Reapplying to Oxford

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  1. aftrglw's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Posts: 182
    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by Az_016)
    Won't it be frowned upon though because they expect a candidate to be passionate for the subject they apply for and applying for a different subject doesn't quite show that
    Admissions officers are people too... they're not completely heartless.
  2. _becca's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by bigfishlittlefish9)
    x

    (Original post by Oromis263)
    x

    (Original post by Oromis263)
    x

    (Original post by Az_016)
    x

    Yay I didn't realise there was an actual thread for us reapplicants! I was rejected from Hugh's for English last year, applying to Oriel this year.

    What are you guys planning to do differently/the same when applying/at interview? and how are you all spending the gap year?
  3. KingMessi's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by _becca)
    Yay I didn't realise there was an actual thread for us reapplicants! I was rejected from Hugh's for English last year, applying to Oriel this year.

    What are you guys planning to do differently/the same when applying/at interview? and how are you all spending the gap year?
    Just to let you know that I got in after reapplication this year, so do PM me/ask here if you have any queries...
  4. Az_016's Avatar
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    • Posts: 221
    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by KingMessi)
    Just to let you know that I got in after reapplication this year, so do PM me/ask here if you have any queries...

    What did you apply for and what did you do during the gap year?
  5. illuminable's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    Hello to all,
    I applied to Psychology and Philosophy at Ox for 2012 entry, and was rejected after interview. I now hold a firm offer at UCL for psychology. I now plan to start the year at UCL and reapply to Ox.
    Ox is my dream uni, but UCL's psychology is good enough( some say better). Others suggest that I apply to Ox for post-grad. I think I'll just give it a try since there's nothing to lose (hopefully).
    I now have quite a lot of questions about how exactly to do this, has anyone here had successful experience? PLEASE HELP!
  6. communiKate's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    I posted on this thread months ago when I first found out about my rejection...

    I've now firmed Durham- which to my mind is next best to Oxford. I do still love Oxford but I wouldn't turn down the opportunity at Durham.

    However, after reading some posts, it seems that people have applied to Oxford whilst starting a degree at another Uni. Therefore, if you don't get in again you've still got a place somewhere else- nothing to lose in reapplying.
    I didn't realise this was possible! Wouldn't Oxford mind if you've already started somewhere else? It seems a bit odd- especially if that somewhere else is meant to be really good (i.e. Durham :P).
  7. _becca's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by communiKate)
    I posted on this thread months ago when I first found out about my rejection...

    I've now firmed Durham- which to my mind is next best to Oxford. I do still love Oxford but I wouldn't turn down the opportunity at Durham.

    However, after reading some posts, it seems that people have applied to Oxford whilst starting a degree at another Uni. Therefore, if you don't get in again you've still got a place somewhere else- nothing to lose in reapplying.
    I didn't realise this was possible! Wouldn't Oxford mind if you've already started somewhere else? It seems a bit odd- especially if that somewhere else is meant to be really good (i.e. Durham :P).

    I've talked to a few Ox tutors about this over the past few months and they did all say that they would rather you didn't apply whilst at another uni, but it was all for reasons like are you getting the most out of that course, allegiance to that uni, are you committed.

    So I think you could, but there's a natural tendency from tutors to initially think "that's not very committed of them" - but if you think about it logically it's no worse than taking a gap year.
  8. economist_lwrm's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by KingMessi)
    Just to let you know that I got in after reapplication this year, so do PM me/ask here if you have any queries...
    Hi, could I speak to you about how you reapplied and the process...did you take a gap year etc? What is your email? Thanks.
  9. Birkenhead's Avatar
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    Re: I'm Reapplying...advice please?
    (Original post by madelinehaze)
    I don't understand...why not? Like I shouldn't apply for oxford again...?
    Don't listen to this. If you are keen on Oxford and have good grades etc then I would advise that you ask for feedback from your college, definitely, but when you re-apply it would probably be a good idea to choose a new college as apparently there may be some disadvantage when applying to the same college. But by all means re-apply to the university. Good luck!
  10. KingMessi's Avatar
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    • Location: London
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by economist_lwrm)
    Hi, could I speak to you about how you reapplied and the process...did you take a gap year etc? What is your email? Thanks.
    I am in the process of replying now.
  11. BJack's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by KingMessi)
    I am in the process of replying now.
    More than once, I misread that as "the process of reapplying". :doh:
  12. KingMessi's Avatar
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    • Location: London
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by BJack)
    More than once, I misread that as "the process of reapplying". :doh:
    Thankfully, no. Reapplying once was quite sufficient.
  13. J_Ballesteros's Avatar
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    • Location: Sydney
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by BJack)
    You should accept the Durham offer and hold on to it for the time being. They're not going to blacklist you for deciding to have a gap year at the last minute and it will allow you some flexibility should you have a change of heart between now and August.

    If reapplicants do have a higher success rate, that says more about who's likely to reapply than the university's stance on reapplicants.

    If you can identify particular aspects of your previous application that let you down, which you think can be fixed, then it could certainly be worth reapplying. Don't worry too much about next year's interviews for the time being: your gap year plans aren't going to be of interest to the tutors; they're going to be assessing you as they assessed you last time (albeit with higher expectations for your extra year) and they're unlikely to know & care that you're a reapplicant.


    Hey thanks for your post.

    I'm really interested in what you said at the end.

    I am re-applying to Oxford this year (to start 2014) to read PPE. A main concern I have is how to handle the fact that I'm a re-applicant... Getting to the interview, will they know I am a re-applicant?

    My plan at the moment is to be open and honest about the fact that I'm re-applying. Owning this, and what I choose to do with my gap year, I believe will be the most powerful way to deal with things. What are your thoughts?
  14. astro67's Avatar
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    Re: Reapplying to Oxford
    (Original post by J_Ballesteros)
    [/B]

    Hey thanks for your post.

    I'm really interested in what you said at the end.

    I am re-applying to Oxford this year (to start 2014) to read PPE. A main concern I have is how to handle the fact that I'm a re-applicant... Getting to the interview, will they know I am a re-applicant?

    My plan at the moment is to be open and honest about the fact that I'm re-applying. Owning this, and what I choose to do with my gap year, I believe will be the most powerful way to deal with things. What are your thoughts?
    Whilst I'm sure you're right that being open about the situation would be the best approach and that might reasonably appear in your personal statement since it evidences your motivation for the course, I think it's unlikely that the issue would be raised at interview and quite possible that whoever assesses it won't check whether you applied previously - it doesn't matter to the assessors in the current year how you compared with last year's field a year ago. What will matter is how you compare at the time of application with the field against which you're being compared then.
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