I applied to Magdalen last year for Classics and French and was unsuccessful after some horrific second interviews (which, incidentally, came before those at Magdalen) at Lady Margaret Hall. My feedback indicated that I wasn't really rejected on an academic basis, but that I came across as 'quiet and diffident' and didn't seem enthusiastic as a result. This was both upsetting and oddly reassuring in a way, as I really am devoted to my subject, but now have the benefit of knowing that I'm perfectly capable, at least academically, of securing a place. I'm reapplying this year, but have yet to settle on a college and have come in search of some help! Though I know if I were good enough last year I ought to have gained a place, I've decided to go for somewhere a little more liberal in the hopes of making it this time and am considering New College, Somerville or Wadham. I have only visited Somerville and New College, though.
I'm most drawn to New College because of the college buildings and setting and its strong emphasis on music. As the largest of the three it seems like it has the best facilities, too, and can usually offer accommodation for the duration of an undergraduate course. It also has a really good reputation for Joint Courses, which is a plus for me, and its Access Scheme marks it out as State-school friendly. Somerville is a lovely little college. I've had a good look around it with a friend who was there until this year, but it doesn't feel quite right for me. On the plus side, there seems to be quite a few places offered for my course at Somerville, though it's sure to attract lots of applicants as a result. I know very little about Wadham, not having visited it, but am attracted to it because of its firm stance on equality.
Alternatively, I could submit an open application. I'm a little wary of this, though, for obvious reasons. I don't want to end up somewhere I won't like or otherwise be seen as someone who is a bit insipid and relegated to the bottom of the pile. Perhaps I'd benefit from a little more insight into how the system deals with open applications.
I just feel a little lost, but am reluctant to make the same mistake twice as I'm really sure that Oxford is where I want to be. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. ^_^
Are you able to go to the college open days on Friday? If so, then pop into Wadham and see what you think about it. Even if you can't go on the open day itself, I'm sure that if you just turn up sometime before 15th October and say you're a prospective applicant, one of the porters will give you a prospectus and maybe show you around a bit. If Somerville doesn't feel quite right for you, I don't think you should apply there just because there are a few more spaces
As I'm not at school at the moment, I'm a bit out of the loop and didn't realise when the open days were and all of my prospectuses for the colleges and the university itself are for entry in 2008. In short, I haven't booked a place for the Open Day on Friday. Do you think I'd be able to go anyway?
I think you're right about Somerville. I do think it seems lovely, and I wouldn't be at all upset if I ended up there, but I definitely feel more of an attraction to New College, with the only real downside being that the college library closes at midnight! There are also three places on offer which is only one less than at Somerville and two more than there were at Magdalen last year.
You should still be able to pop in. I know that in the morning/early afternoon Worcester are showing round the people who have booked, but people who haven't booked are able to just wander in after lunch and be shown around. I imagine something similar would apply at other colleges. They're not likely to turn away a prospective applicant just because they haven't booked! So just pop along on Friday if you can
I understand what you mean about being attracted to certain colleges, don't worry! You mention the strong musical emphasis at New: are you a singer?
Ahh, well I will try to go to Oxford on Friday, then. I feel quite set on New College now, but it can't hurt to have a look at some others. I might even be able to talk to some tutors, perhaps.
I'm glad you understand. Last year I was torn between Magdalen and Worcester, but went for Magdalen because of the deer ... and I wasn't too fond of one of the Classics tutors at Worcester, though the college is beautiful.
I'm not a singer, though I wish I were ... I play the cello and love music an awful lot!
You seem keen. Hugh's or Anne's are "state school friendly", not too competitive and would present your best opportunity.
Just b/c Hugh's and Anne's are state school friendly as you put it, does not mean they are in anyway easier to get into
Have you looked at stats for the respective course? I guess not, so what assumptions are you using to make this idiotic statement? (the general rep if that is what is being used is that Anne's for example is quite competitive to get for a majority of the courses it offers) - this coming from someone who studies at Univ btw, so I don't have any prior or indeed any bias towards any college (other than Univ of course )
Last edited by Inter-Company : 17-09-2008 at 02:54.
Classics Average: 2.2 people per place
St. Annes Average: 1.1
St. Hughs Average: 1.5
Modern Languages Average: 2.6
St. Annes Average: 1.7
St. Hughs Average: 1.9
For the OP, New College is 2.8 and 3.5 respectively. Of course this varies from year to year and for the joint course may be slightly different, but given that he seems keen to get an offer I just thought I would give advice. I apologise if this seems "idiotic" but I think it is fair to say that Annes and Hugh's are in some cases easier to obtain an offer than the likes of Magdalen and New.
Pooling at Oxford is minimal. It doesn't fully flesh out the deviations between colleges. Some colleges are more competitive than others, and generally those are the more prestigious ones. If you can't accept this and think everything is equal then you're wrong.
I was at an admissions talk recently where it was stated that about 25% of those getting an offer get it from a college different from the one to which they had applied. Hardly "minimal".
I dont disagree with you -- some colleges are more competitive to get into than others -- and yes these are the more prestigous ones. To deny so would be to deny basic statistics im not that thick.
However, you stand an equal chance of getting into the university as a whole (rather than the college of your choice) regardless of college choice.
The most prestigous colleges pool out a ridicolous number of ppl. Eg I applied to Balliol for chemistry, -- 8 places, at least 3 people (maybe more) got pooled elsewhere. One (again atleast) got an open offer (and ended up going to Balliol anyway)
I dont disagree with you -- some colleges are more competitive to get into than others -- and yes these are the more prestigous ones. To deny so would be to deny basic statistics im not that thick.
However, you stand an equal chance of getting into the university as a whole (rather than the college of your choice) regardless of college choice.
The most prestigous colleges pool out a ridicolous number of ppl. Eg I applied to Balliol for chemistry, -- 8 places, at least 3 people (maybe more) got pooled elsewhere. One (again atleast) got an open offer (and ended up going to Balliol anyway)
Turdburger is right. I think the year he applied, there were 20 at interview for eight places, and I think we pooled four - i.e. more than half still got into Oxford.
Is being pooled the same as being sent to another college for interview? This happened to me last time, but I think it ended up counting against me - I performed terribly in the interviews at my 'second' college and definitely didn't convince them of any sort of academic worth. :s
I'm a little wary of relying too much on statistics as well ... I know most people applying to Oxford will be desperate enough to look them up, but if everyone is using the statistics to make their decision, won't that have quite a dramatic effect on the number of applicants at certain colleges?
Is being pooled the same as being sent to another college for interview?
It varies from subject to subject. Some (mostly sciences) have a pre-defined interview schedule, usually your chosen college and one other. If you're deemed worthy of a place, your chosen college gets first shot at you, then the other lot that interviewed you, then any other college that has a spare place. Others (mostly arts) interview at your chosen college and one other, and maybe others, worked out on the fly, if it looks like neither of those might be able to find you a place.
Of course, there are also occasions when candidates have one interview, or four. The system is sometimes unpredictable. I think Wellington Square have got some sort of system involving dartboards and roulette wheels, myself.
I was at an admissions talk recently where it was stated that about 25% of those getting an offer get it from a college different from the one to which they had applied. Hardly "minimal".
DtS
Fair enough, I am mistaken, although I personally find 25% to be an astonishing number, I think it is inflated though by the number of students who got pooled to PPH's and the now defunct Greyfriars.
Fair enough, I am mistaken, although I personally find 25% to be an astonishing number...
I was a bit off myself, but not by much:
"...you might be offered a place at a different college to the one that you nominated. One in five students at Oxford is studying at a college other than their originally named preference; they find themselves very happy there, and would not choose to be anywhere else."
I love the implication that all pooled students are happy happy bunnies just where they are; or maybe they asked them all. I bet sometimes, though, just one or two wish they were snorkelling on the GBR, watching the sun go down over the mountains at Machu Picchu, or sitting in an oh-so-chic pavement cafe in St Raphael, rather than watching the rain beat against their window in some underheated college room as they fight off a lingering hangover and try to coax an essay out their unwilling skulls.
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