Christ Church (Oxford) Students and Applicants

Wizalaura

I have 9A* and 1A at GCSE and predicted AAAA in French, German, English and Maths ASs. I also play french horn, piano and sing classical/jazz and like poetry. Any ideas?

My friend's parents' best man's cousin's friend's daughter had exactly the same grades and EC's as you but was rejected for not playing the ancient Afghan wanaa.

Reply 4

Wizalaura

OP

You most definitely have the grades, if that's what you're asking.

No don't worry this isn't one of those annoying posts. I just posted my grades to give a rough idea of what my record is like. What I am actually asking is would I be suited to that particular college/the english course there and admissions policy because I would be more likely to be rejected at a college that takes a lot of students with slightly lower GCSE grades because it thinks they arent really worth much. Whereas if the admissions procedure was perhaps more strict at the particular college I would be a stronger applicant etc etc

The post was also just to ask people to share their experiences of Christ Church / English at Oxford so I could get an idea of what it is like there.

I have searched the site and can't find anything, so sorry again for being a nuisance.

Reply 5

hermajesty

6

Nutter

You know Wizalaura, TSR has a search feature.

You most definitely have the grades, if that's what you're asking.

To be fair to her, that wasn't any of the four things she actually asked:

Wizalaura

I was wondering if anyone who has done or is doing English there could tell me what kind of applicant they like/which modules are favoured there/any details of college life/details of the course so I can make a more informed decision.

And it's reasonable for her to tell us details about herself, so we can work out what info she'd be interested in.

Wizalaura : I'm afraid I can't really help as I don't do English or go to Christchurch, but I spent an evening there in interwiews and it seemed really nice, although a bit too big for my taste. Athena's advice is good: take the opportunity at the open day to find out as much as you can. (And enjoy a nice day out in Oxford. :smile:

G and D's icecream cafe is just across the road.)

Reply 6

I didn't like the place, but that's not to say you won't.

Your music ECs will be near enough irrelevant. Your intervews will make or break the application.

Don't know anything else, sorry!

Reply 7

Wizalaura

OP

Thanks for the good advice hermajesty! Ice cream *takes mental note*

Your music ECs will be near enough irrelevant.

Are you sure? Music has to count for something surely? Is it specifically music or just any ECs?

Wizza.... :tsr2:

Reply 8

Any ECs that aren't relevant to your subject. It will only be impressive in so far as it shows you can manage your time. Oxford are very keen to stress that they only admit based on academic potential, and nothing else.

Sorry about that! But I wouldn't worry, your academic record is impressive... just read, read and read some more!

Reply 9

tiggerish

I think if they had to choose between Smart Person A who can play the french horn and does lots of interesting things, and Smart Person B who is just as fantastic but doesn't do anything else, they would pick Smart Person A.

At one of my interviews, the interviewer said that I had "three minutes to give a picture of [myself] outside of school and academics", before I was subjected to the usual academic grilling ... so presumably your ECs will be a factor, although a secondary one.

Reply 10

wilbur

1

Wizalaura

Are you sure? Music has to count for something surely? Is it specifically music or just any ECs?

Wizza.... :tsr2:

My first English interview question at Merton was, 'I see you're musical... do you think there is a link between Music and Literature as art forms?'

Quite frankly though, that was about as close as they got to discussing ECs, the rest was entirely academic in focus.

Reply 11

tiggerish

I think if they had to choose between Smart Person A who can play the french horn and does lots of interesting things, and Smart Person B who is just as fantastic but doesn't do anything else, they would pick Smart Person A.

At one of my interviews, the interviewer said that I had "three minutes to give a picture of [myself] outside of school and academics", before I was subjected to the usual academic grilling ... so presumably your ECs will be a factor, although a secondary one.

All else being equal for english then yes I agree, they would take the more overall talented person, but I can't imagine that all things english could be equal.

While I can't say for certain why they asked you that, I would venture it might be to settle you into the interview and to let you talk about the things you like for a bit.. although finding out how you manage your time would also be on their minds.

Reply 12

bigjcoool

I have to be contraversial. My tutors like my extra-curricular activities. They come and watch my plays and concerts, and I think part of the reason I got in is because we bonded over these at interview. As long as they don't get in the way of your work...

Reply 13

tiggerish

kizer

While I can't say for certain why they asked you that, I would venture it might be to settle you into the interview and to let you talk about the things you like for a bit.. although finding out how you manage your time would also be on their minds.

Yeah actually, they did say explicitly that part of it was to settle me in. But still, extra-curriculars do at the very least make an applicant appear to be a more colourful and interesting character.

Anyway, now I'm stating the obvious and being very boring so I shall shut up.

Reply 14

Agrippina

tiggerish

Yeah actually, they did say explicitly that part of it was to settle me in. But still, extra-curriculars do at the very least make an applicant appear to be a more colourful and interesting character.

Anyway, now I'm stating the obvious and being very boring so I shall shut up.

Extra curricular activities were never even mentioned in my interview, and the only non-academic question which was asked was "how are you?" (i'd met one of the tutors back in September). And also how my job was going. But after that was over, it was purely academic. If they only have 20 minutes, they aren't going to bother asking you about not-strictly-relevant stuff you've already mentioned in your personal statement anyway (and in fact I wasn't asked about *anything* I'd put in my personal statement, academic or otherwise. I guess they want to test how you apply yourself to new problems rather than ones you've already given some thought to. Even when they asked me what I wanted to talk about, and I mentioned something in my personal statement, they quickly went off on a tangent.

Reply 15

Wizalaura

OP

A lot of my ECs are related directly to literary life though. I'm applying for english. Surely having had poetry and essays published in journals and winning presitigious international prizes will be mentioned.....one of the prizes was run by the college itself. Is this kind of thing really worthless?

Reply 16

tenjon

8

bigjcoool

I have to be contraversial. My tutors like my extra-curricular activities. They come and watch my plays and concerts, and I think part of the reason I got in is because we bonded over these at interview. As long as they don't get in the way of your work...

I don't doubt you about that, but I think you are in a very small minority. In my interviews, extra-curriculars were not brought up at all, and that is the case in pretty much every case I have heard of. (In fact, my Personal Statement was not brought up in any form whatsoever, let alone the ECs on it, but I think it is more common to have your personal statement brought up somehow).

Perhaps as you were applying as a Choral Scholar your ECs were more relevent to your overall application, or at least the tutors interviewing you would have been made aware of them moreso than if you were just applying regularly?

Reply 17

hermajesty

6

Wizalaura

A lot of my ECs are related directly to literary life though. I'm applying for english. Surely having had poetry and essays published in journals and winning presitigious international prizes will be mentioned.....one of the prizes was run by the college itself. Is this kind of thing really worthless?

Not worthless at all, those ECs will help make you a strong candidate (along with A level predictions, written work etc), but I doubt that they'll talk about them. Interviews are short and they want to find out how you think and give you a chance to respond to new ideas and academic questions.

Reply 18