Is it ok to reject Oxford?

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.

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

Hi
What were your reasons for applying to Oxford in the first place?

Honestly, it was more that I felt I had to apply to one of Oxbridge so I was 'wasting' my chance there. I would say my reasoning has changed a bit more now, but at first it was more of a external pressure kind of thing

Wait until you hear from all 4 universities you applied to. Oxford might be your only offer, so you would have to accept it anyway, if you want to go this year.

There's always clearing ....

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.

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

Firstly, Congratulations on your offer! It is a great achievement you should be very proud. So many people struggle to get one. And yours is from Oxford. They are notoriously picky, so if they think you are good to go, then I am sure more offers will be coming your way. Whilst it is great to have a choice, having an offer is the most important part.

35k+ people alone sat the UCAT alone, some will only have done BMAT so that is a huge applicant to place ratio. So to get an an offer is against stiff competition all wanting the same places. But, once the offers are out, the competitive nature flips. It’s now the universities trying to get the best students to firm them. This is the same with a lot of degree courses / universities. They are now in the game of selling themselves to you. Applicant/offer holder days are great things to go to if you have a chance, and if you have more than one offer then you should try to get to them ideally. In my view you should never firm anything until you have all your responses.

Unis don’t agree with me on this, they want you to firm them asap to give them certainty. The rush now only benefits them. One of the biggest levers they have on this is the accommodation scares, pressures to get halls. It may be true, but it can also be inflated by clever phrasing, or by students themselves creating the hype.

Find the uni/college accommodation policy on applications (often well hidden) and go over it carefully. Is it first come first served, or a ballot? What is the accommodation guarantee, firm and insurance? What are the key dates??

Importantly, Look at costs of second year onwards accom costs. Rightmove or the uni website links. Cost of transport? Many unis, esp London ones seriously subsidise the cost of uni halls in the first year to tempt people in, and then the second year is a shock! If there is a desperate shortage of year 1 accomm it doesn’t bode well for future years.

London can be a very lonely place as people live so dispersed and commute in as it is so eye wateringly expensive. Oxford has a much more community student vibe. If you don’t like that vibe though …. Birmingham is a really good combination of the two, it’s cheaper, and has vibrant, diverse Birmingham on its doorstep.

Arm yourself with as much info and experience as you can and use it wisely. Yes, it is perfectly valid to firm somewhere other than Oxford, but if money is a concern tread carefully !

Good luck in your future career, wherever it starts!

Go to Oxford. The undergraduate experience at a collegiate university is special. You have two senses of belonging: to your college and to the wider university. In college, you live, work, and socialise with a relatively small group of brilliant peers doing all the different subjects. Friendships made at Oxford often endure for life. If you wish to, you can retain a lifetime relationship with your college after you finish your studies there. Being able to walk or cycle safely everywhere and not have to worry about travel costs and delays is great. The beauty of the buildings and especially of the libraries is conducive to intense study. Oxford is a place where to be clever and studious is the default setting - clever is cool. The array of social and recreational activities is huge. Diversity is fine - Oxford is much more mixed than the stereotypes suggest. "Saltburn" is bad fiction.

The tutorial system is a great way to learn - one on one or two on one intellectual encounters with some of the leading scholars in the World. As for medicine, the John Radcliffe is a superb teaching hospital with great staff.

It is no accident that a place at Oxford is sought after. UCL is great, but, given the choice, take Oxford.

Cycle and walk safely?! How recently have you visited Oxford?

Lots of universities are as you describe.

I am often in Oxford. You can cycle and walk safely there. An undergraduate would rarely if ever need to use public transport within the city, unless living some way out from the centre. The question here is UCL or Oxford. Many universities have wonderful qualities, UCL being one of them. I am simply offering the view that the OP might enjoy Oxford, both academically and socially. Other views are available!