LLB Law at Oxford???

The average LNAT score of UCL offer-holders was 25 in 2014 (https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/191464/response/470880/attach/html/3/Response.doc.html)

The LNAT is an extremely difficult paper. If you got 35/42 you would almost certainly be top 10 in the entire country.

Hi! I am applying to Oxford Law (Wadham to be exact), and i am slightly worried about LNAT and personal statement :/

I have a predicted score of 44 points, with 777 at HL, and hoping my refs from teachers are good. I'm trying to polish up my personal statement, but i'm really hesitant about what will put the tutors off. I've tried to make it sound academic, but i'm not sure ive read enough books- i have heard people read 7 or 8 and reference them.

My LNAT score is also quite bad, the highest i can score in the sample tests is like 35/42 which sounds terrible, but it seems impossible to get it up i can't find anything about required scores anywhere online

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

EDIT: i know now my lnat score is quite high, which is probably a mixture of luck and an easy sample test, please can i have some help regarding applications, rather than just telling me how unlikely i am to get that score

Don't quote 7+ books in your reference!! There's so many other things you need to be talking about and showing the university what else you can do and how rounded you are. People who quote 7+ books are just trying to name drop but that doesn't look good. By all means mention in interviews any additional books you read, but you're right on space with a PS so make sure you make it a well rounded application and not just how much you've read (ie talk about why law, what made you decide, what have you done to further your knowledge of law eg work experience etc, any extra curriculars etc). Oxbridge want to see that you're all rounded and can balance a number of things on your plate.. Not just that you can read.

Hope that helps! x


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Quoting 7-8 books won't help much since you'd hardly have any space left to discuss them. Anyone can pick up a book and quote it so I doubt that's what they are looking for. May I suggest writing about 3 books but discussing in depth what you found interesting and perhaps contradictions in ideas between those books, and most importantly give your own opinion on the books.

Oh I never thought about comparing the books! Currently I've mentioned one book, and bit of apartheid case law, do you think that counts as a reference to academia?
Thanks very much, I'm so much less stressed now


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Thank you so much! I was so worried reading my friends, as he applied last year. He didn't get in though! I've mentioned one book, a bit of apartheid case law and some stuff about stateless people, so hopefully that will be ok once I polish it up. Would it be useful to mention things like sixth form committee and head girl, because I've been told by some it's not worth it as it doesn't relate directly to law


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Hey! No problem glad I could be useful
Yes that definitely sounds very academic to me but it sounds like you've also still got plenty of room to fill? the advice I was given regarding oxbridge PS was 90 percent academic and 10 percent extracurricular. Hope this helps!

I would mention head girl as you have to be very special and doing very well/respected at your school to get it so it's something that shows you're an all-rounder. I wouldn't dwell on it, but have it as part of a sentence which talks about your extra curriculars




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Don't quote 7+ books in your reference!! There's so many other things you need to be talking about and showing the university what else you can do and how rounded you are. People who quote 7+ books are just trying to name drop but that doesn't look good. By all means mention in interviews any additional books you read, but you're right on space with a PS so make sure you make it a well rounded application and not just how much you've read (ie talk about why law, what made you decide, what have you done to further your knowledge of law eg work experience etc, any extra curriculars etc). Oxbridge want to see that you're all rounded and can balance a number of things on your plate.. Not just that you can read.

Hope that helps! x


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It is absolutely right that name-dropping 7 books is not sensible and looks tokenistic; much better to mention one or two and explain in a bit of detail what specifically you found interesting about them. It is also good advice to say something about why you chose law, and to mention anything other than reading that demonstrates your commitment to or (more importantly) interest in the course.

But Oxford are not looking for 'well-rounded' students. Extra-curricular activities are completely irrelevant except insofar as they demonstrate interest in law, and if you were the geekiest, most one-dimensional applicant ever, but your one obsession was reading about law, this would not disadvantage you in the slightest. Someone who does nothing but read, but thinks deeply about what they read, and has interesting and original things to say about it, could be an ideal candidate.

I'm going to have to strongly disagree with you on this one. I'm not saying write paragraph after paragraph on other stuff, but it is useful to have a line or to about your other interests and passions otherwise how can you decipher from one AAA student to another?

OP, putting head girl etc is good to show your other interests. As mentioned don't dwell much on it but it's good to mention.

Even if Oxford don't care about it, your other 4 universities will, so you don't want to be disadvantage for your other offers.


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