Insecure about Oxford

Hello. So last week I received an offer from Oxford but I am feeling a bit insecure about my offer. Some part of me feels that I did not deserve me place…

First of all, I was given an offer with a place on Opportunity Oxford (Oppox). Therefore, I felt like one of the main reasons I was given a place with due to some contextual information about me (such as the previous school I went to). I was almost certain I had not gotten an offer after my third interview (which I believe I did not perform too well on) and therefore I feel like Opportunity Oxford was the only reason why I got an offer at this university. This is also supported by the fact that I am an ethnic minority so maybe the admission tutors had sympathy for me and despite my bad third interview still wanted to give me a place because I fit some of the criteria for Opportunity Oxford. Therefore, even though there may have been much stronger applicants for the course I applied to, they may have got rejected yet I got an offer.

Additionally, I got an open offer. I have read a lot of discussions about an open offer on TSR so now I do not feel so worried about it. However, a part of me still believes that this is what happened prior to getting the open offer: I was interviewed, the admission tutors were not too sure about me so they put me in the pool; and then my underwriting college took me out of the pool because I fit the criteria for Opportunity Oxford.

I am really sorry if I come across as being ungrateful I’m struggling to not have these thoughts especially since I was preparing myself for rejection from the moment I applied to the university, and made myself believe I had been rejected after my third interview. Or perhaps there may be some truth in what I’m saying.

Also, I have a question: Oxford says that Oppox is in place to help to “support talented UK offer holders from under-represented backgrounds in the transition from school or college to university”. Therefore, is it valid to say that, if someone was from an underrepresented background, even if their overall application was not so strong, then they still have a high chance of getting an offer because they fit the criteria for Oppox?

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Reply 20

Anonymous #1

Original post

by Anonymous

As an Oxford graduate who married into a family of Oxford graduates I can gaurantee you, Oxford does not make mistakes. If they've given you an offer, you fully deserve it. Oh, and your feelings are entirely normal. Some call it imposter sydrome but whatever it is, please don't let a lack of self believe hold you back.

Thank you🙂!

Reply 21

xyz1234567

Original post

by Anonymous

Thank you! But you said that Oxford rejects people who would have done well at the university. Why? Also sorry I’m being picky - you mentioned that Oppox was not the only reason why I would have got an offer so therefore it would have been one of the reasons used by the admissions team in determining whether or not I received an offer?

Oxford has to reject people who would have done well because there are more strong candidates than there are places available. The number of places available is fixed by factors like staffing, accommodation, and the cost of educating each student, not by how many good applicants there are. Each admissions panel will be selecting for their final place between several candidates, each of whom would do well on the course, and weighing up all the factors to try to split hairs and choose between them.