The Official 2018 Oxford Offer Holders&#x27; Thread!

Hey, everyone! Good idea for starting this thread :smile:

What did you get at GCSE? 6A*s & 2As

What A levels will you be studying? Latin, Greek & Maths ... I don't know whether to do an EPQ as well, any thoughts?

What course will you be applying for? Classics!!!! (Course 1A)

What extra-curricular activities do you do? None, not a thing.

Any colleges you're interested in? And why? St. John's as it's the best for Classics and it's in a great location! I decided on this before I realised it was the most academic college, making it even harder for myself lol :colondollar:

Why Oxford and not Cambridge? Oxford is better for Classics I've heard and some family members went to Oxford so obvs Cambridge was a big no! :tongue:

Any other aspiring Classicists come say hi as there aren't many of us haha! :biggrin:

Reply 102

some-student

7

Any Computer Science applicants? Like Classics, there aren't many of us either!

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Reply 103

OP

Original post by Tsunaomi

Me either officially! Our local uni is doing a physics work experience couple of days this January that I'm going to apply too!
Have you checked out the Nuffield Research program or any thing like that?? :smile:

I haven't checked it out if I'm honest 😅 What's it about?

Reply 104

OP

Original post by mattpastor

I mean I did one session on Teech for like 5£ where the guy did a sort of mock interview to give me an idea of what to expect and thought it was quite useful. But yeah i'll focus on the subject and reading about it for now!

What subject?

Reply 105

Original post by some-student

Any Computer Science applicants? Like Classics, there aren't many of us either!

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Aw! We're both lonely! Do you have a college in mind that you're thinking of applying to?

Reply 106

mattpastor

3

Original post by kennethdcharles

What subject?

They definitely offer maths, physics, chemistry, economics and biology help throughout the year. they also offer loads of help for uni applications (e&m, ppe, history...). This is their contact email: [email protected]

Reply 107

some-student

7

Original post by fuzz13

Aw! We're both lonely! Do you have a college in mind that you're thinking of applying to?

Haha I agree! Apart from me, there is only one person in my school who said she may want to do a CS degree but apart from us, no-one else seems to want to :frown:

Does anyone at your school want to do Classics?

Just to get a feel of things, I went to the open day on the 16th and really liked Oriel, St John's and Magdalen. The CS department was amazing too and really makes me want to get an offer. :smile:

Good luck with your A-levels :smile:

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Reply 108

Original post by some-student

Haha I agree! Apart from me, there is only one person in my school who said she may want to do a CS degree but apart from us, no-one else seems to want to :frown:

Does anyone at your school want to do Classics?

Just to get a feel of things, I went to the open day on the 16th and really liked Oriel, St John's and Magdalen. The CS department was amazing too and really makes me want to get an offer. :smile:

Good luck with your A-levels :smile:

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One girl in Year 13 is applying for a Classics degree but I don't think there's anyone else! :tongue:

I went to the open day on the 16th as well - it looks amazing!
Good luck with your A-Levels too :smile:

Reply 109

What are everyone's thoughts on EPQ? Do you think it could strengthen an application or do you think you'd be better off reading around your subject?
[Btw, I asked at the open day but got mixed opinions...]

Reply 110

starstudent7

18

Hi everyone :smile:

I have always wanted to study medicine from as long as I can remember :h:

so I hope I get into the course :redface:

GCSEs - 5A*(1 distinction* equivalent to one gcse in BTEC sport) 4A and 2B's
A level choices - Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Psychology
Course - Medicine
Extra-curricular stuff -NCS, was a school prefect, peer mentor and reading mentor,planning of doing hospital experience and pharmacy work experience. I also need to volunteer in a nursing home or care home :biggrin:

. I need to start as soon as possible :redface:

Why Oxford? I like the Medicine course at Oxford but my main doubt is my GCSEs not being good enough

Reply 111

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Original post by starstudent7

Hi everyone :smile:

I have always wanted to study medicine from as long as I can remember :h:

so I hope I get into the course :redface:

GCSEs - 5A*(1 distinction* equivalent to one gcse in BTEC sport) 4A and 2B's
A level choices - Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Psychology
Course - Medicine
Extra-curricular stuff -NCS, was a school prefect, peer mentor and reading mentor,planning of doing hospital experience and pharmacy work experience. I also need to volunteer in a nursing home or care home :biggrin:

. I need to start as soon as possible :redface:

Why Oxford? I like the Medicine course at Oxford but my main doubt is my GCSEs not being good enough

You're aware of how they use % of A*s at GCSE as a factor for selecting who to interview, on a sliding scale with BMAT scores, right? I hate to discourage anyone from applying to Oxford but with only 4 medicines places to apply to on your UCAS form and given how competitive it is to get an offer from ANYWHERE in the first UCAS cycle, you might be better off rethinking the Oxford application plan :frown:

Reply 112

starstudent7

18

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

You're aware of how they use % of A*s at GCSE as a factor for selecting who to interview, on a sliding scale with BMAT scores, right? I hate to discourage anyone from applying to Oxford but with only 4 medicines places to apply to on your UCAS form and given how competitive it is to get an offer from ANYWHERE in the first UCAS cycle, you might be better off rethinking the Oxford application plan :frown:

Hi thank you :smile:

I am not 100% sure that I want to apply to Oxford and I have other less competitive unis that I want to consider :smile:

I just want to let you know that I went to a school where the GCSE results weren't brilliant and I got the highest in my whole school and even made it to the local newspaper. The B's that I got were in French and English Literature and I got an A* in Chem,maths,PE,Citizenship and Product Design and I got an A in the rest. I got the grades that I got because of my own hardwork without any help from the school apart from in Maths. I have gone to a better sixth form at a grammar school now and I want to do really well and get the best grades possible. I don't mind which uni I go to as long as I get into the medicine course :smile:

Thank you for ur help and support :u:

Reply 113

OP

Original post by fuzz13

What are everyone's thoughts on EPQ? Do you think it could strengthen an application or do you think you'd be better off reading around your subject?
[Btw, I asked at the open day but got mixed opinions...]

I'm doing it... Haven't started yet however. I've heard universities really like it if you do one based on a subject you're applying for as it helps to demonstrate passion and interest for your subject. I've heard this from Oxford Cambridge UCL and others.

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Reply 114

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

Original post by starstudent7

Hi thank you :smile:

I am not 100% sure that I want to apply to Oxford and I have other less competitive unis that I want to consider :smile:

I just want to let you know that I went to a school where the GCSE results weren't brilliant and I got the highest in my whole school and even made it to the local newspaper. The B's that I got were in French and English Literature and I got an A* in Chem,maths,PE,Citizenship and Product Design and I got an A in the rest. I got the grades that I got because of my own hardwork without any help from the school apart from in Maths. I have gone to a better sixth form at a grammar school now and I want to do really well and get the best grades possible. I don't mind which uni I go to as long as I get into the medicine course :smile:

Thank you for ur help and support :u:

I honestly don't think you'll get an interview. @nexttime (who studied medicine at Oxford and knows more about how contextual factors work (if at all)) can advise you further on this. It is, of course, your call whether to apply or not :smile:

Reply 115

nexttime

22

Original post by starstudent7

... and I got the highest in my whole school and even made it to the local newspaper.

TLG sums it up well. They will consider your school's results but the stats provided include those who have special circumstances - the fact is that people with those grades basically never get in, and the things you describe above are not especially unusual among oxford medical applicants!

Cambridge's course (and the wider uni) has a lot of similarities and might be worth looking into. It's also numerically substantially less competitive.

It sounds like you're up to speed on the idea that getting in somewhere is the more important thing. Apply wisely!

Reply 116

Original post by kennethdcharles

I'm doing it... Haven't started yet however. I've heard universities really like it if you do one based on a subject you're applying for as it helps to demonstrate passion and interest for your subject. I've heard this from Oxford Cambridge UCL and others.

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Cool, thanks! What subject are you applying for and what are you going to base your EPQ on if you don't mind me asking? :smile:

Reply 117

QuantumSnowy

12

Original post by fuzz13

What are everyone's thoughts on EPQ? Do you think it could strengthen an application or do you think you'd be better off reading around your subject?
[Btw, I asked at the open day but got mixed opinions...]

Imo it would help, wider reading is wider reading, and although perhaps you could devote a little more time to reading a little wider if you didn't do an EPQ, having to produce an essay at the end of it would vastly strengthen your ability to discuss your interests and the wider reading you have done, something almost, if not just as important as having actually done the reading around.

I did an EPQ last year and I don't regret it if that means anything

Reply 118

OP

Original post by fuzz13

Cool, thanks! What subject are you applying for and what are you going to base your EPQ on if you don't mind me asking? :smile:

I'm applying to do physics (probably) and although I haven't decided what my EPQ will be on yet, I know I will do some mathematical/physics research. You?

Reply 119