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71 on the MAT, rejected for interview

My predicted grades are A*A*A*A*A*(Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science), and MAT score is 71.
I applied for Mathematics and Computer Science at both Imperial and Oxford, but didn't get shortlisted for interview in either. I've heard Imperial tends to at least offer an interview to MAT 50-60+ scorers. What happened here? Was I just unlucky? Was it my personal statement?

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Reply 1
Definitely a bit unlucky. However bear in mind that oxford usually only shortlist about 60% of people who get MAT scores of 70-75. So a lot of people who do well in the mat still don’t get in. Reasons for this: it depends on what school you got to. If a lot of people usually get offers from oxbridge then it may be slightly harder for you to get an offer. My friend got an interview for maths and computer science and he only got 37 in the mat (we go to a state school where normally 2 or 3 people get into oxbridge each year). He did get 9/10 in the second test and has good GCSEs (ten 9s). I hope this helps your confusion. It’s still crazy you didn’t get an interview with how good your application is so I would say you did get unlucky. Good luck for imperial!
(edited 10 months ago)
Reply 2
Original post by theowats333
Definitely a bit unlucky. However bear in mind that oxford usually only shortlist about 60% of people who get MAT scores of 70-75. So a lot of people who do well in the mat still don’t get in. Reasons for this: it depends on what school you got to. If a lot of people usually get offers from oxbridge then it may be slightly harder for you to get an offer. My friend got an interview for maths and computer science and he only got 37 in the mat (we go to a state school where normally 2 or 3 people got to oxbridge). He did get 9/10 in the second test and has good GCSEs (ten 9s). I hope this helps your confusion. It’s still crazy you didn’t get an interview with how good your application is so I would say you did get unlucky. Good luck for imperial!

I'm in a country where it is extremely rare for anyone to even apply to oxbridge.
I am in touch with all major international schools in my state and I can say with reasonable accuracy that within the recent 5-7 years, not a single person has gone to oxbridge from my state, let alone my school.
I think there is also some confusion in my question though. I was also rejected from Imperial. While getting rejected from oxford still had reasonable chances, I am confused as to why imperial would reject me for the interview.
Though its not like anything can be done about it. Thanks for your answer.
(edited 10 months ago)
Reply 3
Original post by acelixis
I'm in a country where it is extremely rare for anyone to even apply to oxbridge.
I am in touch with all major international schools in my state and I can say with reasonable accuracy that within the recent 5-7 years, not a single person has gone to oxbridge from my state, let alone my school.
I think there is also some confusion in my question though. I was also rejected from Imperial. While getting rejected from oxford still had reasonable chances, I am confused as to why imperial would reject me for the interview.
Though its not like anything can be done about it. Thanks for your answer.

Ah ok. What country are you from?
Reply 4
Original post by theowats333
Ah ok. What country are you from?

I'm from India
I just realised I wrote "it's rare for people in my country to apply to oxbridge". My bad, I meant my state. There are quite a lot of Indians applying for oxbridge.
(edited 10 months ago)
Reply 5
Original post by acelixis
My predicted grades are A*A*A*A*A*(Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science), and MAT score is 71.
I applied for Mathematics and Computer Science at both Imperial and Oxford, but didn't get shortlisted for interview in either. I've heard Imperial tends to at least offer an interview to MAT 50-60+ scorers. What happened here? Was I just unlucky? Was it my personal statement?

What about UCL? Warwick? Edinburgh?
Reply 6
Original post by thegeek888
What about UCL? Warwick? Edinburgh?

I applied to UCL, Edinburgh, and Bristol. There has been no response as of now from Edinburgh and UCL. Bristol put me "on hold" around 1-2 months ago.
Reply 7
Original post by acelixis
I'm in a country where it is extremely rare for anyone to even apply to oxbridge.
I am in touch with all major international schools in my state and I can say with reasonable accuracy that within the recent 5-7 years, not a single person has gone to oxbridge from my state, let alone my school.
I think there is also some confusion in my question though. I was also rejected from Imperial. While getting rejected from oxford still had reasonable chances, I am confused as to why imperial would reject me for the interview.
Though its not like anything can be done about it. Thanks for your answer.

Imperial for computer science and maths is equally as competitive as oxbridge.

Also, did you convert your grades to a level grades from (probably HSC) or do you do GCE A levels? (it’s quite rare for someone to do 5 a levels)
Reply 8
Original post by Anonymous #1
Imperial for computer science and maths is equally as competitive as oxbridge.

Also, did you convert your grades to a level grades from (probably HSC) or do you do GCE A levels? (it’s quite rare for someone to do 5 a levels)

That actually makes sense now that I think about it. A very high majority of oxford CS applicants would also apply to imperial for CS. Reassuring to know.
No, I didn’t convert my grades, I actually do 5 GCE A levels.
Reply 9
Original post by acelixis
I applied to UCL, Edinburgh, and Bristol. There has been no response as of now from Edinburgh and UCL. Bristol put me "on hold" around 1-2 months ago.

You will get more news after 21 Jan as you may know that’s the deadline for equal consideration. Oxbridge go first and some unis are more confident to start offering early but quite a few wait until then. Good luck.
Original post by acelixis
That actually makes sense now that I think about it. A very high majority of oxford CS applicants would also apply to imperial for CS. Reassuring to know.
No, I didn’t convert my grades, I actually do 5 GCE A levels.

Exactly, imperial is world-class, and it’s in London so big up.

Fair enough man
Original post by snoopadoop
You will get more news after 21 Jan as you may know that’s the deadline for equal consideration. Oxbridge go first and some unis are more confident to start offering early but quite a few wait until then. Good luck.

Do you mean 31st?
Reply 12
Original post by Anonymous #1
Exactly, imperial is world-class, and it’s in London so big up.

Fair enough man

Not for Maths ... it toxic anyway so best avoided.
Reply 13
Original post by acelixis
My predicted grades are A*A*A*A*A*(Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science), and MAT score is 71.
I applied for Mathematics and Computer Science at both Imperial and Oxford, but didn't get shortlisted for interview in either. I've heard Imperial tends to at least offer an interview to MAT 50-60+ scorers. What happened here? Was I just unlucky? Was it my personal statement?

What were your GCSEs? Are these IALs ie modular?
Reply 14
Original post by Muttley79
What were your GCSEs? Are these IALs ie modular?

I'm unfamiliar with what IALs are. A*A*A*A*A* are my A level predicted grades. I didn't give GCSEs. I instead studied in an Indian board until class 10. I got 94.8%. I do not see a scenario where my 10th grades would pose a problem tbh.
(edited 10 months ago)
Reply 15
Original post by acelixis
I'm unfamiliar with what IALs are. A*A*A*A*A* are my A level predicted grades. I didn't give GCSEs. I instead studied in an Indian board until class 10. I got 94.8%. I do not see a scenario where my 10th grades would pose a problem tbh.

Do you take exams at the end of your A level course or throughtout [modular]. They may have deemed your predictions unreliable ...
Reply 16
Original post by Muttley79
Do you take exams at the end of your A level course or throughtout [modular]. They may have deemed your predictions unreliable ...

It's a mix. I took AS levels already for Maths, Physics, and Computer Science. I will be taking Further Maths and Chemistry at the end of my A level course.
They can just deem predictions unreliable? I mean my counselor wouldn't have given me those predicteds for no reason.
I got 3 As in AS levels with pretty high PUMs. I don't think they'd deem predictions unreliable, especially if they check PUMs.
(edited 10 months ago)
Reply 17
Original post by acelixis
It's a mix. I gave AS levels already for Maths, Physics, and Computer Science. I will be giving Further Maths and Chemistry at the end of my A level course.
They can just deem predictions unreliable? I mean my counselor wouldn't have given me those predicteds for no reason.
I got 3 As in AS levels with pretty high PUMs. I don't think they'd deem predictions unreliable, especially if they check PUMs.

Yes, schools get known if they over-predict. Perhpa it was your PS then?

Btw we say 'taking' exams not 'giving' ..
Reply 18
Original post by Muttley79
Yes, schools get known if they over-predict. Perhpa it was your PS then?

Btw we say 'taking' exams not 'giving' ..

Yeah, I'm also pretty sure PS was the problem here.
That's a sad way to get rejected.

Right, my bad, I'll edit it if I can
Also jmc for imperial doesn’t take the MAT into account.. for Oxford JMC you usually need a score that tends to be higher than the average pure maths offer-holder score just to get an interview (you can see this in the stats published on the MAT website)… JMC courses at both unis are some of the most competitive courses in the country to get into

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