[flglxpstbxkdls]

Hello, I got an offer to read History at Oxford.
To begin with I am very thankful for this offer first to God and to Oxford,
BTW Happy Birthday God.

But... I got my results for the SAT IIs...
I took it the day I departed to England, and I was in a great deal of hurry, and I didn't expect any good result, but the results were all right.

The offer detail was to achieve 40 at IB...(incl.bonus pts.),and
it's perfectly reasonable, I know it..
But with the SAT scores coming along, now I have fully met the usual
offers for American candidates (I'm neither an American or living in USA, but,
thatz not the point.)

The following is Oxford's statement concerning U.S. candidates


*Entrance Requirements*
US qualifications

Successful candidates would typically have an excellent High School record supplemented by SAT I scores of at least 1,400 in Critical Reading and Mathematics and preferably also 700 or more in the Writing Paper, giving a combined score of at least 2,100, or ACT with a score of at least 32 out of 36. We would also expect three Advanced Placement tests in appropriate subjects with two at grade 5 and one at grade 4 or SAT II two or three appropriate subjects at 700 or better.

And since I'm an Asian international, I gotta fulfill the following English Language requirement:

IELTS: overall score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components) or
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Well...
My credentials are...

1. SAT I Reasoning: 2160 (Critical Reading: 710, Writing: 720, Math: 730)
-Taken in May, 2008
2. SAT II U.S. History: 770 (taken in Dec.2008)
SAT II Math IIC: 740 (taken in Dec. 2008)
SAT II Korean: 800 (taken in Nov. 2007)
SAT II French: 520 (taken in Dec.2008),yeah I suck at French, but I want
to improve it!
3. AP Human Geography: 5 (taken in May. 2006)
AP Macroeconomics: 4 (taken in May. 2007)
AP U.S. History: 5 (taken in May. 2008)
AP European History: 5 (taken in May. 2008)
4. IELTS Total Band: 8.0
I forgot the details, but the lowest band score was 7.0 at writing.
5. IB prediction: 40/42
Current High School Record: 1st in the class (Top 1)

-------------------------------------------------------------------
I believe since I recently got my new SAT II results,
I might rightfully be able to ask them to make my offer unconditional or sth.
What do you guys think?..

The reason for this is because...of course, I can meet the IB offer, but
I thought it'd be much more efficient (in long-term) to study foreign
languages (I'm planning to study Japanese and French) during the six
months time and it would also be fun to study some more histories before
Oxford...instead of studying for IB (Great programme of course, but yeah..)



Any idea?...reasonable do you all believe?....

I was thinking about sending them an e-mail concerning this...
Is it possible for them to reject me right out (out of anger or sth.) if I
ask them about my concern above?

Cheers!

[flglxpstbxkdls]

As other Americans might know,... for an average person like me, it took me a great deal of effort to achieve those scores... I mean... I self-taught, AP Human Geo, AP US History, and AP Euro History (coz I'm into History and Geography)...so it's not just a free-ride,...I paid dearly...(no gf for the entire 4 yrs, some drinking but not alot, no night life, virgin, etc.)..Just wanted all you to know.

[cactus_c]

Go for it, you don't have anything to lose!

Good luck

[flglxpstbxkdls]

Originally Posted by cactus_c

Go for it, you don't have anything to lose!

Good luck

Can they give me an outright rejection though? I'm so scared of this possibility

[cactus_c]

Originally Posted by flglxpstbxkdls

Can they give me an outright rejection though? I'm so scared of this possibility

If you already have the offer, they can't take it back. They have to accept you, providing you meet the requirements.

[matt2k8]

It's probably best to ask them for the reason why they gave that offer rather than accepting you based upon the other results, rather than just asking them to change it.

[flglxpstbxkdls]

Originally Posted by matt2k8

It's probably best to ask them for the reason why they gave that offer rather than accepting you based upon the other results, rather than just asking them to change it.

R U suspecting that the SAT and AP scores entered the consideration for the conditional offer then?... I don't see the point, sorry no offence, but care to clarify the reason?

[~Ollie~]

Thing is they can in truth give any offer they like - providing them with more 'potential' grades just gives them the option to give you a harder offer. For example, I was considering carrying on 4 A-levels but didn't, partially because that gave them scope to give a harder offer. So they are well within their rights to give you a mean offer, and the information they give on offers is only a guideline. That said you have nothing to lose by trying - they certainly can't take your offer away! Good luck and congratulation!

[Haz313]

I doubt it mate, its Oxford.

[oxbridge_tutor]

1) They won't take your offer away. The admissions office deals with offer queries quite regularly and routinely.

2) The chance of your offer being changed is minimal. It is unlikely to have been an oversight (if it had been they might consider changing it). More likely, the tutors setting the offer are trying to make it as fairly comparable as possible with the offer a UK student would get - which would involve continuing to work towards qualifications to be taken at the end of the final year of school.

[Teebs]

Originally Posted by flglxpstbxkdls

so it's not just a free-ride,...I paid dearly...(no gf for the entire 4 yrs, some drinking but not alot, no night life, virgin, etc.)..Just wanted all you to know.

Thanks for sharing. Particularly your virginity.

From my experience they base their offers on future exams (assuming you are still doing some). I got an offer of 3 (more) As despite already having an A level and I've heard similar things from other people.

[yodude888]

Probably the only reason you've got an offer at all is because you've already fulfilled the entry requirements. Don't push your luck, mate.

[Teebs]

Originally Posted by yodude888

Probably the only reason you've got an offer at all is because you've already fulfilled the entry requirements. Don't push your luck, mate.

That's doubtful, the vast majority of applicants fulfill the entry requirements.

[SouthernFreerider]

Originally Posted by flglxpstbxkdls

As other Americans might know,... for an average person like me, it took me a great deal of effort to achieve those scores... I mean... I self-taught, AP Human Geo, AP US History, and AP Euro History (coz I'm into History and Geography)...so it's not just a free-ride,...I paid dearly...(no gf for the entire 4 yrs, some drinking but not alot, no night life, virgin, etc.)..Just wanted all you to know.

why couldnt you have a girlfriend AND do academia?

[SouthernFreerider]

and o yeah, whereas its common in the us system to negotiate, it just doesnt happen in the uk. especially not oxbridge.

[A Stranger in Moscow]

They can't take it away for asking.

[Rebekka]

It's not really the done thing in the UK to negotiate an offer with university's. I'm not too sure whether it would be frowned upon, but I'd not chance making a bad impression. I've heard of people discussing their offers with uni's, but I don't think I'd risk trying to negotiate.

[Cookiewithmilk]

LOL at virgin.
Also, I can't be bothered to read all that. Write concisely: what are your offer details as they said on UCAS.

No, offers cannot be negotiated. If you have mitigating circumstances (ie. illness) then write to them and get a doctor to vouch for it.

[flglxpstbxkdls]

Originally Posted by oxbridge_tutor

1) They won't take your offer away. The admissions office deals with offer queries quite regularly and routinely.

2) The chance of your offer being changed is minimal. It is unlikely to have been an oversight (if it had been they might consider changing it). More likely, the tutors setting the offer are trying to make it as fairly comparable as possible with the offer a UK student would get - which would involve continuing to work towards qualifications to be taken at the end of the final year of school.

The thing is...that I do not believe it was an oversight...because clearly before last Tuesday, I haven't been fulfilling the U.S. qualifications (mainly because of the lack of SAT II scores), but know I have... (and plus I did not put down the prospective dates for taking SAT IIs on the UCAS form which clearly shows that they didn't even look at the possibility of me taking it in the future, (I was so over-burdened with IB, AP, and SAT, + Oxford interview, ... I didn't think it was possible to achieve more than 700...I was taking the test on the day I left for Oxford)
So...I wasn't an oversight, certainly.

[Kane_Is_Able]

But.. those are just guidelines for admissions. Not standard offers. Oxford offers to Americans are usually several additional AP Scores taken at the end of senior year. (I took 11 AP exams by the time I graduated). This would be like saying because you were predicted 38 or above, you shouldn't have to then meet the offer?

I mean, yeah it's a tough offer but.. I don't think because you have some scores in a different exam setting, your current offer will change to unconditional. It just doesn't work like that. However, like everyone else said, it won't hurt you to ask.