University of Oxford offer-holders' thread 2015

You could still get into Oxford with less than the stated 3As. Each case will be looked at by the college individually before a decision is made on those that have not made their offer. What course do you have an offer for anyway?

Is anyone else in the situation of Oxford or nothing?

Oxford is my firm yet lowest grade offer so if I end up missing, it won't be good.

I'm sort of in the same position - my insurance is the same as my Oxford offer (AAA) - I'm just hoping that if I get A*A*B (or even AAB) and Oxford don't accept me then my insurance will...

Caitlan do you have an insurance?

As twelfthnight says, your insurance might take you, even if Oxford doesn't.

Law

There would still be a chance but I don't think it's a likely enough scenario for me to rest my hopes on.
I'm somewhat confident I at least met my offer grades based on general feelings about the exams. Just doing a little bit of pre-results day panic

There are two types of language course available: OPAL and LASR. The latter are designed for students who have to acquire language skills for research but any surplus places can also be allocated to students who would like to study out of general interest.

OPAL is assessed and is more demanding. LASR is not assessed. The costs for OPAL are also higher (£125 per term + £60 exam fee vs £35 per term for LASR). Colleges do generally offer assistance (eg 50% for OPAL if the course is completed) but the level of support may demand on the uptake (demand for these courses is difficult to predict and budget for).

There are courses run at various levels and languages within Oxford by the uni. Normally you'd pay for it and then I believe the deal is you get half refunded by your college after completion (at least at Univ)

Here's some more info -
http://www.lang.ox.ac.uk/opalcourses/

There are courses run at various levels and languages within Oxford by the uni. Normally you'd pay for it and then I believe the deal is you get half refunded by your college after completion (at least at Univ)

Here's some more info -
http://www.lang.ox.ac.uk/opalcourses/

Do you think it's a sensible idea to enroll myself on an OPAL course in my first year? The thing I'm concerned about is that there isn't really any way for me to gauge how massive the workload is going to be until the enrollment deadline has passed. The last thing I want to is to find that I'm so snowed under with work that I can't do the OPAL course any more but on the other hand, it looks really good...

To current students, is it a good idea to sign up for these courses or do you find they lower the quality of your degree work & take up a lot of time? I'll hopefully be doing law but am tempted to sign up for a French proficiency class

I haven't done one myself, but my friend did the OPAL Arabic course alongside her first year of Classics. As far as I'm aware, they won't let you do it if you have exams that year. So for most students you would be able to do it in the 2nd year of your degree (arts degrees anyway). She said it was a lot more work, but incredibly worthwhile.

I'm thinking of doing the French OPAL in my 3rd year, depending on how work levels continue.

To Barcastyleofplay - if you're thinking of that you might what to consider applying for the Law with French Law course

What, which courses don't have exams at the end of the year? Wouldn't that strike out all science courses?

Classics doesn't in 1st and 3rd, most arts degrees don't have exams in 2nd year. But yes that would strike out most science courses. That doesn't necessarily mean that no science students would be able to manage an extra language course - but that it would need to be considered and thats probably easier to do after you've spent a year studying already and know how best you work etc.

I haven't done one myself, but my friend did the OPAL Arabic course alongside her first year of Classics. As far as I'm aware, they won't let you do it if you have exams that year. So for most students you would be able to do it in the 2nd year of your degree (arts degrees anyway). She said it was a lot more work, but incredibly worthwhile.

I'm thinking of doing the French OPAL in my 3rd year, depending on how work levels continue.

To Barcastyleofplay - it wouldn't be wise in your first year because mods are in second term for Law and so you definitely wouldn't have time. After mods, you may be able to switch to Law with French Law if you have A-Level French, and if not then 2nd year could be a time to take up an OPAL course

Thanks for your help. Yeah I do have A-Level French, would you say it's easy to switch to Law with French Law while on the course? Does it happen often? (i.e. is oxford flexible with course changes?)

Has anyone thought about buying stuff they'll need for starting yet? Specifically, I was wondering if it would be a good idea to buy academic dress now seeing as it's definitely necessary and will presumably save a bit of time / stress when everyone rushes the places which sell it right at the start of term. Or is buying all that stuff a sort of 0th week activity?

Applies to people not waiting for results, naturally.

I thought most people rented gowns?

I thought most people rented gowns?

Different gowns. The undergraduates gown is used a lot. Costs £25 for gown + mortar + bow tie. Not worth renting.

You hire a graduate gown for the BA ceremony because you are only going to use it once (after you've left).

If it's better to wait a year to gauge workload before enrolling in an OPAL course then are there any ways to maintain language skills in the meantime? E.g. I've studied Spanish to A Level and I'd hate to abandon it for a year or two and have to relearn some things when I eventually have the time to do a course... are there language societies etc. that allow you to keep your language skills ticking over in the meantime without the pressure of an exam?

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