The Official 2019 Oxford Applicants Thread

Hi,
What did you get a GCSE?
9A*s (9,8), 1 A (7) and a B

What A Levels are you studying?
Latin, Classics, Music + and EPQ and Level 3 maths

What are your predicted grades?
AAA but personally I'd like A*A*A, and I think my predicted grades are lower because of the 7 and B in maths and further maths

What extracurricular do you do? - a few? At school I'm a prefect, a peer mentor, a classics student leader, an academic scholar and a music scholar, I play the violin, tuba and I sing so I'm in around 6 various school clubs for that - out of school I'm a deputy head chorister at an abbey choir, I volunteer at rainbows, and I work part time as a waitress and when I'm not busy I'm either reading or watching Netflix.

What course will you be applying for?
Classics

What colleges are you interested in and why?
Exeter, Merton, Oriel, Queens, University and Somerville - these are the ones that offer choral scholarships to soprano girls sooo

Why Oxford and not Cambridge?
I like them both but the course at Oxford appeals to me more, I feel it's like constrained.

Damnnnnn, this is a keen profile😂, I’m also a fan of univ too, although Worcester is always first

Keen? How so? 😂 And I haven't really looked into Worcester if I'm honest

Just is keen, in a good way though, it’s a mix of everything good; grades, extracurriculars and Netflix of course I’m assuming you watch Viola Helen on YouTube? She studies classics at Oxford.

Well thank you 😊 you seem pretty keen yourself - and yep! I don't watch her videos as often as I want to though, I've only really seen the ones focused on Oxford

Ah fair enough, well good luck then!!!! Keep working hard and you’re bound to get in👍🏾

What did you get at GCSE?
887AAAAAAABB

(I was a bit of an idiot at the time and didn't revise + there have been a few issues at home)

What A levels are you studying?
Maths, Economics, Biology and Geography

What are your target/predicted grades?
A* in Economics, 3 As for my other subjects

What extracurriculars do you do?
3 Choirs, Duke of Edinburgh Gold, Debating Society

What course will you be applying for?
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

What colleges are you interested in and why?
I don't really have a preference so I'll probably make an open application.

Why Oxford and not Cambridge?
They don't offer PPE at Cambridge!

My name is Katie if anyone wants to know.

What did you get at GCSE?
6A*s 3As 1B (not great I know)
(A* contains an 8 and a 9, A contains a 7)

What A levels are you studying?
Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics.

What are your AS grades (if this applies to anyone)?
Nah.

What are your target/predicted grades?
My targets are AAAA but we don't get A* targets for maths or science at my school, so personal target is A*A*AA

What extracurriculars do you do?
Prefect (going for Head Girl), HSK Level 1 Chinese, run a Amnesty International inspired group where we discuss human rights, volunteer at a charity which gives disabled people access to sport, work as a tutor at Explore Learning, tutor some top set GCSE science girls in school, part of the Oxbridge group - we do many things like make a newsletter, write and speak assemblies, create PSHE sessions, mentor younger girls etc...

What course will you be applying for?
Probably Biochemistry. I am concerned, though, as I only got an A grade in Biology at GCSE.

What colleges are you interested in and why?
No idea.

Why Oxford and not Cambridge?
I'm actually not certain. I did want to study Natural Sciences at any university really, but few offer it, and even fewer offer a structure of it that I like. So although I don't mind the Cambridge NatSci course, I'm not sure I could find 4 other universities I'd want to apply to.
Also, my school is linked with Brasenose at Oxford.

I know someone with very similar grades to you who applied to Oxford for PPE this year (he may or may not have gotten an instant rejection)

I realise completely how weak my academic profile is to date but it all depends on a combination on the demographic of the applicant cohort for PPE in 2019, my predicted grades, how well I do on the TSA and whether my personal statement catches their eye or not.

Even for people with a mass of 9s and A* it is a lottery so I might as well apply anyway and see where it gets me. I know there is about an 80% chance of immediate rejection but there is nothing stopping me from applying the following year with my actual A-Level grades.

Hey Guys,

What Did You Get at GCSE?

999 + 7A* + 1A + A in AS Level Polish (Dno if that counts, but they let me take it in Yr 9 because I'm a native speaker)

What A Levels Are you studying?

Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computer Science

What are your Predicted Grades?

Currently A*AA in Year 12, with A* in Maths because our college decided we should do the full A2 this year, which means starting further next year so I have no info for that. Targeted A*A*A*A* by the end of Yr 13.

What Extra-Curriculars do you do?

Grade 6 in Classical Guitar, Currently trying to learn Haskell and Java in free time (College made us do VB.NET for our projects :/), Looking to finish CompTIA A+ in the summer, Maths and Informatics Olympiad

What Course will you be applying for?

Computer Science

What Colleges will you be interested in and why?

I was looking at Balliol recently, really like the classic atmosphere. I've not visited any yet so this could change.

Why Oxford not Cambridge?

I don't really like the idea of studying in a big city, I know Oxford isn't particularly small either, but Cambridge is much bigger. Also I like the Computer Science course a bit more, I think it goes more towards the area of computing I'd want to work at.

Hey, has anyone tried looking at the TSAs yet? I tried 15 or so questions from the S1 specimen (I won't be doing S2) and found them to be okay. However, I didn't want to waste the whole thing as I'll need them for practice. I think I could end up with a high TSA score but I'm still worried with my crap GCSEs (2A*s, 6As, C, D... I know the average GCSE profile at my secondary school is much worse than this as I only know a couple of people with 1A* and most get Cs and Ds or worse).

I'm also getting some tutoring experience (hopefully it involves science), I'll hopefully get a Nuffield Research placement and I'll hopefully get to take part in the Cambridge Shadowing Scheme. I believe our school also do the Cambridge Lower Sixth Chemistry challenge. I'm scared that none of it will be enough and that I'll miss out on the only uni I really want to go to.