The Student Room Group

Extenuating circumstances

So I've always wanted to apply to Oxford, since I was a little girl. However, I've just finished my AS exams but I've had a rough couple of years.

I've struggled with an eating disorder and self harm, as well as an attempted suicide in early 2015, and I feel that this has really had an impact on my IGCSE grades (A*A*A*AAABBC) and AS levels. I've been recovering recently and I'm confident I can score good grades next year.

I'm generally a good student; debate club president, regular achievement certificates for highest grades in my Geography/English class, and well liked by my current teachers. I also take music lessons outside of school.

My only problem is AS level Physics; I had to leave school for a while in January because of these extenuating circumstances, and found it really difficult to catch up, especially considering the course itself is rather hard.

Also, I'm planning on completing 2 BA degrees. One in Economics at Georgetown University, and then applying for Oxford for PPE.

My question is; do I still have a chance of getting in? If I show some upward progression. At A level, maintain a high GPA, get a good score on the entrance exam and good extracurricular activities throughout university and year 13, can I still get into Oxford for PPE?

Thank you in advance, sorry for the long post xx
Reply 1
Original post by ameena_al

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Also, I'm planning on completing 2 BA degrees. One in Economics at Georgetown University, and then applying for Oxford for PPE.
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If you're planning to study for a BA in Economics before you apply to Oxford, it won't matter terribly much what IGCSE and AS grades you got before you went to University. I think you might be at a disadvantage applying for PPE whilst already holding a degree from an excellent University in one of the main disciplines (and, given the breadth of American degrees, with probably some university level courses in Politics and Philosophy behind you as well) - an admissions tutor might reasonably ask what the benefit would be in admitting someone to go over old ground when they could instead admit someone who would have more to learn and to gain from the experience of studying PPE at Oxford.
Original post by astro67
If you're planning to study for a BA in Economics before you apply to Oxford, it won't matter terribly much what IGCSE and AS grades you got before you went to University. I think you might be at a disadvantage applying for PPE whilst already holding a degree from an excellent University in one of the main disciplines (and, given the breadth of American degrees, with probably some university level courses in Politics and Philosophy behind you as well) - an admissions tutor might reasonably ask what the benefit would be in admitting someone to go over old ground when they could instead admit someone who would have more to learn and to gain from the experience of studying PPE at Oxford.


This.
Not sure why you want to do two BA to be honest. Seems like a massive waste of time and money, and as others have said above, admissions tutors will no doubt be thinking the same thing.

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