The Oxford IB Students Thread

I would like to start this thread to get an idea of the points range for people who applied and got in to Oxford University with the International Baccalaureate (IB), preferably for Law, but also for any other subject! This would really help the international student community as there is a huge focus on A-Levels in most threads...

1) How many predicted points did you apply with out of 45? (not what you achieved in exams)

2) What subject did you apply for?

3) Did you get interviewed, rejected, accepted?

Thank-you in advance to all who decide to participate! :smile:

Edit: Anyone can reply to this, even if you were accepted before 2013! Older students are also welcome to provide us with this helpful information!

_{If there is already an active and effective thread for this purpose, I apologise.}

(edited 10 years ago)

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Reply 1

marieserena7

Any old Oxford or current Oxford People here ?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 2

SamC97

Original post by SPark9625

I'm a 2014 applicant, so I can't confirm anything, but from what I have seen so far, people with 40+ are usually accepted. Once you pass 40, you almost have equal chance of getting in, as I've seen several people fail even before the interview with a predicted grade of 45, but some get an offer with 41~42.

But there is more to it. If your course obligates you to take a test (BMAT, MAT, TSA etc), the test means a lot in the application process, so this could explain why some fail with 45 and some get in with 40+.

So my conclusion is, if you have a grade higher than 40, just don't worry and concentrate on the tests you need to take, as they outweigh your predicted grades.

Good point. You're probably right about most of that! Although for some tests there isn't a massive amount that you can do to prepare (ex: LNAT). But I definitely see your point.

I'd still like to hear some profiles though, I know that all IB students are curious about how previous entrants get predicted!

Reply 3

Magdolinska

1) Predicted 42 (776), got an offer of 39 (667), recived 39 (776)

2) Law at Merton, reallocated pre-interview to New

3) Accepted :smile:

Hope it helped :smile:

Reply 4

SamC97

Original post by Magdolinska

1) Predicted 42 (776), got an offer of 39 (667), recived 39 (776)

2) Law at Merton, reallocated pre-interview to New

3) Accepted :smile:

Hope it helped :smile:

That's brilliant! Especially the fact that your offer was only 766. I'd imagine having a 776 offer would be an immense amount of pressure!

I'm at 43 points... so hoping for the best!

Any tips? How did you do at the interview? What about the LNAT? Anything at all that can help us fellow prospective students?

Reply 5

Magdolinska

Original post by SC96

I think everyone had offers like that, though I may be mistaken.

It's hard to say how I did at the interview, but I most certainly enjoyed it. However, it should be noted that the interview style varies from college to college, and I was only interviewed in one. For LNAT, I didn't prepare, really, but I'm a non-native speaker so quite used to doing reading comprehension exercises, which LNAT is, at the end of the day. My score was 30/42, the average around 21, if I remember correctly.

My main tip is to make sure your application is nice and neat, and that there is relevant stuff in your PS (don't waste space for saying you love animals and have a good heart, or something like that, they don't care), and to work hard to rock your exams. :wink:

Reply 6

lydiavie

I was at Oxford between 2008 and 2011, I was predicted a 45, got an offer for 40 and actually got 41 in the exams (my extended essay got a D, goodbye bonus points). I was accepted, and went to Keble for physiology.

Reply 7

tranquils

1) How many predicted points did you apply with out of 45? (not what you achieved in exams)
IB 40, with Maths Physics Psychology & Economics HL and Spanish & English SL. This was my actual grade and not a prediction though, I had already joined college elsewhere at the time of applying.

2) What subject did you apply for?
PPE

3) Did you get interviewed, rejected, accepted? Accepted :biggrin:

Feel free to ask any questions :]

Reply 8

CocoPop

1) How many predicted points did you apply with out of 45?
Predicted 45, offer was for 40 points

2) What subject did you apply for?
Engineering

3) Did you get interviewed, rejected, accepted?
Accepted

Reply 9

mlofkvist

Hi!
I want to study Economics and Management and I would really want to go to oxford yet I am not sure if my grades suffice.
I am an EU student applying from Sweden; these are my predicted grades:

Economics HL - 7
Business and Management HL - 7
Swedish B HL - 7 (I am not Swedish, therefore "B")
English A Lang Lit SL - 6
Math SL - 7
Environmental systems and societies SL -7

I know that it is a weakness that i dont have Math HL, but how bad is it?
Please tell me general weaknesses and strenghts with my grades. What other unis can i get into with these grades?
Thanks in beforehand :wink:

Reply 10

Poppyxx

HL Maths is a requirement for E&M

Reply 11

username948920

Maths SL isn't a bad course. Call up Oxford and ask them whether they would consider Maths SL for E&M. Is there a reason why you couldn't take HL maths? If there is a reason for eg. couldn't fit it into the timetable or it wasn't offered at your school etc. be sure to let Oxford know!

Reply 12

BartuKaleagasi

Original post by SPark9625

2. Taking economics AND business and management is frowned upon by many unis. Not a good idea.

I've never heard of this before, what are you basing this on? Opinion? Not only is Economics a highly regarded subject, and a challenging one, but it is so interlinked with Business & Management that taking the two courses together makes a lot of sense for someone who is interested in that area of life. I don't even want to think of how I would evaluate business decisions without economic knowledge, or assess Theory of the Firm in Economics without my experience from Business analysis.

Why would universities ever frown upon this?

I do agree about Environmental Sciences though...

Reply 13

SPark9625

Original post by BartuKaleagasi

I am not suggesting that any of them is a disrespected course. It's just that taking both together is considered as a bad idea, because they have a lot in common in the IB, it's like practically taking two subjects for one. However, I don't have a source that I can show you, because this is something I learned while I was searching which subjects to take (about a year ago), so if you want to neglect my point, you're free to do so.

Reply 14

mlofkvist

thanks for all the answers, just got a couple of things to add:
1.- Environmental Systems is not available in HL (yet i understand it was perhaps a poor choice)
2.- Economics and B&M are similar but they dont overlap enough to consider them as a single subject, at least not with the new B&M syllabus

I am planning on applying to Bristol, Edinburgh and St Andrews...: what is your opinion on these unis? which one should be my first choice for this particular course?
and last question, perhaps little dumb: :biggrin:

is there such thing as not getting accepted due to having too high grades (they think you wont fit in)?

Thanks again
/M

Reply 15

pirozhki

Original post by mlofkvist

Hi OP, if you are really keen on Oxford E&M I would strongly recommend that you give it a go. Your predicted scores are really good and if you score highly in the TSA, I'd say you have a decent shot at it. While I have no doubt that the lack of Math HL is a major impediment (and I would certainly not encourage anyone who plans on applying to Oxford E&M to skip it in favour of SL), it certainly does not instantly disqualify you from getting a place.

Besides, there's really no harm in trying.

Reply 16

SPark9625

Original post by pirozhki

I do believe it instantly disqualifies the OP from getting a place. The requirement is called a "requirement" for a reason. The only way for him to be successful is to change his math into HL and get a 7 in it, but changing a subject this late it inadvisable and getting a 7 after a year of study in SL is not impossible, but improbable.

Honestly, if the "requirement" states 6 or above in math HL, how is OP going to achieve that by taking math SL?? Even people who do take Math HL get declined if they get anything below a 6 in Math HL, and if OP is there taking Math SL, well good luck.

At the end of the day, it's OP's decision, but if I were him, I would not go against the improbable.

To your last point, I agree there's no harm in trying, but when it carries cost (using up one university choice), which is too high compared to the possibility of it actually happening, I wouldn't advise it. Remember, there are over a thousand applicants who do take Math HL and get a 7 in it.

I like you encouraging people to give it a go and believe in themselves, but this is not really when you should do so...

Reply 17

BartuKaleagasi

Original post by SPark9625

They actually have very little theory in common. The only things that appear in both syllabuses are Elasticities, the Business Cycle, the Supply/Demand diagram, and some information about product differentiation and non-price vs price competition. This is basically 2-3 weeks worth of information that overlaps. Perhaps the sources which you looked into were biased or inaccurate, but I take them as Higher Levels myself, and I've never heard of that case.

That being said, I agree with you wholeheartedly on OP's issue, you cannot do E&M at Oxford without Math HL.

Reply 18

SPark9625

Original post by BartuKaleagasi

Ah alright. I haven't actually learned Economics neither B&M in school (not offered), so I might be inaccurate in that regard. Could I know if you're also applying for E&M at oxford?

Reply 19

Paenitet Sugatis

So i'm in an accelerated program where i'll be done with my IB Diploma by the end of this year (Junior Year). I was wondering, knowing that i need at least a 38 overall with 6,6,6 on my Hl for Oxford Law, is there anything else that I will need other then my IB scores?