ive just completed my second year at Liverpool university and i got a 79% average. Do those in the know think that i would have a chance of getting onto a computer science course at oxford/cambridge?
I have very little work experience which i think will be a major issue :-S
There are loads of threads like this, so search for them if you're interested, but the major point is that if you meet the minimum requirements apply(!) - you don't know until you do.
I think its a bit early since you're only in your second year, but sometime next year, it would be a good idea to email the course convenor of the courses you're interested in and just ask them whether work experience is an issue rather than assuming. Plus, you've got two summers where you can intern between now and then to boost that part of your cv.
Is your current course in computer sciences? If so, and you replicate your second year performance in your third year, you will probably have a reasonable chance, provided you have a good range of ECs and a very strong PS.
Liverpool doesn't have the best of reputations, hence a reasonable chance.
Reputation of university doesnt matter that much when applying to postgrad courses. Presumably because academics, as opposed to employers who are clueless, actually understand what the QAA says - that degrees from different institutions are assessed to broadly the same standards. Hes got an excellent chance with a high first.
I await the glut of people eager to tell me their 2:2 from Oxbridge, Durham, Warwick et al is better than his first
Reputation of university doesnt matter that much when applying to postgrad courses. Presumably because academics, as opposed to employers who are clueless, actually understand what the QAA says - that degrees from different institutions are assessed to broadly the same standards. Hes got an excellent chance with a high first.
I await the glut of people eager to tell me their 2:2 from Oxbridge, Durham, Warwick et al is better than his first
I can't comment on whether that would be academically true, but employers are likely to rank a 2.1 from Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial, Warwick, as high or maybe higher, than a 1st from a lower tier uni.
yea, my current course is in computer sciences, so hopefully my choice of course wont be a problem. I think my main concerm was that which has been raised ...... weather or not Liverpool Universty has a suitable reputation?
I can't comment on whether that would be academically true, but employers are likely to rank a 2.1 from Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial, Warwick, as high or maybe higher, than a 1st from a lower tier uni.
Employers opinions dont really matter here, hes applying to do an MSc at Oxbridge.
yea, my current course is in computer sciences, so hopefully my choice of course wont be a problem. I think my main concerm was that which has been raised ...... weather or not Liverpool Universty has a suitable reputation?
If you continue to average 79% I doubt the uni you went to will matter in the slightest.
Is your current course in computer sciences? If so, and you replicate your second year performance in your third year, you will probably have a reasonable chance, provided you have a good range of ECs and a very strong PS.
For postgrad applications to Oxbridge, and Camb in particular, they don't give a monkeys about extra-curriculars and there is no PS, just a small space to write a couple of paragraphs on why you want to do that particular course. I've talked to a few course admissions people at Cambridge and if you have 1) A high 1st (2.1s are rare) and 2) Excellent recommendations 3) Well written and thought out reasons for doing the course then you stand a very good chance of getting the offer.
Almost all of the courses do not interview either, though may invite you for a "chat" after being given the offer. Being from Liverpool university won't that much of a hold back, you help yourself by being at other top unis but it certainly won't hold you back as much as some people here think it will. My personal tutor at Cambridge did her undergraduate at Cambridge's other university, Anglia Polytechnic University (APU), which is known for all the opposite reasons to Cambridge University. She got admitted to do a PhD and is now director of studies for her course at the college. Another person I knew came from UEA. Liverpool isn't that bad, and has a decent reputation in engineering/computing anyway.
there is no PS, just a small space to write a couple of paragraphs on why you want to do that particular course.
For the Oxford application you are encouraged to attach a one A4 sheet detailing your Statement of Purpose (for taught Master's courses) or a full research proposal for research Master's. The application form details what type of info to give so its fairly straightforward. Mine was pretty basic and I wrote it in quite a hurry, much more so than the type of things I had to write for funding applications.
For postgrad applications to Oxbridge, and Camb in particular, they don't give a monkeys about extra-curriculars and there is no PS, just a small space to write a couple of paragraphs on why you want to do that particular course. I've talked to a few course admissions people at Cambridge and if you have 1) A high 1st (2.1s are rare) and 2) Excellent recommendations 3) Well written and thought out reasons for doing the course then you stand a very good chance of getting the offer.
Almost all of the courses do not interview either, though may invite you for a "chat" after being given the offer. Being from Liverpool university won't that much of a hold back, you help yourself by being at other top unis but it certainly won't hold you back as much as some people here think it will. My personal tutor at Cambridge did her undergraduate at Cambridge's other university, Anglia Polytechnic University (APU), which is known for all the opposite reasons to Cambridge University. She got admitted to do a PhD and is now director of studies for her course at the college. Another person I knew came from UEA. Liverpool isn't that bad, and has a decent reputation in engineering/computing anyway.
You are wrong about the "small place to write a couple of paragraphs". Most courses require you to attach a seperate sheet outlining your reasons for applying. You are also wrong about the interviews. For most MScs at Cam you are called for an interview. Lastly, getting in usually has to do with the standard of the rest of the people applying with you. Oxbridge attracts a large ammount of US students(ivy league) and usually they are preferred.
When i applied to Cam the "requirement" was only a 2:1 degree. Apparently most of the people in my year have a couple of masters on top of BScs and some of them also hold a PhD and they claim they do it to change their career path.
As for whether the uni matters, i think that what matters more is how good the applicant is. Even if you are from the lowest ranking uni, having excellent marks and references that say you've accomplished a lot throughout your degree(and also have a very good final year project) makes you a very attractive candidate.
You're right, they do want more than a couple of paragraphs: I wrote a whole three paragraphs of personal statement to get into my DPhil place at Oxford .
Incidentally, there was a large press furore a few years back about some postgraduate courses (graduate entry medicine being the main one) at Oxford having a list of which universities should always get an interview and which only for exceptional candidates, so it clearly does matter to an extent.
edit: I'm fairly sure Liverpool was very much the upper half of the list though - I'd imagine google will know.
Last edited by Derek_The_Hamster : 02-08-2006 at 13:49.
It's weird I always though that Liverpool was a good university. To hear people on this thread you would think that it was some crappy ex-poly. Don't worry too much if you don't get into Oxbridge, their reputations at postgraduate level are not as massive as at undergraduate level there are other very good places to go.
It's weird I always though that Liverpool was a good university. To hear people on this thread you would think that it was some crappy ex-poly. Don't worry too much if you don't get into Oxbridge, their reputations at postgraduate level are not as massive as at undergraduate level there are other very good places to go.
Lest you forget, this is TSR. Unless you're at Oxbridge, 99% of posters think your uni is worthless.
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