Applying to Oxford after completing a year at a US university
This is a little long, so bear with me.
I’m in a bit of a unique situation and am looking for any advice/insight you guys may be able to provide.
Background:
I’m a 19-year-old American male. Currently, I’m an incoming sophomore at a US university where I’m majoring in Finance.
I did not like my first year and have decided to pursue other options and deviate my course of study in favor of a broader and more academic discipline.
This change would take me an additional four years from this point to graduate, so switching to a UK university next year would not impact my graduation date. Additionally, the cost difference would be negligible (if not cheaper in the UK) and thus not a consideration.
When researching courses I came across PPE and for various reasons think it would be a great fit for me (happy to elaborate). I would likely drop Philosophy after the first year and focus on Economics and Politics with the International Relations specialization, but I'm still very interested in Philosophy.
I plan on applying to Oxford to study PPE for the 2025 academic year.
I’m planning on attending college in the fall but would ideally not attend the spring semester if I were to receive an offer from Oxford this winter. If I were not to receive an offer, I would stay for the spring semester and apply to transfer to other US and international schools.
My current university is in the top 10 for my major and I received the maximum achievable GPA (4.0) this past year. In high school, I met the international equivalents for courses requiring A*A*A (through 5s on AP exams and the SAT), so I feel that academically my application should be competitive.
I did not apply last year as I had only been at my current University for a little over a month before the UCAS deadline and did not feel that was enough time to make a fully informed decision as to my current course. In the time since I have decided to transfer away from my current course and school.
My current university really lacks a traditional college/community experience and both the collegiate system, and the tutorial system of Oxford really appeal to me.
I would be 21 (by less than a month) when starting my freshman term at Oxford and thus technically be a mature student. Ideally, I would attend a college for non-mature students to get the traditional experience.
A couple of questions:
1.) I was wondering if anyone could give insight on whether they believe I’d be able to enjoy the traditional Oxford experience despite being slightly older than my peers, or if I’d miss out on experiences because of this?
2.) Would any of the traditional colleges be more open to accepting mature students?
3.) When reviewing the website I saw the following:
“If you are currently studying at a university outside the UK and are thinking of applying to Oxford to start the first year of an undergraduate course, you should make very clear in your application why you do not wish to continue on your current course. This is important as we only consider such applications where there are strong reasons for moving university after the first year. Please note we are not able to give examples of these reasons as applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. ”
^How should I best convey my reasons? Would wanting to switch both courses of study and institution be substantial?
4.) Would an applicant with my profile have a reasonable chance at admission/progressing to an interview at a traditional college (assuming I perform well on the TSA)?
Thanks for getting this far. Any advice or guidance on my scenario that you could give would be greatly appreciated.
*Feel free to ask me anything to clarify or otherwise. I can provide more info if it would be helpful or if you’re just curious— I didn’t want to make this post any longer than it already is.
I’m in a bit of a unique situation and am looking for any advice/insight you guys may be able to provide.
Background:
I’m a 19-year-old American male. Currently, I’m an incoming sophomore at a US university where I’m majoring in Finance.
I did not like my first year and have decided to pursue other options and deviate my course of study in favor of a broader and more academic discipline.
This change would take me an additional four years from this point to graduate, so switching to a UK university next year would not impact my graduation date. Additionally, the cost difference would be negligible (if not cheaper in the UK) and thus not a consideration.
When researching courses I came across PPE and for various reasons think it would be a great fit for me (happy to elaborate). I would likely drop Philosophy after the first year and focus on Economics and Politics with the International Relations specialization, but I'm still very interested in Philosophy.
I plan on applying to Oxford to study PPE for the 2025 academic year.
I’m planning on attending college in the fall but would ideally not attend the spring semester if I were to receive an offer from Oxford this winter. If I were not to receive an offer, I would stay for the spring semester and apply to transfer to other US and international schools.
My current university is in the top 10 for my major and I received the maximum achievable GPA (4.0) this past year. In high school, I met the international equivalents for courses requiring A*A*A (through 5s on AP exams and the SAT), so I feel that academically my application should be competitive.
I did not apply last year as I had only been at my current University for a little over a month before the UCAS deadline and did not feel that was enough time to make a fully informed decision as to my current course. In the time since I have decided to transfer away from my current course and school.
My current university really lacks a traditional college/community experience and both the collegiate system, and the tutorial system of Oxford really appeal to me.
I would be 21 (by less than a month) when starting my freshman term at Oxford and thus technically be a mature student. Ideally, I would attend a college for non-mature students to get the traditional experience.
A couple of questions:
1.) I was wondering if anyone could give insight on whether they believe I’d be able to enjoy the traditional Oxford experience despite being slightly older than my peers, or if I’d miss out on experiences because of this?
2.) Would any of the traditional colleges be more open to accepting mature students?
3.) When reviewing the website I saw the following:
“If you are currently studying at a university outside the UK and are thinking of applying to Oxford to start the first year of an undergraduate course, you should make very clear in your application why you do not wish to continue on your current course. This is important as we only consider such applications where there are strong reasons for moving university after the first year. Please note we are not able to give examples of these reasons as applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. ”
^How should I best convey my reasons? Would wanting to switch both courses of study and institution be substantial?
4.) Would an applicant with my profile have a reasonable chance at admission/progressing to an interview at a traditional college (assuming I perform well on the TSA)?
Thanks for getting this far. Any advice or guidance on my scenario that you could give would be greatly appreciated.
*Feel free to ask me anything to clarify or otherwise. I can provide more info if it would be helpful or if you’re just curious— I didn’t want to make this post any longer than it already is.
You’re hardly a mature student, and any college would I’m sure be a wonderful environment.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Oxford?
I couldn’t offer any comments on what Oxford might be minded to consider substantial reasons. I would guess that simply a preference to move is not going to cut it.
If I were to put myself in the head of an admissions tutor I suppose you’d be swayed by a compelling argument as to why your current course or environment cannot continue combined with a passionate plea for your new course at Oxford.
You might need to explain why you didn’t or were not able to apply first time around.
As you can see, this may not be an easy argument to make.
The comment you made on the PPE course caught my eye ‘I’d plan to drop philosophy’ and of course straight away it raised the question as to whether you’d really be passionate about the new choice.
Have you really reflected on what and why you need to leave this Finance course at what is a top institution and embark on something else?
I’d always suggest applying. Worth bearing in mind you’re looking at one of the most hard fought for courses at what’s arguably the worlds finest University. You’ve already a hill to climb here as you’re on a great course that you want to ditch.
Might, if you’re serious, be worth looking at some other options. Did you look at International Relations course at St Andrews? They offer joint honours courses, eg “Master of Arts (Honours) Economics and International Relations”
Did you look at any of the LSE courses?
Any university is going to need a very good case though.
Why is the current Finance course so awful?
The very best of luck to you though and good on you for making a tough call. I wish I’d had the guts to ditch my own Physics degree, I knew straight away it was the wrong choice.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Oxford?
I couldn’t offer any comments on what Oxford might be minded to consider substantial reasons. I would guess that simply a preference to move is not going to cut it.
If I were to put myself in the head of an admissions tutor I suppose you’d be swayed by a compelling argument as to why your current course or environment cannot continue combined with a passionate plea for your new course at Oxford.
You might need to explain why you didn’t or were not able to apply first time around.
As you can see, this may not be an easy argument to make.
The comment you made on the PPE course caught my eye ‘I’d plan to drop philosophy’ and of course straight away it raised the question as to whether you’d really be passionate about the new choice.
Have you really reflected on what and why you need to leave this Finance course at what is a top institution and embark on something else?
I’d always suggest applying. Worth bearing in mind you’re looking at one of the most hard fought for courses at what’s arguably the worlds finest University. You’ve already a hill to climb here as you’re on a great course that you want to ditch.
Might, if you’re serious, be worth looking at some other options. Did you look at International Relations course at St Andrews? They offer joint honours courses, eg “Master of Arts (Honours) Economics and International Relations”
Did you look at any of the LSE courses?
Any university is going to need a very good case though.
Why is the current Finance course so awful?
The very best of luck to you though and good on you for making a tough call. I wish I’d had the guts to ditch my own Physics degree, I knew straight away it was the wrong choice.
Original post by AnonOxE
You’re hardly a mature student, and any college would I’m sure be a wonderful environment.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Oxford?
I couldn’t offer any comments on what Oxford might be minded to consider substantial reasons. I would guess that simply a preference to move is not going to cut it.
If I were to put myself in the head of an admissions tutor I suppose you’d be swayed by a compelling argument as to why your current course or environment cannot continue combined with a passionate plea for your new course at Oxford.
You might need to explain why you didn’t or were not able to apply first time around.
As you can see, this may not be an easy argument to make.
The comment you made on the PPE course caught my eye ‘I’d plan to drop philosophy’ and of course straight away it raised the question as to whether you’d really be passionate about the new choice.
Have you really reflected on what and why you need to leave this Finance course at what is a top institution and embark on something else?
I’d always suggest applying. Worth bearing in mind you’re looking at one of the most hard fought for courses at what’s arguably the worlds finest University. You’ve already a hill to climb here as you’re on a great course that you want to ditch.
Might, if you’re serious, be worth looking at some other options. Did you look at International Relations course at St Andrews? They offer joint honours courses, eg “Master of Arts (Honours) Economics and International Relations”
Did you look at any of the LSE courses?
Any university is going to need a very good case though.
Why is the current Finance course so awful?
The very best of luck to you though and good on you for making a tough call. I wish I’d had the guts to ditch my own Physics degree, I knew straight away it was the wrong choice.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Oxford?
I couldn’t offer any comments on what Oxford might be minded to consider substantial reasons. I would guess that simply a preference to move is not going to cut it.
If I were to put myself in the head of an admissions tutor I suppose you’d be swayed by a compelling argument as to why your current course or environment cannot continue combined with a passionate plea for your new course at Oxford.
You might need to explain why you didn’t or were not able to apply first time around.
As you can see, this may not be an easy argument to make.
The comment you made on the PPE course caught my eye ‘I’d plan to drop philosophy’ and of course straight away it raised the question as to whether you’d really be passionate about the new choice.
Have you really reflected on what and why you need to leave this Finance course at what is a top institution and embark on something else?
I’d always suggest applying. Worth bearing in mind you’re looking at one of the most hard fought for courses at what’s arguably the worlds finest University. You’ve already a hill to climb here as you’re on a great course that you want to ditch.
Might, if you’re serious, be worth looking at some other options. Did you look at International Relations course at St Andrews? They offer joint honours courses, eg “Master of Arts (Honours) Economics and International Relations”
Did you look at any of the LSE courses?
Any university is going to need a very good case though.
Why is the current Finance course so awful?
The very best of luck to you though and good on you for making a tough call. I wish I’d had the guts to ditch my own Physics degree, I knew straight away it was the wrong choice.
I appreciate you saying I’m hardly a mature student. For some reason that’s the thing that makes me the most nervous about pursuing this, so that calmed my nerves a bit.
I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Oxford yet. I would hope to visit for an interview which would give me a better feel for the town and the experience. I’ve researched both the collegiate and tutorial systems which are what draw me the most to the University. I would love to visit though and most definitely would before committing to attend if I were to be fortunate enough to receive that option.
It makes sense that preference is likely not a good enough reason in and of itself, and fairly so. If I were to make a passionate plea as to why PPE at Oxford and a strong reason showing that I would be leaving my current university either way, in your opinion, do you think that would be enough to move my application past that stage?
(I may be able to craft a logistical argument for why it would be beneficial for me to leave my current university, but it definitely wouldn’t help explain why Oxford or probably be that strong)
I also feel that I could craft a good argument for why I did not apply the first time around and how my experience in between has made me find my passion, why it is a good fit now, etc.
As for my statement on Philosophy, in retrospect, I feel I articulated my thought process poorly in the original post. Let me add a little more color to my thoughts– and please let me know if you feel I’m thinking of this in the wrong way.
The Philosophy statement stemmed from how I felt I may better sell my application to maximize my chances. I have experience studying both Economics and Politics formally and have loved them and performed well. I have done some independent reading in Philosophy, and I do truly find it very interesting, but I haven’t studied it formally. I would be more than happy to study Philosophy and love the comprehensive and complementary nature of the PPE course.
I was planning to focus my personal statement on Economics and Politics because I feel I have better super-curriculars and experience in these spaces.
I recall reading somewhere that colleges may like you to indicate which way you would lean in terms of the PPE curriculum (as they don’t want all students pursuing Philosophy and Politics or Politics and Econ for example). I could be wrong in this assumption. This made me feel I would better be able to bill myself for the Politics and Economics path as my past experiences align with that more closely than Philosophy.
I’ve come to the hard decision that I need to leave my current Finance course due to a lack of passion for it. I have recognized that I just have a much stronger interest in the social sciences. I feel that it is way too practically focused, and I just do not like sifting through balance sheets and sitting in accounting lectures.
And while it was a tough call to make for sure (and I wish I’d made it sooner), I just know that I much rather be studying policy, Economics, and developing new perspectives and critical thinking that I feel requires deviation from my current path.
I’ve always been good at math, so I feel this pushed me towards Finance originally, but I’ve since learned that’s not where my interest truly lies. Upon self-reflection I realized that I have really liked my Economics classes and looking back to high school, the classes that I enjoyed most were Politics (and Government). While my current Finance course does provide great practical training, I would rather delve deeper into a more academic discipline.
Funny that you mention St Andrews. I’ve actually looked at St Andrews and plan on including it as one of my UCAS choices. I have a loose connection to a family friend’s brother who is actually a professor there and from speaking with them, I do feel that St Andrews could be a strong option.
I’ve looked some into LSE courses. I like both their Politics & Economics and PPE courses as options. I’ve also looked into UCL and Imperial as options for my remaining choices though I’m not entirely decided yet.
I’ve been focusing on Oxford first due to the earlier application deadline and my personal interest in the collegiate and tutorial system.
I’m set on making this change, and while this may seem radical, would it help my odds drastically if I didn’t attend university in the fall?
This way I wouldn’t have to make the case for leaving my current university as I wouldn’t be currently enrolled and could avoid that hurdle. I’d rather not do this by the way, but if it would majorly sway my odds, it would be something to consider.
Regarding your Physics degree, I hope that you have been able to find and pursue what you want. May I ask what you are pursuing now?
I’m an airline pilot. My daughter has an offer for Oxford in autumn, for history. I did indeed find my way, it’s all a journey!
So take any thoughts I have with a pinch of salt. I’ve no more insight into Oxford admissions than anyone else.
You asked a few questions. What I’d suggest is trying to put yourself in the mind of an admissions tutor. Their goal is to get the best possible students in place for the next year. How do you feel they’ll be looking on an application? What questions will always pop up in the mind of a tutor for an application such as this? What things can you offer that will immediately address these questions you’ve identified?
The best thing you might do is to have a conversation with an admissions tutor if you can get a call.
If you personally reflect on the reasons for leaving straight finance, reasons for PPE and then have a really clear idea of your own goal and what you want to happen, this clarity will come through in your applications.
You’re definitely going to have to reflect on what makes this ‘exceptional’. I couldn’t say but whatever you come up with will need to be laid on thick. This is your no1 issue. I can see where you’re coming from but have a real head scratch on how this will get portrayed as an exceptional event for you.
Personally, I have no idea whether continuing with study or making a break and applying from out of college study will look better or worse. This is a question for an admissions officer. It’s possibly a quiet time of the yearly cycle so ‘now’ might be a good time to be hitting up the telephone (assuming they’re not all on vacation which they might be).
You’ve just missed Oxford’s June open days, and they’re out of term so. If it were me perhaps trying to get a college visit or two and jumping on a cheap flight over could help. You could see if you can get over to LSE and potentially St Andrews. It’ll be quiet up there apart from the tourists, but you can see the place.
I don’t feel that’s been much help to you, but wish you the best.
Good luck.
So take any thoughts I have with a pinch of salt. I’ve no more insight into Oxford admissions than anyone else.
You asked a few questions. What I’d suggest is trying to put yourself in the mind of an admissions tutor. Their goal is to get the best possible students in place for the next year. How do you feel they’ll be looking on an application? What questions will always pop up in the mind of a tutor for an application such as this? What things can you offer that will immediately address these questions you’ve identified?
The best thing you might do is to have a conversation with an admissions tutor if you can get a call.
If you personally reflect on the reasons for leaving straight finance, reasons for PPE and then have a really clear idea of your own goal and what you want to happen, this clarity will come through in your applications.
You’re definitely going to have to reflect on what makes this ‘exceptional’. I couldn’t say but whatever you come up with will need to be laid on thick. This is your no1 issue. I can see where you’re coming from but have a real head scratch on how this will get portrayed as an exceptional event for you.
Personally, I have no idea whether continuing with study or making a break and applying from out of college study will look better or worse. This is a question for an admissions officer. It’s possibly a quiet time of the yearly cycle so ‘now’ might be a good time to be hitting up the telephone (assuming they’re not all on vacation which they might be).
You’ve just missed Oxford’s June open days, and they’re out of term so. If it were me perhaps trying to get a college visit or two and jumping on a cheap flight over could help. You could see if you can get over to LSE and potentially St Andrews. It’ll be quiet up there apart from the tourists, but you can see the place.
I don’t feel that’s been much help to you, but wish you the best.
Good luck.
Original post by AnonOxE
I’m an airline pilot. My daughter has an offer for Oxford in autumn, for history. I did indeed find my way, it’s all a journey!
So take any thoughts I have with a pinch of salt. I’ve no more insight into Oxford admissions than anyone else.
You asked a few questions. What I’d suggest is trying to put yourself in the mind of an admissions tutor. Their goal is to get the best possible students in place for the next year. How do you feel they’ll be looking on an application? What questions will always pop up in the mind of a tutor for an application such as this? What things can you offer that will immediately address these questions you’ve identified?
The best thing you might do is to have a conversation with an admissions tutor if you can get a call.
If you personally reflect on the reasons for leaving straight finance, reasons for PPE and then have a really clear idea of your own goal and what you want to happen, this clarity will come through in your applications.
You’re definitely going to have to reflect on what makes this ‘exceptional’. I couldn’t say but whatever you come up with will need to be laid on thick. This is your no1 issue. I can see where you’re coming from but have a real head scratch on how this will get portrayed as an exceptional event for you.
Personally, I have no idea whether continuing with study or making a break and applying from out of college study will look better or worse. This is a question for an admissions officer. It’s possibly a quiet time of the yearly cycle so ‘now’ might be a good time to be hitting up the telephone (assuming they’re not all on vacation which they might be).
You’ve just missed Oxford’s June open days, and they’re out of term so. If it were me perhaps trying to get a college visit or two and jumping on a cheap flight over could help. You could see if you can get over to LSE and potentially St Andrews. It’ll be quiet up there apart from the tourists, but you can see the place.
I don’t feel that’s been much help to you, but wish you the best.
Good luck.
So take any thoughts I have with a pinch of salt. I’ve no more insight into Oxford admissions than anyone else.
You asked a few questions. What I’d suggest is trying to put yourself in the mind of an admissions tutor. Their goal is to get the best possible students in place for the next year. How do you feel they’ll be looking on an application? What questions will always pop up in the mind of a tutor for an application such as this? What things can you offer that will immediately address these questions you’ve identified?
The best thing you might do is to have a conversation with an admissions tutor if you can get a call.
If you personally reflect on the reasons for leaving straight finance, reasons for PPE and then have a really clear idea of your own goal and what you want to happen, this clarity will come through in your applications.
You’re definitely going to have to reflect on what makes this ‘exceptional’. I couldn’t say but whatever you come up with will need to be laid on thick. This is your no1 issue. I can see where you’re coming from but have a real head scratch on how this will get portrayed as an exceptional event for you.
Personally, I have no idea whether continuing with study or making a break and applying from out of college study will look better or worse. This is a question for an admissions officer. It’s possibly a quiet time of the yearly cycle so ‘now’ might be a good time to be hitting up the telephone (assuming they’re not all on vacation which they might be).
You’ve just missed Oxford’s June open days, and they’re out of term so. If it were me perhaps trying to get a college visit or two and jumping on a cheap flight over could help. You could see if you can get over to LSE and potentially St Andrews. It’ll be quiet up there apart from the tourists, but you can see the place.
I don’t feel that’s been much help to you, but wish you the best.
Good luck.
Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond so thoroughly.
I’ll take your advice and most definitely reach out to the admissions officers to get some more concrete understanding of what they’re looking for.
Following that, I’ll start looking into booking a flight and setting some tours.
Again thanks for the advice— and I hope your daughter has a great time this autumn!
Hi! Just wondering, will they consider your application?
Original post by michaelj#28
This is a little long, so bear with me.
I’m in a bit of a unique situation and am looking for any advice/insight you guys may be able to provide.
Background:
I’m a 19-year-old American male. Currently, I’m an incoming sophomore at a US university where I’m majoring in Finance.
I did not like my first year and have decided to pursue other options and deviate my course of study in favor of a broader and more academic discipline.
This change would take me an additional four years from this point to graduate, so switching to a UK university next year would not impact my graduation date. Additionally, the cost difference would be negligible (if not cheaper in the UK) and thus not a consideration.
When researching courses I came across PPE and for various reasons think it would be a great fit for me (happy to elaborate). I would likely drop Philosophy after the first year and focus on Economics and Politics with the International Relations specialization, but I'm still very interested in Philosophy.
I plan on applying to Oxford to study PPE for the 2025 academic year.
I’m planning on attending college in the fall but would ideally not attend the spring semester if I were to receive an offer from Oxford this winter. If I were not to receive an offer, I would stay for the spring semester and apply to transfer to other US and international schools.
My current university is in the top 10 for my major and I received the maximum achievable GPA (4.0) this past year. In high school, I met the international equivalents for courses requiring A*A*A (through 5s on AP exams and the SAT), so I feel that academically my application should be competitive.
I did not apply last year as I had only been at my current University for a little over a month before the UCAS deadline and did not feel that was enough time to make a fully informed decision as to my current course. In the time since I have decided to transfer away from my current course and school.
My current university really lacks a traditional college/community experience and both the collegiate system, and the tutorial system of Oxford really appeal to me.
I would be 21 (by less than a month) when starting my freshman term at Oxford and thus technically be a mature student. Ideally, I would attend a college for non-mature students to get the traditional experience.
A couple of questions:
1.) I was wondering if anyone could give insight on whether they believe I’d be able to enjoy the traditional Oxford experience despite being slightly older than my peers, or if I’d miss out on experiences because of this?
2.) Would any of the traditional colleges be more open to accepting mature students?
3.) When reviewing the website I saw the following:
“If you are currently studying at a university outside the UK and are thinking of applying to Oxford to start the first year of an undergraduate course, you should make very clear in your application why you do not wish to continue on your current course. This is important as we only consider such applications where there are strong reasons for moving university after the first year. Please note we are not able to give examples of these reasons as applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. ”
^How should I best convey my reasons? Would wanting to switch both courses of study and institution be substantial?
4.) Would an applicant with my profile have a reasonable chance at admission/progressing to an interview at a traditional college (assuming I perform well on the TSA)?
Thanks for getting this far. Any advice or guidance on my scenario that you could give would be greatly appreciated.
*Feel free to ask me anything to clarify or otherwise. I can provide more info if it would be helpful or if you’re just curious— I didn’t want to make this post any longer than it already is.
I’m in a bit of a unique situation and am looking for any advice/insight you guys may be able to provide.
Background:
I’m a 19-year-old American male. Currently, I’m an incoming sophomore at a US university where I’m majoring in Finance.
I did not like my first year and have decided to pursue other options and deviate my course of study in favor of a broader and more academic discipline.
This change would take me an additional four years from this point to graduate, so switching to a UK university next year would not impact my graduation date. Additionally, the cost difference would be negligible (if not cheaper in the UK) and thus not a consideration.
When researching courses I came across PPE and for various reasons think it would be a great fit for me (happy to elaborate). I would likely drop Philosophy after the first year and focus on Economics and Politics with the International Relations specialization, but I'm still very interested in Philosophy.
I plan on applying to Oxford to study PPE for the 2025 academic year.
I’m planning on attending college in the fall but would ideally not attend the spring semester if I were to receive an offer from Oxford this winter. If I were not to receive an offer, I would stay for the spring semester and apply to transfer to other US and international schools.
My current university is in the top 10 for my major and I received the maximum achievable GPA (4.0) this past year. In high school, I met the international equivalents for courses requiring A*A*A (through 5s on AP exams and the SAT), so I feel that academically my application should be competitive.
I did not apply last year as I had only been at my current University for a little over a month before the UCAS deadline and did not feel that was enough time to make a fully informed decision as to my current course. In the time since I have decided to transfer away from my current course and school.
My current university really lacks a traditional college/community experience and both the collegiate system, and the tutorial system of Oxford really appeal to me.
I would be 21 (by less than a month) when starting my freshman term at Oxford and thus technically be a mature student. Ideally, I would attend a college for non-mature students to get the traditional experience.
A couple of questions:
1.) I was wondering if anyone could give insight on whether they believe I’d be able to enjoy the traditional Oxford experience despite being slightly older than my peers, or if I’d miss out on experiences because of this?
2.) Would any of the traditional colleges be more open to accepting mature students?
3.) When reviewing the website I saw the following:
“If you are currently studying at a university outside the UK and are thinking of applying to Oxford to start the first year of an undergraduate course, you should make very clear in your application why you do not wish to continue on your current course. This is important as we only consider such applications where there are strong reasons for moving university after the first year. Please note we are not able to give examples of these reasons as applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. ”
^How should I best convey my reasons? Would wanting to switch both courses of study and institution be substantial?
4.) Would an applicant with my profile have a reasonable chance at admission/progressing to an interview at a traditional college (assuming I perform well on the TSA)?
Thanks for getting this far. Any advice or guidance on my scenario that you could give would be greatly appreciated.
*Feel free to ask me anything to clarify or otherwise. I can provide more info if it would be helpful or if you’re just curious— I didn’t want to make this post any longer than it already is.
1) Yeah you'll be fine socially. The vast majority of guys from my home country are 21 when they enrol due to mandatory military service, and no one cares.
2) Yes, all the traditional colleges will also consider mature students. You don't have to apply to Harris Manchester if you don't want to.
3) Not sure, but I would think wanting to change course would probably be sufficient justification.
4) Yes, you meet the minimum offer criteria so it will come down to your performance on the TSA (and in the interviews, if you get invited). Bear in mind though that the vast majority of candidates who apply all have excellent academic results, and only 35% of applicants get invited to interview, with 11% getting an offer. It is very competitive and excellent candidates miss out every year.
5) Don't feel obligated to visit the UK and tour the universities if you don't want to - the first time I went to Oxford was for my admissions interview, and even then I could have opted for Skype/ Zoom. Some international students go to Oxford for the first time when starting their first term. Literally no one cares.
Good luck!
Being a mature student is not an issue. Being already enrolled in an undergraduate course is much more so. You just need to make the strongest case you can as to why your circumstances for wanting to drop your current course and come to Oxford are exceptional and that your reasons are strong and well-founded.
By the way, interviews are all online for Oxford now so you would not be visiting for them. Most international students don’t/can’t visit before applying so it is not a problem to apply without visiting. There is an open day in September and if you wanted to come, that would be the best time.
By the way, interviews are all online for Oxford now so you would not be visiting for them. Most international students don’t/can’t visit before applying so it is not a problem to apply without visiting. There is an open day in September and if you wanted to come, that would be the best time.
Original post by xyz1234567
Being a mature student is not an issue. Being already enrolled in an undergraduate course is much more so. You just need to make the strongest case you can as to why your circumstances for wanting to drop your current course and come to Oxford are exceptional and that your reasons are strong and well-founded.
By the way, interviews are all online for Oxford now so you would not be visiting for them. Most international students don’t/can’t visit before applying so it is not a problem to apply without visiting. There is an open day in September and if you wanted to come, that would be the best time.
By the way, interviews are all online for Oxford now so you would not be visiting for them. Most international students don’t/can’t visit before applying so it is not a problem to apply without visiting. There is an open day in September and if you wanted to come, that would be the best time.
What would be an example of a strong reason do you think?
I can’t really say since they specifically say on the website that they can’t give examples as each case is assessed on its own merits. I think feeling you made a mistake about your course or feeling excited about Oxford, would not be strong reasons as that could apply to tons of people. I think the advice above about putting yourself in the mind of an a tutor is good- they are thinking “we are not normally meant to accept people who are current undergrads elsewhere so why should this person make me want to make an exception to that policy?”
Original post by michaelj#28
This is a little long, so bear with me.
I’m in a bit of a unique situation and am looking for any advice/insight you guys may be able to provide.
Background:
I’m a 19-year-old American male. Currently, I’m an incoming sophomore at a US university where I’m majoring in Finance.
I did not like my first year and have decided to pursue other options and deviate my course of study in favor of a broader and more academic discipline.
This change would take me an additional four years from this point to graduate, so switching to a UK university next year would not impact my graduation date. Additionally, the cost difference would be negligible (if not cheaper in the UK) and thus not a consideration.
When researching courses I came across PPE and for various reasons think it would be a great fit for me (happy to elaborate). I would likely drop Philosophy after the first year and focus on Economics and Politics with the International Relations specialization, but I'm still very interested in Philosophy.
I plan on applying to Oxford to study PPE for the 2025 academic year.
I’m planning on attending college in the fall but would ideally not attend the spring semester if I were to receive an offer from Oxford this winter. If I were not to receive an offer, I would stay for the spring semester and apply to transfer to other US and international schools.
My current university is in the top 10 for my major and I received the maximum achievable GPA (4.0) this past year. In high school, I met the international equivalents for courses requiring A*A*A (through 5s on AP exams and the SAT), so I feel that academically my application should be competitive.
I did not apply last year as I had only been at my current University for a little over a month before the UCAS deadline and did not feel that was enough time to make a fully informed decision as to my current course. In the time since I have decided to transfer away from my current course and school.
My current university really lacks a traditional college/community experience and both the collegiate system, and the tutorial system of Oxford really appeal to me.
I would be 21 (by less than a month) when starting my freshman term at Oxford and thus technically be a mature student. Ideally, I would attend a college for non-mature students to get the traditional experience.
A couple of questions:
1.) I was wondering if anyone could give insight on whether they believe I’d be able to enjoy the traditional Oxford experience despite being slightly older than my peers, or if I’d miss out on experiences because of this?
2.) Would any of the traditional colleges be more open to accepting mature students?
3.) When reviewing the website I saw the following:
“If you are currently studying at a university outside the UK and are thinking of applying to Oxford to start the first year of an undergraduate course, you should make very clear in your application why you do not wish to continue on your current course. This is important as we only consider such applications where there are strong reasons for moving university after the first year. Please note we are not able to give examples of these reasons as applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. ”
^How should I best convey my reasons? Would wanting to switch both courses of study and institution be substantial?
4.) Would an applicant with my profile have a reasonable chance at admission/progressing to an interview at a traditional college (assuming I perform well on the TSA)?
Thanks for getting this far. Any advice or guidance on my scenario that you could give would be greatly appreciated.
*Feel free to ask me anything to clarify or otherwise. I can provide more info if it would be helpful or if you’re just curious— I didn’t want to make this post any longer than it already is.
I’m in a bit of a unique situation and am looking for any advice/insight you guys may be able to provide.
Background:
I’m a 19-year-old American male. Currently, I’m an incoming sophomore at a US university where I’m majoring in Finance.
I did not like my first year and have decided to pursue other options and deviate my course of study in favor of a broader and more academic discipline.
This change would take me an additional four years from this point to graduate, so switching to a UK university next year would not impact my graduation date. Additionally, the cost difference would be negligible (if not cheaper in the UK) and thus not a consideration.
When researching courses I came across PPE and for various reasons think it would be a great fit for me (happy to elaborate). I would likely drop Philosophy after the first year and focus on Economics and Politics with the International Relations specialization, but I'm still very interested in Philosophy.
I plan on applying to Oxford to study PPE for the 2025 academic year.
I’m planning on attending college in the fall but would ideally not attend the spring semester if I were to receive an offer from Oxford this winter. If I were not to receive an offer, I would stay for the spring semester and apply to transfer to other US and international schools.
My current university is in the top 10 for my major and I received the maximum achievable GPA (4.0) this past year. In high school, I met the international equivalents for courses requiring A*A*A (through 5s on AP exams and the SAT), so I feel that academically my application should be competitive.
I did not apply last year as I had only been at my current University for a little over a month before the UCAS deadline and did not feel that was enough time to make a fully informed decision as to my current course. In the time since I have decided to transfer away from my current course and school.
My current university really lacks a traditional college/community experience and both the collegiate system, and the tutorial system of Oxford really appeal to me.
I would be 21 (by less than a month) when starting my freshman term at Oxford and thus technically be a mature student. Ideally, I would attend a college for non-mature students to get the traditional experience.
A couple of questions:
1.) I was wondering if anyone could give insight on whether they believe I’d be able to enjoy the traditional Oxford experience despite being slightly older than my peers, or if I’d miss out on experiences because of this?
2.) Would any of the traditional colleges be more open to accepting mature students?
3.) When reviewing the website I saw the following:
“If you are currently studying at a university outside the UK and are thinking of applying to Oxford to start the first year of an undergraduate course, you should make very clear in your application why you do not wish to continue on your current course. This is important as we only consider such applications where there are strong reasons for moving university after the first year. Please note we are not able to give examples of these reasons as applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. ”
^How should I best convey my reasons? Would wanting to switch both courses of study and institution be substantial?
4.) Would an applicant with my profile have a reasonable chance at admission/progressing to an interview at a traditional college (assuming I perform well on the TSA)?
Thanks for getting this far. Any advice or guidance on my scenario that you could give would be greatly appreciated.
*Feel free to ask me anything to clarify or otherwise. I can provide more info if it would be helpful or if you’re just curious— I didn’t want to make this post any longer than it already is.
Hey Michael I’m in almost the same situation as you and found your post. I also met the ap grade requirements and am looking to apply and potentially switch after my first year at university here in the US. I’d be curious to know how things are going for you and if you have any advice on the application process. The biggest challenge for me at the moment is who to have as my referee and also the explaining why I want to switch thing like you mentioned.
Original post by Ben5031
Hey Michael I’m in almost the same situation as you and found your post. I also met the ap grade requirements and am looking to apply and potentially switch after my first year at university here in the US. I’d be curious to know how things are going for you and if you have any advice on the application process. The biggest challenge for me at the moment is who to have as my referee and also the explaining why I want to switch thing like you mentioned.
Original post by johndoe29398
Are you a current sophomore?
No I’m going to be a freshman
Original post by johndoe29398
Hi! Just wondering, will they consider your application?
Yes they will consider the application! I called a few of the colleges and they heavily emphasized that it is truly a case-by-case basis, but stated that an academic reason would be acceptable and they will consider it.
Original post by Ben5031
Hey Michael I’m in almost the same situation as you and found your post. I also met the ap grade requirements and am looking to apply and potentially switch after my first year at university here in the US. I’d be curious to know how things are going for you and if you have any advice on the application process. The biggest challenge for me at the moment is who to have as my referee and also the explaining why I want to switch thing like you mentioned.
Hi Ben, I’m working on my application currently. Explaining why you want to switch is critical and needs to be addressed in the personal statement. My advice would be to really nail down that reason and explain why you can’t get it from your current course. Finding your referee is definitely a little harder than it would’ve been in high school. If you have any professors who you have built a relationship with, I would recommend asking one of them.
I just wanted to thank everyone for all the advice! You guys have been extremely helpful and it is very appreciated!
Original post by michaelj28
Hi Ben, I’m working on my application currently. Explaining why you want to switch is critical and needs to be addressed in the personal statement. My advice would be to really nail down that reason and explain why you can’t get it from your current course. Finding your referee is definitely a little harder than it would’ve been in high school. If you have any professors who you have built a relationship with, I would recommend asking one of them.
Original post by Ben5031
Did you enter any grades from your college classes on the UCAS application and did you need your referee to predict any future grades? When messaging ucas they said I may need to do this but I don’t really see why as I’ve already met my ap grade requirements and I don’t think college grades are really useful to them. Also the one college I messaged said tutors usually don’t look to kindly toward applications from students enrolled in university and I was wondering if you heard the same when reaching out to people there. I’m still trying to decide whether this is worth doing with the preparation involved for the admissions test
I did enter colleges grades and I'm having my referee do predicted grades as well. I only did this because I've already been in university for a year and wanted to show that I was still performing well academically. In your situation, I probably wouldn't worry about it. The general consensus is that they really only care about your APs. That being said, there is no harm in adding them, but it probably won't make a big difference either way.
I messaged a few colleges and got a more positive response. They said that it is an unusual scenario, but not entirely uncommon and they will look at each application based on its merits.
It's definitely a time commitment, but if you're really serious about making the switch I'd give it a shot. Also, I don't know where you're located but I would register for the admissions exam sooner rather than later because when registering I noticed that some geographic regions of the US have very few testing centers.
Also, I don't know what you're currently studying or applying for, but I do know that if you're switching subjects the language on Cambridge's website makes them seem more favorable to applicants currently enrolled in university. Additionally, if you're worried about preparing for an admissions test, you could apply for a subject that doesn't require one.
Original post by elilast
Good luck OP! I can’t advise you on your application, but I can assure you that I started at Oxford with several students who were 1-3 years older than me and it really did not make any difference. You’re all freshers starting at Oxford.
Thanks! I really appreciate it!
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