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HELP with OXFORD COLLEGE CHOICES

my oxford form is due to be handed in in less than 24 hours so i really need advice right now. i had decided to apply to read law at balliol but recently had second thoughts.

would it be more advantageous to make an open application(like it says on the oxford form and like my teachers say) or would it be better to show that i am specifically interested in one college and show that i have done my due diligence on the colleges.

right now i'm considering the following colleges:
Balliol
Magdalen
Trinity
Christchurch
Brasenose
OPEN

out of those listed above, which would give me the best chance of getting an offer? please take into consideration that i am an overseas student also.

in addition, i'd like to know whether it's necessary/advisable to submit any written work before they ask for any. and also, i'm interested to know whether it matters if they've only received your oxford form and not the ucas form before they interview. this is because interviews in my country take place before oxford receives the ucas form

Lastly, I'd like to know how to get my hands on past entrance exam papers for law from oxford

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY HELP!!!

and sorry for the long post

Reply 1

oldthrashbarg

7

Diremon

my oxford form is due to be handed in in less than 24 hours so i really need advice right now. i had decided to apply to read law at balliol but recently had second thoughts.

would it be more advantageous to make an open application(like it says on the oxford form and like my teachers say) or would it be better to show that i am specifically interested in one college and show that i have done my due diligence on the colleges.

right now i'm considering the following colleges:
Balliol
Magdalen
Trinity
Christchurch
Brasenose
OPEN

out of those listed above, which would give me the best chance of getting an offer? please take into consideration that i am an overseas student also.

in addition, i'd like to know whether it's necessary/advisable to submit any written work before they ask for any. and also, i'm interested to know whether it matters if they've only received your oxford form and not the ucas form before they interview. this is because interviews in my country take place before oxford receives the ucas form

Lastly, I'd like to know how to get my hands on past entrance exam papers for law from oxford

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY HELP!!!

and sorry for the long post

I think an open application would definitely give you the best chances. It would also demonstrate that your motivation for applying to Oxford is with your course, not the college.

Reply 2

house badger

7

Chosing a college because its easier to get into it a really crap way of chosing a college. If you do get in you'll spend you'll time thinking, 'if only I appplied to that college I really liked, would I have got in'. Just choose a college you like the look of and where you'd like to study. Think to yourself, if you were asked (even i suppose in your interview) why did you choose this college could you justify it with a good reason or would you just say because it was the easiest to get into.

Reply 3

Evil Muffin

1

Whatever you decide to do, don't apply for Magdalen or Christ Church. Your chances of getting in there are very slim compared to other colleges.

Reply 4

oldthrashbarg

7

Evil Muffin

Whatever you decide to do, don't apply for Magdalen or Christ Church. Your chances of getting in there are very slim compared to other colleges.

I think all of the colleges listed there are among the 10 most competitive.

Reply 5

Drogue

19

Balliol - Smaller, academically pressurised and hard to get into. One of the 3 oldest colleges.

Magdalen - Has a reputation as a rahs (toffs - posh people) college. Hard to get into, but looks pretty on a postcard.

Trinity - Gorgeous, small, friendly, central and with decent first year accomedation. Quite hard to get into, but bottom half of the Norrington table, so not too academic/threatening.

Christchurch - About the hardest to get into, very imposing.

Brasenose - Don't know too much about BNC, though I have a friend who got in and wasn't massively brilliant, so not too hard to get into, I think.

OPEN- If you're a girl, you'll often get pooled to Hilda's. If you don't want that, I'd advise against it. Probably the best chance, as you get pooled to a college with a low applicants per place ration, but a bit of a lottery.

I think you can tell which one of those I'd choose :redface:

Lastly, I'd like to know how to get my hands on past entrance exam papers for law from oxford
Ask at the college or look online.

Reply 6

Hellsbells

1

Remember that if you're good enough to get in, you can be offered a place by a different college, so you've not got much to lose by applying to a popular college like Balliol. Best of luck :smile:

Reply 7

CHilL

Drogue

Magdalen - Has a reputation as a rahs (toffs - posh people) college. Hard to get into, but looks pretty on a postcard.

Even prettier in real life.

Reply 8

Geogger

13

CHilL

Even prettier in real life.

but rather cold and windy in winter! ....the open quads.... and the east wind coming in over the deer park. brrrrrrrrrrrr.....

Reply 9

Elles

17

Drogue

Magdalen - Has a reputation as a rahs (toffs - posh people) college. Hard to get into, but looks pretty on a postcard.

but very good at pooling people & having applicants they think deserve a place in oxford being picked up by other good colleges in the pool. (check the college stats on this?)

Reply 10

BazTheMoney

Drogue

Trinity - ... so not too academic/threatening.

They're going to try and send students down if they don't have a realistic chance of getting a 2.1 its been alleged in OxSt (or Cherwell, can't remember.) Of course it's complete rubbbish, if they implemented such a policy at Trinity there would only be about 25 finalists per year. :wink:

Reply 11

Drogue

19

BazTheMoney

They're going to try and send students down if they don't have a realistic chance of getting a 2.1 its been alleged in OxSt (or Cherwell, can't remember.) Of course it's complete rubbbish, if they implemented such a policy at Trinity there would only be about 25 finalists per year. :wink:

Although, is there anyone who get's into Oxford who doesn't have a realistic chance of a 2:1? Trinity *said* their stats show 82% get a 2:1 or first, and I'm presuming the majority of that 18% probably could have if they'd worked.

Reply 12

Sedulity

I heard that 50% of Magdalen applicants are pooled. That sounds bad, but at least good students aren't turned down. :smile:

Reply 13

Jinqing

Sedulity

I heard that 50% of Magdalen applicants are pooled. That sounds bad, but at least good students aren't turned down. :smile:

things like that don't usually happen in Balliol
Balliol is academically excellent for sure.
i have a feeling that they are running a quite loose policy on oversea student.
that was at least how they treated me

Reply 14

dan2004

how about if jesus and lincoln were added to the list?

Reply 15

CHilL

Jinqing

things like that don't usually happen in Balliol
Balliol is academically excellent for sure.
i have a feeling that they are running a quite loose policy on oversea student.
that was at least how they treated me

Balliol does tend to give intl students(from outside the EU) the consideration they deserve, unlike some other colleges....

Reply 16

Elles

17

Jinqing

things like that don't usually happen in Balliol
Balliol is academically excellent for sure.

completely confused by this.. right..so balliol don't pool many people & you feel this is a good thing? :confused:

surely this implies (if this were true) that balliol either receive only excellent & rubbish applicants - or that they can't be bothered to make an effort for the candidates who deserve a place at some college if they don't have room for them..

'loose policy' on overseas? i.e. they let lots of students, including you in..?

Balliol does tend to give intl students(from outside the EU) the consideration they deserve, unlike some other colleges....

what 'consideration' do overseas people 'deserve'..? some storage space available & some vac. residence if required.. & don't most colleges do that if they possibly can? if you apply to a british uni, that's your choice, surely? :tongue:

Reply 17

BazTheMoney

Balliol pools a lot of students every year, I'm not sure on the exact figures, but it would certainly be up there with Merton and Magdalen.

Reply 18

CHilL

Elles

what 'consideration' do overseas people 'deserve'..? some storage space available & some vac. residence if required.. & don't most colleges do that if they possibly can? if you apply to a british uni, that's your choice, surely? :tongue:

I mean during the admissions process...... I know some exceptionally brilliant people who didnt get in just because they couldnt afford to go all the way for the interview.... when telephone interview was requested, it was denied. The only reason I went for an interview is that our schools admission counselor told me that if you dont go for one it is likely you may be ignored, and Ive seen that happen. This year there is only one other person I know who is going to oxford from pakistan. And he's going to Balliol. And believe it or not, he was rejected when he first applied. When he questioned their decision, they let him in and gave him a full scholarship.

Reply 19

Pemberley_1813

CHilL

Balliol does tend to give intl students(from outside the EU) the consideration they deserve, unlike some other colleges....

Which colleges do you mean for example? I'm not from outside the EU but I would be interested to know if there are any colleges that prefer British students. Thanks.

HELP with OXFORD COLLEGE CHOICES

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