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University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford

Oxford Graduate Application 2012/13

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Original post by pinkpenguin
I'm indecisive as to actually life decisions at the moment!

It's a toss up betwee the MSc in Social Anthropology and the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy....

Current PPE student at Oxford, so I don't know whether to embrace my International Relations side or not!

Same here, life decisions: work or study?

By the way I know quite a lot about Global Governance and Diplomacy: applied there last year and got in, know two students who are on the programme, met one of the lecturers on the programme only 2 weeks ago and spoke a lot about the programme, if you want any information from an insider's point of view I may be able to help... anything you haven't found out by yourself already being in Oxford, that is.
University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford
Original post by TheSocialScientist
Same here, life decisions: work or study?


Indeed. But as I don't have anything lined up for the latter just yet it's leaning towards the easy (albeit expensive!) option!

I can't decide whether I'm more interested in the academic side of Anthropology or IR.

I'm super interested in the global influence of sport, which is something that's applicable to both degrees - either the concept of sport as an identity label, or sport as a purveyor of social norms/a diplomacy tool.

By the way I know quite a lot about Global Governance and Diplomacy: applied there last year and got in, know two students who are on the programme, met one of the lecturers on the programme only 2 weeks ago and spoke a lot about the programme, if you want any information from an insider's point of view I may be able to help... anything you haven't found out by yourself already being in Oxford, that is.


Ooh very interesting. Did you not take up your place?

It looks pretty awesome, not gonna lie.
Original post by pinkpenguin
Indeed. But as I don't have anything lined up for the latter just yet it's leaning towards the easy (albeit expensive!) option!

I can't decide whether I'm more interested in the academic side of Anthropology or IR.

I'm super interested in the global influence of sport, which is something that's applicable to both degrees - either the concept of sport as an identity label, or sport as a purveyor of social norms/a diplomacy tool.



Ooh very interesting. Did you not take up your place?

It looks pretty awesome, not gonna lie.

That's a pretty singular and interesting research area you've got there, it should get you far. My tutor here at LSE does research on global commons (Antarctica for instance) and the OUTER SPACE. Virtually nobody does research on the politics of the outer space in the UK, unless you study at the Starfleet Academy but that's Star Trek. My point is that a (nearly) unique research area can get you very far.

As for GGD yes, it's pretty awesome, I've heard only good things about it, even from an LSE lecturer whose friend teaches there and says it's a very solid programme. I chose LSE anyway for the simple fact that it's a slightly better place to study Global Politics and it costed only £1,000 more. I don't regret my choice - the programme is very engaging - but GGD is a fantastic programme, well-organized and with many good lecturers there, though not quite as good as the ones on the programme at LSE to be honest. Still, a big part of me regrets not going to Oxford, but I may do my MSc (Research) and DPhil there so who knows?
Guys, how long does it take before you get your college letter? I've been accepted and would like to know how long before a college will contact me.
Original post by pinkpenguin


It looks pretty awesome, not gonna lie.

Oh I had forgotten, you probably already know it but I was told in these very same words that even Oxford undergrads who apply to GGD and don't have a 1st (or a predicted one) usually don't make it. The cut-off level is extremely high, no matter where you come from they want students with a 1st. I don't know how flexible this policy is, and once you get in their offer is probably going to be a 67/68% only, but as far as predictions go that's what I was told they're looking for, no less. Good luck!
Original post by TheSocialScientist
Oh I had forgotten, you probably already know it but I was told in these very same words that even Oxford undergrads who apply to GGD and don't have a 1st (or a predicted one) usually don't make it. The cut-off level is extremely high, no matter where you come from they want students with a 1st. I don't know how flexible this policy is, and once you get in their offer is probably going to be a 67/68% only, but as far as predictions go that's what I was told they're looking for, no less. Good luck!


Okay thanks for that. The cut off for a 1st for PPE is only 67.5% anyways, and hopefully I should hit that... so I'll put down a predicted 1st and see how we go. I assume if I get an offer, they'll give me one conditional of hitting a certain percentage/getting a first anyways.

The irritating thing about being an Oxford undergrad is that we do literally nothing towards our final grade until our finals in summer of 3rd year. Meaning I have literally no transcript to speak of.

We do University exams at the end of first year, but they don't mean a lot, and there is no correlation between achievement at prelims in 1st year and achievement in finals of 3rd year...

So I have nothing but references to prove I could hit a first. Grr.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 386
I had my phone interview(international applicant) on 7th. during the interview they said i would be notified of the decision with in a week. Later they emailed me asking to send them some more documents (thesis) . since then no news yet. i sent an email on 20th asking about the result but no response yet which is quite surprising and scary considering their prompt reply until the interview. Don know what to do.....in a deep stress at the moment...:frown:
Reply 387
Original post by neuro11
Don know what to do.....in a deep stress at the moment...:frown:

Almost the same boat. :smile:

An admissions tutor replied my email on 10th, "we were impressed with your application and you should be hearing from us soon."

I'm glad they were impressed, but I don't know what to expect. Maybe I shouldn't expect anything, so I won't be disappointed lol.
Original post by cyclops
Almost the same boat. :smile:

An admissions tutor replied my email on 10th, "we were impressed with your application and you should be hearing from us soon."

I'm glad they were impressed, but I don't know what to expect. Maybe I shouldn't expect anything, so I won't be disappointed lol.



ahahaha you just reminded me now that when they sent us our offer letters they were all signed with "we have been most impressed with your excellent academic record... -stuff about looking forward to having you etc etc-"
I don't think they really are impressed tbh...I would be surprised if an undergraduate/masters application managed to impress a famous academic.
Original post by pinkpenguin
Okay thanks for that. The cut off for a 1st for PPE is only 67.5% anyways, and hopefully I should hit that... so I'll put down a predicted 1st and see how we go. I assume if I get an offer, they'll give me one conditional of hitting a certain percentage/getting a first anyways.

The irritating thing about being an Oxford undergrad is that we do literally nothing towards our final grade until our finals in summer of 3rd year. Meaning I have literally no transcript to speak of.

We do University exams at the end of first year, but they don't mean a lot, and there is no correlation between achievement at prelims in 1st year and achievement in finals of 3rd year...

So I have nothing but references to prove I could hit a first. Grr.

Yeah I know, the dreadful FINALS... by the way, I would say that you're in unless they write something horrible on your recs. PPE at Oxford with a predicted First is just great, they took me with the same marks from an unknown Italian university, let alone you :smile:
Reply 390
Just received an email from my department with a conditional offer! Applied back in early October and heard back via email on the 20th. My program is MSc Environmental Change and Management. Just thought I would post in case any one is wondering about when they might hear back.
Reply 391
Original post by Xristina
I would be surprised if an undergraduate/masters application managed to impress a famous academic.


I have already won quite a number of prestigious awards and scholarships. I can easily impress people (and disappoint them later) lol.
Reply 392
Original post by Todd1222
Just received an email from my department with a conditional offer! Applied back in early October and heard back via email on the 20th. My program is MSc Environmental Change and Management. Just thought I would post in case any one is wondering about when they might hear back.


Congrats, mate! What is your offer conditional on?

Thanks for sharing. I guess response time varies from department to department, however.
Reply 393
I got my offer two days after the interview.

The graduate administrator broke up on the 20th though (as I tried to email her and got an out of office reply until the 3rd of Jan), and I think its the same with all administration staff. So you probably wont receive any emails back until early January now! =(
Reply 394
Original post by Fliip
So you probably wont receive any emails back until early January now! =(


Are you willing to bet? :biggrin:
I have just received an offer for the MSc in Mathematics and the Foundations of Computer Science at Oxford beginning in October 2012. The only condition is funding, but this shouldn't be a problem. Anyone know when we will hear from colleges?
Reply 396
Original post by Xristina
ahahaha you just reminded me now that when they sent us our offer letters they were all signed with "we have been most impressed with your excellent academic record... -stuff about looking forward to having you etc etc-"
I don't think they really are impressed tbh...I would be surprised if an undergraduate/masters application managed to impress a famous academic.


Aw Xristina don't you think that's a bit harsh?! :tongue:. I guess as long as you impress them enough that you get an offer that's what counts :smile: - sounds like this is the standard way they word offers, but there's actually something quite nice about that.
Reply 397
Original post by Fliip
I got my offer two days after the interview.

The graduate administrator broke up on the 20th though (as I tried to email her and got an out of office reply until the 3rd of Jan), and I think its the same with all administration staff. So you probably wont receive any emails back until early January now! =(


Congrats with your offer.

I don think its same with the admistrator stuffs of all the departments. I sent an email on the same day but din recieve any out of office reply.
Reply 398
seems like graduate offers are sent quite late. Thing is, during my interview they said i will be notified within a week but 2 weeks have passed since then. I think they are confused whether to take me or reject :frown:.
Original post by sj27
Aw Xristina don't you think that's a bit harsh?! :tongue:. I guess as long as you impress them enough that you get an offer that's what counts :smile: - sounds like this is the standard way they word offers, but there's actually something quite nice about that.


I think that my post made it pretty clear that I was talking about all of us (including myself) and not just the person above. The only reason I'm saying this (and I stand by my belief btw) is because after coming here I have discussed it a lot with many of my classmates. The problem is that they tell you things like that in the offer letter (which of course is a typical thing they say to all of us) and then when we get here we start realising how much we actually don't know. Of course we are good for the stage we are in (after all we wouldn't receive an offer if we weren't) but the sooner we realise that no one is impressed, the happier we 'll be. The problem is some people actually think that they manage to impress our professors (when they don't even impress us lol...) and act very arrogantly. You'll see that a lot in Oxford.
It's just as I was saying with a friend of mine, the fact that you get into Oxford (you, me, in general) is impressive for those who are outside, but coming here and acting like you (again genera, and certainly not concerning this particular situation) are god's gift on earth won't get you anywhere.

All I'm saying is that it's good to know where we stand. We might be smart etc, we might have won scholarships, but let's not forget that the people who will be teaching us at Oxford have also won amazing scholarships etc etc. My supervisor is 29 years old, she has won the AHRC and research fellowships at Cambridge, and now is teaching at Oxford. Unless I start flying in front of her, I doubt I can impress her.

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