Would anyone want to do a postgraduate at oxbridge?

Has has anyone ever done a postgraduate at oxbridge like a Master's?

I mean a lot of people on TSR have been rejected by oxbridge but they get into decent unis anyway, so afterwards would you try for a postgraduate at oxbridge, does no-one here consider going into a postgraduate at oxbridge?

Reply 1

py0alb

If they offered the right project, I imagine you would apply, yes.

Reply 2

yoyo462001

Thats what i was thinking to, seen a few here that gone to good unis for UG then to Oxbridge for PG seems like a good idea.

Reply 3

Username279623

Actually oxbridge only offer the place if you have a first class degree, hardly anyone gets that class, is this the main reason why no-one really applies?

Reply 4

Good bloke

Adrian Veidt

Actually oxbridge only offer the place if you have a first class degree, hardly anyone gets that class, is this the main reason why no-one really applies?

That is not true. They won't normally accept anything less than an upper second though.

Reply 5

numb3rb0y

Adrian Veidt

Actually oxbridge only offer the place if you have a first class degree, hardly anyone gets that class, is this the main reason why no-one really applies?

Even if they did only accept those with firsts, 1 out of 10 people is still a lot of people.

I'd like to get a Master of Laws from Oxford or Cambridge, certainly, whether I get into Oxford or not. It'd either be that or HYS, and I want to go to one of them for my JD anyway.

Reply 6

The_Lonely_Goatherd

I've read many posts on TSR by people (ranging from those who don't even apply to Oxford for undergrad to those who got rejected for undergrad, to current Oxbridge students) discussing the possibility of applying to either/both institution(s) for postgrad courses. So yes, one would presume a fair amount think about it. Whether they end up applying in the end or not is a different matter :smile:

Reply 7

hobnob

Adrian Veidt

Actually oxbridge only offer the place if you have a first class degree, hardly anyone gets that class, is this the main reason why no-one really applies?

Are you quite sure about that? :confused:

Anyway, if you mean that there are fewer applicants for postgraduate degrees at Oxford and Cambridge than you would have expected, there are a number of reasons for this:
1. Not everybody actually wants to do a master's course (let alone a PhD) when he reaches the end of his undergraduate course. This seems to be hard to imagine for keen freshers, but the enthusiasm for staying on at university for as long as possible and doing one degree after another does diminish over time.
2. Of those who do want to go on to postgraduate study, not everybody will manage a high 2.1 or first.
3. Of those who meet the grade requirements, not everybody will actually want to go to Oxford or Cambridge. Master's courses tend to be more specialised, and the sort of course they're looking for may not be offered by either university, or the respective departments may be comparatively weak on that particular aspect of the subject. Also, the best supervisors for their topic might be elsewhere.
4. Higher costs (through college fees and relatively high living costs) might be an additional factor which puts people off.

Reply 8

Wyrd14

I considered going to Oxbridge for postgrad, but decided against it in the end.

I got a high First in my undergrad degree (finished top of my year) so I would have had a decent chance of acceptance. But I chose a different institution because, even though Oxford and Cambridge are good for my area (Medieval English), my research interests are better suited to my current supervisor at UCL. Also, most of the manuscripts/artifacts I'm working on are in London. I also won AHRC funding for my MA and this, I think, is partly due to the fact that I worked closely with my supervisor on my proposal etc. I'm not sure that I would have received such personal attention from Oxbridge.

Reply 9

apotoftea

Wyrd14

I'm not sure that I would have received such personal attention from Oxbridge.

I did to some extent - potential supervisor who I contacted at Oxford for a DPhil was more than helpful and actually gave me more help than my current department did!

However, I didn't get in and my application didn't actually even get to proposal stage!

Reply 10

Ghost

I'm personally not remotely interested in Cambridge or Oxford. I've been happy with my university during my undergraduate course, and am now applying back to the same uni for the chance to do a PhD.

Reply 11

somethingbeautiful

I may consider applying upon completion of my UG degree. But to be honest I won't really know if it's truely what I want until 3rd year so it seems a bit silly contemplating it right now. I'll see how I get on with my degree first :yep: