Choosing an Oxford College

Im predicted AAA.. the subjects are OK according to oxford. I've spoken to the admissions tutor aswell and I think I'll give it a go. I've dropped english, which means I'm going forward with an AAB..

Thanks for all your views :smile:

Appreciated.

Reply 301

username61396

1

Jigglypuff

I'd also like to point out that grades aren't everything. I know for a fact there were some people who applied to my college for my subject who were predicted AAAA and had however many dozens of A*s, and were still rejected. My grades were probably below average, but there are so many other factors they considered- written exam, reference, personal statement, interview...

What I'm saying is, your B in AS Biology would be compensated for by showing an excellent aptitude for it in the interview.

I would definitely ( :biggrin:

) reiterate what Jigglypuff has said. A great deal of the admissions procedure is based on the interview. If you perform well in the interview (that is, genuinely come across as enthusiastic and willing to learn), then that would count for more than your grades. There is also that essay you have to send in. That said, you are at a disadvantage on paper, but you should definitely ( :biggrin:

) go for it. You have nothing to lose.

Reply 302

Jess590

Hello this is my first post and I was just wondering whether its a bad idea to apply to Magdalen, as it is supposed to be a lot harder to get into than some other colleges? I'm applying for French and Russian and have narrowed my college choice down to:
Magdalen
Lady Margaret Hall
Jesus
but Magdalen remains my favourite.

GCSEs 8A*s, 2As, B AS: French A, Psychology A, Geography A, English Lit A.

I was also wondering whether my B in Spanish at GCSE would go against my application for Modern Languages? It was completed a year early outside of school, but would that matter?

Reply 303

trying41

umarf786

I've spoken to the admissions tutor

Then perhaps it would be better to apply to the college of this admissions tutor? Won't give you an advantage, but if they're OK with your grade then at least there's no disadvantage!

Reply 304

LatinMachine

1

READ THE WIKI:
http://thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Choosing_an_Oxford_College

Then the million other threads there are asking exactly the same kind of thing.
If you like a college, apply. Application statistics are redundant and a silly thing to go on. If they think you're good enough but there are no spaces, they will pool you and you could very well get into another college.

No, I don't think your B will go against you, if you explain what you told us (which you *will* get a chance to do, it's not that hard to mention it at interview).

With those grades you will get an interview. Good luck from there.

Reply 305

username61396

1

Jigglypuff

You DEFINITELY didn't make fun of me in that post. :mad:

Hehe. :P

What made you choose Kings?

Reply 306

Jigglypuff

16

swntzu

Hehe. :P

What made you choose Kings?

Mainly because it was pretty. And it was central, mixed, near to lectures, near the river, had good facilities...and I knew it was a bit left-wing but didn't know how much (i.e. I knew they were quite laidback about tradition, but I didn't know about the whole communist thing). So I think applying to the 'weirdo' college as a teacher referred to it appealed. But the reasons were mainly aesthetic- if it was fudging ugly I think I would have avoided it.

What made you choose St.Catherine's?

Reply 307

username61396

1

Jigglypuff

Mainly because it was pretty. And it was central, mixed, near to lectures, near the river, had good facilities...and I knew it was a bit left-wing but didn't know how much (i.e. I knew they were quite laidback about tradition, but I didn't know about the whole communist thing). So I think applying to the 'weirdo' college as a teacher referred to it appealed. But the reasons were mainly aesthetic- if it was fudging ugly I think I would have avoided it.

What made you choose St.Catherine's?

I was going to apply to Kings as that girl who looks a bit like you told me her friend applied their for the same reason. This was about 5 minutes after I found out about the collegiate system.

The colleges I picked for my shortlist were there mainly because they were close the Engineering building. I think the shortlist was Trinity Hall, St Catharine's, Corpus Christi and Kings.

When I got there the students seemed very friendly. Of course, the fact that it's the only college not to ask for essays or the TSA was handy too. :smile:

Reply 308

username61396

1

Jigglypuff

Pah, she doesn't look like me though.

You both have pale skin and big hair. That's enough for me.

Reply 309

username61396

1

Jigglypuff

Whaaa?

The flash made my skin look paler. And my hair was curled for the prom. Generally, normal complexion, straight hair. So hush.

Ok mum.

Reply 310

deeyou

Help! My school offers little to no help regarding Oxbridge applications - in fact I think i'm the first in my school to apply to Oxford for a good 4 years or so. The most advice my head-of-year had for me was, 'I hear Corpus Christi is good, check the internet.'

Back to the matter at hand, i'm filling out the final parts of my UCAS form and reading through this board has got me thinking an open application wouldn't be the best thing to choose.

I'm applying for English Literature, and would like to be in a college close to the city centre if possible. I'd also like to know which college would be more likely to take on an English student (or which college is 'easiest' to get into) - i'm dead set on getting in and would like to have the best chance possible at getting in!

Thanks alot!

Reply 311

Willa

11

deeyou

Help! My school offers little to no help regarding Oxbridge applications - in fact I think i'm the first in my school to apply to Oxford for a good 4 years or so. The most advice my head-of-year had for me was, 'I hear Corpus Christi is good, check the internet.'

Back to the matter at hand, i'm filling out the final parts of my UCAS form and reading through this board has got me thinking an open application wouldn't be the best thing to choose.

I'm applying for English Literature, and would like to be in a college close to the city centre if possible. I'd also like to know which college would be more likely to take on an English student (or which college is 'easiest' to get into) - i'm dead set on getting in and would like to have the best chance possible at getting in!
Thanks alot!

find a map of the colleges, and pick one in the centre at random. Job done. If you were going to go with an open application, it probably wont matter which one you choose.

And I still stand by my belief that there isn't an "easiest" college to get in to, so no need to ask that question. Just pick any of them in the centre, since that's the only important feature to you.

Reply 312

deeyou

Is it really a disadvantage to choose an open application or was I misinformed? (Thanks for the reply by the way!)

Reply 313

Peter_The_Great

4

If you're female and do an open application, you'll be sent to St Hilda's, where nobody particularly wants to go.
If you're male and do an open application, you'll be sent somewhere like St Hugh's or Mansfield, because nobody particularly wants to go there either.

Reply 314

username61396

1

Hi. I was in a similar position to yourself last year. My school had never had anyone apply to Oxbridge, so pretty much all of my research was done by on my own.

My advice would be not to put in an open application. You certainly don't lose anything by applying to a specific college and it at least gives you some control over where you are going.

Have a good read of the prospectus. There is more information in there than you might think.

Finally, good luck and I hope you are accepted into Oxford!

Reply 315

giwtis10

Hello all,

Whcih colleges are:
-known for medicine AND
-multinational AND
-central AND
-providing good food and accomodation throughout the course AND
-willing to admit CSAS applicants
????

Thank you in advance,
giwtis

Reply 316

Jigglypuff

16

Possibly Gonville and Caius...but I'm not sure.

Reply 317

Willa

11

giwtis10

Hello all,

Whcih colleges are:
-known for medicine AND
-multinational AND
-central AND
-providing good food and accomodation throughout the course AND
-willing to admit CSAS applicants
????

Thank you in advance,
giwtis

Apart from the first point, I believe all central colleges apply (not sure about what you mean by CSAS applicant though?). And then to satisfy your first condition, you could have read the first few posts and discovered that gonville and caius has a steretype for being good for medicine.

I'm just trying to encourage people to answer their own questions around here.