Oxford Applicants 2016 Entry & Interview chat

You might want to ask OxfordMathsDept who have a TSR account (and btw Gavin Lowe is in the Computer Science Department).

Things - for maths at least - are much more similar across colleges than different. Lectures, problem sheets, online notes are all provided by the Department. Tutorials in years 1 and 2 largely work alongside those lectures and are based on the centrally provided problem sheets. In years 3 and 4 intercollegiate classes take over as the options become too specialized for a single college to be able to cope.

GCSE: 8A* 2A
AS LEVEL: 3A (pre-u physics is a 2 year course)
COURSE: Chemistry
COLLEGE: Christchurch

Hey,
GCSEs: 5A* 6As
AS Levels: 3As and B: however, I got 100% in history and 99% in politics. (economics is getting remarked which was the B)
My predicted grades: A*A*A*
Subject: History
I was wondering whether it is worth me applying to Oxford. My teacher seems to think I would do well on the HAT, and that will mean that my GCSEs won't look that bad relatively. Also, my teacher has suggested that my referee put my UMS in my academic reference as they are a vast improvement on my GCSEs showing my improvement. Is this worth doing?

You didn't say which course you want to apply for?

I was disappointed at the lack of chat from this years cohort of applicants - they didn't even make it beyond Mk I

I expect better of you.

Cambridge are on Mk II already!

Yeah but they're probably all talking about pokemon or something

I was disappointed at the lack of chat from this years cohort of applicants - they didn't even make it beyond Mk I

I expect better of you.

Cambridge are on Mk II already!

Yeah but they're probably all talking about pokemon or something

Anybody here applying or know of Magdalen College? I'm thinking of applying there for History and Politics as they have the best History reputation, but my only source of knowledge about it is my teacher who studied Law there 20 years ago. It's definitely very pretty at least

What other colleges have an equally good History/Politics rep?

Are you suggesting there is something wrong with Pokemon....

@Slowbro93

There's not really such a thing as 'the best History reputation' or 'good History/Politics rep'. All the colleges have excellent teaching, and the lectures are faculty based.

It's much better to choose a college based on things like:
Location, Cost of accommodation, Years of accommodation given, Size of college in terms of grounds, Size in terms of students, How formal the college is, and my personal fave - the college scarf :P

Haha okay thanks! I know Magdalen is pretty central (I think), they're large and provide all 3 years which is good I guess

How about if I reword that to colleges with large intakes of History/History and Politics students?

No, only 1 personal statement to cover all 5 choices.

They want people committed enough to chemistry, not people who are unlikely to take the place if they're offered it!

Magdalen is reasonably central kind of out of the way slightly, as its on the edge of what I would classify as 'central'. There were 33 places for History and Pol last year, and there's 30 colleges that take it - so the intake is never going to be large.

In my year at Univ there is just 1 person studying it, but there's 3 in the year above. As far as I'm aware it's considered as part of the History intake so from what I can find from a quick look:

So as you can see, apart from a few colleges - the average History + Joint schools intake is about 10. So it won't vary massively wherever you go, especially as some people may miss grades and the year could end up being slightly smaller or larger.

Thank you that's really helpful! I realise the amount of people on the course is tiny, which I'm conflicted about being a good or a bad thing

Ok, this is a bit of an odd question, but, I am wondering if since I was formerly a hairdresser and undertook many brand certified hairdressing related courses and seminars, should I include those certificates in my UCAS application with my education? While the topic itself isn't relevant to what I am applying to do, it does demonstrate my dedication and integrity to my endeavours, but I am also not an academic expert and would love to have you input on this. Thank you! x