<p>UCAS A list APs have come up in several conversations. I was wondering whether A list makes a difference at Cambridge.</p>
<p>I will be taking a ton of APs, but out of A list only AP Calculus BC, AP English Literature, AP World History, and AP Physics C Mechanics (And I’m not sure Physics C counts as a whole AP by itself). </p>
<p>Out of the above list, only two are related to the Computer Science degree I want to study at Cambridge. I have a few more related APs, but they are in B list, including Stat and CS (and Psychology for the Computer Science with Psychology course)</p>
<p>Finally, I’m not even sure it’s possible to have 5 related APs in the A list for computer science. I don’t see A list mentioned anywhere on the Cambridge website, and the St Johns College admissions office told me they don’t think the UCAS A list and B list have anything to do with their admissions. I’m still a little worried. Opinions?</p>
<p>By the way, does AP Chinese Language count as A list? Not that it is related to CS in any way.</p>
<p>I don’t think that Cambridge looks at AP’s as A list or B list per se. They may look at AP’s as full courses vs. half courses (which is essentially what the A and B list is supposed to do.</p>
<p>Physics C mechanics would be a half class. AP Chinese (and I assume AP Japanese) would be a full class, comparable to the other foreign languages.</p>
<p>Generally, admission to Cambridge is contingent on 5’s on 5 AP’s in “relevant” subjects. Certainly, CS, Physics, Stats, and Calc qualify as relevant. I doubt that another 5 in another area will disqualify you. However, you can always check with the uni.</p>
<p>A lists and B lists are more geared towards calculating UCAS points, which to some degree indicates, I suppose, the amount of Academic Achievement/Ability you have. A certain grade on a certain test such as the A-Levels, APs, SATs and etc. will earn you a certain amount of points and then you add all of them together to get those points. The Average for Cambridge is 605 points I believe?</p>
<p>But other than in that regard, I don’t really think that any university looks at A or B lists. It is more important to the university that you take all (or enough) relevant AP courses (or equivalents) in relevant subjects towards your degree and score 5 on all of them. </p>
<p>@Harrovian @skieurope
Thank you for your responses.</p>
<p>Assuming I get 5s on all my APs, I would have over 800 tarriff points. I’m a little more reassured by that. As long as I can keep up with the equivalent scores of everyone else.</p>
<p>I can make sure to score a 5 on any test related to my subject, and I will have 5 if I count Psychology, because I will be taking Computer Science with Psychology. </p>
<p>Guess it’s just work, work, work now. Any other tips for applying to UK universities will be appreciated.</p>
<p>Is Chinese a heritage language for you? If so they may not take that AP as strongly into account in assessing your application.</p>
<p>@Conformist1688 That’s fine, I never really counted it for myself either. But it is one of the few A list APs I have, since the A list is all languages, sciences, and historys. </p>
<p>For Oxbridge, A v B list APs comes more into play in assessing your background and determining conditions.</p>
<p>If your subject has a lot of AP options (such as history), they will want to see most, if not all the options taken- not least b/c it suggest that you will have a strong enough foundation in the subject (it helps if you think of it as applying to be a sophomore- the expectation is that you have done a lot of the foundation work). If your subject doesn’t have a lot of direct APs then ‘relevant’ can refer to the type of learning- for example, there is no philosophy or theology AP, but APs in subjects that require a lot of reading, writing and thought analysis will be appropriate substitutes.</p>
<p>On the conditions end, if you are given a conditional offer, they may require more APs in absolute numbers if a lot of the APs you are applying with are “B” APs. Skieurope’s point that it A & B are seen more as full & half courses is apt. </p>
<p>Finally, the requirements tables for each course are a good place to look to see what is <em>really</em> important to the university/college. For CS @ Cambridge that list is here:</p>
<p><a href=“Study at Cambridge | University of Cambridge”>Study at Cambridge | University of Cambridge;
<p>Based on that, the critical APs are Calc BC and Physics, followed by CompSci. You don’t mention what you are planning to take this fall, but you might talk to your physics teacher and ask them to look at the syllabus for A level physics:</p>
<p><a href=“www.gov.mu”>http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/mesweb/CIE%20Syllabus%20and%20Support%20Materia%20(E)/pdf/9702_y13_sy.pdf</a>)</p>
<p>to see how it lines up with the old & new Physics AP options- you might want to include another Physics AP instead of a less relevant AP.</p>
<p>@collegemom3717 Everything in my OP is my planned courses. Some I have taken, and some I haven’t. </p>
<p>My school only teaches AP Physics C Mechanics, and I’m wary of self studying E&M, as it’s considered the hardest. </p>
<p>This fall, I am taking all the critical APs, plus AP Statistics. Comparing syllabi, my Physics, Math, and Stat teachers believe CIE A levels Further Math is a little more than AP Stat + Physics C Mechanics + AP Calculus BC, so I’m hoping to complete the APs this year (Junior), then self study the leftover material and revise for the CIE A level test. </p>
<p>I would definitely love to do A levels Physics if I had the opportunity to study most of it in class, but I don’t think that is possible. </p>
<p>The only A list APs I’m not taking, yet offered at my school (disregarding languages), is APUSH and Chemistry. Because World History is simply something I’m more interested in, I will be self studying that, which I hope will make up for not taking APUSH. And I might fit Chem into my senior schedule, depending on the school master schedule. </p>