Oxbridge FAQ!

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mobbdeeprob

Thank you for your comments. On this forum I have encountered a reasonable number of instances where people have applied for multiple courses at the LSE and have been made made offers for more than one course. I'm not trying to disregard what you are saying (as I appreciate that you have a decent understanding of the system), but I just would like to know how admissions tutors view such applications at Oxford.

History and Politics students seem to be thin on the ground, both on UKL and the Waveflex profile database. Are there any on UKL that you can name? Or alternatively, what impression do you get of them at Oxford - do they enjoy the subject/have a large workload/have much freedom in what they can explore?

I'm very confident that you can't apply for two courses; however, if you want to check, you can ring up or email the admissions office, or the college you wish to apply to, and ask.

I'm not yet at Oxford, so I'll answer what I can. I hold an offer for History & Economics, and I think the flexibility of the history joint schools is a tremendous strength. Check out the History and Politics website, I believe you will be pleasently surprised by the degree of control you have over not only which topics you study, but how you study them.

Reply 241

RxB

H&E

I'm very confident that you can't apply for two courses; however, if you want to check, you can ring up or email the admissions office, or the college you wish to apply to, and ask.

Someone asked this at an open day I went on - you absolutely can't.

Reply 242

Mysticmin

RxB

Someone asked this at an open day I went on - you absolutely can't.

I bet you can't, because that would be having two shots at oxford, having six days worth of interviews! Plus it'd make the tutors question your dedication to that subject.

Reply 243

BazTheMoney

I believe it's possible (somehow) to apply to two different college, though you're committing academic suicide by doing it. So it may be possible to apply to two differnt courses; I wouldn't advice anyone to do it though; unless you liked the felling of rejection. There certainly isn't any statute against it; from what I've read anyway.

Reply 244

teamvillage

BazTheMoney

With the "blind application process" (ie one uni can't see your other choices), if you applied for 2 different subjects at two different colleges (with two oxbridge forms) would they actually notice?

Reply 245

Willa

well you cant apply to both oxford and cambridge unless it's an organ scholarship - UCAS just wont let you, so there's that out the way.

As far as applying to different colleges at the same uni, i think it's do-able under a technicality, but unlikely because your details are sent to the uni admissions office and thus they can keep a track of where people are applying. So i'd so it's not possible to apply to two colleges. Why would you want to anyway!? There's only ever one college for every person, that's the way of the world

Reply 246

Voldy

Oxford and Cambridge will most certainly tell you that you can't apply to both universities or to multiple colleges/courses at the same university (bar the organ scholars). However I don't think there's actually any explicit rule in UCAS that prevents you from applying to more than one course at say Oxford University. Now, Oxford get a tremendous amount of applications each year, they're not expecting people to apply for multiple courses and they are rushed, so whats to say if you did apply for two courses at two Oxford colleges that they simply wouldn't notice. Can't say I was willing to risk it for my application, but the thought did cross my mind. I really don't think they'd put in the effort to make sure everybody who did apply did only apply once, there'd still be the obvious personal statement problems if you applied for two courses and you'd need to send off two Oxford application forms, but they're bound to have people with the same name applying so they could make a mistake that way, or they may not even check.

I've rambled a bit, its still way too early for me, but I think I've made my point :tongue:

Reply 247

idiopathic

why is oxbridge that special

Reply 248

Willa

_Devour_You

why is oxbridge that special

Well that's a personal question. To some people, it's their age and how pretigious they are. It might be their tradition, the architecture, the learning methods (Supervisions are a key part of the Oxbridge method!). Or it might simply be that they are the two best universities in the country.

You can pick whatever reason you want to consider them special. If non of the above matters to you, then oxbridge ISNT special to you! Simple as that!

Reply 249

idiopathic

but like why is it special enough to have a the earlier deadline of 15th Oct (btw who decides this deadline, UCAS or unis themselves)

Reply 250

RxB

_Devour_You

but like why is it special enough to have a the earlier deadline of 15th Oct (btw who decides this deadline, UCAS or unis themselves)

So they can do all the interviews simultaneously, having sorted out written work, etc...

Reply 251

Willa

the deadline is present because ALL applicants must be interviewed. This deadline is set by UCAS I believe, but in agreement with the universities.

The deadline is the same for Medical and I believe Law students as well. It's all because these subjects/universities demand tests to be taken and interviews to be arranged as well. That is why they are "special".

Although one thing I am a little uneasy about is why you can't apply to both. However I would guess that this would be because it would make it hard to arrange interviews at both universities over the same 1 month period they both interview during.....or maybe it's because they dont want people to be seen to be definitively deciding between one or the other if they happen to get an offer from both!

Reply 252

visesh

Willa

They might also not want to give an offer to someone rejected from the other. Cambridge don't want Oxon rejects for example. This sort of issue is common for a subject like VetSci at other unis as there are only six or so institutions which offer VetSci. If one university rejects you, the liklihood is that the other universities would reject you too.

Reply 253

Minta

visesh

Except that UCAS operates an invisibility policy which means each uni can only see the course you've applied to at that institution and thus doesn't know where else you've applied

Reply 254

visesh

Minta

Except that UCAS operates an invisibility policy which means each uni can only see the course you've applied to at that institution and thus doesn't know where else you've applied

Apparently the invisibitly doesn't exist for very long in the process. I am probably wrong, but that is a rumour that I have come across.

Reply 255

Jack Schitt

it can't be hard for unis to traded info if they wanted; although a bit risky.

Reply 256

Minta

visesh

Apparently the invisibitly doesn't exist for very long in the process. I am probably wrong, but that is a rumour that I have come across.

What would be the point of having any kind of invisibility in the first place if it was rapidly removed?! Logically, it would remain in place either until applicants had specified their firm and insurance chices, or until after the A level results came out. Pencil Queen said which it was a while back, though I can't recall at the moment.

Reply 257

stephx

does it make a difference as to how close to the deadline you post your application?

ie, do they record the date they recieved your application and take this into account as something that shows how organised you are?

i want to send mine as late as possible. will this make me look lazy and disorganised compared to those who sent it on the first of september? :confused:

Reply 258

Minta

stephx

We might live in something approaching a police state, but things aren't quite that bad yet! However, I would advise you to reconsider, as you could miss out on some offers if you wait until the deadline to send your application in

Reply 259

visesh

Minta

PQ recently posted that the universities only get the application post-deadline and that non oxbridge unis get the offers sent in 4 different batches. "Sending your application off too early might put you nearer the bottom of the pile than near the top." I guess that cambridge accept applications (just the CAFs) as early as july to allow people to get the paper work out of the way.