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'Oxbridge Applications'

lol. in germany we have companies that sell brochures telling you how to dodge the draft (or actually how to get sorted out in your physical examination). the good thing is that you can download that brochure (200€) on the internet :smile:

Reply 21

Hash

xyro

lol. in germany we have companies that sell brochures telling you how to dodge the draft (or actually how to get sorted out in your physical examination). the good thing is that you can download that brochure (200€) on the internet :smile:

these brochures must be incredibly prone to getting photocopied and resold etc?

Reply 22

MadNatSci

12

Look, if you use Oxbridge Applications you're paying through the nose for stuff you could get for free.

Insider tips on interview technique and course-specific guidance - so come to an open day, ask students and interviewers - all it costs you is the travel. As opposed to between £800 and £4000 (ye gods! do they really charge that?!)

Practice interviews - er, if you just use a bit of initiative you can easily sort that out for yourself. I'd be the first to say a practice interview is a good idea but it SO isn't worth paying that kind of money for.

It's really not necessary. If you want to spend your hard-earned cash then go for it, but I wouldn't if I were you. Anyway, however high their percentage of offers is, some people do spend all that money and still not get in...

Reply 23

MrsJones

Oxford and Cambridge are unlikely to look favourably on somebody cashing in on the "Oxbridge" word and £140.00 for a day experiencing the interview situation, with strangers, isn't that bad. The problem with doing it at school is the familiarity of the situation and staff.

I don't think it can do much harm, just give a little experience.

Reply 24

ThePants999

14

See http://www.oxbridgeapplications.com/page.asp?id=31 for the full price list.

As someone who did the Oxbridge Applications website and has worked for them as a mentor, I may well be biased towards them. But frankly I can't see the problem. They do improve chances - their clients' success rate is nearly double the average, and you can't explain all that away by talking about how much more likely they would have been in the first place to get an offer. The simple question is, how much is an Oxbridge place worth to you? If it's less than their prices, don't use them, simple as that. The fact remains that for a great many people (over 1,300 last year) that's not the case, and they get excellent feedback from people who use their services. I quote:

* 97% of applicants who came on our Interview Preparation Days in November 2003 rated the overall day as "Good" or "Excellent".
* Out of the 1,300 applicants we helped last year we received two complaints, both of which were quickly resolved.

For those gawping at the £4000 price tag, I'd point out that that's the super-douper-deluxe everything-they-could-possibly-do-for-you price that few people go for. Most customers will opt for, say, the £140 interview preparation day.

They pay their tutors, IIRC, between £20 and £25 per hour... can't remember how much they pay their interviewers.

Reply 25

Alexander

12

ThePants999

They pay their tutors, IIRC, between £20 and £25 per hour... can't remember how much they pay their interviewers.

Recently they were advertising at £50 per day, which isn't much considering the kind of person I'd have thought necessary to conduct a good interview. It used to be £80 a day, but it went down!

Reply 26

BazTheMoney

They're not doing anything illegal, people are obviously willing to pay for their service or the company wouldn't be in existence, and they genuinely help people. Personally I would rather keep my money, but I don't have a problem with it - they can do what they want; if you don't like it, move to Cuba..

Reply 27

Brown Patrick Bateman

10

Oxbridge Applications paid me £20/hr to give candidates tips on how to ace interviews, the kind of thing I do for free if people ask nicely! I thought they were now 'no win, no fee'? If so, a few hundred to potentially swing an Oxbridge offer isn't too bad. It's good for people on the borderline who might need a little confidence boost.

Reply 28

ThePants999

14

I don't think they're "no win no fee". Certainly nothing to that effect on the website.

Reply 29

Toni Mag

as i said on the previous page, i suspect many 'favourable' posts are coming from 'interested' parties! Readers pls beware.

Reply 30

NDGAARONDI

16

Toni Mag

as i said on the previous page, i suspect many 'favourable' posts are coming from 'interested' parties! Readers pls beware.

At this time of night?

Reply 31

london_bum

5

I went to and Interview Prep Day a week or two weeks or go...it was OK. If you're a shy person, then the tips they give you are quite good, although if you're some loud old blabbermouth like me...then obviously they aren't. I did find, however, that the interviews were quite good. Because they aren't familiar like the teachers at school...it helps show you how you might actually perform in interview, and gives you fairly good tips on bits you need to improve on.

Reply 32

MrsJones

Toni, do you think everybody who might have a different opinion than you must be on the take?

Reply 33

Brown Patrick Bateman

10

Toni Mag

as i said on the previous page, i suspect many 'favourable' posts are coming from 'interested' parties! Readers pls beware.

Myself and ThePants999 have worked for them, and don't any more; our comments may be 'favourable' as we know for a fact the service can be beneficial. My view is that it's only beneficial for borderline candidates / those needing a confidence boost. If you're great you're most likely to get in regardless and if you're not you won't!

Reply 34

Toni Mag

MrsJones

Toni, do you think everybody who might have a different opinion than you must be on the take?

erm, no!

Reply 35

Toni Mag

Jools

Myself and ThePants999 have worked for them, and don't any more; our comments may be 'favourable' as we know for a fact the service can be beneficial. My view is that it's only beneficial for borderline candidates / those needing a confidence boost. If you're great you're most likely to get in regardless and if you're not you won't!

fair enough Jools

Reply 36

ThePants999

14

Actually I still am working for them, but I've already announced that so that people are free to call me biased if they want! I'm not actually taking on any new work, though, so I have nothing to gain by promoting them.

I think Jools' assessment is almost a tautology. Essentially it provides the service of helping those that are intelligent but unpractised to bring themselves up to the standard (interview-wise) of students with similar ability but more confidence; however, it also makes some money out of students that won't get in but are desperate, and those that will but lack self-belief. Fair play to them - it's a sound business idea.

Reply 37

mab85

Hmmm oxbridge applications. i went to one of their 1 day sessions when i was applying for oxford last year, but only cos it was being held at out school so we got a discount! my simply advice would be, dont waste your money with this firm, whether its £50 or £4000. I don't believe that they have any real affect on the success rates of candidates, EXCEPT if you are so lazy that you cannot be bothered to do anything for your entry (and hopefully, as your applying to oxbridge, you won't be lazy) as a current student at oxford, i would certainly advise you to completely throw yourself into your interviews for the next few weeks. life certainly is busy down here, but its a great opportunity. here are a few quick tips which i consider to be worthwhile:

1) arrange a mock interview at your school with a teacher who u think will be suitable i.e. someone who can be tough and is very knowledgeable, but not too scary!

2) keep upto date with stories realting to your degree, but don't worry about knowing everything in the world that is going on. the interviews go by sooo quickly that u will never get everything in

3) don't try to second guess questions. not once was i asked 'why oxford?', 'why PPE', 'why keble', etc etc. the whole point of these interviews is to see how you react to new things and to see how you think. it is not a test of knowledge.

4) remember that every interview is different, so don't spend all your time asking others on the day 'what were u asked?' etc

5) don't worry if u have done / will do a test. i know for a fact that i messed up part of my maths questions for PPE, but im still here aren't i, so that means that u can to.

6) enjoy yourself, and remember that where ever you go you will have a fab time and be at a top uni, whether or not it is oxbridge. just be yourself and hope that you are what they want!

there u go, some advice there, now give me £20! no seriously, im sure that if anybody has any questions, just post them here and people will reply and give u lots of advice, all for free and all from oxbridge!

Reply 38

~Raphael~

9

BazTheMoney

They're not doing anything illegal, people are obviously willing to pay for their service or the company wouldn't be in existence, and they genuinely help people. Personally I would rather keep my money, but I don't have a problem with it - they can do what they want; if you don't like it, move to Cuba..