UNDERGRADUATE Admissions Criteria
Introduction
The University and its colleges seek to admit students of high
academic merit and potential. All colleges select students for
admission without regard to marital status, race, ethnic origins,
colour, religion or social background. Decisions on admission are
based solely on the individual merits of the candidate and the
application of selection criteria appropriate to the course of
study.
Entry is competitive and the attainment of minimum standards is
no guarantee of a place.
Criteria
(i) Academic ability
- Reasoning ability; aptitude for analysing and solving problems
using logical and critical approaches
- Mathematical ability.
- Capacity to absorb new ideas and to apply familiar ideas to
unfamiliar situations
- Spirit of enquiry: desire to understand the reasons for observations;
enthusiasm and curiosity in science
- An understanding of the chemical concepts covered in courses
taken so far.
(ii) Interest in Chemistry
- Including an appreciation of some aspects of it outside the
confines of the A level syllabus (or equivalent)
(iii) Motivation and perseverance
- An enthusiasm for chemistry and the motivation to pursue an
academically demanding four-your course
(iv) Independent working and communication
- Ability to work independently; willingness and ability to express
ideas clearly and effectively orally, in writing and numerically;
ability to listen
(v) Educational achievement
- GCE: Good grades at GCSE are expected, especially in science
and mathematics. Three A-levels are required, which must include
Chemistry and preferably Mathematics. The standard conditional
offer at present is A*AA. The A*
must be in either a science or mathematics.
- SCE: Five Highers plus Advanced Highers (or CSYS) are required.
These must include Chemistry. The typical offer at Advanced
Higher is AAB or AA.
- International Baccalaureate: 38+, including grade 7 in Chemistry
and 6/7 in Mathematics at higher level.
- Applications are welcomed from those studying for qualifications
other than those listed above.
The selectors assess each candidate against the above criteria
on the basis of the following information, taking into account
the educational background of students and the level of their existing
knowledge and experience.
- UCAS application, including references and personal statement
- Examination results
- Interview
- Candidates (or their referees) will also have the opportunity
to present any special factors that may
- have adversely affected their attainment so far.
Deferred Entry
Applications for deferred entry are welcome, and candidates so
applying will not be made conditional offers more demanding than
candidates for immediate entry. While successful applicants commonly
need academic records that are somewhat more distinguished than
candidates at the borderline for selection, there has in practice
been no significant difference between their success rate and that
of candidates not seeking a deferred place.
Shortlisting
Colleges assign applications to a band according to the UCAS application. At
present a large majority of candidates are shortlisted.
For any candidate the college wishes to reject, a case must be
made to the Admissions Coordinator, who may
(i) ask the college to interview the candidate nonetheless
(ii) reallocate the candidate to another college
(iii) put the candidate on a rejection list.
The list of candidates to be rejected is circulated to all colleges,
who may decide to invite any such candidate for interview themselves.
No candidate will be rejected until this process is complete.
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