How to increase chances of being accepted by Oxbridge

Personal statement.



I never said it did. But to assume that my opinion is irrelevant is a bit ignorant.



I must say I do find it quite amusing that someone who has studied at Cambridge is unable to rationally think about what I have said in my previous replies. I have never said that your grades are less important than ECs but if you're looking to do anything and everything to improve yourself, ECs will NOT hurt your application.



Seems like you have a point to prove: did I hurt your ego? I have softened my stance on it since my first post but by no means rejected it. Unlike yourself (it seems, please correct me if I'm wrong) I'm happy to accept when I've been wrong. I accepted earlier posters' opinions and also accepted that this varies from department to department rather than a University-wide policy. I guess you'll also get there one day with maturity.

I must also say that this is digressing slightly from the OP's question. If you want to continue this discussion, PM me. We're not really adding anything concrete to his/her question.

There is a personal statement section.

I am starting in a few weeks at Cambridge on a master's.

...

Hey guys, another question I forgot to ask:
I am planning to take an extra course at KCL which is 100% related to control systems (intended area of research during my PhD). My question is: Is it better to do this subject and perhaps have grades a little lower (due to the heavier load) or just keep the subjects from my masters , which are more related to robotics itself?
Thak you all for opinions and tips!

Cheers

...

Personal statement.



I never said it did. But to assume that my opinion is irrelevant is a bit ignorant.



I must say I do find it quite amusing that someone who has studied at Cambridge is unable to rationally think about what I have said in my previous replies. I have never said that your grades are less important than ECs but if you're looking to do anything and everything to improve yourself, ECs will NOT hurt your application.



Seems like you have a point to prove: did I hurt your ego? I have softened my stance on it since my first post but by no means rejected it. Unlike yourself (it seems, please correct me if I'm wrong) I'm happy to accept when I've been wrong. I accepted earlier posters' opinions and also accepted that this varies from department to department rather than a University-wide policy. I guess you'll also get there one day with maturity.

I must also say that this is digressing slightly from the OP's question. If you want to continue this discussion, PM me. We're not really adding anything concrete to his/her question.

To address the points that have been bolded and underlined:1) There is no "personal statement" on an Oxbridge postgraduate application form. You could use the section for your research proposal to briefly mention this but it would be a waste of words.2) Your opinion is irrelevant in this context as you neither work at or have worked at either university in admissions nor have any experience or knowledge of the admissions process at both universities. Your experience at your "top business school" which whilst useful is not an accurate or even similar reflection of what would be expected at Oxford or Cambridge and so yes your opinion on the matter can be totally dismissed.3) ECs won't hurt or boost the application, they'll do nothing and even more so as they're not even mentioned on the application whatsoever. So to keep discussing them is essentially akin to flogging a dead horse.4) If the conversation has digressed it's because you offered totally inaccurate information and even when told that this was incorrect, you appear to be standing by it even though now at least 3 or 4 people (including myself) all of whom are current Oxbridge students/graduates have said otherwise.5) Your constant provocation of an argument in referring to poster's egos or questioning their level of maturity raises questions about the level of your professionalism and I just wonder if this is the expected/typical behaviour of admissions staff at your "top business school" i.e. to trawl intertnet forums, give inaccurate advice about other universities to which you have no affiliation and then argue/namecall others when you have been questioned for the accuracy of your information?Oh and for someone with such a vast and authoritative expertise on Oxbridge admissions, it didn't stop you posting this thread asking for advice on the matter:http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3298653

d we have just hired two people who worked in admissions at Oxford. Their information was clear: it won't make up for bad grades but it always looks good.

t.

There are sections where they specifically ask things like what your research interests are and why you want to do the course. There is no "personal statement" per se, unless your department requested one separately. Or are you talking about a personal statement for the funding part of the application, which doesn't affect admissions?

http://www.devstudies.cam.ac.uk/admissions-1/admissions#section-1 - Statement of intent for me.

Maybe it was different for you.

Also to confirm what everyone else is saying, it is about relevant ECs. Mine were my internships at two global think tanks, my political economy dissertation, my work at political parties and my society work for charities at university. This is for an International Development master's where this actually plays a HUGE part, and I believe everyone admitted on the course has done similar things, a lot returning from work in intergovernmental institutions/charities/similar things.

This is in addition to good references from a top UK university, and a good grade 67%+, as it says in their requirements for virtually every course *High II.I*.

If you go to a weaker university, you just need to score higher than at a better university in terms of grades. Thus, this would only apply to your Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Warwick, Durham, etc type of university, otherwise you really need a first but as with anything, there are always exceptions.

http://www.devstudies.cam.ac.uk/admissions-1/admissions#section-1 - Statement of intent for me.

Maybe it was different for you.

Also to confirm what everyone else is saying, it is about relevant ECs. Mine were my internships at two global think tanks, my political economy dissertation, my work at political parties and my society work for charities at university. This is for an International Development master's where this actually plays a HUGE part, and I believe everyone admitted on the course has done similar things, a lot returning from work in intergovernmental institutions/charities/similar things.

This is in addition to good references from a top UK university, and a good grade 67%+, as it says in their requirements for virtually every course *High II.I*.

If you go to a weaker university, you just need to score higher than at a better university in terms of grades. Thus, this would only apply to your Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Warwick, Durham, etc type of university, otherwise you really need a first but as with anything, there are always exceptions.

Those "ECs" are in fact relevant work experience which is often required for specific courses and a separate category fromm ECs.

Without sounding pedantic/snooty etc I wouldn't say UCL, Warwick and Durham and to some extent even LSE are a stringent as Oxbridge even in postgraduate admissions but of course that varies with the programme.

...... I'm happy to accept when I've been wrong.........

No. But with a first from LJMU, excellent references that will back up a very high position within your cohort from the start, and as much professional experience as you can gain along the way, you are still in a position to submit a competitive application for Masters study.

Thanks, I’m just worried because I didn’t do well in my A-levels although I did get A*’s in my maths and physics GCSE's, and I don’t want to be at a bad university. I just hope I get into a good university for my masters (liverpool/manchester/imperial etc).

Thanks, I’m just worried because I didn’t do well in my A-levels although I did get A*’s in my maths and physics GCSE's, and I don’t want to be at a bad university. I just hope I get into a good university for my masters (liverpool/manchester/imperial etc).

Your secondary school grades have absolutely no bearing on your postgraduate applications whatsoever.

The word good is very "subjective" and as others have said "the best" university is the one that offers your programme and is strong in it. Indeed, it is often the case that places outside the big name institutions like Oxbridge, Imperial or LSE might be stronger in a particular subject.

However if your heart is set on say Oxbridge which is of course strong in all departments then it goes without saying you would need to present high grades/results in order to have a competitive application (in addition to a strong research proposal and references).

A First-Class degree from LJM University wouldn't be a barrier if you had strong references and a decent research proposal for which there is an appropriate supervisor. This is why it is important to also research course/faculty websites and see whether their research interests mirror your interests. I would say also try to email potential supervisors but you should ask the courses secretary etc that first as some departments are ok with that whilst others specifically ask you not to and that allocation of a supervisor would only be done once you have applied.

Your A-levels/GCSEs results don't matter at all in application for master's course. That's the past already behind you.

For postgrad course, what's much more important is not a name of university (if that's what you mean by 'a good university' but if a university has a masters course that you really want to do and how their courses/academic staff are like because each of them are quite specific in the content and how they do it.