[redflipflop]

(Original post by threeportdrift)
Yes it is possible, and it is common practice.

The only time an acceptance is firm is if a deposit is asked for. Even then, you can reject it later and lose your deposit.

As a courtesy to the university and other hopeful applicants, you should reject offers as soon as you are able. There is the chance that the offer can be made to another applicant if you make it early enough.

Thank you for your help, I'll accept the place and pray they don't ask for a deposit

[threeportdrift]

(Original post by redflipflop)
Thank you for your help, I'll accept the place and pray they don't ask for a deposit

If you are talking about Oxford, I don't think they ever ask for a deposit. Anyway, the request for a deposit usually comes with the offer, ie we are delighted to offer you a place...........to secure please send a deposit of £xxx

[janjanmmm]

(Original post by redflipflop)
Thank you for your help, I'll accept the place and pray they don't ask for a deposit

If they ask for deposit, it is not possible to accept without paying the deposit. In fact, both are done simultaneously - you accept the offer by paying the deposit. If you have an option to accept and deposit has not been requested, then there is no deposit.

[super-emily]

Deposits are usually asked for college accommodation, rather than from the actual university :-)

[janjanmmm]

(Original post by super-emily)
Deposits are usually asked for college accommodation, rather than from the actual university :-)

For certain programs (Finance related, mostly, sometimes Computer science) some unis ask for a deposit as an acceptance of the offer. It has nothing to do with accommodation. I was asked for a deposit of 1000 pounds by University of Bristol to acknowledge the acceptance of the offer for MSc Accounting, Finance and Management.

It is true that Oxbridge rarely asks for deposits, but I recall somebody mentioning the deposit they paid at Oxford and had to forfeit when they got a better offer from Cambridge.

[JeRmYnStReEt]

I was wondering if anyone could advise me on whether or not it would be worth applying for an Oxbridge postgraduate course next year.

My situation is essentially this: Until this year I was a fairly average student. I have average A-Levels (AAB) Average GCSEs (2A* 6A 3B) and I was very happy to find myself at Cardiff Law school. I bimbled along because I was on an army scholarship and knew I had a job. I really enjoyed my subjects but did struggle with some of the work because my technique just wasn't right. I spent hours revising but was revising the wrong material and as a result I sodded up my first year exams big time. I just achieved a 2:2 ( 50% bang on) including two 3rds ...awkward. Anyway in my second year everything started to click and my enthusiasm grew. I've managed some good first class marks and am on course to obtain a first in my second year of study. I've also had some of my work published in a legal journal.

Unfortunately I've got this ridiculous idea in my head of wanting to study an MPhil in real estate finance at Cambridge because the course looks right up my street. I have some very good referees and hopefully some good second year marks. I also have achieved excellent results in my military exams (will they care?!). Would it be worth applying with this profile or would it just be setting myself up for a very early rejection and a big disappointment?

The only reason I ask is because these questions always seem to be fact sensitive and I didn't know where else to look for advice.

Regards,

JS

[threeportdrift]

(Original post by JeRmYnStReEt)
............

What will the Army say to you taking another year to study something they aren't interested in?

If you turn your results around in the second year and get very good references than you stand a chance. Cambridge will probably set you are 67% or 1st academic condition, it's up to you whether you can get that or not.

[learnforever]

Hello,

I'm currently pursuing my law degree from India and I intend to apply for MPhil in DS this year. I've a 6.5/8 as my CGPA which would come around to an 82%. I've heard these colleges only look for candidates with first class degrees and that too at a very upper level. I'm genuinely worried, for I used to think that grades are just secondary to an application. I've considerable number of international publications as well as some internships to my name.

Do I have any chance and do you know anyone who has been admitted to Oxbridge with a percentage below 85?

[super-emily]

(Original post by learnforever)
Hello,

I'm currently pursuing my law degree from India and I intend to apply for MPhil in DS this year. I've a 6.5/8 as my CGPA which would come around to an 82%. I've heard these colleges only look for candidates with first class degrees and that too at a very upper level. I'm genuinely worried, for I used to think that grades are just secondary to an application. I've considerable number of international publications as well as some internships to my name.

Do I have any chance and do you know anyone who has been admitted to Oxbridge with a percentage below 85?

I don't know about your course, but here in the UK 70%+ is a First. I have an offer for a Masters at Oxford in Medieval Studies, and my offer is 66%. I guess contact the department and ask what their normal MPhil offer is :-)

[snapping turk]

Hullo.

I'm currently in my third year of an MMath and considering what to do with my life post-next-year.

I think I'd rather like to do a Phd; my primary interests are Topology and Geometry. I've been pootling around and can't really find anything to give me any ideas how competitive the MPhil at Oxford is.

Moreover, I have a couple of weak-ish module results: though I'm on track for an ~80% first at a good English university and likely to have some rather positive references.

Can anyone shed any light on how I'd potentially fare? Any anecdotal evidence would be great.

Thanks for your help!

[Meena373]

... with an undergrad degree in English Literature from Cambridge?
I'll be starting my undergrad in October, and obviously it depends on how well I do, but let us optimistically assume I get a first or a 2.1 is it possible to do a masters at Oxford or in an American Ivy League in a different field, such as history, international relations, law, finance, or archeology? And anything you would recommend to strenghten my application (in the case of internships or part time jobs, I would love specific recommendations!)
Thanks xx

[hobnob]

(Original post by Meena373)
... with an undergrad degree in English Literature from Cambridge?

Well, for the history MSt they state that they want 'a subject or subjects with substantial historical or other content relevant to the intended programme of study', and for politics and IR it's an 'undergraduate degree in Politics, International Relations or a related discipline'. So probably not. Other places might be a bit more lenient about what they consider related degrees, though.

[Meena373]

(Original post by hobnob)
Well, for the history MSt they state that they want 'a subject or subjects with substantial historical or other content relevant to the intended programme of study', and for politics and IR it's an 'undergraduate degree in Politics, International Relations or a related discipline'. So probably not. Other places might be a bit more lenient about what they consider related degrees, though.

Aw, too bad :/
Thanks for replying!

[Paroma]

I had a low second in my first year that I'm trying to correct in my second year exams. I'll probably end up with a middling to high second. Since I have to apply this year with just the marks from the first two years of college, can my GRE results balance out my grades?

How important is GRE versus academic performance?

I'm sorry if this has been discussed before. There's so much information around here it's hard to sort through. =)

[*Corinna*]

(Original post by Paroma)
I had a low second in my first year that I'm trying to correct in my second year exams. I'll probably end up with a middling to high second. Since I have to apply this year with just the marks from the first two years of college, can my GRE results balance out my grades?

How important is GRE versus academic performance?

I'm sorry if this has been discussed before. There's so much information around here it's hard to sort through. =)

UK universities don't ask for GRE (unless you are doing a course that's the exception to the rule?) so generally I would expect that they don't matter at all. If I were you I'd give it a try this year and if it doesn't work out you can reapply degree in hand, hopefully with a good final mark, and hope to get in then.

[Paroma]

(Original post by *Corinna*)
UK universities don't ask for GRE (unless you are doing a course that's the exception to the rule?) so generally I would expect that they don't matter at all. If I were you I'd give it a try this year and if it doesn't work out you can reapply degree in hand, hopefully with a good final mark, and hope to get in then.

Since I'm an international student both GRE and TOEFL/IELTS are necessary when applying no matter the subject. But I see what you mean, they are probably just secondary to the academic history.
Thanks.

[sj27]

(Original post by Paroma)
Since I'm an international student both GRE and TOEFL/IELTS are necessary when applying no matter the subject. But I see what you mean, they are probably just secondary to the academic history.
Thanks.

Where do you get the idea that you have to do GRE no matter what the subject? That's not true.

[*Corinna*]

(Original post by Paroma)
Since I'm an international student both GRE and TOEFL/IELTS are necessary when applying no matter the subject. But I see what you mean, they are probably just secondary to the academic history.
Thanks.

Again, I don't know about your subject, but this is not true for all international students. I distinctly remember having a conversation with an international friend of mine saying they only applied to the UK to avoid GRE.

[janjanmmm]

(Original post by Paroma)
Since I'm an international student both GRE and TOEFL/IELTS are necessary when applying no matter the subject. But I see what you mean, they are probably just secondary to the academic history.
Thanks.

As an international student who was just accepted into Oxford I can tell you that previous posters are correct and what you saying is not true.

The only subjects that require GRE are Economics, Finance and related, where you have significant quantitative component. For most programmes GRE is not required.
TOEFL is required, but only if you got your degree from an institution where English is not the primary language of instruction. For example, if you went into the University in England or in the US, you do not need to submit TOEFL either, even if English is not your native language. (English is not my native language, but I did not have to submit TOEFL because I got my degree from the university in the US)

[Paroma]

(Original post by janjanmmm)
As an international student who was just accepted into Oxford I can tell you that previous posters are correct and what you saying is not true.

The only subjects that require GRE are Economics, Finance and related, where you have significant quantitative component. For most programmes GRE is not required.

Alright, I didn't know that. I assumed they were required for all post grad courses. My subject of study right now is Economics, but I might choose to pursue English or History for my masters.
Again, thanks.