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Reply 1
Original post by Spcb
Interested to know how many applied to Oxbridge but rejected by Durham? In particular Law
Why on earth would they discriminate against excellent applicants???
Reply 2
Original post by Spcb
Interested to know how many applied to Oxbridge but rejected by Durham? In particular Law
I feel like your title and question are different. But Durham would not know if an applicant also applied to Oxbridge.
Original post by LittleFire10
I feel like your title and question are different. But Durham would not know if an applicant also applied to Oxbridge.
It’s not a stretch with a very strong early applicant
Original post by Spcb
It’s not a stretch with a very strong early applicant
As someone that has worked in admissions for years and seen countless early + strong applicants, I’ve never wasted a single second trying to second guess whether someone is an oxbridge applicant, much less let it colour whether I’m giving them an offer or not.
Unis. Do. Not. Care.
Reply 5
Original post by Admit-One
As someone that has worked in admissions for years and seen countless early + strong applicants, I’ve never wasted a single second trying to second guess whether someone is an oxbridge applicant, much less let it colour whether I’m giving them an offer or not.
Unis. Do. Not. Care.
Unis. Do. Not. Care.
That may be the case but the question is -Does Durham?
Reply 6
Original post by Anonymous
That may be the case but the question is -Does Durham?
Once again, why would they???
[Meeting of Durham admissions tutors]
I know people, let's make offers to a load of absolute numpties rather than give offers to our best qualified applicants, those who might... might... have applied to Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes, yes! And when our graduates fail to get contracts, or called to the bar, it's not our fault is it??? Our reputation will be amazing won't it? Won't it...???
Reply 7
Original post by ageshallnot
Once again, why would they???
[Meeting of Durham admissions tutors]
I know people, let's make offers to a load of absolute numpties rather than give offers to our best qualified applicants, those who might... might... have applied to Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes, yes! And when our graduates fail to get contracts, or called to the bar, it's not our fault is it??? Our reputation will be amazing won't it? Won't it...???
[Meeting of Durham admissions tutors]
I know people, let's make offers to a load of absolute numpties rather than give offers to our best qualified applicants, those who might... might... have applied to Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes, yes! And when our graduates fail to get contracts, or called to the bar, it's not our fault is it??? Our reputation will be amazing won't it? Won't it...???
Yeah I heard they’re trying to get away from oxbridgereject label
Original post by ageshallnot
Once again, why would they???
[Meeting of Durham admissions tutors]
I know people, let's make offers to a load of absolute numpties rather than give offers to our best qualified applicants, those who might... might... have applied to Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes, yes! And when our graduates fail to get contracts, or called to the bar, it's not our fault is it??? Our reputation will be amazing won't it? Won't it...???
[Meeting of Durham admissions tutors]
I know people, let's make offers to a load of absolute numpties rather than give offers to our best qualified applicants, those who might... might... have applied to Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes, yes! And when our graduates fail to get contracts, or called to the bar, it's not our fault is it??? Our reputation will be amazing won't it? Won't it...???
😂... Yes, what possible motivation could there be for this peculiar conspiracy?
The question assumes admissions administrators and academics have lots of time on their hands and nothing much to occupy their thoughts. The institution wants to recruit as many students as possible, and the best possible; people in these roles just want to do them as well and/or as quickly as possible.
It is a pattern, though - the tendency to think of academic institutions as blobs with overarching agendas, without taking into account that in any given academic department it's impossible to get everyone to agree on what kind of teabags to order for the common room let alone some grand agenda.
Most academics are either biding their time for early retirement or trying to carve out an early career niche. Admissions is an annoying admin task that they want to get done as efficiently and appropriately as possible. Sorry, I know it's boring, but I'm afraid there's no hidden agenda; everyone's got better fish to fry.
Original post by Anonymous
Yeah I heard they’re trying to get away from oxbridgereject label
From whom? What is 'their' strategy? To only take weaker students? Have you ever done academic admissions? This makes no sense I'm afraid
Given the scope of the courses offered and grade profiles for both Durham and Oxford/Cambridge are very similar, not to mention the collegiate nature, since Durham are not staffed by imbeciles (one presumes), they will be aware that there is going to be significant overlap due to all of those factors between their applicant base and that for Oxford and Cambridge.
If they began trying to somehow undertake the preposterous waste of time that attempting to extrapolate whether someone is an Oxford or Cambridge applicant then discriminate against them, they would be left with precious few applicants in any event.
Thanks to the successive "interventions" of the last ~25 years of government in the UK in the higher education sector, all universities are now run like businesses and as a result they care about the bottom line above all, and to achieve that they need bums in seats. They don't give a toss if that person is an Oxbridge applicant, reject, or otherwise. They can't afford to care about that.
This is such a tired and pointless discussion that comes up every year, but the be all and end all is that they don't care. Stop wasting time quibbling over nonsense like this and do some revision if you're that concerned about getting an offer, because ultimately you do need to actually get the grade at the end of the day.
If they began trying to somehow undertake the preposterous waste of time that attempting to extrapolate whether someone is an Oxford or Cambridge applicant then discriminate against them, they would be left with precious few applicants in any event.
Thanks to the successive "interventions" of the last ~25 years of government in the UK in the higher education sector, all universities are now run like businesses and as a result they care about the bottom line above all, and to achieve that they need bums in seats. They don't give a toss if that person is an Oxbridge applicant, reject, or otherwise. They can't afford to care about that.
This is such a tired and pointless discussion that comes up every year, but the be all and end all is that they don't care. Stop wasting time quibbling over nonsense like this and do some revision if you're that concerned about getting an offer, because ultimately you do need to actually get the grade at the end of the day.
(edited 1 month ago)
Original post by artful_lounger
Given the scope of the courses offered and grade profiles for both Durham and Oxford/Cambridge are very similar, not to mention the collegiate nature, since Durham are not staffed by imbeciles (one presumes), they will be aware that there is going to be significant overlap due to all of those factors between their applicant base and that for Oxford and Cambridge.
If they began trying to somehow undertake the preposterous waste of time that attempting to extrapolate whether someone is an Oxford or Cambridge applicant then discriminate against them, they would be left with precious few applicants in any event.
Thanks to the successive "interventions" of the last ~25 years of government in the UK in the higher education sector, all universities are now run like businesses and as a result they care about the bottom line above all, and to achieve that they need bums in seats. They don't give a toss if that person is an Oxbridge applicant, reject, or otherwise. They can't afford to care about that.
This is such a tired and pointless discussion that comes up every year, but the be all and end all is that they don't care. Stop wasting time quibbling over nonsense like this and do some revision if you're that concerned about getting an offer, because ultimately you do need to actually get the grade at the end of the day.
If they began trying to somehow undertake the preposterous waste of time that attempting to extrapolate whether someone is an Oxford or Cambridge applicant then discriminate against them, they would be left with precious few applicants in any event.
Thanks to the successive "interventions" of the last ~25 years of government in the UK in the higher education sector, all universities are now run like businesses and as a result they care about the bottom line above all, and to achieve that they need bums in seats. They don't give a toss if that person is an Oxbridge applicant, reject, or otherwise. They can't afford to care about that.
This is such a tired and pointless discussion that comes up every year, but the be all and end all is that they don't care. Stop wasting time quibbling over nonsense like this and do some revision if you're that concerned about getting an offer, because ultimately you do need to actually get the grade at the end of the day.
"Stop wasting time quibbling over nonsense like this and do some revision if you're that concerned about getting an offer, because ultimately you do need to actually get the grade at the end of the day."
Excellent advice!
Original post by ageshallnot
Once again, why would they???
[Meeting of Durham admissions tutors]
I know people, let's make offers to a load of absolute numpties rather than give offers to our best qualified applicants, those who might... might... have applied to Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes, yes! And when our graduates fail to get contracts, or called to the bar, it's not our fault is it??? Our reputation will be amazing won't it? Won't it...???
[Meeting of Durham admissions tutors]
I know people, let's make offers to a load of absolute numpties rather than give offers to our best qualified applicants, those who might... might... have applied to Oxford or Cambridge.
Yes, yes! And when our graduates fail to get contracts, or called to the bar, it's not our fault is it??? Our reputation will be amazing won't it? Won't it...???
Sarcasm is deeply unhelpful. Any google search would throw up huge amounts of info on this perennial question. I was interested as my son received an offer from Cambridge but was rejected by Durham for law with 3A* achieved and 32 LNAT.
I really don’t think they make offers to “numpties” but it would seem they may not offer those who they think will not firm them. I would really caution prospective students including Durham alongside any Oxbridge application.
I do wonder about the quality of their admissions process ( if there is no discrimination ) as Durham were ranked 72nd in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2025.
Reply 14
Original post by Spcb
Sarcasm is deeply unhelpful. Any google search would throw up huge amounts of info on this perennial question. I was interested as my son received an offer from Cambridge but was rejected by Durham for law with 3A* achieved and 32 LNAT.
I really don’t think they make offers to “numpties” but it would seem they may not offer those who they think will not firm them. I would really caution prospective students including Durham alongside any Oxbridge application.
I do wonder about the quality of their admissions process ( if there is no discrimination ) as Durham were ranked 72nd in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2025.
I really don’t think they make offers to “numpties” but it would seem they may not offer those who they think will not firm them. I would really caution prospective students including Durham alongside any Oxbridge application.
I do wonder about the quality of their admissions process ( if there is no discrimination ) as Durham were ranked 72nd in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2025.
It's not sarcasm, it's exasperation.
The following is a quotation from my former personal tutor. He taught me at undergraduate level then moved on to become a professor with a particular interest in applications at a university which has a similar reputation to Durham:
"What [my uni] is really looking and hoping for, is good candidates who want to come here and not somewhere else. But that can scarcely be judged from the forms, and given the pool the university is fishing in, it's rather a utopian dream. The important point to make clear to
applicants is that [the uni in question] does NOT discriminate against Oxbridge applicants a) because it has no certain way of knowing if they are, and b) it would not get the quality of students it does, if it did so. [My uni]
WANTS the bright candidates that Oxbridge has missed, so good ones should not be deterred from applying."
Original post by Anonymous
That may be the case but the question is -Does Durham?
Categorically not.
They lose nothing by making offers to oxbridge applicants, (even if they knew for certain who they were, which they don’t). They need to over-offer to ensure the course is full in any case.
Original post by Spcb
Sarcasm is deeply unhelpful. Any google search would throw up huge amounts of info on this perennial question. I was interested as my son received an offer from Cambridge but was rejected by Durham for law with 3A* achieved and 32 LNAT.
I really don’t think they make offers to “numpties” but it would seem they may not offer those who they think will not firm them. I would really caution prospective students including Durham alongside any Oxbridge application.
I do wonder about the quality of their admissions process ( if there is no discrimination ) as Durham were ranked 72nd in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2025.
I really don’t think they make offers to “numpties” but it would seem they may not offer those who they think will not firm them. I would really caution prospective students including Durham alongside any Oxbridge application.
I do wonder about the quality of their admissions process ( if there is no discrimination ) as Durham were ranked 72nd in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2025.
I didn't see any sarcasm there, just a rhetorical question. The thing is, institutions can make as many offers as they like, so what is to gain from not making offers to applicants they suspect, speculatively, won't 'firm' them? There is just no motivation here. Institutions have good data on what percentage of offers they make will accept firmly, what percentage of those will actually enrol, etc. But they don't lose anything from offers that aren't accepted - there is no benefit to rejecting an application because they probably won't enrol. A google search will turn up lots of stuff on lots of stuff, but won't necessarily be informative. Durham won't know whether your son has applied to Cambridge. It is of course possible that Durham have decided not to make offers to 3A* students but that seems very unlikely and easy to prove either way. Perhapsthe admissions tutor didn't like the personal statement, or was in a bad mood that morning, etc. Or maybe there is a self-destructive conspiracy at Durham law school, if so I'd be fascinated!
If Durham would reject an applicant because they've applied to Oxbridge, or because there's a strong chance they'll end up at Oxbridge, then it either:
Becomes irrelevant (when the student is accepted by Oxbridge, as a student should really only apply to Oxbridge if they make that their firm if accepted)
Becomes relatively petty of Durham, because Durham asks for such high grades for many subjects that students whose grades might also get them in Oxbridge possibly form a majority.
Becomes irrelevant (when the student is accepted by Oxbridge, as a student should really only apply to Oxbridge if they make that their firm if accepted)
Becomes relatively petty of Durham, because Durham asks for such high grades for many subjects that students whose grades might also get them in Oxbridge possibly form a majority.
Remember that over 3/4 of Oxvrudge applicants (varies according to course) don’t get an Oxbridge offer anyway. So Durham can’t afford to be rejecting those b good candidates who may well have Durham as their preference…or not.
Top tier unis know they are always one of 5 on a candidates UCAS form. They don’t know where else someone has put, where else will offer and who will firm, insure and decline them. They ALL have to over offer because of thus - Oxbridge less so, but places like Durham, Edinburgh, St Andrews, UCL all know significant numbers of offer holders won’t firm them but one of the others, so HAVE to over offer. They use complicated calculations based on take up liklihoids based on previous data and as offer holders start to decline, firm and insure get a bit clearer pic and can make further offers.
Yes, they might well make some offers to those who meet the minimum course requirement rather than give all the offers to the very top applicants and might not use a fully tiered system like some places do: tjere may be different probabilities of firming from different types of candidate, but they use the PS a lot and focus in Lnat essay.
Every year some get an Oxbridgr offer but not Durham…..or not Edinburgh or not Imperial or wherever. Some of these non Oxvrudge courses will gave more applicants per place…and with such a lot of good candidates, great candidates don’t get offers (including to Oxbridge)
There is NO decision to reject possible or likely Oxbridge candidates. Given 3/4 won’t get the Oxbridge offer, they are exactly who Durham want…and other top unis want too.
Top tier unis know they are always one of 5 on a candidates UCAS form. They don’t know where else someone has put, where else will offer and who will firm, insure and decline them. They ALL have to over offer because of thus - Oxbridge less so, but places like Durham, Edinburgh, St Andrews, UCL all know significant numbers of offer holders won’t firm them but one of the others, so HAVE to over offer. They use complicated calculations based on take up liklihoids based on previous data and as offer holders start to decline, firm and insure get a bit clearer pic and can make further offers.
Yes, they might well make some offers to those who meet the minimum course requirement rather than give all the offers to the very top applicants and might not use a fully tiered system like some places do: tjere may be different probabilities of firming from different types of candidate, but they use the PS a lot and focus in Lnat essay.
Every year some get an Oxbridgr offer but not Durham…..or not Edinburgh or not Imperial or wherever. Some of these non Oxvrudge courses will gave more applicants per place…and with such a lot of good candidates, great candidates don’t get offers (including to Oxbridge)
There is NO decision to reject possible or likely Oxbridge candidates. Given 3/4 won’t get the Oxbridge offer, they are exactly who Durham want…and other top unis want too.
Reply 19
I think it is a fair question. If the UCAS forms do not show your other choices, then absent something you say in your personal statement, other than making your application early to meet Oxbridge deadlines, Durham cannot know and so cannot rationally discriminate (i.e. other than against their own interests in trying to identify the likely Oxbridge successful applicants!).
But I read law at Cambridge and had a rejection from Durham a few days after I received and accepted the offer (2 of my other back ups made offers too). This was 1990. I have found this quote on activelearning.ac.uk about whether other UCAS form universities get to know anything about where you have applied (as initially, no) : “However, universities do find out once you have accepted your offers or have no live offers available”.
I don’t know if that means that Durham can wait to see if other offers are accepted, and at that point only make offers to those without an Oxbridge offer (/accepted offer?). THAT might be a rational strategy to minimise uncertainty in their offers vs acceptances. Someone should be able to answer that question - it still wouldn’t mean do not apply to Durham (likely % you won’t get an Oxbridge offer), just that you are unlikely to get an Oxbridge offer and a Durham offer as a ‘back up’.
But I read law at Cambridge and had a rejection from Durham a few days after I received and accepted the offer (2 of my other back ups made offers too). This was 1990. I have found this quote on activelearning.ac.uk about whether other UCAS form universities get to know anything about where you have applied (as initially, no) : “However, universities do find out once you have accepted your offers or have no live offers available”.
I don’t know if that means that Durham can wait to see if other offers are accepted, and at that point only make offers to those without an Oxbridge offer (/accepted offer?). THAT might be a rational strategy to minimise uncertainty in their offers vs acceptances. Someone should be able to answer that question - it still wouldn’t mean do not apply to Durham (likely % you won’t get an Oxbridge offer), just that you are unlikely to get an Oxbridge offer and a Durham offer as a ‘back up’.
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