Oxbridge Admissions - Profiles

Application

University: Oxford

College (if made an open application, allocated college): Jesus

Course: Chemistry

Year in (not for!) which you applied: 2009

Final outcome: offer made

Applicant

Qualification: A-levels

When did you apply in terms of your qualification? pre-qualification

Are you a home/EU/overseas applicant? home

What is your country of origin? United Kingdom

What type of school/college do/did you attend? Independent - selective

GCSE or a similar equivalent taken: yes (8 A*,1 A)

A-levels

AS: General Studies (NA at AS)

AS: Mathematics (Further) (NA at AS)

A2: Biology (A at AS; predicted A; gained NA at A2)

A2: Chemistry (A at AS; predicted A; gained NA at A2)

A2: Mathematics (A at AS; predicted A; gained A at A2)

Also Grade 8 Piano and Grade 8 Flute

Details about the offer

Type of offer: conditional

Specific conditions: A in Chemistry

Other conditions: AA, Need AAA, including A in Chemistry, excluding General Studies.

Have you accepted the offer? yes

I applied originally for deferred entry, but before interviews I was told by Jesus college that it was highly unlikely I would get a deferred place, as it is very rare for Jesus to give them, and asked if I would consider an offer for non-deferred entry.

Have you applied to other universities you consider very close, 'on par' or even better than oxbridge? (Ivies, Sorbonne, LSE..others for different subjects) no

Have you met the offer? grades pending/unknown

Decisions about the application

For what reasons did you apply to Oxbridge?

Because I had been told that I'd probably have a good chance of getting in, and I had nothing to lose by applying, so decided to give it a go.

How did you decide between Oxford and Cambridge?

Cambridge don't do Chemistry - they do NatSci, which is either very biology-focussed or physics-focussed in the first 2 years, which i didn't want to do.

Why did you choose this course?

I love Chemistry! Applied for straight Chemistry MChem at all my Uni choices.

Why did you choose this college/make an open application?

I went down to Oxford (not on an open day) and had a look round all the colleges. There were two (Jesus and Hertford) which just felt right, and so I had to decide between those two. Eventually went for Jesus because a past pupil from my school had gone there and loved it, and the Oxford coordinator at school said that he'd heard what a friendly college it is.

Preparation

Did your school/college give you any extra tuition or help prior to your interview or application? yes

I had 3 mock interviews - 2 from teachers at other schools, in a scheme run between schools in our area, and one from the boss of a research science company based near us who school has contacts with.

Do you have any advice for future applicants in terms of preparation?

Know AS chemistry really well, and the A2 stuff you've done so far. I wouldn't bother learning stuff off the syllabus - they are testing how you deal with new info and concepts, and how you apply what you know in other areas, not how much you've learnt. It's not like an exam where you have to be able to just recite some things parrot fashion - they really are looking for understanding.

Interview

Did you have to sit any pre-interview exams (LNAT/BMAT/..)? no

No

Did you have to submit any written work prior to the interview? no

No

Did you have to take any exams as part of your interview(s)? no

No

How was/were in general your interview(s)?

I had 3 interviews, 20 minutes each, each with 2 people (either 2 tutors, or 1 tutor and 1 postgraduate student). 1 organic, 1 inorganic, 1 physical. We were all called in to a room together beforehand to meet the interviewers, and were told what was going to happen to settle our nerves. They said all the interviews would be purely about chemistry, as they didn't have time to ask about personal statements/ other interests etc. Having said that, in my first interview (organic) he asked a quick question about work experience and my gap year plans, which was really good in settling nerves.

Please comment further on any particular aspects/topics of your interview(s).

It sounds difficult, but try to enjoy the whole experience. The interviewers don't leave you hanging, if you're struggling they help you out, so don't worry.

What did you wear to your interview(s), and why?

I wore smart black jeans, flat shoes, striped blouse and big cable knit jumper. I didn't want to do the whole suit thing, but didn't want to do the totally casual thing. To be honest, people were at both ends of this spectrum, and I really don't think it matters at all.

Impressions

If seen, please describe the college accommodation eg. size of rooms, facilities.

It varies from staircase to staircase, but the one I was in was quite big, with a desk etc., and there were 2 bedrooms joined onto a shared bathroom.

How was the food provided by the college?

Good. Looked like fairly normal uni food.

How did you find the tutors in the college?

They all seemed nice and helpful and I got the feeling that they wanted me to do well.

Generally, what were the college students like (from what you saw of them)?

All very helpful, friendly and honest.

Final stage

Please describe your feelings during the time you waited for the decision.

I waited quite a while, my friends who'd also applied (to different courses and colleges) heard before me, but i got the letter on Christmas Eve, which is still only 10 days after interviews. I wasn't that nervous, I just wanted to know, as I knew I couldn't do anything to change the outcome now.

Please describe what happened when you received the letter/the call telling you whether you had a place or not.

I got a letter, I opened it, it said I had an offer. Cue happiness all round, and a big decision to make about the whole gap year or Oxford thing.

Looking back

If you were to re-live that year of your life again, would you still apply?

Yes.

What advice do you have for potential applicants based on your experiences?

Go for it and don't worry. If you're good enough you'll get in, if you're not you won't, so you've got nothing to lose. Don't set your heart on it, because it will only make any disappointment worse, and don't apply just because it's Oxford - if you don't like the course/the uni, you're not going to enjoy it just because of the reputation.

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