How easy is it to get into SOAS?

Japanese is the most popular of the East Asian Languages, followed by Chinese and Korean. In terms of Japanese - the statistical odds are 1:10 - so the competitiveness for Chinese is somewhat less. However, if you have straight A grades and a decent personal statement, it is pretty likely you will get an offer. I have only seen one rejection from SOAS on this forum, and that was for the much more competitive subject of Law.

Reply 2

an Siarach

15

Easier than it should be.

Reply 3

Eien

an Siarach

Easier than it should be.

Exactly, especially since its Japanese program is one "of the largest Japanese study programmes in the world".

Reply 4

OP

Well the reason it's easier than it should be is demand isn't as great for Chinese and Japanese as it is for subjects like PPE, Law etc..

Reply 5

Eien

True、but it's still difficult to enter for Japanese/Chinese at Oxbridge, where the course is at a similar level, since it is more competitive, although one would imagine SOAS to be equally as competitive in terms of the number of exceptional students, although this is not the case, especially as the demand is only BBC/BCC.

Reply 6

lukeyboy

grades are popularity based, not quality based. look @ leeds, pretty **** uni (academically) IMO and yet abb/aab offers...

Reply 7

OP

Leeds is *very* good for Chinese.

Reply 8

OP

Eien

True、but it's still difficult to enter for Japanese/Chinese at Oxbridge, where the course is at a similar level, since it is more competitive, although one would imagine SOAS to be equally as competitive in terms of the number of exceptional students, although this is not the case, especially as the demand is only BBC/BCC.

The Oxbridge course is a bit crap, I guess the reason they have such high offers is because they can offer the Oxbridge name + 'experience'. Fairly easy way to get into Oxbridge I think if you're not willing to put too much effort into applying to uni.

Reply 9

lukeyboy

i meant more in terms of rep etc i suppose ! languages generally have lower grades because their less popular dont they, that was the point i intended to make. grades are based on popularity not quality, because oxford has such a good general rep and is v.popular it can ask for top grades - does not necesarily dictate a better course.

Reply 10

OP

Ohhhh I see. Yeah I agree with that.

Reply 11

FallenRain

This is quite crazy but I was thinking of applying for PPE at Oxford and Chinese at SOAS, and so was wondering how much emphasis they would place on my personal statement?

My PS was mainly aimed at economic courses but i pitched it so that it was also abot my interest in the economic state of china. However I was applying for the Econ & chinese course in SOAS. But maybe you could refer to your interest in the political and economic state of china as a supplement to your PS?

Reply 12

OP

FallenRain

My PS was mainly aimed at economic courses but i pitched it so that it was also abot my interest in the economic state of china. However I was applying for the Econ & chinese course in SOAS. But maybe you could refer to your interest in the political and economic state of china as a supplement to your PS?

Any chance you could PM your PS so I can take a look how you managed that? If not no worries - I'm applying next year by the way.

Also did you get in to the course in the end? What is the Econ & Chinese course like - good reputation? I guess it focuses on development economics? Would you be fluent in Chinese by the end of it?

Reply 13

FallenRain