[struz]

My friend and I are both interested in applying to Oxford for Experimental Psychology and we both fell in love with Brasenose College on the open day. Thing is, our school is really against two students applying to the same college, especially if it's the same subject

However, she's doing deferred entry so does that mean she will theoretically be up against next year's candidates and be offered one of next year's places rather than one of the places I could potentially get offered, meaning that we're not in 'direct competition' so to speak?

[sophisti_kate]

Originally Posted by struz

My friend and I are both interested in applying to Oxford for Experimental Psychology and we both fell in love with Brasenose College on the open day. Thing is, our school is really against two students applying to the same college, especially if it's the same subject

However, she's doing deferred entry so does that mean she will theoretically be up against next year's candidates and be offered one of next year's places rather than one of the places I could potentially get offered, meaning that we're not in 'direct competition' so to speak?

It is harder to get a deferred place because you are, in essence, being judged against this year's applicants AND next year's.

Obviously there is no guarantee that either or one of you will get in, but I'm sure you understand that.

[Franc Vouloir]

You might find a few threads on this if you use the search function. I remember making one when I applied last year, though in my case it was for two different subjects.

I applied for English; a friend, with whom I'd been to an open day, applied to the same college for Physics. Like yours, my school discouraged it. He was rejected pre-interview; I was given an interview &, eventually, an offer. I don't think applying from the same school hindered either of us.

Specific examples aside, I can't see any reason why a college wouldn't want to take two applicants from the same school, providing they were both decent candidates. What you should be worrying about is whether or not you'd enjoy being at the same college as your friend; a lot of people would prefer to make a 'clean break'.

[cpchem]

We have two people from the same school, in the same year, studying the same subject. Why would the college care?

[Mel16]

The Oxbridge guy at our school said the same thing - his reasoning was that the tutors would probably end up (subconsciously or not) judging each one against the other one, and just letting in the best one, rather than both. Don't know whether that's right or not, but it does make a certain amount of sense.

[Derek_the_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Mel16

The Oxbridge guy at our school said the same thing - his reasoning was that the tutors would probably end up (subconsciously or not) judging each one against the other one, and just letting in the best one, rather than both. Don't know whether that's right or not, but it does make a certain amount of sense.

No, it's total *******s. The tutors just want the best students they can get. They judge all the students they see against all the others, on academic grounds. If two of them happen to come from the same school, they will barely even notice*, let alone turn down a good candidate for a daft reason like that.

DtS

[*unless maybe it's one of those "big name" schools. Even then, if those are the most takeable people, they'll probably just sigh resignedly and go ahead.]

[struz]

Thanks for all your thoughts

[thomasjtl]

There is the potential issue that you're creating more competition for each other- generally the admissions procedures, what with cross comparisions, pooling and second interviews, try to minimise this but do you really want it weigh on your mind?
I'd suggest you both consider some other colleges as well- i'm slightly biased in the matter but there are a lot nicer colleges than brasenose.

[struz]

Yeah if I don't apply to Brasenose it's not the end of the world. I did like other colleges, it's just at Brasenose I felt at home instantly. Meh, shall have to look round some more colleges me thinks!