Get help with your university decisions here! TSR Decisions Drop In 2025

Oxford reapplication

Got rejected from Chemistry and Oxford yesterday - was predicted 4A* in maths fm chem physics and A* in EPQ however messed up my second interview.

I was considering a reapplication next year after taking a year out however I’m not sure what the best way to spend it would be.

I had a ski season in mind however this would not be the full year and I have some possible links to related internships/work experience that I could get involved in.

I was just wondering what the best way to spend a gap year is regarding an application but also still having a good time?

I’m also worried that some unis that I already have offers for may be more difficult to get into the second time around.

Reply 1

thegeek888

Original post by Anonymous

Got rejected from Chemistry and Oxford yesterday - was predicted 4A* in maths fm chem physics and A* in EPQ however messed up my second interview.
I was considering a reapplication next year after taking a year out however I’m not sure what the best way to spend it would be.
I had a ski season in mind however this would not be the full year and I have some possible links to related internships/work experience that I could get involved in.
I was just wondering what the best way to spend a gap year is regarding an application but also still having a good time?
I’m also worried that some unis that I already have offers for may be more difficult to get into the second time around.

@TypicalNerd is a second year at St. John's College, Oxford studying Chemistry and he took a gap year. 🙂

Reply 2

TypicalNerd

Original post by Anonymous

Got rejected from Chemistry and Oxford yesterday - was predicted 4A* in maths fm chem physics and A* in EPQ however messed up my second interview.
I was considering a reapplication next year after taking a year out however I’m not sure what the best way to spend it would be.
I had a ski season in mind however this would not be the full year and I have some possible links to related internships/work experience that I could get involved in.
I was just wondering what the best way to spend a gap year is regarding an application but also still having a good time?
I’m also worried that some unis that I already have offers for may be more difficult to get into the second time around.

If you do take a year out, you’ll only need to spend the first 3 months of the (academic) year on your application and interview prep. You will absolutely have time to spend going on a ski trip, but make sure not to forget all the chemistry and pure maths you have studied so far and occasionally revisit these areas as you will need them in order to understand much of the material you will be introduced to wherever you end up.

Anything you do academically past the October deadline to submit your UCAS form will have no bearing whatsoever on the strength of your application. So really, if you want to bolster your application, now is the best time to start. You could try getting lab experience, but since chemistry is a purely academic degree and these opportunities are scarce, nobody expects you to have them and so they convey no real benefit to your personal statement.

The chances you’ll be shortlisted again should be quite good given you were shortlisted once before, but I would still be cautious and take steps to better your chances of successfully reapplying asap. By that, I mean focus on making sure you get the necessary grades and reading around the subject and finding ways to challenge what you’ve learnt so far.

Where else did you apply and what courses specifically did you apply for - these could be excellent alternatives if you decide against reapplication or find yourself to not be in a position to reapply.

Reply 3

daniel40

Original post by TypicalNerd

If you do take a year out, you’ll only need to spend the first 3 months of the (academic) year on your application and interview prep. You will absolutely have time to spend going on a ski trip, but make sure not to forget all the chemistry and pure maths you have studied so far and occasionally revisit these areas as you will need them in order to understand much of the material you will be introduced to wherever you end up.
Anything you do academically past the October deadline to submit your UCAS form will have no bearing whatsoever on the strength of your application. So really, if you want to bolster your application, now is the best time to start. You could try getting lab experience, but since chemistry is a purely academic degree and these opportunities are scarce, nobody expects you to have them and so they convey no real benefit to your personal statement.
The chances you’ll be shortlisted again should be quite good given you were shortlisted once before, but I would still be cautious and take steps to better your chances of successfully reapplying asap. By that, I mean focus on making sure you get the necessary grades and reading around the subject and finding ways to challenge what you’ve learnt so far.
Where else did you apply and what courses specifically did you apply for - these could be excellent alternatives if you decide against reapplication or find yourself to not be in a position to reapply.

I have got offers from durham bristol and birmingham all for chemistry and I know these are great courses and I am considering taking an offer however I did really want oxford and I had been thinking about a gap year. Is there any advice you would give to better improve my application/interview skills for next time around if I were to do so - would they expect a higher level of knowledge and do harder interview questions

Reply 4

TypicalNerd

Original post by daniel40

I don’t think you are likely to be given harder questions than the first time round to be honest - everyone interviewed by a given college will be asked questions from the same set. They might expect more of you than if you were a first time applicant, however and so you need to ensure you can articulate your reasoning clearly and concisely.

My experience was that the interviews in my gap year were easier than the first time round because I was better prepared. I knew what they were like and what sorts of things went wrong and so refined my technique and got into the habit of teaching others less confident in chemistry how to do certain topics. This was particularly useful as it helped me to explain my reasoning out loud, but a lot more confidently, concisely and very clearly.

Of course, I’d also urge you to keep your chemistry and pure maths skills alive - pure maths questions from A level maths and further maths past papers may be good to attempt every so often and RSC chemistry olympiad round 1 papers make excellent interview practice.

Reading is also strongly advised - I personally recommend “Chemistry^3: Introducing inorganic, organic and physical chemistry” by Burrows et al as it provides a very accessible introduction to undergraduate level chemistry (it assumes little prior knowledge of chemistry or maths), but it is expensive to buy first hand meaning you might want to look at getting it second hand off of world of books or similar. I can give you alternative recommendations in case you would prefer a book dedicated to either inorganic, organic or physical chemistry rather than all three.

Reply 5

Stiffy Byng

Original post by Anonymous

Got rejected from Chemistry and Oxford yesterday - was predicted 4A* in maths fm chem physics and A* in EPQ however messed up my second interview.
I was considering a reapplication next year after taking a year out however I’m not sure what the best way to spend it would be.
I had a ski season in mind however this would not be the full year and I have some possible links to related internships/work experience that I could get involved in.
I was just wondering what the best way to spend a gap year is regarding an application but also still having a good time?
I’m also worried that some unis that I already have offers for may be more difficult to get into the second time around.

An example of a gap year: My daughter waited until she had her IB grades before applying to universities. After receiving an offer from Oxford in January of her gap year, she travelled in Central America and the Caribbean, and skied in Europe. After four months, she obtained a part time job in a wine shop, which she enjoyed. She read a lot, improved her fitness, and voted in local and national elections for the first time. She spent time in London when not at work.

I think that she grew up a lot during the gap year.

Reply 6

thegeek888

Original post by daniel40

Nada Omar, a British muslimah girl achieved A*A*A*A* in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Arabic and is now a third year undergraduate student, studying Chemistry at Exeter College, Oxford. Here is the link to her YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@nada_omar

Here is her e-mail: [email protected]

Also, she has her Oxford Chemistry UCAS Personal Statement for sale for a small fee. 😉 lol