The Student Room Group

2017 Oxford Prospective Students [part 2]

Scroll to see replies

Original post by m1m2
Absolutely! And I think this might be even more relevant for us international students, coming from academic background where the only thing associated with Oxbridge are big blockbuster movies and romanticized gothic buildings - and most of us end up doing the whole application process without guidance. Personally, I knew where I screwed up, and I even ended up changing my course. Nevertheless, you have to be sure that there is a chance, and that you are willing to spend a year taking that chance. It is not for everyone. Many people who are rejected post-interview are not rejected due to their academic incompetence, but rather because they do not fit the tutorial system, so I think you have to have a strong sense of integrity when taking the reapplying decision as well - don't go throwing yourself under the bus if you just dodged the bullet.


Yes, this is very true. I didn't have GCSEs - at the time I went to a very crap inner city high school with absolutely no guidance about anything (for reference, 50% went into army/navy and the other went to the local uni or just passed the year). So I didn't have that back-up that other people did (sure yes it's contextual etc etc and GCSEs aren't weighted super heavy but it does have a small effect). I progressed to a really strong British sixth form and my results are great considering where I came from but they weren't really Oxford standard (AABBB w a B in a crucial subject). That whole year of AS was pretty much, even at a great school, a year of catching up academically for effectively missing 2 years of education. So perhaps, for me, it might have had a good amount to do with AS grades.

I don't think it can be said enough how much the tutorial system is a major factor. I know someone who applied for History - 76% on the HAT (w 67% being average for acceptance), a good submitted work score (but not the best because he's lazy), AAAA at AS (w very high UMS) but an interview score of 6. He's brighter than me, no doubt about that, but I wouldn't recommend him to re-apply unless he somehow managed to creep out of very shy shell come next year (which I don't see happening, he's been pretty shy for ~2yrs I've known him). On paper he's great, in words not so much. I'm biased but someone with ABBB/AABB/AABBB etc at AS has room for academic improvement - depending on school those grades could have impacted and tilted it against the person even with a good/very good interview. Those kinds of people, providing they do very well at A2 and do well at interview, could consider reapplying. But then again, interview counts a lot and you have to do what they want in that sense (which boils down to (for those who are curious - from an FOI)): knowledge, verbal reasoning, communication and potential.

I suppose it comes down to this: do you think, between now and next year, you can do something to improve your app? Grades and subject tests are the obvious thing but once those are out of the way there's the whole thing of interviews. Will you read widely, explore your subject more? Develop a passion in a particular area? Do some research or training or work experience or volunteering in a field related to your subject? And most importantly: become better at articulating your thoughts in an interview setting? If you think you can, go for it. With a productive gap year, you won't have lost much.

If you've got determination give it a go, see what happens. Treat it as just an opportunity of many in life. If it works out? Fab. If it doesn't? There is a life beyond the pearly gates and spires that will be just as happy. But hey, if you will always think "damn why didn't I do that when I had the chance?" then go for it. Why not?
Original post by fablereader
Email here.


sorry if you've said it before but what did they say? if you want you can quote your previous post if youve already answered this
i think this info will be of interest to you oxford folk, my friend just got his feedback from @BrasenoseAdm and they told him he was rejected pre interview because he had 7A*'s 3A's and they only called people with 8A*'s for interview. some context: he applied for law and had AAAA in AS
Original post by Student1256
sorry if you've said it before but what did they say? if you want you can quote your previous post if youve already answered this


Actually, I haven't said it before (I think), no need to worry. :smile: They gave links for the general Merton feedback and the Merton Classics feedback, then provided some feedback specific to me. Apparently, I could have used less prompting in the interview and I did unusually poorly in one part of the CAT, which put me in the second quartile. However, I did quite well in the other parts of the CAT and I 'demonstrated a clear interest in learning' and communicated my points 'clearly' in my interview.
Reply 404
Original post by Student1256
i think this info will be of interest to you oxford folk, my friend just got his feedback from @BrasenoseAdm and they told him he was rejected pre interview because he had 7A*'s 3A's and they only called people with 8A*'s for interview. some context: he applied for law and had AAAA in AS


that won't be the sole reason they didn't invite him, perhaps a contributing factor but not the sole reason - and that will have been taken out of context, they would have invited people with less a*'s who are in relatively poorly performing schools as well, perhaps his school's average was 9a*s at gcse... it probably isn't but I would be very surprised if the only reason for rejection was having one less a* at gcse, even if he was from an underperforming school and had a fantastic LNAT score, something which they are MUCH more likely to set a cut off score for
Original post by lajb
that won't be the sole reason they didn't invite him, perhaps a contributing factor but not the sole reason - and that will have been taken out of context, they would have invited people with less a*'s who are in relatively poorly performing schools as well, perhaps his school's average was 9a*s at gcse... it probably isn't but I would be very surprised if the only reason for rejection was having one less a* at gcse, even if he was from an underperforming school and had a fantastic LNAT score, something which they are MUCH more likely to set a cut off score for


idk if it's true but he said the college told him they only called people to interview that had 8A*'s or above. sounds kind of ridiculous but thats what he said (and btw the school he is from is international and doesnt have such a high A* average)
btw can someone who isnt applying to oxford sit one of their exams such as MAT? just for an extra qualification; just wondering. does oxford release the results of MAT like STEP?
Original post by Student1256
idk if it's true but he said the college told him they only called people to interview that had 8A*'s or above. sounds kind of ridiculous but thats what he said (and btw the school he is from is international and doesnt have such a high A* average)


Hello Student1256,

The actual phrase used in the letters we've sent so far is:

"In the absence of mitigating factors, candidates who achieved fewer than
8A*s at GCSE or less than 23 in the multiple choice and 62 in the essay part of the LNAT were not selected for interview, although strong performance in one or the other component was relied on to compensate weakness in the other."

This is certainly true of our applicants. For reference of the 29 candidates we interviewed (for which GCSE data is available for 21 - the others will have not sat GCSEs), 7 had fewer than 8 A*s. In most of these cases, they had achieved highly in the LNAT, however mitigating circumstances (such as poor average school performance, illness, bereavement, teaching issues) could mean that they might be invited to interview even if their LNAT score was nearer the threshold.

Brasenose Admissions
Original post by BrasenoseAdm
Hello Student1256,

The actual phrase used in the letters we've sent so far is:

"In the absence of mitigating factors, candidates who achieved fewer than
8A*s at GCSE or less than 23 in the multiple choice and 62 in the essay part of the LNAT were not selected for interview, although strong performance in one or the other component was relied on to compensate weakness in the other."

This is certainly true of our applicants. For reference of the 29 candidates we interviewed (for which GCSE data is available for 21 - the others will have not sat GCSEs), 7 had fewer than 8 A*s. In most of these cases, they had achieved highly in the LNAT, however mitigating circumstances (such as poor average school performance, illness, bereavement, teaching issues) could mean that they might be invited to interview even if their LNAT score was nearer the threshold.

Brasenose Admissions


i knew something was fishy with what he told me! thank you for the clarification
Original post by Student1256
btw can someone who isnt applying to oxford sit one of their exams such as MAT? just for an extra qualification; just wondering. does oxford release the results of MAT like STEP?


No, I'm afraid not. The MAT is not a public exam, and is only used for applications to Oxford or Imperial Mathematics courses. You do not receive a qualification for taking it (or any of our admissions tests). Oxford releases some information and feedback on the MAT, including solutions, but it does not publicly release results of individuals (that is, you can't get a certificate). If you take the MAT then you are only able to find out your score by contacting Oxford or Imperial (whichever you applied to).

Brasenose Admissions
Reply 410
@BrasenoseAdm if my college hasn't yet given me feedback (ie MAT score) would you recommend asking again? Basically are they likely to have forgotten about me?

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 411
Original post by qeyoo
@BrasenoseAdm if my college hasn't yet given me feedback (ie MAT score) would you recommend asking again? Basically are they likely to have forgotten about me?

Posted from TSR Mobile


Won't let me tag on mobile, could someone else have a go?

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by qeyoo
@BrasenoseAdm if my college hasn't yet given me feedback (ie MAT score) would you recommend asking again? Basically are they likely to have forgotten about me?

Posted from TSR Mobile


Original post by qeyoo
Won't let me tag on mobile, could someone else have a go?

Posted from TSR Mobile


@BrasenoseAdm


The standard policy is to provide feedback within 20 working days under normal circumstances. We would suggest waiting until this time period has elapsed and then writing to ask when you might expect a feedback letter.
Reply 414
Original post by BrasenoseAdm
The standard policy is to provide feedback within 20 working days under normal circumstances. We would suggest waiting until this time period has elapsed and then writing to ask when you might expect a feedback letter.


Fabby, thanks

Posted from TSR Mobile
Do undergrad students also need to fill out a financial declaration form for Oxford?
Original post by blehxxx
Do undergrad students also need to fill out a financial declaration form for Oxford?


Yeah, I've been sent one by my college
Original post by hhealey13
Yeah, I've been sent one by my college


Thank you.
Do people who have applied for scholarship also need to fill out the financial declaration form?
@BrasenoseAdm
Do people who have applied for a scholarship also need to fill out a financial declaration form? Also, does anything we say in our scholarship application affect our offer? In the sense that in my scholarship application I might have mentioned how important receiving a scholarship and my only other source of funding is a student loan, does this affect my offer or the way I should fill out my financial declaration form in anyway?Also, when exactly will we receive this financial declaration form to fill? Do only those people who have accepted Oxford's offer get it? Do people holding unconditional offers receive it too? Also by when do we need to fill the financial declaration form and submit it back?
Thank you in advance.
(edited 7 years ago)

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Trending