Oxford History and Politics Students and Applicants

I'm just wondering:

I really want to do History and Politics at Oxford and pretty sure I'd apply to Pembroke. I'm doing both History and Politics at A Level, but I never took History for GCSE, and now I'm worried that's going to count against me :/

So how critical are your GCSEs to your application? Obviously the college may look at the grades, but what about the subject? And if I could prove my interest in the subjects in other ways, how much would it still matter.

I'd really appreciate some help.

THANKYOOUU :smile:

Reply 1

laura94

13

If you're doing it at a-level they won't mind. At some schools you can't even do gcse history.

Reply 2

Mask Of Sanity

14

Oxford are known to look highly upon A*s at GCSE - not to suggest you should have all A*s, but that they should be in the majority. Individual subjects however, I'm not sure. It'd be best if you email different colleges and ask if they require the GCSE. I'd say it shouldn't matter if you're doing those subjects at A-level, however that my personal opinion and not a quote from an admissions tutor.

Reply 3

ElPeh

OP

2

Ah thanks

Makes me feel a bit better :smile:

Reply 4

Jacke02

Yeh It shouldn't matter- although you may want to read up on things that are in GCSE but not as A Level, such as the Russian Revolution.

Reply 5

Placebo101

Original post by Mask Of Sanity

Oxford are known to look highly upon A*s at GCSE - not to suggest you should have all A*s, but that they should be in the majority. Individual subjects however, I'm not sure. It'd be best if you email different colleges and ask if they require the GCSE. I'd say it shouldn't matter if you're doing those subjects at A-level, however that my personal opinion and not a quote from an admissions tutor.

I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that they didn't give a damn. Can you provide a citation?

Reply 6

Mask Of Sanity

14

Original post by Placebo101

I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that they didn't give a damn. Can you provide a citation?

Do not give a damn about what, exactly?

GCSEs, doubtly so.

For History and its joint subjects, all applicants take the History Aptitude Test. Alongside your A2 result or predicted, the HAT will be of more interest to them than any individual GCSE, at least as far as interview decisions are concerned. Post interview, in the arguably unlikely event that two candidates are more or less inseparable then the GCSE's may come into play. But I wouldn't worry about that now if I were you. Just concentrate on your A levels and then don't just treat the HAT as a hurdle to get over but as an opportunity to shine.

BTW, make sure that you are keen enough about Politics to risk its lower offer/application success %. If not, straight History gives better chances and many History modules will address your interest in politics.

Good luck :smile:

Reply 9

littlehobbit

10

My friend just got an offer from St Anne's to do History next year and she didn't do it for GCSE. Just focus on your AS' now!

Reply 10

ElPeh

OP

2

Awesome thank you :smile:

Reply 11

Barnvakten

So I am right now correcting some of my essay when it suddenly hit me - is this really what the tutors are looking for?

I am writing about The European Union, and what I imagine myself is modern history. Basically I talk about the 40's till present time, how it has changed our world bla bla.

The task was to write a free of choice history topic. Does this count? Is it too present? I get myself writing too much about politics itself, I think... But then again politics is in correlation with history.

So, what do you reckon?

And, what have you written/are writing about?

Reply 12

whatmakesyoutiki2

3

I think you're probably over-thinking things. Why don't you try to write a piece you yourself find engaging rather than looking for immediate approval :dontknow:

Reply 13

Barnvakten

Original post by whatmakesyoutiki2

I think you're probably over-thinking things. Why don't you try to write a piece you yourself find engaging rather than looking for immediate approval :dontknow:

that's what I've done, and that's what I'm questioning, haha. Think I've driven too far away from the topic 'history', that's what I'm concerned about, but I guess then that's nothing to be concerned about?

Reply 14

whatmakesyoutiki2

3

Original post by Barnvakten

that's what I've done, and that's what I'm questioning, haha. Think I've driven too far away from the topic 'history', that's what I'm concerned about, but I guess then that's nothing to be concerned about?

Ah okay, fair enough. I just find that the role of acadaemia tends to become rather redundant when the stuff we're writing ourselves ceases to be engaging even to the writer.

Reply 15

jozef161

1

Is History and Politics course suitable for a career in international relations ? My issue is that i want to study at oxford, i have interest in interest in international relations, and i dont like PPE course. Is History and Politics a good option ? Or do you think i should rather apply to Cambridge ?

Reply 16

shoshin

10

Original post by jozef161

Is History and Politics course suitable for a career in international relations ? My issue is that i want to study at oxford, i have interest in interest in international relations, and i dont like PPE course. Is History and Politics a good option ? Or do you think i should rather apply to Cambridge ?

I'm a straight History student, but noticed that you have not had a reply yet. One way of approaching this question might be to consider the entrance requirements for post-grad International Relations study at Oxford, which states that a (very good) first degree would be expected:

"...in Political Science or International Relations, or in a closely related discipline (e.g. Economics, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Law, etc). However, each application will be assessed upon its own merits and the Department is by no means averse to receiving applications from candidates with unconventional backgrounds"

http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/index.php/frequently-asked-questions/study-faq.html

imho this means that Hist & Pol would be a good route, especially because iirc you can choose a study path which maximises the Politics modules.

Good luck :smile:

Reply 17

jozef161

1

Original post by shoshin

I'm a straight History student, but noticed that you have not had a reply yet. One way of approaching this question might be to consider the entrance requirements for post-grad International Relations study at Oxford, which states that a (very good) first degree would be expected:

"...in Political Science or International Relations, or in a closely related discipline (e.g. Economics, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Law, etc). However, each application will be assessed upon its own merits and the Department is by no means averse to receiving applications from candidates with unconventional backgrounds"

http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/index.php/frequently-asked-questions/study-faq.html

imho this means that Hist & Pol would be a good route, especially because iirc you can choose a study path which maximises the Politics modules.

Good luck :smile:

Thank you for your advice. I just called poliics postgraduate department and they fully confirmed what you wrote. Btw, do you think that college postgraduate admissions at Oxford prefer their own former undergraduates?

Reply 18

shoshin

10

Original post by jozef161

Thank you for your advice. I just called poliics postgraduate department and they fully confirmed what you wrote. Btw, do you think that college postgraduate admissions at Oxford prefer their own former undergraduates?

I don't think that Oxford would want to say that they prefer their own. An Oxford graduate may have a bit of a head start when applying for postgrad, because the first degree is so well respected and the interviewers may know your academic referees etc. It is quite common though for Oxford graduates to choose Cambridge for postgrad and vice-versa, and there are plenty of graduates from other unis too. I think that these days a lot depends on where students can get the funding from.

In summary, I wouldn't really put this at the top of a list of reasons to study at Oxford.