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On UCAS login

When I am sorting out my online UCAS application, I don't have to select Oxford, do I? I use the specific Oxford Application form, or do I select it as my fifth option anyway?

Reply 1

The West Wing

You have to include it as one of your options. You do the OAF later.

Reply 2

tbtommyb

You have to make it one of the five choices you have. It's still through UCAS.

Reply 3

big A

miltonkeynes

You have to include it as one of your options. You do the OAF later.

So I can still write a different PS than the one I send to other unis even though Oxford reads my first one?

Reply 4

Willa

Oxford will have the same PS as all the other universities sent to them by UCAS. On the Oxford Application Form, which you also have to fill in, you have the opportunity to write a small, supplementary statement which only Oxford will see. It isn't intended to be completely different/contradicting to your UCAS PS. The key word is that it is a SUPPLEMENTARY.

I wrote nothing

I didn't write anything either. I couldn't think of anything I wanted Oxford to know that I hadn't included in my personal statement to start with.

Reply 7

Dionysus

The only real opportunity you get to distinguish yourself to Oxford above the others is in the interview, if you get one, or any work you are asked to send in, or exam you are asked to sit (in my case, I did the HAT)

Reply 8

Jonesy_LJ

Yeah I also wrote nothing in the additional personal statement, my school told me it's just for highlighting extenuating circumstances.

Reply 9

big A

If you are applying to a mix of degrees, would having a PS that is heavily focused on a particular degree seriously damage your application to other courses?

Reply 10

Craghyrax

big A

If you are applying to a mix of degrees, would having a PS that is heavily focused on a particular degree seriously damage your application to other courses?

Yes of course. At the end of the day you have to weigh up what's most important to you, and think carefully how to weight the content of your PS.

I think its also possible to make two separate UCAS applications. You pay twice of course. I'm not sure if that's still allowed, though, so don't take that as gospel truth :hmmmm:

Reply 11

Eau

Heartbreaker

I wrote nothing

Same here - couldn't be bothered to be honest.

Reply 12

Craghyrax

Eau

Same here - couldn't be bothered to be honest.

And here

Reply 13

airyfairy

The only university I applied for anything history related at was Oxford, so my personal statement was dominated by things relevant to the courses I'd applied for elsewhere (politics and international relations). I ended up having about three lines related to history but I must have done it in the right way because in the end they offered me a place for history rather than the combined honours for which I'd applied.

Reply 14

thomasjtl

the additional box can be quite useful if say you`re applying for politics everywhere else and PPE at oxford to talk about why you`re also interested in phil and econ.　But otherwise people just leave it blank, generally.

Reply 15

tbtommyb

Unless your school makes you write some rubbish about why you love Oxford, like mine did.

Reply 16

Craghyrax

burntgorilla

Unless your school makes you write some rubbish about why you love Oxford, like mine did.

That's a waste of space when the supplementary questionnaire asks that.. as well as giving you extra space to write a small PS. At least that was the case for Cambridge.

Reply 17

hsitin

Craghyrax

That's a waste of space when the supplementary questionnaire asks that.. as well as giving you extra space to write a small PS. At least that was the case for Cambridge.

Yeh I also had to write why I chose my college- Robinson

Reply 18

digital-observations

Yeah we were told at school not to write anything on it. Also at a presentation thing I went to with an Oxford and a Cambridge admission tutor they said the same thing, basically unless you have something really important to write then don't bother, because they hate all the drivel about why you think oxford is such an amazing place etc...

And yeah you have to make it one of your five choices because it still needs to go through ucas.