Don't be intimidated be argumentative (How to get into Oxbridge)

Member Name: adamkilleya

Product:	How to get into Oxbridge
Date:	27/02/01 (407 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Oxford Rocks

Disadvantages: Cambirdge doesn't!

The Oxbridge admissions system is often attacked as biased: I strongly disagree. OK so I'm biased because they let me in but having been through the system I honestly found it fair and much more detailed than other universities systems (and by the way, I'm from a state school - a northern comprehensive). Most universities, you send off your form, they read it and then they make you an offer or not without even bothering to interview you. Oxford is very different - they go to a lot of trouble to find the people they want. After you've sent your form in they generally ask you for samples of your work - most Unis don't bother but this seems to me to be a fairly obvious thing to do - have a look at what people actually produce. Obviously if you're applying I'd recommend picking your best two pieces of work but also try and send two different pieces - I was applying for Politics, Philosophy and Economics and sent in a timed Modern History essay and a normal Politics essay, both already marked by my teachers. Oxford also calls everyone (unless they live outside the EU) in for an interview and this means a couple of days living in at the college. This gives you a better chance than you get at most Unis to experience what the place is like and to meet the people you might be studying with if you get in. Over the couple of days if you generally get a short test and an interview with a couple of tutors. First tip is have a look at past test papers but don't worry too much about the test - according to one of my tutors it's very rare that it makes a difference to whether someone gets in, they just wan to see how you do under pressure of time and to make sure that you can do work similar to the standard of the work you sent in. As for the interview for PPE it involved my 2 interviewers starting off an argument about tuition fees. They'll argue with you whatever your view is and try to get you to contradict yourself - don't let them,
be argumentative - they want to see if you defend your opinions, your actual views don't worry them. There are one or two stories of interviewers being very aggressive and interviewees breaking down in tears but these are the vast minority of cases, they're just more likely to make it into the papers - I don't know anyone who had that experience.
So if you're thinking of applying, go for it. It's challenging but worth it.

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