The Student Room Group
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Oxford Applicants 2016 Entry & Interview chat

Scroll to see replies

Has anyone heard from Keble for law?
Original post by jneill
And even then 50% fail to hit the STEP requirement - despite working flat out on it for months. STEP is tough...


That is because Cambridge give out more offers than Oxford and uses STEP as an elimination process. If Cambridge only gave the top 250 applicants offers, then the percentage of people passing the STEP would be much higher.
Original post by physicsmaths
'Oxford maths' lads look


:lol:


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by ForeignStudent32
Perhaps you are not very familiar with Oxford's system. There is something called admission tests that most of us have to take after applying.


Yeah, because a test is much more reliable than meeting them in person.

But if Oxford say it works, then why not I guess
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by politicalmind
Guys, how important are interviews really in the scheme of your application?


Absolutely vital. Probably the single most important point.

Take a look here for medicine - notice that whilst the correlation between BMAT score/pA* and getting in is strong, there are still a huge number of 100%A*/75%+ in BMAT applicants who are rejected. For example, your chances if you score 75-70% in the BMAT (top 5% of results) are only in the region of 55%. Where do the other 45% trip up? Very likely the interview.

Or if you are amazing on paper but pretty rubbish at interview will you get rejected?


Absolutely.
Original post by MZS15
nope not yet
waiting for Law with Spanish Law at New :smile:


Let me know when you hear! I've applied for straight Law at New
Original post by enaayrah
Yeah, because a test is much more reliable than meeting them in person.

But if Oxford say it works, then why not I guess


If you cared to read the previous posts and later posts, you will see that we are talking about how to select talented applicants for interview. Cambridge interview almost every one, while Oxford uses a test to cutoff half.

With interview, you can test them more. However, I am pretty sure there aren't 80% of all applicants that are talented and using a test to weed out the less talented applicants is much faster and easier for many student.
Original post by nexttime
Absolutely vital. Probably the single most important point.

Take a look here for medicine - notice that whilst the correlation between BMAT score/pA* and getting in is strong, there are still a huge number of 100%A*/75%+ in BMAT applicants who are rejected. For example, your chances if you score 75-70% in the BMAT (top 5% of results) are only in the region of 55%. Where do the other 45% trip up? Very likely the interview.



Absolutely.


BMAT is an exception. Most subjects the top 5% scorers are almost always accepted. Medicine is hard to get in, it is not that they did not do good on interview, it is that they did not do good enough. While other subjects, I get 75 plus on the tests, I can just do okay on interview and still get in due to less competition.

Medicine is just so competitve that you need an excellent interview and excellent score. Where in most subjects, one of the two above component would be sufficient.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by ForeignStudent32
If you cared to read the previous posts and later posts, you will see that we are talking about how to select talented applicants for interview. Cambridge interview almost every one, while Oxford uses a test to cutoff half.

With interview, you can test them more. However, I am pretty sure there aren't 80% of all applicants that are talented and using a test to weed out the less talented applicants is much faster and easier for many student.


So for Maths, Oxford uses MAT to pre-select a few who it interviews, then they are interviewed, and some are given an offer, most then acheive the offer.

Cambridge chooses to interview most applicants, offers to approx half, sets a STEP requirement, fewer achieve the offer.

In both cases a large number of applicants are whittled down to a few places.

It's a similar process, just a bit different.

Like Oxford and Cambridge overall: similar but different.

Vive la difference :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by jneill
So for Maths, Oxford uses MAT to pre-select a few who it interviews, then they are interviewed, and some are given an offer, most then acheive the offer.

Cambridge chooses to interview most applicants, offers to approx half, sets a STEP requirement, fewer achieve the offer.

In both cases a large number of applicants are whittled down to a few places.

It's a similar process, just a bit different.

Like Oxford and Cambridge overall: similar but different.

Vive la difference :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile


Yeah, actually, if you look at it, it is the only the time of the test that differs. One is at very beginning and one is at very end.

Oh is this for all subjects at Cambridge? Mandatory test at the end or just STEP?
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by ForeignStudent32
Yeah, actually, if you look at it, it is the only the time of the test that differs. One is at very beginning and one is at very end.


Correct.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by ForeignStudent32
Yeah, actually, if you look at it, it is the only the time of the test that differs. One is at very beginning and one is at very end.

Oh is this for all subjects at Cambridge? Mandatory test at the end or just STEP?


Also, it shows how friendly Cambridge apparently is... "we like you, please come for an interview, have a nice comfy chair, now tell us about your Maths....". Then kills you with STEP.

The friendly assassin.

Lol.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by jneill
Also, it shows how friendly Cambridge apparently is... "we like you, please come for an interview, have a nice comfy chair, now tell us about your Maths....". Then kills you with STEP.

The friendly assassin.

Lol.

Posted from TSR Mobile


I was asking if all subjects have a mandatory end exam as part of conditional offer.
I actually really enjoyed question three but don't think I wrote enough but question one I didn't like because of the restrictions on how much you could write, you?
Original post by ALeng
I ran out of time for that last question because I'd misread the information in the earlier parts of the HECO question!! Aargh! How did you find the rest of the paper?
Original post by ForeignStudent32
I was asking if all subjects have a mandatory end exam as part of conditional offer.


No. Only Maths (or CS with Maths) as a matter of course. But some colleges do ask for STEP for Engineering, and Economics.

We are waiting to see if Cambridge changes this process for 2017 applicants onwards.

I suspect they won't much, but they might set more written tests at interview (but not pre-interview like Oxford).

Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by jneill
No. Only Maths as a matter of course. But some colleges ask for STEP for Engineering, and Economics.

We are waiting to see if Cambridge changes this process for 2017 applicants onwards.

I suspect they won't much, but will set more written tests AT interview (but not pre-interview like Oxford).

Posted from TSR Mobile


Cambridge said that it is going to change the process? Can you link me to the website where it said that? My cousin is interested in applying there in a few years time.
Original post by ForeignStudent32
Cambridge said that it is going to change the process? Can you link me to the website where it said that? My cousin is interested in applying there in a few years time.


They haven't formally announced what the changes are so there's nothing to link to yet.

It's expected early next year.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by ArtyQuell
Overbearing the converse doesn't create a truce,
Feeding the flames never puts out the fire,
You can tell when a comment is written in verse
That the chat situation has become rather dire ...


Ha, ha! I love this so much! The style is even similar to a Rowling riddle in HP. Ah, when intelligent students fall into the abyss of a petty squabble.
Original post by jneill
They haven't formally announced what the changes are so there's nothing to link to yet.

It's expected early next year.

Posted from TSR Mobile


I heard maths is keeping step from the at i think.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Does anyone have any idea when interview notices will start coming through (St John's particularly)? Sorry if it's already been mentioned in the thread.

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you