Oxford re-application

Thanks for the reply. Do you feel that's because for most people who apply, they won't have finished all of their maths modules yet and it gives them an advantage? Or because they've had an extra year to "develop" as mathematicians and realise that it's not all about being spoon-fed as with A-Levels? I'd actually completed both maths and further maths when I'd taken the MAT (sorry if I'm being repetitive), but the thing that has helped me most is definitely getting used to STEP style questions.

Also, to what extent would the improvement be expected in your opinion taking the average score of successful applicants to be around 70%?

Personally I do feel it's quite fair for me to be judged harder than the other candidates, considerig I have had that extra year - although I'm only 17 atm. I actually emailed the college who I applied to last year, and they say that they do judge every candidate the same way. I guess it just comes down to whether or not the like/think they can teach you at the end of the day...

Thanks for the reply. I have a few questions if you don't mind answering them. First off did you reapply to a different college, and did the college you applied to second time round know that you were a re-applicant, therefore allowing you to be judged more harshly than others? Or do you think they just treated you as a normal candidate albeit on a gap year? Also, did they raise any questions/queries about your gap year and what you were doing on it? Out of interest, what did you do in order to keep your maths abilities up to scratch? I presume that you would have had to put things similar to this on your PS. Finally did you do anything different to prepare for the second time round? You say you didn't feel more confident, was it just down to doing better on the interviews on the day do you think? Thanks again!

I have a question too!

I am reapplying, after failing at MAT and not wanting to go to UCL or Imperial! I might have sent a few mails to my college's maths coordinator, asking a lot of things... Would this go against me?

I also sent a mail to the Head Of Mathematics basically asking for a place after they rejected me...

So ya... They will remember me... I am reapplying cause Oxford is amazing and my A level results were amazing and they should recognize it! I am paractising for the MAT by doing MAT papers and BMO and STEP I, II and III

Any other ideas?

Sending them emails won't prejudice your application, don't stress on that front. It's always recommended you reapply to a different college though.

Not sure what you've got against UCL or Imperial, though; they're both fantastic unis. Oxford really isn't the be-all and end-all - plenty of applicants are good enough to get in and don't. Best of luck though.

okay i'm consdering applying to oxford after RESITTING some further maths (A2) modules (...i got a B in FM). if i do well in the MAT...do i have any chance? (I got A*A*BB; A*s in maths and econ, Bs in FM and physics)

You'd be pushing it in my opinion, you'd have to do very very well in the MAT... it's not like they srtruggle to find enough people who make their offer the first time round

Oh okay... I called the admissions line earlier this week and they told me they treat all applications equally - incluiding resit applicants! i really don't know how much of that is true. although i have been told by a lot of people to not bother applying to oxford... (i've heard warwick also tends to give out offers to resit applicants, but theirs involve a grade in STEP)

Yeah...well I suppose it's worth applying to Oxford, if you were to get rejected it would only be one of 5 choices, and yes, Warwick will probably give you an offer-definitely involving STEP.

Oh okay... I called the admissions line earlier this week and they told me they treat all applications equally - incluiding resit applicants! i really don't know how much of that is true. although i have been told by a lot of people to not bother applying to oxford... (i've heard warwick also tends to give out offers to resit applicants, but theirs involve a grade in STEP)

yeah... i'm just trying to find out which colleges (if any) have a greater leniency towards 'resit' applicants. i suppose with oxford it doesn't matter anyway, i'll always get interviewed by 2 different ones.

problem with warwick is, i think they ask for step II or III for resit applicants. bastards

I am a reapplying student and I got A*A*B with B in chemistry and A* in maths...
I emailed the colleges and they said it will put you in a disadvantage BUT (Litreally wrote it in capitals in the email) if you score good on the MAT and interviews there is no reason why not..

=]

Not true. Warwick gave me an offer of STEP and when I contacted them they said "STEP" again so doesn't mean II or III I personally find II easier than I anyway?!