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Got 90 on the TSA and flunked by LMH PPE Oxford

Got 90 and I was unsuccesful... for real.. Guess this is the fate of an Asian international
(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 1

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Reply 2

I am sorry for your disappointment.

Approximately one third of Oxford's students are international, many of them Asian. The decision is unlikely to have anything to do with your ethnicity or nationality.

Reply 3

I'm sorry ☹️ Rejection is tough, but Oxford prides itself on its holistic process. Whilst that is a stellar score, you may not have responded as well to the interview format. I'd get in touch with the college directly and ask for feedback- that way you'll at least get some closure.

P.S. I know that entry is super competitive for international students but Oxford doesn't contextualise your grades based on ethnicity. With such a high TSA score, there must have been an area of your application that let you down.

Reply 4

Original post
by drriversong
I'm sorry ☹️ Rejection is tough, but Oxford prides itself on its holistic process. Whilst that is a stellar score, you may not have responded as well to the interview format. I'd get in touch with the college directly and ask for feedback- that way you'll at least get some closure.
P.S. I know that entry is super competitive for international students but, unlike the UK, Oxford doesn't contextualise your grades based on ethnicity. With such a high TSA score, there must have been an area of your application that let you down.

Oxford does not contextualise domestic applicants on the grounds of ethnicity. To do so would be unlawful.

Reply 5

Original post
by Stiffy Byng
Oxford does not contextualise domestic applicants on the grounds of ethnicity. To do so would be unlawful.

AHH I meant to write the US instead of the UK 🥲

Reply 6

Original post
by drriversong
AHH I meant to write the US instead of the UK 🥲

You appear to be out of date on that subject. In 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled that the "affirmative action" admission systems formerly operated by Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful. That ruling is of general application to US universities.

Reply 7

Original post
by Stiffy Byng
You appear to be out of date on that subject. In 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled that the "affirmative action" admission systems formerly operated by Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful. That ruling is of general application to US universities.

Mea culpa. I appear to have exposed my reliance on my 2017 politics A-level. I'll rectify my original post so as not to spread misinfo

Reply 8

Original post
by miniminseok
스크린샷 2025-01-17 012650.png
ahh that sucks. did you get an interview?

Reply 9

Original post
by Stiffy Byng
You appear to be out of date on that subject. In 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled that the "affirmative action" admission systems formerly operated by Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful. That ruling is of general application to US universities.
That's great to know, Lady Stephanie. 🙂

Reply 10

Without trying to over-egg the pudding, I just wanted to clear up any misconceptions about the PPE admissions process (at LMH at least), because I fear that some prospective Asian applicants may be deterred from applying to LMH by this post. For context, I am also an international student of Asian ethnicity, and I am currently studying PPE at LMH.

The LMH PPE admissions team categorically do not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity or race. This is the policy at all Oxford colleges and courses, but I can testify that it is absolutely the case at LMH. In my cohort, every single international PPEist is of Asian ethnicity, and in both the cohorts one year above and one year below me, there are 4 international students each of Asian ethnicity. So it seems unlikely that the LMH PPE team discriminates on the basis of race - and even more unlikely that they discriminate against Asian internationals, as your post appears to imply.

To OP, please remember that the admissions process is holistic, and it is not the case that a high score on the TSA guarantees admission - a good performance on the TSA is just one (noisy) signal of aptitude, and fails to measure qualities such as teachability and the ability to absorb and adapt to new information when given it. Although I do empathise with people who have been rejected who truly have the academic capability to succeed here, and I do accept that there is some luck involved in the admissions process, I also believe that it is generally unproductive to automatically assume that a rejection from one of the most competitive courses at one of the most difficult universities is a function of racist tutors. To me, this view seems misguided at best and libelous at worst.

I hope that this post clarifies any doubts about the PPE admissions process, at least at LMH, and I really do encourage any prospective applicants to PPE - domestic or international, Asian or non-Asian - to apply to LMH! It is a great course, and LMH's tutors are exceptionally dedicated and committed to helping you succeed.

Reply 11

Original post
by currentLMHPPEist
Without trying to over-egg the pudding, I just wanted to clear up any misconceptions about the PPE admissions process (at LMH at least), because I fear that some prospective Asian applicants may be deterred from applying to LMH by this post. For context, I am also an international student of Asian ethnicity, and I am currently studying PPE at LMH.
The LMH PPE admissions team categorically do not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity or race. This is the policy at all Oxford colleges and courses, but I can testify that it is absolutely the case at LMH. In my cohort, every single international PPEist is of Asian ethnicity, and in both the cohorts one year above and one year below me, there are 4 international students each of Asian ethnicity. So it seems unlikely that the LMH PPE team discriminates on the basis of race - and even more unlikely that they discriminate against Asian internationals, as your post appears to imply.
To OP, please remember that the admissions process is holistic, and it is not the case that a high score on the TSA guarantees admission - a good performance on the TSA is just one (noisy) signal of aptitude, and fails to measure qualities such as teachability and the ability to absorb and adapt to new information when given it. Although I do empathise with people who have been rejected who truly have the academic capability to succeed here, and I do accept that there is some luck involved in the admissions process, I also believe that it is generally unproductive to automatically assume that a rejection from one of the most competitive courses at one of the most difficult universities is a function of racist tutors. To me, this view seems misguided at best and libelous at worst.
I hope that this post clarifies any doubts about the PPE admissions process, at least at LMH, and I really do encourage any prospective applicants to PPE - domestic or international, Asian or non-Asian - to apply to LMH! It is a great course, and LMH's tutors are exceptionally dedicated and committed to helping you succeed.
So, there are 2 Asian internationals in each year? What about British Asians? 😧

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