To apply to Oxford for my Msc?

[KittyTwoShoes]

My 3rd year at university begins in September and I'm thinking of applying to Oxford for a Masters degree. I'm currently on track to get a First in my BA, or at least a very high 2:1 if it all goes wrong next year. My current university isn't particularly well-known or prestigious, but a First Class degree should still be respectable, shouldn't it?

I'm on the rowing and lacrosse teams at uni, volunteer teaching horse riding to disabled people, and am due to start volunteering at the local museum when term starts again.

I've worked as an au pair last summer and am going back this summer, but I don't have a job at uni because there's such a shortage of work around for students - everything is either full time, or clashes with my lectures, but I'm still looking. I didn't work through school but every day bar Monday I had extra curricular dancing/acting/musical theatre activities.

My university lecturers don't know yet that I want to apply to Oxford, but one of them has told me I'm her best student and three of them have told me I'd get in anywhere I applied for my MSc.

Does it sound to you that it would be worth applying? Or do I need to do far more extra curricular activities? (Trouble with that is, they cost a lot of money to join up and take up time. I could look into it though, I'd be prepared to do it if I could afford it.) Or does the fact that my degree isn't from a prestigious uni mean I have no hope at all? What do you think? I figured I'd ask here before I tell my lecturers in case general consensus is that it's hopeless - I don't want them to laugh at me!

But someone has to get in, right? And if I don't apply, I'll have no chance at all...

Do you need funding?

If you don't, you will get in no probs. To be perfectly honest, they aren't as picky as you might think. Masters courses are easy money for them, and they don't have a government-imposed limit on numbers the same way they do with undergrads.

If you do need funding, it will be competitive but you might as well apply. Nothing ventured etc.

Don't be bothered about extra-curricular, they don't really care.

HTH

strongly doubt Oxford would give a flying fuck about extra curricular activities at postgrad level tbh. have a look at the prospectus then see if you can speak to admissions tutor to get a feel for whether your current degree is likely to give you a fair chance of getting on the course.

Do it! You lose nothing by applying.
My one piece of advice would be if I were you, be really thoughtful in your choice of college. When I applied (2003) you needed to get accepted by your department, but THEN a college needs to also agree to accept you (eg to house you, feed you, etc). The less famous colleges (younger, less pretty, further out, grad-student only, mature student only, etc) get fewer applicants than Christ's Church, etc, where all the foreign students tend to apply (cos they look all "oxfordy", etc). So one way to reduce your competition a teeensy bit is to indicate enthusiasm for less fancy colleges (and you should be sincere in that enthusiasm!) right away. That might make you look popular.

Good luck!

Gargh. Meant to write, "that might make you look attractive to them" -

Also seconded about the funding. If you can pay for a masters and you get a first or a very high 2:1, they're going to read your application carefully. Masters are cash-cow degrees for them (and most unis) - they're always interested.

IME, extra curricular activities are not relevant to post grad applications in the same way as when you do your personal statement for a first degree. Obviously put them in if they are connected to your subject, but it's more about how well you have performed in your chosen subject thus far, why you want to do the particular masters course you have chosen, and what you hope to achieve with it.

Good luck with your final year and with applying for the Oxford course.

Post-grad is nowhere near as competitive as undergrad, assuming you don't need funding.

I can't imagine Oxford would be remotely bothered about your extra-curricular, unless you're a national-level rower or something.

If you're good at what you do and passionate about wanting to do more of it, there's no reason why you shouldn't stand as good a chance as anybody else. The place isn't full of geniuses, y'know, just people who have lots of intellectual curiosity, a good ability to cope with abstract thinking and an interest in their subject. If you current lecturers laugh at you, then they have the problem not you. If you want to do it, then go for it!

The funding issue is a whole 'nother matter, tho, obviously.

YANBU at all. You have nothing to lose. Good luck!

YANBU.

Obviously the details depend on your field. But say it is a scientific field - then if you can do a summer research project it would really help (especially if it results in an academic publication). In a field like law, the equivalent might be a literature review, etc. Or perhaps, try to go to a conference in your chosen area. Basically anything which shows motivation for your subject.

They really don't care whether you volunteer or not.

It really isn't nearly as picky as you think, though it is sometimes difficult to get funding, especially in non-scientific subjects.

Good luck!

definitely go for it if that's what you want to do.

Agree with the advice about selecting the college carefully - do your research, go to open days, contact the relevant tutors - they are much more likely to look favourably on an applicant who has shown the enthusiasm etc to contact them.

Agree also with the advice about funding - and check if you will have to pay college fees as well, the rules have probably changed since I was involved with such things!

Agree that generally it is not as competitive as for undergrad but it still is v competitive and imo you will need a first and to get v good academic references from your tutors

good luck!

YANBU. I went from a minor Poly (and it was still a poly at the time) to a very prestigous uni in my field for my MSc. The only things that mattered were: 1- Degree result, 2 - ability to pay. In my case I got a very high 2:1 and Research Council funding.

Extra Curricular activities are more really for school leavers to demonstrate that they are more rounded/capable/grown up/mature than just A level machines from well rehearsed schools.

Just apply. I'm sure you'll get in. I wish I had applied.

Thanks guys. I'm not sure about funding - six months ago I didn't need any, but the sodding recession has obviously had an impact so I might need some now... I'm going to look into funding and give it a go but I'll hopefully not need any. I suppose I can always sell my soul or something

Thanks for the advice re colleges, too. I'll take a look at them - I'm really not fussed about which college at the moment. Oxford is Oxford, I'd be happy to go to a less famous one if it meant I got in.

My degree is History and Politics and my Masters would be Cultural Anthropology. It's not massively relevant on the surface, but the individual modules are actually far more relevant than it would appear - Native American Studies, "Culture Wars", Black American History... History of Art which isn't that relevant but I'm sure could be made to sound all culturally based if I tried, and my dissertation which is worth two modules next year and one this year, and can be on more or less anything so could be done in an Anthropoligical field.

So not the most relevant degree they'll be faced with, but hopefully not the least either.

I would actually say re colleges just put down the ones you like best. Sounds shallow, but check out which are richest - especially if you want to do further study. Also, which ones are famous for things you're interested in. You get two choices, and if neither of those choices want you then your application will be kicked around the different colleges until someone picks you. If no one picks you, then that's an issue but that won't happen. So be ambitious!

Funding for masters is incredibly competitive in itself, and for Oxford is even worse as they get to pick who to give funding to. Try to see yourself through if you can.

Those who were on my BA course at Oxford needed a first to get onto the Masters course.... a couple missed out by a few marks and because they had amazing references they still got a place.

I don't think they really care about clubs/extras when you get to post-grad level, just academic achievement

Good Luck

One way into it would be to find who it is you would want to study with and apply there.

I studied Russian at Oxford but wanted to also learn Polish but ballsed up my college choice so wish I'd applied first to the college where he was based. In the end it was fine and my tutor 'found' me and I managed to change my choices but it would have been easier to apply to that college instead of one where I'd have been farmed out, as it were.

St Anthony's is a graduate college which might be up your street. My husband did a postgrad in Arabic politics there and really enjoyed it -- not as much as his undergrad at Oxford (a dossy English degree).

Very best of luck. Oh, they don't care about your hobbies.

I got into Oxford with a disappointing 1st degree, I had also done a Masters, and I was funded (Science). Another girl I was with had got a 1st from a Poly (back that long ago), she was also funded. We also both got a good college because thats where our supervisor was.
I think my DH regrets a little that he just stayed at his 1st uni for his second degree. Do just write and try. If there is someone you particularly interested in working with then write to them.

A lot of life is about daring to try to get your dreams.

Speaking as someone who has lectured at Oxbridge, they don't give a flying f about your hobbies, even at undergraduate level (in my experience of admissions, the only reason they even look at peoples' personal statements is to see if there are any questions they can ask the student about their academic interests).

Dump all your extracurricular activities NOW (unless you get paid for them and need the money) and concentrate on getting the best First you can.

2.1's are no longer much good unfortunately, even if you did your BA at Oxbridge -- you might be admitted, but you won't get funding.

Oh - and please do apply. The fewer people who think or get told Oxbridge is "not for the likes of us" (which is bullshit anyway) the better.

On the funding point - if you are funding it yourself expect to have to show proof that you/your parents have the money available and you aren't just relying on working during the vacations. I know that many colleges refuse to take grad students (however able) because they cannot prove that they will be able to pay the fees. It's v different to undergraduate funding. A rich college may be less bothered about this than some of the poorer ones!

Thanks so much for the advice everyone! I'll look into the money side of it and see what I can do.

Oxford isn't going to care about your extra curricular activites, as everyone else has said, and you do seem to be doing a huge amount. I'd look at cutting back so that you can read more widely around your subject, do genuinely outstanding individual research for your dissertation, and get the best possible 1st.

Are you reading the latest journals in the subject? Do you know what the Oxford lecturers are publishing?

Might there be the chance to work your dissertation up into an article for a popular history magazine etc?

I'd choose a college for mature students (e.g. Linacre) - I think it is a bit easier to settle in there for people who aren't 18 year olds.

I did a similar kind of MA at Cambridge. I funded myslef as I only had a 2.1 at undergrad. Little hope of MA funding without a first - and even then, there's not a enough to fund all the firsts.

As a pp mentioned, check how much you have to show up front. I had to show proof that I had the ENTIRE year's fees AND maintenance - even though my dh was supporting me. That required over 10K which we did not have in the bank. Our mortguage lender very kindly offered to let me 'borrow' the money, get a statement, then cancel the loan within the time limit. Can't name them as I'm not sure if this is technically legal - but I totally don't know how we could ahve managed it otherwise. If this happens to you, and you don't have this sum of money lying around, perhaps someone could temporarily put it into your account.

I did go on to do a fully funded PhD though. If you are thinking of a PHD - you might want to look into 3 + 1 MA/PhD funding straight off, if you get a first. Don't be shy about applying for funding - can't hurt.

Getting into Oxford should be a breeze if you don't need funding and get a 2.1 up - unless they are completely oversubscibed, but since funding is as rare as hen's teeth for these subjects I think that's unliklely.

Good luck!

Speaking with experience of Oxbridge admissions from both sides - at postgrad level, forget the extra-curricular activities, certainly to the extent that you think they'll give your application the edge - they won't! (They don't actually matter all that much at undergrad level either, certainly nothing like to the extent that most schools believe...) Focus 100% on your academic achievement; that is what matters.

Also make sure that you put some effort into your research proposal - read around the subject, speak to experts in the field, and get in touch with potential supervisors at Oxford to see if they might be interested in working with you for the 'dissertation' bit of the masters. Your application will be much more likely ot be successful if you already have an ally in the system, and I don't mean in an 'old boys network' kind of way - the email addresses of academics are publically available on the web and they will be entirely used to being contacted by potential postgraduate students.

Admittance to a masters will also to a large extent be based on the content of your academic references, so focus on making sure you have the support of your lecturers. You certainly need to tell them asap that you want to apply to Oxford - sounds to me like they'd be 100% supportive, unless there's reverse snobbery going on. They may be hoping to keep you on wherever you are now

The prestige of your university is not entirely irrelevant for postgrad study, in that for some competitive MAs, a mediocre 2:1 degree + good references from a Russell group university will be more likely to get you a place than a mediocre 2:1 from elsewhere. But if you're an enthusiastic 1st class student, then you'll be welcomed with open arms whichever uni you come from.

And I second the point that actually many Oxford MA courses are not actually that competitive to get into - though some are. It is more that there is a certain level of achievement that you have to meet. The real biggie is the funding, and that is far from guaranteed even if you have a starred first from Oxbridge.

Remember that all this info is out there on the uni websites, so read up on the relevant bits there too - there is no 'inside info' that is somehow meant to remain hidden from view; postgrad admissions are a remarkably transparent process as long as you do your research properly and don't get put off by your own preconceptions of what is involved.

Good luck!

Also - make sure the course is right for you; don't whatever you do apply just because it's Oxford - or you'll be in danger of having a rubbish time on a course that doesn't meet your interests!

God don't I go on...

Thanks all. I'll contact my lecturers about a research project over the summer, and get in touch with some of the lecturers at Oxford.

And don't worry Libelulle, I'm not applying just because it's Oxford. I've looked around and love it