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Original post by crastle
History applicants please help:

I wrote about a book on my personal statement which ive only just started reading and i literally dont understand it at all - will this hinder me in an interview


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Loollll, ask your teacher to help u understand it. If u dont understand difficult text, u should try to improve that, or else you not going to be very happy after the interview.
Original post by ForeignStudent32
I never said all subjects I replied to someone who was taking MAT and that is the the admission tutor said that he asked all colleges if possible shortlist by monday.

You just assumed blindly that it was for all subjects without any context.

"Probably Monday. I have heard that some department heads asked their tutors to finish shortlisting by Monday." - what I wrote a few post back.

Note the word "some"


lol thanks then :smile:

boo I was getting excited
Original post by Plagioclase
Please don't get too excited about tomorrow... I'm not sure what these rumours about interviews being sent out tomorrow are based on but needless to say, many subjects and colleges will not be sending out interviews tomorrow so if you do not get an email, please do not panic. It just hasn't been sent yet.

Anybody claiming to know when interviews are being sent out is probably spreading inaccurate information.


Yep, we won't know when exactly any particular interview will be sent out, but there are colleges like Merton saying in their welcome email "you won't hear from us until the 23rd", and other sources of hearsay that point to today as the beginning of the flood of interview offers and rejections alike for the subjects and colleges that have yet to make their moves.
Who gets the interview from the St. Hugh College? I apply for PPE, and the college says that 'We regret that it is not always possible to give more than seven days’ notice to candidates who are shortlisted to attend for interview'. I'm just in a bit of panic...
Original post by ForeignStudent32
I never said all subjects I replied to someone who was taking MAT and that is the the admission tutor said that he asked all colleges if possible shortlist by monday.

You just assumed blindly that it was for all subjects without any context.

"Probably Monday. I have heard that some department heads asked their tutors to finish shortlisting by Monday." - what I wrote a few post back.

Note the word "some"


This wasn't specifically aimed at you, it was a general rant at all the ridiculous speculation I've seen lately on here. Earlier I saw a guy saying that all interviews would be sent out within the next 24 hours and if you hadn't got one, you could expect to be rejected. I just happened to quote you into my rant
Original post by thechemistress
This wasn't specifically aimed at you, it was a general rant at all the ridiculous speculation I've seen lately on here. Earlier I saw a guy saying that all interviews would be sent out within the next 24 hours and if you hadn't got one, you could expect to be rejected. I just happened to quote you into my rant


I can sense some salt from that guy.
Original post by ForeignStudent32
I can sense some salt from that guy.


Haha yeah. Though apologies for ranting at you, I clearly misunderstood what you were saying :smile:
Original post by connieiscrazy
I'm waiting for a reply from Hugh's too, because I was told by Balliol that I'd been reallocated there for interview. I think they'll send the majority of their invites this week - when they talk about late invites, they're probably referring to medics (who, correct me if I'm wrong, won't start receiving invites until the 2nd December or something?) You can always phone admissions if you haven't heard by the end of this week :smile:


What times does admissions open? 8 or 8:30 or 9?
I just got an offer from Durham for Law, I am one step closer to my fate of being an Oxford-reject at Durham :wink:
Does anyone know if being unable to attend interviews in person affects the chances of admission? I can't afford to fly halfway around the world, and the admissions tutor didn't tell me if they do skype interviews or not even though I asked specifically...I'm just nervous that they'll decide not to shortlist me because of that.
Original post by Aquaxo
I just got an offer from Durham for Law, I am one step closer to my fate of being an Oxford-reject at Durham :wink:


Haha I just got an offer for chemistry from Durham so I'm same as you! 😂

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Reply 6051
Original post by ohdarlin
Does anyone know if being unable to attend interviews in person affects the chances of admission? I can't afford to fly halfway around the world, and the admissions tutor didn't tell me if they do skype interviews or not even though I asked specifically...I'm just nervous that they'll decide not to shortlist me because of that.


I think (I might be wrong) medicine is the only subject that everyone has to be at Oxford for the interview, irrespective if you're an international applicant or not. All other subjects should allow skype interviews. :smile:
Reply 6052
Original post by crastle
History applicants please help:

I wrote about a book on my personal statement which ive only just started reading and i literally dont understand it at all - will this hinder me in an interview


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That wasn't a great idea.... The book review suggestion is cunning but might not get you very far if they decide to pounce on that book - or at least it would take some skill to deviate away and I reckon they'd spot it :smile: Which college are you applying for? Some say on their website what form the history interviews will take and from that you'll see that some don't ask questions based on the personal statement at al - you might be lucky and get a thirty page barely intelligible source paper instead :biggrin:
Original post by charleethompson
English Lit, Drama and Art so probably not the strongest
What about you?


I did English lit, drama and RS so I'd say your subjects are fine tbh :wink: (fellow English applicant here for Brasenose)
Original post by jonwithnoname
I did English lit, drama and RS so I'd say your subjects are fine tbh :wink: (fellow English applicant here for Brasenose)


Ahaha that's good to hear!! I was worrying everyone had taken History or Languages
Best of luck :biggrin:


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Original post by charleethompson
Ahaha that's good to hear!! I was worrying everyone had taken History or Languages
Best of luck :biggrin:


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Thank you, you too - I think most of the English applicants are hanging out on the ELAT thread if you (and any other English applicants reading this) want to join us over there :smile:
(edited 8 years ago)
Did anyone get an intervirew invitation/rejection email this morning? I think they may have forgotten about my application... :frown:

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Grammar Level: 11 out of 10. Verdict: Oxford material
Original post by crastle
You're really rude. I'm not even going to bother defending myself because I can't take you seriously.


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Yeah that was harsh. Anyway, just read the book! Understand as best you can, and read around bits you don't get. Or ask a teacher or somebody.

This may be bad advice - maybe somebody that has sat a history interview would correct me - but I don't think they are expecting you to know any book from front to back. You would be expected to know the overall argument, and to be able to expand on bits of it - i.e. the bits you mentioned in your statement, or the bits you mention when they ask you what you found interesting about it.

Basically, just develop an opinion on an aspect of the book. I'm sure you can do that, even if some of its is tricky.
Original post by ForeignStudent32
But if he has difficulty understanding difficult text, he would have a lot of difficulty during the interview no matter what they chose to do. Unless they gave him like politcal cartoons, but come on, this is not kindergarten so that is not likely :P


Tell my man shut up.


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