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Is it ok to reject Oxford?

Hi, so I'm in y13 and i've just received an offer to study medicine at Oxford. The problem is that I'm not sure if I want to go yet. I particularly like UCL (I haven't heard back from them yet so this is all theoretical anyway), but here's kind of the reasons.

For Oxford -

- It's oxford --> it's a really good uni.
- It's a lot cheaper than London.
- It's also safer than London.
- Better societies (for me)

For London

- I think I would find Oxford stressful - one of my close friends who I'm quite similar with went to study Medicine and dropped out bc of the pressure
- I really really like London
- There's so much more to do in London
- The course has better options (SSCs, intercalation choices) for my personal goals
- UCL is more diverse (which might be better especially in medicine to meet people from all backgrounds and also I'm gay and northern with a strong accent which idk if that affects it)
- I'm not too interested in a major focus on research, which Oxford really seems keen on
- Even though Oxford is cheaper, you can't work there, and I get a reduced student loan + no money from my parents, so I would need to work to sustain myself.

UCL is only a few places behind Oxford on league tables, and it's 6th in the world, so it's not hugely bad for me.


I need opinions though, bc I really do like UCL but I feel like it's quite hard for me to consciously reject Oxford (I'm very indecisive which probably makes it a bit worse).

Sorry it's quite a long post but I would be curious for opinions :smile:
(edited 3 months ago)

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I guess you know the answer, I would go for ucl all the way
Reply 2
Yes. I knocked them back for a DPhil, no regrets.
Reply 3
Oxford does have very long holidays so you could work from June to early October.How much less pressured would Ucl actually be for medicine.Have you checked your eligibility for the Oxford bursaries.Is there a reason your parents will not contribute.They are meant to make up the difference in the reduced loan and the full rate.I do realise it is not possible for everyone but not all parents are aware of this expectation.
Finally what college as some are more generous with support.There are some jobs you can do at Oxford such as help at open days and offer days.I would contact your Oxford college and ask what if any help is available if any.At least explore all options and do your sums properly before deciding.
Original post by gjd800
Yes. I knocked them back for a DPhil, no regrets.

Oh really? What was your reasoning, if I could ask?
Original post by Scotney
Oxford does have very long holidays so you could work from June to early October.How much less pressured would Ucl actually be for medicine.Have you checked your eligibility for the Oxford bursaries.Is there a reason your parents will not contribute.They are meant to make up the difference in the reduced loan and the full rate.I do realise it is not possible for everyone but not all parents are aware of this expectation.
Finally what college as some are more generous with support.There are some jobs you can do at Oxford such as help at open days and offer days.I would contact your Oxford college and ask what if any help is available if any.At least explore all options and do your sums properly before deciding.

That's true, but because I would only be getting about £4k a year from student loans and don't qualify for the oxford bursary, it would better for me to work all year round, but I also do know there's quite a lot of support elsewhere.

I got into Worcester college :smile:
Original post by tastierspoon460
Hi, so I'm in y13 and i've just received an offer to study medicine at Oxford. The problem is that I'm not sure if I want to go yet. I particularly like UCL (I haven't heard back from them yet so this is all theoretical anyway), but here's kind of the reasons.

For Oxford -

- It's oxford --> it's a really good uni.
- It's a lot cheaper than London.
- It's also safer than London.
- Better societies (for me)

For London

- I think I would find Oxford stressful - one of my close friends who I'm quite similar with went to study Medicine and dropped out bc of the pressure
- I really really like London
- There's so much more to do in London
- The course has better options (SSCs, intercalation choices) for my personal goals
- UCL is more diverse (which might be better especially in medicine to meet people from all backgrounds and also I'm gay and northern with a strong accent which idk if that affects it)
- I'm not too interested in a major focus on research, which Oxford really seems keen on
- Even though Oxford is cheaper, you can't work there, and I get a reduced student loan + no money from my parents, so I would need to work to sustain myself.

UCL is only a few places behind Oxford on league tables, and it's 6th in the world, so it's not hugely bad for me.


I need opinions though, bc I really do like UCL but I feel like it's quite hard for me to consciously reject Oxford (I'm very indecisive which probably makes it a bit worse).

Sorry it's quite a long post but I would be curious for opinions :smile:


It is ok yes. But, you don't have to make this decision until 6th June so you have plenty time to ponder.
Reply 7
Original post by tastierspoon460
Oh really? What was your reasoning, if I could ask?

I was a carer for my terminally ill nan snd had some other family commitments so it wasn't the right time.

It also so happened that the country's pre-eminent specialist in my research area was already my masters advisor. He was keen on me going to Oxon, which is really the only reason I applied. I stayed with him in the end, no regrets whatsoever.
Original post by tastierspoon460
Hi, so I'm in y13 and i've just received an offer to study medicine at Oxford. The problem is that I'm not sure if I want to go yet. I particularly like UCL (I haven't heard back from them yet so this is all theoretical anyway), but here's kind of the reasons.

For Oxford -

- It's oxford --> it's a really good uni.
- It's a lot cheaper than London.
- It's also safer than London.
- Better societies (for me)

For London

- I think I would find Oxford stressful - one of my close friends who I'm quite similar with went to study Medicine and dropped out bc of the pressure
- I really really like London
- There's so much more to do in London
- The course has better options (SSCs, intercalation choices) for my personal goals
- UCL is more diverse (which might be better especially in medicine to meet people from all backgrounds and also I'm gay and northern with a strong accent which idk if that affects it)
- I'm not too interested in a major focus on research, which Oxford really seems keen on
- Even though Oxford is cheaper, you can't work there, and I get a reduced student loan + no money from my parents, so I would need to work to sustain myself.

UCL is only a few places behind Oxford on league tables, and it's 6th in the world, so it's not hugely bad for me.


I need opinions though, bc I really do like UCL but I feel like it's quite hard for me to consciously reject Oxford (I'm very indecisive which probably makes it a bit worse).

Sorry it's quite a long post but I would be curious for opinions :smile:


League tables are completely meaningless for medicine. All UK medical schools are accredited by the GMC, and the NHS is the only provider of graduate medical training posts and considers all medical schools equal by that same token - and to ensure no bias in specialty recruitment, they blind the recruiters from your medical school to ensure they can't possibly be biased.

I think here the major factors are differences in course (you do intercalate at Oxford but I believe you have a narrower scope of specialising) and costs of living in each city. I don't think the apparent intensity of the course at Oxford is a huge difference since to a point I understand medical degrees are reasonably busy regardless just due to covering a lot of material. The cost factor however is significant since you'll be doing the course for 6 years - that's a long time to be paying rent (and commuting) costs in London, so do consider the financial factor!

Diversity is a relative factor - I'm at UCL in another department and someone in our common room was remarking they knew someone from Manchester who had a working class background saying there were relatively few northern working class people at UCL they had encountered. There are lots of Londoners though and some are from working class backgrounds, but do consider it may not be exactly what you are imagining. Equally I'm not sure if the stereotypical image of Oxford (or Cambridge) as being purely made up of tory voting (cis straight white) men is accurate anymore. And equally, you will find those exact same people at any uni (for better or worse...). Social circle diversity is going to be what you make of it at any uni to a point, really.

Also a note on the working thing - although I believe it is true you generally aren't permitted to work in term at Oxford, keep in mind the terms are short (8 weeks) and the breaks between them longer (usually about 6 weeks) and I don't think there are any proscriptions about working out of term (although you may well be expected to have academic work to do then too). This may give you more scope for earning and pursuing internships etc potentially, up until the clinical years anyway? That said term dates may be different for medics!
(edited 3 months ago)
Reply 9
If you've visited it and don't know if you want to go to Oxford then you don't want to go to Oxford.
Even some people who think they want to go to Oxford don't want to go to Oxford. They'd be happier just going on holiday to Oxford and nearby. The place has to feel like a working environment best conductive to your wants. Not a stereotype of what a clever person 'should' find conductive. Not the place that gets most photos in articles about universities, picture postcard stuff that doesn't necessarily have the best reality behind it.
It's not the 1700s anymore. There are loads of other highly regarded universities and arguably loads that have more interesting personalities at them. (Not related to what you said but If it's a posh English experience that some crave too, remember that Oxbridge's fame will make them magnets for international workhorses who are not necessarily posh or eloquent in our sense).
(edited 3 months ago)
Original post by undefined
Hi, so I'm in y13 and i've just received an offer to study medicine at Oxford. The problem is that I'm not sure if I want to go yet. I particularly like UCL (I haven't heard back from them yet so this is all theoretical anyway), but here's kind of the reasons.

For Oxford -

- It's oxford --> it's a really good uni.
- It's a lot cheaper than London.
- It's also safer than London.
- Better societies (for me)

For London

- I think I would find Oxford stressful - one of my close friends who I'm quite similar with went to study Medicine and dropped out bc of the pressure
- I really really like London
- There's so much more to do in London
- The course has better options (SSCs, intercalation choices) for my personal goals
- UCL is more diverse (which might be better especially in medicine to meet people from all backgrounds and also I'm gay and northern with a strong accent which idk if that affects it)
- I'm not too interested in a major focus on research, which Oxford really seems keen on
- Even though Oxford is cheaper, you can't work there, and I get a reduced student loan + no money from my parents, so I would need to work to sustain myself.

UCL is only a few places behind Oxford on league tables, and it's 6th in the world, so it's not hugely bad for me.


I need opinions though, bc I really do like UCL but I feel like it's quite hard for me to consciously reject Oxford (I'm very indecisive which probably makes it a bit worse).

Sorry it's quite a long post but I would be curious for opinions :smile:

Oxford bursaries and scholarships for 2024-entry | University of Oxford

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Annual Bursary

£25,000 or less = £4,080
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£42,876 - £50,000 = £1,020
Original post by tastierspoon460
Hi, so I'm in y13 and i've just received an offer to study medicine at Oxford. The problem is that I'm not sure if I want to go yet. I particularly like UCL (I haven't heard back from them yet so this is all theoretical anyway), but here's kind of the reasons.

For Oxford -

- It's oxford --> it's a really good uni.
- It's a lot cheaper than London.
- It's also safer than London.
- Better societies (for me)

For London

- I think I would find Oxford stressful - one of my close friends who I'm quite similar with went to study Medicine and dropped out bc of the pressure
- I really really like London
- There's so much more to do in London
- The course has better options (SSCs, intercalation choices) for my personal goals
- UCL is more diverse (which might be better especially in medicine to meet people from all backgrounds and also I'm gay and northern with a strong accent which idk if that affects it)
- I'm not too interested in a major focus on research, which Oxford really seems keen on
- Even though Oxford is cheaper, you can't work there, and I get a reduced student loan + no money from my parents, so I would need to work to sustain myself.

UCL is only a few places behind Oxford on league tables, and it's 6th in the world, so it's not hugely bad for me.


I need opinions though, bc I really do like UCL but I feel like it's quite hard for me to consciously reject Oxford (I'm very indecisive which probably makes it a bit worse).

Sorry it's quite a long post but I would be curious for opinions :smile:

Yes - it's fine to reject Oxford. Where else have you applied? All Medicine degrees are considered equal and many people think other universites beyond Oxbridge prepare you better to be a Doctor.

I rejeced my offer for Mathematics and went elsewhere. I did later do my PGCE at Oxford.
Original post by Muttley79
Yes - it's fine to reject Oxford. Where else have you applied? All Medicine degrees are considered equal and many people think other universites beyond Oxbridge prepare you better to be a Doctor.

I rejeced my offer for Mathematics and went elsewhere. I did later do my PGCE at Oxford.

I applied to UCL, Birmingham and Leicester. I haven't actually received any other offers yet (the decisions are all Feb-Apr) but this is more so I know what to do if I do get an offer bc it would eat away at me if I was still deciding near A-Levels. Obviously I know it was for postgraduate at Oxford, but how did it compare to the other uni you went to, if I could ask?
Original post by tastierspoon460
I applied to UCL, Birmingham and Leicester. I haven't actually received any other offers yet (the decisions are all Feb-Apr) but this is more so I know what to do if I do get an offer bc it would eat away at me if I was still deciding near A-Levels. Obviously I know it was for postgraduate at Oxford, but how did it compare to the other uni you went to, if I could ask?

I love the uni I went to for my degree but wanted a change. PG is different and there were far more private school students back then.

I actually preferred the course at the other uni as it was a better mix across pure, applied and stats.
Original post by tastierspoon460
I applied to UCL, Birmingham and Leicester. I haven't actually received any other offers yet (the decisions are all Feb-Apr) but this is more so I know what to do if I do get an offer bc it would eat away at me if I was still deciding near A-Levels. Obviously I know it was for postgraduate at Oxford, but how did it compare to the other uni you went to, if I could ask?

the one thing i would keep in mind is whether you will genuinely regret it. do you think you’ll always have a nagging “what if?” in your mind if you reject oxford? is that something you’re okay with?

either way, wait until UCL gets back to you. if it’s a rejection, your decision’s been made for you. if it’s an offer, then think about whether you’d regret saying no to oxford. good luck :smile:
Reply 15
Yes, it's OK to reject Oxford. In your situation, I'd probably take the Oxford offer though. Oxford does offer some unique experiences, eg the traditions, formals, the colleges etc. But it's a personal decision.
Original post by tastierspoon460
Hi, so I'm in y13 and i've just received an offer to study medicine at Oxford. The problem is that I'm not sure if I want to go yet. I particularly like UCL (I haven't heard back from them yet so this is all theoretical anyway), but here's kind of the reasons.

For Oxford -

- It's oxford --> it's a really good uni.
- It's a lot cheaper than London.
- It's also safer than London.
- Better societies (for me)

For London

- I think I would find Oxford stressful - one of my close friends who I'm quite similar with went to study Medicine and dropped out bc of the pressure
- I really really like London
- There's so much more to do in London
- The course has better options (SSCs, intercalation choices) for my personal goals
- UCL is more diverse (which might be better especially in medicine to meet people from all backgrounds and also I'm gay and northern with a strong accent which idk if that affects it)
- I'm not too interested in a major focus on research, which Oxford really seems keen on
- Even though Oxford is cheaper, you can't work there, and I get a reduced student loan + no money from my parents, so I would need to work to sustain myself.

UCL is only a few places behind Oxford on league tables, and it's 6th in the world, so it's not hugely bad for me.


I need opinions though, bc I really do like UCL but I feel like it's quite hard for me to consciously reject Oxford (I'm very indecisive which probably makes it a bit worse).

Sorry it's quite a long post but I would be curious for opinions :smile:

If it was me, I would choose Oxford University!!! 😀 Because, it was founded in 1096 AD and has tradition, prestige, cheaper accommodation than London and you eat your meals in college, which are not that costly either. Also, you have access to every book published in the country. As Oxford is a library which is entitled to receive a copy of every book published. Also, there are almost 150 libraries at Oxford University, so you won't need to spend anything on books. You will also be challenged more academically with the tutorials. 😉
Original post by thegeek888
If it was me, I would choose Oxford University!!! 😀 Because, it was founded in 1096 AD and has tradition, prestige, cheaper accommodation than London and you eat your meals in college, which are not that costly either. Also, you have access to every book published in the country. As Oxford is a library which is entitled to receive a copy of every book published. Also, there are almost 150 libraries at Oxford University, so you won't need to spend anything on books. You will also be challenged more academically with the tutorials. 😉

Being older doesn't make it better! In fact medicine degrees are all equal and actually other unis prepare you better to be a doctor than Oxbridge courses do.

You get more student loan in London ...
Reply 18
Medicine is such an unusual case in terms of ranking, because it's such a popular course for science students. According to the Complete University Guide, currently Medicine students entering the University of Dundee, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and St Andrews have achieved higher grades on average than those at Cambridge and Oxford. And whilst Imperial College London has research quality for Medicine second only to Cambridge (UCL is a joint third, and slightly above Oxford which is 4th for research in Medicine), average achieved grades of entrants at all the aforementioned universities (plus Queens University Belfast) are higher for Medicine than at Imperial.
Dundee is perhaps the big surprise 'on paper' here. Although it was once associated with the University of St Andrews, it's not itself one of the 'ancient' Scottish universities, dating 'just' from the late 1800s and being ranked just 59th overall out of all the UK universities in general, although 9th for Medicine overall (its research quality for Medicine being 14th).
Great research (by which I mean 85%+) in Medicine at Leicester, Bristol, Kings College London, Hull York, Birmingham, Manchester, Keele, Exeter, Cardiff, Lancaster, Sheffield, Queen Mary London too.
(edited 3 months ago)
Reply 19
Original post by Picnicl
Medicine is such an unusual case in terms of ranking, because it's such a popular course for science students. According to the Complete University Guide, currently Medicine students entering the University of Dundee, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and St Andrews have achieved higher grades on average than those at Cambridge and Oxford. And whilst Imperial College London has research quality for Medicine second only to Cambridge (UCL is a joint third, and slightly above Oxford which is 4th for research in Medicine), average achieved grades of entrants at all the aforementioned universities (plus Queens University Belfast) are higher for Medicine than at Imperial.
Dundee is perhaps the big surprise 'on paper' here. Although it was once associated with the University of St Andrews, it's not itself one of the 'ancient' Scottish universities, dating 'just' from the late 1800s and being ranked just 59th overall out of all the UK universities in general, although 9th for Medicine overall (its research quality for Medicine being 14th).
Great research (by which I mean 85%+) in Medicine at Leicester, Bristol, Kings College London, Hull York, Birmingham, Manchester, Keele, Exeter, Cardiff, Lancaster, Sheffield, Queen Mary London too.

The fact that it's all the Scottish universities whose students supposedly have higher grades than those at Oxbridge would strongly suggest to me that it's simply due to how that university guide scores Scottish Highers compared to A Levels.

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