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Oxford Law Students and Applicants

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Reply 660
Avatar for swaggie
swaggie
Erh, I'm currently doing Law, Eng Lang, History and French at AS, and I was really thinking of doing Law or even Law with French Law, but do they really care about your GCSEs? I got average ones and I'd say that I'm improving at college what with the fact that they're subjects I actually am interested in. I have a vague idea on A2, I was thinking of History, Law and French, would they be acceptable? I've read that they are mainly interested in your interviews and what not but the whole "is Law A level even useful for uni?" situation, I know I definitely want to carry on with it but is it worth applying? Oh, also, another note, is it just really weird that I got a bit excited about the whole "45 hours of reading/study" thing? Oh lord, don't answer that. I really want to do Law at Oxford but afdccdvbgnh
A Levels: A*A*A + A* In EPQ, Distinction in AQA BAC, and AS subjects dropped: CC
GCSE: 8A*5A1B
LNAT practice scores: ranging in the low 20's...
(Hopefully these are decent! - as for extra curriculum activities, work experience etc. i'm really lacking. Haven't done anything like debating etc. like most people have)

It would be really helpful if I could read some examples of what are considered good LNAT essays, other than the ones on the website, does anyone know where else I can find some?
Hi I am a current undergraduate student doing law at southampton uni

my tutors gave me a list about reference book but did not recommend any in particular, so I am kind of confused, and I am interested what the top law schools are using

would you mind sharing the reference book list for law?
much appreciated
Original post by finalfantasy
Hi I am a current undergraduate student doing law at southampton uni

my tutors gave me a list about reference book but did not recommend any in particular, so I am kind of confused, and I am interested what the top law schools are using

would you mind sharing the reference book list for law?
much appreciated


What subject are you looking at in particular?

IMO, it might be better to just ask your tutor what he/she prefers. Generally, each tutor has their own preferred book(s) (although of course, you can use other recommended texts as well if you prefer them)
Original post by mishieru07
What subject are you looking at in particular?

IMO, it might be better to just ask your tutor what he/she prefers. Generally, each tutor has their own preferred book(s) (although of course, you can use other recommended texts as well if you prefer them)


I got a Smith and Hogan for Criminal which is quite comprehensive.
I do not really like the Public Law Text Case Materials one, and also the Contract Law I am still thinking to buy a Text Case Materials or sth else

so mainly I am looking for Public Law and Contract Law book

cheers mate
Original post by finalfantasy
I got a Smith and Hogan for Criminal which is quite comprehensive.
I do not really like the Public Law Text Case Materials one, and also the Contract Law I am still thinking to buy a Text Case Materials or sth else

so mainly I am looking for Public Law and Contract Law book

cheers mate


Hmm I got Simester & Sullivan for Crim because that's what my tutor preferred, although personally I think Herring works really well too. Some of my friends used Smith & Hogan and I heard it's fine.

We don't do Public Law (think it's separated into Constitutional and Administrative Law) so I don't know how relevant my textbooks would be. For Constit, I used Bradley and Ewing, which wasn't helpful IMO. I'd go with Turpin and Tompkins.

For Contract, there's quite a few. Personally, I like McKendrick (there's a smaller, more condensed version that is pretty handy for quick revision haha), supplemented by Burrows case book. Other books that people use are Chen-Wishart, Treitel and Anson's. The other recommended case book on my reading list is Beale, Bishop and Furmston - I've never used it but my friend said it's alright

I hope this helps! :smile:
Original post by Sadhika
hey! does anyone know the chances of getting in after you have been granted an interview?


Well going by this year's statistics, 40% are shortlisted of which 17% will be accepted. So if you have been called for an interview, the chances are you are only competing against 2 or 3 other people - that is statistically speaking, of course.
A question on Oxford law interview format.

I know that in Cambridge they love prior legal knowledge and if you can name-drop and analyse any Acts or Bills you are aware of, you get brownie points. However, there seems to be a consensus, from the Oxford law faculty itself, that no prior legal knowledge is necessary.

To what extent is that true? Should I research on some cases and Acts? Or should I just focus on my reasoning skills?
I'd prefer an answer from a succesful candidate :smile:
Hey guysssss! A question on Oxford law interview format.

I know that in Cambridge they love prior legal knowledge and if you can name-drop and analyse any Acts or Bills you are aware of, you get brownie points. However, there seems to be a consensus, from the Oxford law faculty itself, that no prior legal knowledge is necessary.

To what extent is that true? Should I research on some cases and Acts? Or should I just focus on my reasoning skills?
I'd prefer an answer from a succesful candidate :smile: :smile: :smile:
Reply 669
Avatar for Estreth
Estreth
11
Original post by TheUbermensche
Hey guysssss! A question on Oxford law interview format.

I know that in Cambridge they love prior legal knowledge and if you can name-drop and analyse any Acts or Bills you are aware of, you get brownie points. However, there seems to be a consensus, from the Oxford law faculty itself, that no prior legal knowledge is necessary.

To what extent is that true? Should I research on some cases and Acts? Or should I just focus on my reasoning skills?
I'd prefer an answer from a succesful candidate :smile: :smile: :smile:


I'd say legal knowledge is important insofar as it constitutes evidence that you are genuinely interested in and have been reading about legal topics. If you can't name a single Act of Parliament, that suggests you having been paying that much attention to the subject you're applying for. Whereas, for instance, if you are aware of the passage of a specific bill through Parliament at the moment, that shows you are taking an active interest in the area.

But I don't think just dropping in the names of statutes or cases here and there is likely to help much, particularly if they are not clearly relevant to whatever you're discussing in the interview.
Original post by Estreth

But I don't think just dropping in the names of statutes or cases here and there is likely to help much, particularly if they are not clearly relevant to whatever you're discussing in the interview.


This is quite correct. Our criteria for law admissions can be found on the law faculty website here: http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/undergraduate/criteria.php

We are quite clear that "Existing knowledge of the law is not a criterion of admission." and this is absolutely true.

Equally, we are interested in applicants' motivation to study law at Oxford. There are myriad ways to demonstrate that, which won't generally involve name-dropping irrelevant statutes and cases.

But we would expect that all applicants would have sought to satisfy themselves that they really did want to study for a law degree, and so would have some insight into what that would entail.
Original post by Estreth
I'd say legal knowledge is important insofar as it constitutes evidence that you are genuinely interested in and have been reading about legal topics. If you can't name a single Act of Parliament, that suggests you having been paying that much attention to the subject you're applying for. Whereas, for instance, if you are aware of the passage of a specific bill through Parliament at the moment, that shows you are taking an active interest in the area.

But I don't think just dropping in the names of statutes or cases here and there is likely to help much, particularly if they are not clearly relevant to whatever you're discussing in the interview.


Have you had an Oxford interview? What sort of questions did you face? (appreciate the response!)
Reply 672
Avatar for Estreth
Estreth
11
Original post by TheUbermensche
Have you had an Oxford interview? What sort of questions did you face? (appreciate the response!)


My interview was years back, and in philosophy rather than law. But I'm now a grad student in the law school so I have some knowledge of the undergraduate admissions process. Michael Ashdown (see above) is a tutor in law at Somerville College, though, so definitely listen to what he has to say!
Reply 673
Avatar for amd1
amd1
10
Original post by TheUbermensche
Have you had an Oxford interview? What sort of questions did you face? (appreciate the response!)


I had 2 interviews there last year. The first was easier; I was given a very short bit of info about what constitutes a country and the criteria needed to join the UN, and the tutor gave me a situation of people living on an island, and I had to tell her how and why that community could/couldn't be a country/join the UN, and she kept changing the scenario slightly to challenge what I had said.

The second was much harder as there was a longish extract from a book of legal philosophy with a situation with potential legal consequences and the discussion was based on that.

I didn't get in, sorry, but it's still interview help. I'm at UCL now, which is above Oxford in the league tables atm :tongue:
Original post by amd1
I had 2 interviews there last year. The first was easier; I was given a very short bit of info about what constitutes a country and the criteria needed to join the UN, and the tutor gave me a situation of people living on an island, and I had to tell her how and why that community could/couldn't be a country/join the UN, and she kept changing the scenario slightly to challenge what I had said.

The second was much harder as there was a longish extract from a book of legal philosophy with a situation with potential legal consequences and the discussion was based on that.

I didn't get in, sorry, but it's still interview help. I'm at UCL now, which is above Oxford in the league tables atm :tongue:


So did you feel that you had to draw upon legal cases/statutes/contemporary topics? Or was the scope of the interview much more geared towards the material in hand?
Reply 675
Avatar for amd1
amd1
10
Original post by TheUbermensche
So did you feel that you had to draw upon legal cases/statutes/contemporary topics? Or was the scope of the interview much more geared towards the material in hand?


No cases/statutes or anything like that. Just applying the information given to the questions/bit of common sense and being able to justify your reasoning.
Original post by amd1
No cases/statutes or anything like that. Just applying the information given to the questions/bit of common sense and being able to justify your reasoning.


Great! What I needed to hear!
Now for some corroboration, anyone? :colondollar:
Original post by TheUbermensche
Great! What I needed to hear!
Now for some corroboration, anyone? :colondollar:


Interviewed last year at Trinity and Magdalene and can say that you don't need much legal knowledge, aside from general knowledge on current affairs and contemporary legal topics.

Being quick on your feet, and being able to handle a don making you feel like you've got the intellectuall capacity of a toddler is far more important than being able to recite laws.

Not sure if you missed my post before?
Original post by TheUbermensche
Great! What I needed to hear!
Now for some corroboration, anyone? :colondollar:


I'm a Law student at Brasenose and this was the case for my interviews too. Basically, I was given a case in each interview and asked questions based on the case itself (eg so why did the Law Lords allow the appeal?). The tutors would then invent novel situations (so if I do xxx, would there be a contract?) and get you to apply what you've learnt from the cases to those hypothetical situations. At no stage was any legal knowledge necessary at all :smile:

That said, my junior who interviewed at Merton felt that it would have been helpful for him to have read some basic books about the law (His interviews were based on hypothetical situations and not cases), but he did concede that it was not a necessity. At any rate, I think there's far too many possible areas that they can ask you about so it's really impossible to read up in advance!
Reply 679
Avatar for jamesetta
jamesetta
Got a Mansfield interview and was just wondering if anyone could tell me what the foreign language interview will be like. Just what the format will be and what types of questions. Can anyone confirm that I won't be given literature to analyse as the degree includes no French literature? Many, many thanks (:

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