study medicine but i have quite bad GCSEs.
6 in Art and Design
8 in Citizenship studies
6 in Physics
7 in Biology
8 in History
8 in Geography
9 in English
6 in Maths
8 in Italian
6 in PE
9 in Computer science
7 in Chemistry
Are those grades acceptable? I'm currently on a widening access programme but I don't know if that counts. Thank you very much :smile:

no. not even close.

Reply 5

A Rolling Stone

Original post by Tatakae L

stop lying... you're just giving people false hope. this is not a Cambridge calibre applicant

Reply 6

Tatakae L

Original post by A Rolling Stone

stop lying... you're just giving people false hope. this is not a Cambridge calibre applicant

I dont see how I am lying here?
I said I think GCSE'S are a requirement to enter Cambridge but they could check the requirements for it as it is not my job to go look for them for someone else. Im not trying to give false hope, that wasnt my intention at all, but I thought they could look if they wanted to and ask too.

Reply 7

Wombat11

If you look at Oxford and Cambridge college applications feedback pages, you’ll see the typical GCSEs of those who apply and who get to interview and who get offers. In all cases, the averages are higher than the OP has by a big margin. This doesn’t mean they can’t apply or that an exceptional candidate who has a good and clear reason why their grades at GCSE were lower than you’d expect and than their talent suggests, the vast vast majority won’t get far with such grades.

Oxbridge want super students to apply. Super students usually have top top GCSEs. Occasionally they don’t and they want to be able to consider them too. But you have to be realistic and know that unless you had a very specific context going on that explains why your grades are not impressive across the board, others will mostly have all 8s and 9s. Take advice from your school or college. Know it’s not just about being keen but you need to be top and top in your school and that many people who are top and top in their school still don’t get offers. You’d be surprised how many candidates there are out there who have all 9# or 8/9 at GCSE.

Reply 8

Ariichu

Original post by Anonymous #1

Hello,
I'm a year 12 student that wants to apply Cambridge to study medicine but i have quite bad GCSEs.
6 in Art and Design
8 in Citizenship studies
6 in Physics
7 in Biology
8 in History
8 in Geography
9 in English
6 in Maths
8 in Italian
6 in PE
9 in Computer science
7 in Chemistry
Are those grades acceptable? I'm currently on a widening access programme but I don't know if that counts. Thank you very much :smile:

Im not sure how the widening access programme would play a part, but if you were a normal non-contextual applicant then those GCSEs are probably far too weak. I doubt they come below a specific designated minimum threshold of application, but the average applicant will have a much stronger set of GCSEs. The 7, 7, 6, 6 in biology chemistry, physics and maths respectively is probably the biggest issue. Cambridge medicine is very academically focussed, and you would probably need a very good foundation in chemistry and biology