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Oxford Applicants for 2012 Entry

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Well technically the Hebrides are really quite big (or long, I should say) e.g I have a fifty mile commute to and from school every day... but they are small in the sense of being "close-knit" (I can't believe I used that word, I sound like a tour book)

Hmm, AH Gaidhlig does not equate to AH Maths. Its a doddle, basically just English but err Gaidhlig. And that biology is only dependent on plucking up the courage to ask! (I hate people thinking I'm being arrogant)

Hmm, just random chat random person after random person then...

But most people don't find English a doddle, and English but in Gaelic would be even worse! (I know it's not exactly Higher English, but still.)
Go for it! You can say something like, "I know it'll be very difficult but I'll work really hard..." to show that you're not just being arrogant.

The Hebrides, commonly known as the 'jewels of Scotland' and 'Athens of the very very North' are a close-knit community on the edge of a sparkling sea, where the sand is as white as the smiles of the friendly locals.

Well, the challenge is on! We've got to beat the Cambridge thread now... or we would if we weren't so calm and laid back about the whole thing. We don't need to write more than them! Our thread is quality. :wink:

What made people choose Oxford?

Reply 61

roseroserose.

Original post by anyone_can_fly

What made people choose Oxford?

1. Cambridge doesn't offer Econ/History.
2. Oxford is one of the few that do.
3. It's closer than Cambridge.

:biggrin:

Reply 62

dnumberwang

Original post by anyone_can_fly

What made people choose Oxford?

Haven't chosen yet, but it's a bigger city which is what I want, I like the look of the pish maths admissions test that you have to take, so I can avoid having to do STEP, the oxford interview process seems better for some reason, easier to get to down the M6 and M40.

Reply 63

anyone_can_fly

I've got a lot of reasons, some of which are more sensible than others :redface:

. When I was about eleven I reread Northern Lights, wondered if Oxford was really like that, looked it up on google, and decided I was going to go there :biggrin:

. Now my resaons are better:
1) It's an amazing university.
2) It's a really nice city.
3) Cambridge give out 400 offers for 250 places for maths. I'd rather be rejected at interview than fail to meet my offer.

Reply 64

betaomega

Original post by anyone_can_fly

Eleven A*s! Wow! I'm glad I do the Scottish system, or that would be really disheartening. Did you work crazily hard, or are you a natural genius, or both? :adore:

The Scottish system sounds crazy! I can't ever understand your grades :frown:

As for crazy worker/genius, I'm neither! I always wish I could have the motivation to work for an insane amount of time but I don't....
I think probably I'm a good-ish all rounder so I'm really worried about this year because its more specialised, how are you finding the workload atm, it worries me when people are revising already but I guess there isn't actually long to go, aren't scottish exams earlier too?

Also, sorry I quoted before I looked at your profile, what are you thinking of applying for?

Reply 65

candide

Original post by anyone_can_fly

What made people choose Oxford?

Ooops, calling English a doddle made me sound arrogant. -/ lets just say; nightlife in uist during the winter is rather limited (bar at xmas when its great) so there aint much else to do but read or go on facebook...

Hmmm, I think ever since reading His Dark Materials as a kid I have had a bit of thing for Oxford.

I've never actually visited the city but in my mind its this paradise of learning, a haven for all us lonely scholars out there. But if I do get in I gotta admit I'll miss the sea. =(

Cambridge? With the Cavendish Library etc it comes across as being the more productive research centre but my naive assumption is that oxford is a place of intellectual debate and discussion and just general brain food.

I don't really have any proper reason. How sad!

Reply 66

irina793

Just curious... What do you think of your chances of getting in?

Reply 67

anyone_can_fly

Original post by yeasayer

I think I'll be coming over from Germany to attend Merton's Open Day on the 6th - just to get to know some of the tutors and soak up the atmosphere. :smile:

Username: yeasayer
Subject: PPE
College: Merton
A-level equivalent: German Abitur

I'm planning to go to the Merton one that day too - maybe I'll see you there!

Reply 68

wasting-time

Woo I'm applying to oxford this year :biggrin:

Username: tgarrud
GCSE (or equivalent): 7 A*s and 3As
A Levels (or equivalent): Biology (118/120), Chemistry (91/100), Physics (118/120), Mathematics (94/100)
Subject: Biochemistry
College: Hertford

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 69

anyone_can_fly

Original post by betaomega

The Scottish system sounds crazy! I can't ever understand your grades :frown:

I'm planning to apply for maths. The system works like this:
Standard Grade (a.k.a GCSE level, sat age 15/16)
Everybody sits two papers, a General level paper and then either Foundation level or Credit level. For the Credit paper, you can get either a 1 (~75%+), a 2 (50%+), or fail. If you fail, they use the mark you got in your General paper: a 3 (75%+), a 4 (50%), or a fail. For those sitting Foundation, a fail at General means they use your Foundation mark: a 5 or a 6. If you completely fail, by failing both papers that you sat, you get a 7. Standard Grades are easy, so it takes some skill to get a seven. In most schools, everybody takes eight standard grades.

Fifth year and beyond/Higher Still (aka Sixth Form)
The vast majority of people take five subjects in fifth year (Y12). However, these won't necessarily be at the same level:

A 1 or 2 at Standard Grade lets you take Higher.

A 3 at Standard Grade lets you take Intermediate 2.

A 4 or 5 at Standard Grade lets you take Intermediate 1 (though most people give up any subject that they did this badly in).

Most people will do a collection of Highers and Int 2s in fifth year. I was going to estimate that around a third or so of people take five highers, but looking at the statistics, this is only correct for my school: across Scotland it's 15%. Fifth year is the year that matters most for applicants to Scottish unis, so it's tons of work. My exams are in mid May, and I'm aiming to start revising before the Easter holidays. Not sure it'll happen, though.

Sixth year is widely different for different people. Those thinking about applying for university in Scotland normally think of it as a 'top-up' year: a chance to retake any Highers they need better marks in, or take up new Highers that they dropped at Standard Grade/never took at all. They might do an Int 2 for fun. Often, people will take one or two 'Advanced Highers', roughly equivalent to A2 (slightly harder), for which you need an A or B at Higher. Applicants to Scottish unis are considered on the basis of their Higher results, so you see a lot of people dropping classes around this time of year when they get their unconditionals.

However, those wanting to go to university in England (and especially Oxford and Cambridge) are almost always taking three Advanced Highers. Oxford normally gives offers of AAB at three Advanced Highers, or AAa for those who don't have the option of taking three AHs (bear in mind that there are lots of small rural schools in Scotland, and even at a big school like mine the Advanced Higher classes often have difficulty running).

Advanced Highers, Highers, Int 2s, and Int 1s all have the same grade system:
A (~70%+) : pass
B (~60%+) : pass
C (~50%+) : pass

D (45 -50%) : fail, but a recognition that some work has been put in
<45% : No award.

Original post by candide

Same about His Dark Materials! I've developed proper reasons, but really they're just justifications. I never took English because of our stupid course choice columns, though I wanted to. I hear all my friends complaining about it, though.

Reply 70

yeasayer

Original post by irina793

Just curious... What do you think of your chances of getting in?

Well, I reckon there is no point in speculating; I will just give it a try. :smile:

Original post by anyone_can_fly

I'm planning to go to the Merton one that day too - maybe I'll see you there!

That would be great, hope to see you there.

Reply 71

anyone_can_fly

Original post by irina793

Just curious... What do you think of your chances of getting in?

Don't know. I think it's hard for Oxbridge applicants - we/they are used to being among the cleverest at school, so it's hard to imagine that everyone applying is at least as clever as you. This thread sort of shows that - everyone who has posted has stellar academic results. So I think it's very hard to tell. Nearer the time, when I start preparing for the MAT (maths admissions test), I'll be able to compare my score with the average marks from previous years and get a better indication. Til then, all I know is that I won't be one of the very worst or one of the very best.

Reply 72

Speedy03

Original post by anyone_can_fly

I've got a lot of reasons, some of which are more sensible than others :redface:

. When I was about eleven I reread Northern Lights, wondered if Oxford was really like that, looked it up on google, and decided I was going to go there :biggrin:

That's basically me. I just fell in love with the idea of the place, through His Dark Materials, and more recently stuff like Brideshead Revisited, and watching Lewis on tv....

Proper reasons would be probably to do with the idea of the collegiate system, and the tutorial/supervision things. (Tend to confuse what Ox/Camb call them...) There's the fact that a degree from Oxford engenders such respect too, and i guess the absolutely inspiring literary history of the place, people like Tolkien, Lewis, Carroll, Waugh, Bennett. And of course the idea of the Oxford Union and the boat race and all that.

I've basically mythologised Oxford and its history, which tends to make me worry, rather alot, that i'm setting myself up for a huge fall. :/

Reply 73

wasting-time

Original post by anyone_can_fly

yeah its hard to judge where you are really. im clever but compared to the people that apply to oxford I'm probobly not that clever lol

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 74

anyone_can_fly

Original post by Speedy03

That makes three of us who first wanted to apply because of Pullman! Did you know that Jordan College is based on Exeter College? Fun fact for the day :biggrin:

. I'm the same about having mythologised Oxford, though I think in a different way: I've found out far too much about it. I should spend less time thinking about uni and more time on my actual work! :s-smilie:

Reply 75

anyone_can_fly

Original post by candide

I've never actually visited the city but in my mind its this paradise of learning, a haven for all us lonely scholars out there. But if I do get in I gotta admit I'll miss the sea. =(

Cambridge? With the Cavendish Library etc it comes across as being the more productive research centre but my naive assumption is that oxford is a place of intellectual debate and discussion and just general brain food.

I miss the sea in Edinburgh. I live on the wrong side of town to see it very often. All we have are the seagulls. At least it's only eight weeks terms, so you'll be back by the sea for half the year!

Well, I went to visit my cousin in Oxford in February, and it seems more a place of hard (but interesting!) work and lots of drinking. But that might not be representative.

Reply 76

lalaberlin

Original post by anyone_can_fly

I've got a lot of reasons, some of which are more sensible than others :redface:

. When I was about eleven I reread Northern Lights, wondered if Oxford was really like that, looked it up on google, and decided I was going to go there :biggrin:

Damn it, I knew that the Cambridge maths course is really really hard, but I had no idea it's this intense. You do know, however, that Oxford is starting to ask A*AA for maths starting next year?

Are you applying for pure maths or a joint course? and how are you preparations going so far? :smile:

add another reason: oxford maths applicants, at least the ones I met in December, are really nice people

Reply 77

candide

Original post by anyone_can_fly

You don't know what "lots of drinking" means until you've lived in the Hebrides...!!!

Hmmm, I dunno, I guess what I mean is that I want to meet more people who are more like myself. There arent many people out here and less so any with whom you can have a decent discussion on a proper scientific or political topic. (half the staff at my school dont "believe" in evolution.)

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 78

candide

Anyone applied to Oxford UNIQ summer school btw?? I applied for histoy, dont rate my chances, it has like 13% success.

Reply 79

Speedy03

Original post by anyone_can_fly

That makes three of us who first wanted to apply because of Pullman! Did you know that Jordan College is based on Exeter College? Fun fact for the day :biggrin:

Yeah i did know, that is one of the smaller reasons i like the idea of Exeter.... And i do have the whole researching Oxford as procrastination thing going on too, don't worry! haha

Original post by candide

(half the staff at my school dont "believe" in evolution.)

Ouch, that sort of thing is rather scary.