Oxford Applicants for 2012 Entry

Virtually all the history teachers in my school are extremely inappropriate. A middle aged male history teacher should not be advising young girls how to scope out a husband

and yes,

I'm not applying to English, but I do English Literature A-level, and if you want to read Marlowe, go for Dr.Faustus...a really interesting play with the odd suprisingly contemporary issue (like one of the characters' concept of hell) for the time it was written.

Well, you'd have to be somewhat insane and eccentric to devote your life to things that happened before you were even born anyway. And yes, i'm implying that you're insane and eccentric mwahaha

that earns you an extra

Ooh! It seems that we're collecting " "!

I read Kierkegaard for pleasure/personal interest when I was fourteen I think I might have been then.

Fortunately I moved beyond my extreme Christian ascetic stage and dived full on into the debauchery and licentiousness of the classical Greeks and Romans

Is that a way of calling me a slut?

*Googles Kierkegaard* Oh... he seems... interesting

I don't think a passion for classics (especially those pesky Romans!) means that you're any less insane considering all the 'questionable' things that they did

I'm applying for E&M... So the chances are rather low (30%).. What about you?

edit: oh just saw you're applying for english, that's also really competitive...

E&M? Those chances are no worse than my course (English Language and Literature), which was one in five last year...and I've kind of adopted the stance that, with Oxford, my chances are no worse than anyone else, because of the high standard of all the applicants....

Oddly enough, I totally agree with you. Pride and Prejudice was okay, but....Jane Austen writes very well but I just can't get overly worked up about her plotlines or characters. Similarly, I loved Wuthering Heights; okay, he's an unpleasant piece of work but I found Heathcliffe brilliant. I think I need to see more plays, but I'm going to The Tempest next week so that's a start, and hopefully I can build on that before the (possible) interview. I wish I had spent more time going to the theatre earlier! I have a primary reading list of ten texts, of which I've currently read two, so...I'm doing fairly averagely. I sympathise with being busy at school, last year I had no time whatsoever. My English teacher is doing Extension classes to be fair, and has invited me in, which is brilliant of her, I just wish they were more frequent! Ah well...

I've always wanted to read Faustus - and, now I come to think of it, 'The Picture of Dorian Grey'. Added to a list that increases by the day. A trip to my local library tomorrow, methinks.

Yeah, that's exactly my problem with her. Her characters and plot are just insanely dull; I found myself battling through the book totally disinterested in what would become of Elizabeth and Darcy (maybe that's because I knew they'd end up together, though?).
I studied The Tempest years ago; I don't think I liked it very much I always remember the line "Hell is empty, and all the devils are here!"
Well I wouldn't fret too much, you have another two months or so to plough through the rest of them, which is plenty of time That's great! I'm sure being able to get back into that academic frame of mind will be a big help.



I totally recommend Dorian Gray; it's a wonderful novel I read the shorter, 13 chapter version, but didn't feel it was at all lacking. Definitely worth a read if you want to explore a more poetic style of prose. Equally, "The Bell Jar" is a wonderfully lyrical read, which I would once again completely recommend.

Are you allowed resits appyling for Oxford? My tutor mentioned in my reference that I intend to retake one chem module, is this looked down on? I got a B but was very close to an A

have you guys put your module grades down?

I've put my module grades down! And I've asked my referee to mention my high UMS marks.

Hehe exactly the same thing happened to me, but luckily mine was way too long, so I could make all the changes suggested by the TSR Help Service without offending my referee (who is very scary...)