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Canadian student applying to U.K.

Hi guys,

I'm applying to Oxford Biological sciences. I'm applying to other med schools but have no confidence in me to try for 10 spots at Oxford against those Olympiad winners.

I have a few questions, really important to me

1.I just took ACT 3 days ago, confident on 33 or 34 or 35, but in the case of it being 33/34 i'm retaking it in October for not only U.K. but also for U.S. If i take it in October my score doesn't come out till early November, how do I report this score? Do I put it as pending and send them an email saying I'll report my newest ACT score in early November ASAP so please hold off your decision till then? I'm sure SOME Oxford applicants didn't have their SAT's done until senior year. SAT's don't start till October so I was wondering how you guys who took SAT for the first time in October(or good SAT score) handled it... I'm sure Oxford isn't mean and be like F U to all who haven't gotten 2200+ before Senior year started?

2.I'm also taking more SAT II's...Two being Biology and Physics, in October and November...Without these, I might actually don't have enough 700+ or 5 on AP's to make up the 3(I don't know what these "appropriate subjects" are for biological sciences..they don't mention it LOL). Thus I need these, but would they consider me without these and wait for my scores or be like "oh this x doesn't have even 3 things we require, even though he's taking it in 2 days we cut him off right away, even though we can wait for his scores to come, rejected biatch!"

3.Also one more question is do i need to report EVERY SINGLE SCORE? LIke how would they know if i took a test or not... I have some AP scores that are sketchy dont wanna report them.. should i anyway?

So really my main question is would they consider my updated scores at all if I request them to(and I put them as pending on my UCAS page)? I really want a response form a person who didn't have any SAT score(or insufficient AP or SAT II tests) up till October of grade 12 year and had to submit as "pending" for UCAS and then updated university with the score...

Thanks a bunch!
(edited 9 years ago)
Hi there,

It's a common misconception from North American students that we require the grades listed at http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/international-students/international-qualifications prior to you applying (because this is how North American universities work). For UK universities, including Oxford, those grades listed (e.g. 32 out of 36 on the ACT, grade 5 in three APTs) will form a conditional offer - that is, if you are made an offer, we need you to have achieved those grades by the summer before you start the course. So, if you were applying this October to start at Oxford in October 2015, you would need to achieve those grades by Summer 2015. Hope that's clear.
Reply 2
Are you applying to other medical schools in the UK? I am asking because I've heard Oxford's biology tutors say more than once that they will automatically reject applications with a personal statement aimed at medicine. I don't know if they are as strict for Biomed, but you might want to look into it to avoid possible disappointment.
Reply 3
Original post by ATCG
Are you applying to other medical schools in the UK? I am asking because I've heard Oxford's biology tutors say more than once that they will automatically reject applications with a personal statement aimed at medicine. I don't know if they are as strict for Biomed, but you might want to look into it to avoid possible disappointment.


What the? Seriously? Where did you see this? That's actually such a critical information! My essay doesn't specifically aim for medicine but it has elements that show that it kind of is...:frown:
Reply 4
Original post by OxfordMathsDept
Hi there,

It's a common misconception from North American students that we require the grades listed at http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/international-students/international-qualifications prior to you applying (because this is how North American universities work). For UK universities, including Oxford, those grades listed (e.g. 32 out of 36 on the ACT, grade 5 in three APTs) will form a conditional offer - that is, if you are made an offer, we need you to have achieved those grades by the summer before you start the course. So, if you were applying this October to start at Oxford in October 2015, you would need to achieve those grades by Summer 2015. Hope that's clear.


Ok, thank you very much!
Original post by ssd0904
What the? Seriously? Where did you see this? That's actually such a critical information! My essay doesn't specifically aim for medicine but it has elements that show that it kind of is...:frown:

If you are applying for medicine with a statement that is not totally and exclusively focused on medicine, your chances of being accepted are zero.
Reply 6
What I'm saying is what I wrote are all aimed towards medicine but as you know many elements can be shared with biology. For example my experience involves taking Genetics(2nd year course) at local college as a grade 11 student and also learning about stem cells in a conference with profs. talking about practicality and ethics behind stem cell research. In my opinion since stem cell research has basically unlimited potential for curing humans and other things like biologically engineered meat, it'd work both for biology and medicine.
Original post by ssd0904
What I'm saying is what I wrote are all aimed towards medicine but as you know many elements can be shared with biology. For example my experience involves taking Genetics(2nd year course) at local college as a grade 11 student and also learning about stem cells in a conference with profs. talking about practicality and ethics behind stem cell research. In my opinion since stem cell research has basically unlimited potential for curing humans and other things like biologically engineered meat, it'd work both for biology and medicine.

I'm afraid that's not how it works in the UK. Your ps must be about studying medicine and that's it. I suggest you have a look in the medicine forum, where you will find all this information and more to help you jump over the hurdles you aren't aware of.
Reply 8
Original post by Carnationlilyrose
I'm afraid that's not how it works in the UK. Your ps must be about studying medicine and that's it. I suggest you have a look in the medicine forum, where you will find all this information and more to help you jump over the hurdles you aren't aware of.


k now shi* got just really complicateed, major decision time. Thanks so much for notifying me of this info, a life saver! I would have wondered why i didnt get an interview from oxford and having no idea why i got rejected from all medical schools at the same time, LOL
Original post by ssd0904
k now shi* got just really complicateed, major decision time. Thanks so much for notifying me of this info, a life saver! I would have wondered why i didnt get an interview from oxford and having no idea why i got rejected from all medical schools at the same time, LOL

Applying for medicine is a very complicated game over here and the medicine forum not only has lots of past threads to look at, but it also has a lot of active medical students who can guide you through the maze. You can only apply for 4 out of 5 of your choices as medicine and the last one has to be either blank or something else. You have to take a chance on the fifth course understanding the deal over here and not worrying too much about it being a medicine ps. Because most applicants go for the obvious alternatives like pharmacy or biomedical sciences, universities are well used to it, but you need to know that this is how it's done or you will have no chance anywhere.

Start with the stickies on here:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=195
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 10
Original post by Carnationlilyrose
Applying for medicine is a very complicated game over here and the medicine forum not only has lots of past threads to look at, but it also has a lot of active medical students who can guide you through the maze. You can only apply for 4 out of 5 of your choices as medicine and the last one has to be either blank or something else. You have to take a chance on the fifth course understanding the deal over here and not worrying too much about it being a medicine ps. Because most applicants go for the obvious alternatives like pharmacy or biomedical sciences, universities are well used to it, but you need to know that this is how it's done or you will have no chance anywhere.

Start with the stickies on here:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=195


I see. I understand and I just need to know if oxford is going to auto-deny me for my medicine personal statement. If not i'll fix my PS to be completely aimed at medicine, not that hard at this point. Thanks a bunch and i'll research and ask away!
Original post by ssd0904
I see. I understand and I just need to know if oxford is going to auto-deny me for my medicine personal statement. If not i'll fix my PS to be completely aimed at medicine, not that hard at this point. Thanks a bunch and i'll research and ask away!

Any hint of not targeting the right course in the right way at Oxford will filter you out. Oxford isn't keen on being used as a back up! Good luck.:smile:
Reply 12
Original post by ssd0904
What the? Seriously? Where did you see this? That's actually such a critical information! My essay doesn't specifically aim for medicine but it has elements that show that it kind of is...:frown:


This was mentioned in person by more than one tutor at the open days.

They also talk about this in one of the admissions podcasts here (number 13, the very last one with chem, biochem and bio tutors. Somewhere towards the end, past the 40 mins mark or so)
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/itunes-u/undergraduate-admissions-podoxford/id649331657?mt=10
Reply 13
Original post by ATCG
This was mentioned in person by more than one tutor at the open days.

They also talk about this in one of the admissions podcasts here (number 13, the very last one with chem, biochem and bio tutors. Somewhere towards the end, past the 40 mins mark or so)
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/itunes-u/undergraduate-admissions-podoxford/id649331657?mt=10


Oh god. I see. Your statement was confirmed by many people on different forums(just some colleges, like Oxford/St.Paul's or something like that), but other colleges(like UCL) don't really care and will still give you an offer based on your grades.

So I emailed Oxford if they will let me submit an additional PS. And if they say yes, AWESOME, if they say no, i'll edit my PS to biological sciences and give up on medicine. Quiet frankly I honestly don't even know if my parents have $30,000 x 6 + livings costs to support me so...For me Oxford is more important.

Thanks a bunch and you truly saved my life!!! I could have gotten denied from all 5 choices easily.
Original post by ssd0904
For me Oxford is more important.


Well that's not going to do you much good.

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