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Oxford History Students and Applicants

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Reply 80
Andy the Anarchist
I read a lot of them, but generally it confers no advantage.

why? is it that you are taught the events and arguments again during the terms or something else?
phenix0930
why? is it that you are taught the events and arguments again during the terms or something else?


Because you'll get 3 reading lists every two weeks each with 6-15 books on them. So any initial reading list is going to be radically insufficient.
Reply 82
phenix0930
I know lots of you haven't got the reading materials as colleges are doing this at their own schedules. Well, but I've got mine. I'll be doing history and politics and have got three lists naming 12 books (including two latin texts for the foreign language paper) over the past few weeks. Generally, for those of you who have managed to survive your first years, did you read all books named on the reading lists? How helpful are they and how important is it to take down detailed notes? I've seen on the 'preparing for first year english' thread that people do not need to read all those mentioned on the reading list, does it also apply to history?
Thanks a lot!:woo:


Hey, I'll hopefully be studying history and politics too :biggrin:

The reading list is insane! Which papers did you pick for you first year?
Reply 83
phenix0930
I know lots of you haven't got the reading materials as colleges are doing this at their own schedules. Well, but I've got mine. I'll be doing history and politics and have got three lists naming 12 books (including two latin texts for the foreign language paper) over the past few weeks. Generally, for those of you who have managed to survive your first years, did you read all books named on the reading lists? How helpful are they and how important is it to take down detailed notes? I've seen on the 'preparing for first year english' thread that people do not need to read all those mentioned on the reading list, does it also apply to history?
Thanks a lot!:woo:


I do history, not his + pol so I'm not quite sure how the course works but I assume you'll be doing theories of the state at some point? I'd recommend reading some of the set texts for that to save yourself getting stressed in your first few weeks. The same goes for your foreign language paper. If you're doing your general module in the first term I'd say just read one book (maybe two) that gives a broad overview of the period. I really wouldn't worry though, reading lists don't make that much difference. Don't read anything for a subject you aren't studying in the first term.
Reply 84
Andy the Anarchist
Because you'll get 3 reading lists every two weeks each with 6-15 books on them. So any initial reading list is going to be radically insufficient.

Thanks for that. :cool: I've kinda got a vague idea about the workload tho...
Reply 85
b-rez
Hey, I'll hopefully be studying history and politics too :biggrin:

The reading list is insane! Which papers did you pick for you first year?

General IV, 19th century stuff and Latin (Charlemagne and Alfred), and you know the rest.:rolleyes:
Reply 86
youes25
I assume you'll be doing theories of the state at some point?


Yep, but it happens later.

youes25
The same goes for your foreign language paper. If you're doing your general module in the first term I'd say just read one book (maybe two) that gives a broad overview of the period. I really wouldn't worry though, reading lists don't make that much difference. Don't read anything for a subject you aren't studying in the first term.


Thank you for this. Well, for my general paper, I've got basically a series consisting of three books, and another by a completely different author, so it's kinda either the trilogy or the other book.

Also, could anyone tell me what happens with politics in my first term? It's not (yet) explained explicitly in any of my communications with the college whilest they simply set me chunks of books on 20th century history, which isn't even vaguely related to the topics of my first year papers: Theories of the State(if you indeed call that a politics paper and introduction to political institutions).

:eek3:
http://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/undergraduate-admissions/history-and-politics-reading-lists

That's the Balliol history and politics options and reading lists. Might be useful. There's only Introduction to Political Institutions for politics in first year. Theories of the State is actually a history paper.
phenix0930
I know lots of you haven't got the reading materials as colleges are doing this at their own schedules. Well, but I've got mine. I'll be doing history and politics and have got three lists naming 12 books (including two latin texts for the foreign language paper) over the past few weeks. Generally, for those of you who have managed to survive your first years, did you read all books named on the reading lists? How helpful are they and how important is it to take down detailed notes? I've seen on the 'preparing for first year english' thread that people do not need to read all those mentioned on the reading list, does it also apply to history?
Thanks a lot!:woo:


Hi, which college are you from? I'm doing hispol as well but haven't received any reading list. Mind sharing please? :smile:

Also: if you can't read a European foreign language, what happens?
kookishowls
Hi, which college are you from? I'm doing hispol as well but haven't received any reading list. Mind sharing please? :smile:

Also: if you can't read a European foreign language, what happens?

You do methodologies or a history option paper. Look at the link in the post above yours.
Reply 90
kookishowls
Hi, which college are you from? I'm doing hispol as well but haven't received any reading list. Mind sharing please? :smile:

Also: if you can't read a European foreign language, what happens?


Well, for my college, it was either a language paper or approaches to history (anthropology and sociology). Your choices will depend on your college, but in theory, if you do not do the language paper, you will possibly have to choose one from the approaches, historiography, quantification or optional papers, while in reality, you may not get all of them offered.

Your college will send you something to read after you have chosen your first year papers. If you feel worried, send your college an email and see what happens.
Reply 91
Hi,
I am concerned about the written work which has to be submitted if I want to study history at Oxford or Cambridge. I have written some essays over the past year in my history lessons at school, and I would submit two of those essays.

The problem is that none of my essays has gained a top mark - 20 points. The greatest essay I have has gained 17 points.


Does this ruin my prospects of impressing the tutors and contributing to my admission, if I submit an essay with 17 or 16 points??

I am so worried :frown:.
Reply 92
No they don't expect it to be perfect! They just want to see what your current work is like and what your teacher thinks about it (they usually want teacher comments I think). Tbh they may even think it is better than the teacher has said; marking essays is subjective and I doubt your teacher has been wholly accurate when trying to rush through a pile of classwork.

Also, remember that it is not the only part of your application! There are many other factors to take into account; GCSE, AS levels, predicted grades, personal statement, outside reading, teachers reference, admissions test, etc. Having one part of your application that is not quite perfect will not matter.
Reply 93
Don't worry about it being perfect - the one I submitted certainly wasn't. In fact I think one of the first questions I got asked it was what I would go back and change about my argument if I could, so they want to see not only how you argue but also how flexible you are in appreciating the strengths and weaknesses of your case, and how you reconcile new ideas with your existing interpretation.
AnitaB
Hi,
I am concerned about the written work which has to be submitted if I want to study history at Oxford or Cambridge. I have written some essays over the past year in my history lessons at school, and I would submit two of those essays.

The problem is that none of my essays has gained a top mark - 20 points. The greatest essay I have has gained 17 points.


Does this ruin my prospects of impressing the tutors and contributing to my admission, if I submit an essay with 17 or 16 points??

I am so worried :frown:.


What the others said :smile: I submitted an essay which had 26/30 written very clearly across the top and got an interview.
However I think they prefer A2 essays, so when you apply try to pick the most recent essay.
Anyway, the History Aptitude Test and your personal statement are what you should be worrying about most, if anything :smile:
Interview is always key. As long as you got nice set of predicted grades and GCSEs you'd be fine
Reply 96
When I applied to Cambridge this year for history I submitted 2 AS essays and 1 A2 essay, none of which got full marks (e.g. 27/30), I don't think they expect your essays to be perfect. In fact one of my essays was littered with careless mistakes and typos which was picked up on in my interview. However I still got an offer ( I was pooled but I'm pretty sure that was due to an awful second interview as opposed to essays), so don't worry!
However if you're really worried as others have said Oxford has the HAT which is probably more imporant than essays, friends who applied to Oxford for history only submitted one essay and weren't questioned on it in the interview.
Reply 97
phenix0930
Yep, but it happens later.

Also, could anyone tell me what happens with politics in my first term? It's not (yet) explained explicitly in any of my communications with the college whilest they simply set me chunks of books on 20th century history, which isn't even vaguely related to the topics of my first year papers: Theories of the State(if you indeed call that a politics paper and introduction to political institutions).



Sorry.. I do history not history and politics so I'm not sure how the course works. However, I think the historian and politics students at my college (LMH) did some kind of politics module (whilst historians did british history), a general history paper (like us) and theories of the state, which is an optional subject on the history course. Your foreign language paper will be a year long paper.. did you say you were doing general history in Michaelmas (your first term)? If so you will be studying general history and the language paper during your first term. As I said, only read for things you will be studying in the first term. You'll have plenty of time to read for your Hilary (2nd term) subject during the christmas holidays. I recommend that you email your tutor and ask him what you will be studying in Michaelmas, then you will know what to read for. And don't worry, remember you are going to be studying prelims in your first year, they don't count towards your degree.
phenix0930
Yep, but it happens later.



Thank you for this. Well, for my general paper, I've got basically a series consisting of three books, and another by a completely different author, so it's kinda either the trilogy or the other book.

Also, could anyone tell me what happens with politics in my first term? It's not (yet) explained explicitly in any of my communications with the college whilest they simply set me chunks of books on 20th century history, which isn't even vaguely related to the topics of my first year papers: Theories of the State(if you indeed call that a politics paper and introduction to political institutions).

:eek3:


HPol student here

Depends on the college, I did 2/3 of my politics paper in Michaelmas, some colleges do no politics tutorials at all in that time.
Reply 99
phenix0930
Thank you for this. Well, for my general paper, I've got basically a series consisting of three books, and another by a completely different author, so it's kinda either the trilogy or the other book.


Let me guess - Hobsbawm's "Age Of..." or Gildea's "Barricades and Borders"? I found both ridiculously dull, so at best I'd recommend reading some chapters of Gildea that look interesting and a national history of France, Germany (David Blackbourn is good, I hear) or Russia.

For your foreign texts paper, though, definitely read both in translation before you come, because a good knowledge of the text is much more important there.

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