Oxbridge Entry 2015

[Roisin]

Do we have a thread already?
ds1 has decided to definitely apply to Oxford to do Biochemistry. He will probably apply to St John's.

Also rejections starting in some subjects for Oxford. Ahem...

Rejections coming in already? Which subjects? Only yesterday we were so excited as DD got her written work off in the nick of time.

Great link, Littleham and great graphs on that link.

For DDs subject, there are some colleges that have only one application. Anything similar for Oxford?

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2581824&page=246&p=51523047#post51523047

Fine art. I guess when one subjects start the others will soon follow.

No statistics for Oxford yet as far as I can see.

I found a report on applications to Oxford up to 2013, some 44 pages which gives, among other things, a general idea of how many colleges get people through the pool.

Nothing as snazzy as the Cambridge graphs from the link above.

Those graphs really do seem to show that it might be worth your while choosing your college carefully. I looked at Classics - Christ's College say they take 4-6 undergrads a year, and had 6 applications. King's, which are a big classics college and say they take 6-8 a year, got a couple of dozen!

If you look carefully, though, the small colleges don't necessarily take the single applicant but may take someone from the pool.

I think some departments are very keen to ensure that the less popular colleges do not admit candidates that are less strong.

Yes, I'm sure they do - but it then makes me wonder why they want to publish such detailed information, if they don't want people to try to use it. Probably best just not to look at these things before applying!

You can only see that effect by looking at previous years. The pale orange bars are offers made via the winter pool.

Perhaps they do want to encourage people to apply to less popular colleges.

There are some colleges at Oxford where around half of the students had applied to other colleges originally. So some colleges know that they are less popular and that most of their intake have originally applied to a different college.

Oh god that's scary, DS's college had 31 applications for computer science this year and they usually only take 3 :(

The whole business of open applications and pooling is very complex, as far as I can make out from the outside. However, my impression is that in both O and C a college would turn down all its original applicants and go to the pool rather than take underwhelming candidates. So it seems to me that there is no point in getting hung up on the college stats.

When my son applied, he narrowed it down to two colleges which both seemed lovely (as they all do, of course!). Eventually he went for A rather than B almost on a toss of a coin. A interviewed him, but while he was there they sent him over to B for another interview (which happens a lot at Oxford). He got an offer from B and is very, very happy there.

Have I posted this link before on this thread? Very interesting article on Cambridge admissions decisions - fly on the wall during a gathering of Science admissions tutors a couple of years ago.

The application statistics have given DD hope for an interview, her course and college; number of applicants 1. It feels really funny looking at the graph and knowing it is her.

The amount of applicants for colleges has no bearing on whether one will be called for interview at Oxford.
(Info from English Faculty admissions) "Once shortlisting is complete, the Faculty will operate a procedure of reallocation between colleges, moving some candidates to colleges other than the one to which they originally applied. This is undertaken in full consultation with the tutors in each college, and is done in order to make the Admissions process as fair as possible, giving all candidates a balanced chance of gaining a place in the University as a whole.
The interview is the final stage of selection."

welshpixie that is brilliant! Let us hope that there is a dark yellow and then a dark green bar next to that blue bar next year.

Random that is such a sweet thing to say, thanks

That is amazing welshpixie. How many candidates for ASNAC are there compared to places across the whole university?

How odd that must feel, welshpixie.

Congratulations to the dc with interviews - how exciting for them.

I am very impressed by Cambridge's whizzy graph - some-one should send a link to Oxford and tell them to do the same thing.

Very pleased to report that ds has received his fourth offer. So just Oxford to wait for now - not surprisingly, ds is very relaxed about it.

Littleham there are 59 applicants this year across the university, and they usually take about 30.
Raidne you are right it does feel very surreal.
Now it is just waiting to hear if she has an interview, Emmanuel said they will start sending out invites from Thursday.

Great odds Welshpixie - keeping my fingers crossed she gets that interview.

Well there are six more applicants than average for dd's course and college.. And an average of eight places, so with 40 applicants I make that 1 in 5. Assuming she gets an interview...

How I hate this!

If it is any consolation The Original SteamingNit I think that Oxford has received even more applications - over 20,000 for around 3200 places (so very little chance). It is a bit like picking one number and colour for one spin on a roulette wheel isn't it?

Littleham yes it seems like a lottery. I am taking consolation from the fact that it is already something to be trying for Oxbridge; and that having met the early deadline for application, there remains "just" the remainder of Y13 to get through.

Also, just having applied and been for a residential audition in September has inspired DD to work hard, which will be increasing her chances at getting to another good university. So I am very glad that she has tried, even if nothing comes of it.

Same effect on my dd. She might not have done it had any of us realised the sheer number of applicants. However, it has motivated her a lot so it can't be a bad thing. It might mean she gets her grades for York (or even perish the thought...Exeter)!