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Which Subject Do You Intend To Apply For?

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Reply 40
Avatar for rkd
rkd
12
Glutamic Acid
The best subject (maths), at Cambridge. I'm leaning towards John's, but I haven't decided for sure. Writing a personal statement will be tricky, as I have no (constructive) extra-curriculars.


You don't need them, really. I was thinking of applying for Maths (albeit at Oxford), and my draft PS was essentially just "I love Maths and Further Maths and have since I saw Euler's identity in year 9, I got Golds and Best in School in the Senior Maths Challenge, I read "A Mathematician's Apology" and "Numbers and Proofs"". They're not massively bothered about extracurriculars, and Cambridge Maths is relatively easy to get an offer from - it's the 1,1 in STEP that sorts the men from the boys.
Speedbird2008
We all know your favourite EC activities. Ahem. :ninja:


Yeah, snooker, darts, maths and wa-self fulfillment.

twistme
I can't speak for Cambridge, or any Oxford college other than Balliol, but the maths tutor here said they barely look at the personal statement. They read ours out at finals dinner to embarrass us (and remind us what complete drivel we made up :biggrin: ). It was fun, they kept reading until someone owned up to it being theirs.


That sounds encouraging. :smile: I've heard that the interview (and STEP) seems to be most important selection criterion. Lawl at reading them out. I'll have a hard time making mine not be incredibly cringeworthy.

rkd
You don't need them, really. I was thinking of applying for Maths (albeit at Oxford), and my draft PS was essentially just "I love Maths and Further Maths and have since I saw Euler's identity in year 9, I got Golds and Best in School in the Senior Maths Challenge, I read "A Mathematician's Apology" and "Numbers and Proofs"". They're not massively bothered about extracurriculars, and Cambridge Maths is relatively easy to get an offer from - it's the 1,1 in STEP that sorts the men from the boys.


Yeah, thankfully Oxbridge aren't too fussed about extracurriculars. Some other universities seem to place a higher importance on them, although maybe not so much for maths. I see you've got an offer for history, quite a difference! And congratulations. The applicants / offers ratio is lower for maths than other subjects than other subjects. I feel better about a higher chance of getting an offer and doing STEP, than a lower chance of an offer and no STEP.
Rémy Marathe
That said, they could be taking a bit more seriously this year, having already tested it on us. Nobody really knows.


yeah, i guess you're right. although they did do a trial of it the year before us, so... who knows? it's certainly not everything, though.
Reply 43
Avatar for twistme
twistme
Glutamic Acid
Some other universities seem to place a higher importance on them


Good point, I almost forgot - I'm guessing you're applying to other unis as well as Cambridge, which do care about the PS more, so don't neglect it completely!
Speedbird2008
You make me laugh. :p:

(In a good way :yy:)



haha its all good then if its in good way!
care to expand why lol?
Reply 45
Avatar for Rubberband
Rubberband
*pitseleh*
Romeo and Juliet makes for a spectacular ballet, I quite agree. :smile:

However, re: ELAT, I'm not sure how your acquaintances would know that they'd done badly in the practice-paper, as there were no official mark-schemes for it at the time! :confused:


Yay, another ballet fan! I love your avatar by the way :smile:. That's weird about the practise papers not having a result returned - two girls I sort-of-know got offers and they definitely said they did badly on it :confused: . Maybe I misunderstood and they just felt they did...or maybe it wasn't the test one. I'll have to ask. I'm not too worried about it anyway, like you say it isn't the only part of an application and I'm reasonably confident about the interview and written work to send in - with a weird application like mine, I suppose any chance I get to 'prove myself' is a good thing.

peanutbutternjelly

I don't know much about literary threory which is worrying. I have a LOT of work cut out for me this summer.


Oh don't worry about that, neither do I, my English teacher just advised me to make a start so that it won't be a huge jolt switching over to English at a degree level, and likewise most of it will be over the summer. I'm so nervous about applying that feeling like I'm actively doing anything towards it helps! Those books sound useful - sounds a bit like the "Cambridge Introduction to ..." series that I've been meaning to have a look at eventually.

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Sorry to hear about the problems you've had, sounds like you've been through a lot

I'm presuming your local sixth form is state school? In that case, you could be under Oxford's Access Scheme. If so, there's a form to fill out and a section in that is dedicated to putting your results into context with the education you've had and any problems you may have had. Even if your school isn't under the Access Scheme initiative, your referee can mention it in their reference.

Please don't let your GCSE grades deter you from applying. You'll never know unless you try


Thank you for the great advice :smile: I'll definitely check with my college if they come under the scheme - it is state, yep. We had one go to Cambridge last year (sciences), which isn't very much out of 4000, and I am the only one applying this time, so they may well be. They have been very supportive of me though which is nice, I have a lovely form tutor. I definitely won't be put off applying by what's happened - after all I'm still the same person with the same abilities, and I'm sure if I'm good enough Oxford will recognise it. I just hope that I am!

I don't suppose that anyone who is at Oxford now would be able to guess which colleges would be more accommodating to unusual applications? I tried contacting the admissions office last week, but haven't had a reply yet.
Reply 46
Avatar for peaches.
peaches.
english at oxford, exeter college. i think. providing i get AAAB at as level, at least, if i don't get that then i don't think i'll bother applying.
witness the sickness
haha its all good then if its in good way!
care to expand why lol?


You're just so keen. :p: :biggrin:

And you've made umpteen threads on your university choices. And you don't seem to realise that Medicine isn't really a degree, more a life choice.

But it's all good. :yy:

:smile:
Reply 48
Avatar for peaches.
peaches.
peanutbutternjelly
The only one I know very, very well is Twelfth Night (which is brilliant) as I'm studying it now. Did Macbeth for GCSEs so I guess I can get that up to scratch quite quickly. Doing King Lear next year and got my copy already so want to read that soon. Arden editions are brilliant.


:hello: it's rainbow drops, i changed accounts... definitely going for oxford then?
Speedbird2008
You're just so keen. :p: :biggrin:

And you've made umpteen threads on your university choices. And you don't seem to realise that Medicine isn't really a degree, more a life choice.

But it's all good. :yy:

:smile:


haha i know i have, im trying to get as much as advice and collective life experience (that i dont have) as possible!

im not sure about medicine, i realise its a life choice, that's why i want to be sure before i rule it out or decide to do it! :smile: make the most possibe informed decision i can..its obviously a big commitment!
Reply 50
Avatar for soph!e
soph!e
I don't suppose that anyone who is at Oxford now would be able to guess which colleges would be more accommodating to unusual applications? I tried contacting the admissions office last week, but haven't had a reply yet.

I'm not at oxford yet (hopefully start at oct) but throughout the applic process I heard Wadham was the most liberal/ open minded college so it might be worth giving them a go???? Good Luck whatever- oxford is looking for intelligence and potential so hopefully they won't be too narrow-minded about an unusual situe like yours.:smile:
i know someone i at Lincon who said the food is the best there lol :smile:
witness the sickness
i know someone i at Lincon who said the food is the best there lol :smile:


THEY LIE! It's blatantly Worcester! 6 formal halls a week, all subsidised by Mr/Lord/Whatever Sainsbury :biggrin:
"Thank you for the great advice :smile: I'll definitely check with my college if they come under the scheme - it is state, yep. We had one go to Cambridge last year (sciences), which isn't very much out of 4000, and I am the only one applying this time, so they may well be. They have been very supportive of me though which is nice, I have a lovely form tutor. I definitely won't be put off applying by what's happened - after all I'm still the same person with the same abilities, and I'm sure if I'm good enough Oxford will recognise it. I just hope that I am!

I don't suppose that anyone who is at Oxford now would be able to guess which colleges would be more accommodating to unusual applications? I tried contacting the admissions office last week, but haven't had a reply yet".

No worries :smile: Glad to here you won't let your experiences deter your from applying. I didn't have the "right" AS grades, but I still applied and got in, wooh! If they think you've got the potential, they'll give you an offer!

As for your new question, all of them should be, but if you're very worried about it, look at the prospectus. Some colleges specifically mention that they welcome state school applicants, can't remember which ones though :smile:
Natural sciences at cambridge
Maths at Cambridge :smile:
peaches.
:hello: it's rainbow drops, i changed accounts... definitely going for oxford then?


Jesus woman, was wondering where you'd disappeared to. Pretty sure about Oxford..I just don't like the idea of having to give Cam my module scores, and I prefer Oxford the city. So lost about colleges though :s-smilie:
How are your AS exams going?
Reply 57
Avatar for peaches.
peaches.
peanutbutternjelly
Jesus woman, was wondering where you'd disappeared to. Pretty sure about Oxford..I just don't like the idea of having to give Cam my module scores, and I prefer Oxford the city. So lost about colleges though :s-smilie:
How are your AS exams going?


:p:. yeah, i prefer oxford as a place too. i'm staying at st anne's college with a few people from my school for a couple of nights soon, i know i want to apply to exeter atm but i'm hoping that i walk into a college and instantly know that i want to apply there, it will make the whole thing so much easier...
good, i think. the only slightly iffy one i've had so far was C2, but hopefully i made marks up in C1 and i still have D1 to go. i had english yesterday and that went really well, so i was uber pleased. what about yours?
peaches.
:p:. yeah, i prefer oxford as a place too. i'm staying at st anne's college with a few people from my school for a couple of nights soon, i know i want to apply to exeter atm but i'm hoping that i walk into a college and instantly know that i want to apply there, it will make the whole thing so much easier...
good, i think. the only slightly iffy one i've had so far was C2, but hopefully i made marks up in C1 and i still have D1 to go. i had english yesterday and that went really well, so i was uber pleased. what about yours?


Aaah I'm so cheesed off, really want to go for a June Open day but there's so much happening in school that I don't know if it'll be possible. May go take a look sometime in June, not necessarily on an Open Day, but after all my exams are over. We are going to be having lots of lectures at school about UCAS and personal statements, that's why I'm trying to plan my visit so I don't miss too much. If that doesn't work out I'll go for the Open Day in Sept. I'd rather go before though, I just want to be more sure about everything.
This is cheesy but I remember when I first visited Oxford (to see a friend who lived there, not at the uni) and I walked past Wadham and thought how much I'd love to go to Oxford..then I was looking up Wadham and saw pictures and I remembered walking past it! freaky.
Mine have been good, I think I scored highly in my S1, just hoping I also do well in C2 as I messed up my C1 in january. I still have another 9 exams to go :frown: Wish I was doing an English AS though!
Glutamic Acid
The best subject (maths), at Cambridge. I'm leaning towards John's, but I haven't decided for sure. Writing a personal statement will be tricky, as I have no (constructive) extra-curriculars. I won't bother applying if I don't get AAAA.


I wouldn't worry about that. At a conference I went to they basically stated they didn't care whatsoever about EC's, grades are far more important, but they also stated they'd made offers this year to people who had no A*s at GCSE. :redface:

And come on, you're applying for Maths. :p:

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