<p>how does an american apply to oxbridge. the website was utterly useless.</p>
<p>As anybody else, I assume, through UCAS.</p>
<p>The website has everything you need.</p>
<p>what do they look at. grades, sat, ec's, ap's? is it just like american college process or different</p>
<p>btw what is ucas, i was referring to the oxford website?</p>
<p>Oh, wow... Someone seems a bit lazy to do research... =)</p>
<p>Well, here you go: <a href="http://www.ucas.ac.uk/apply/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.ucas.ac.uk/apply/index.html</a>
UCAS' website; you need to register and fill out their application, plus fill out and send in a paper Oxford application.
The essential thing they look at is your AP's (or IB scores). Your school curriculum/GPA/SAT scores don't matter - I think Oxford views them as below their standard. ;) Oh, and neither do yout EC's: that's a MAJOR difference. I think that was a factor in my acceptance to Oxford & rejection from HYP - I was too well rounded. So don't rely on any major volunteering achievements getting you in.</p>
<p>Finally, try your best to get an interview - there's a week they take in New York to do them. All of the regular UK applicants have to go through them at Oxford, so that's a major factor in their decision. The interviews are wholly academic - they are looking for your passion in your subject. But I loved mine, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Direct from the Oxford website:</p>
<p>US qualifications</p>
<p>Successful candidates would typically have an excellent High School record supplemented by SAT 1 scores of at least 1400 in Critical Reading and Mathematics and preferably also 700 or more in the new Writing Paper, giving a combined score of at least 2100, or ACT with a score of at least 32 out of 36. We would also expect Grades 4 or 5 in two or more Advanced Placement tests in appropriate subjects or SAT II in a good spread of three or four subjects at 700 or better.</p>
<p>At this point it might be helpful to point out that you should clearly exceed the "at least" qualifications if you want to have a decent shot at Oxbridge. Unless you're trying for geo of course, lol...</p>
<p>Geography at Oxford is very competitive. When I went for the interview last year (PPE at Hertford), the Geography interviews were being conducted simultaneously. It turns out the the ratio of offers to applicants was higher for Geography than PPE!</p>
<p>Geography is not competitive at Oxford compared to its other subjects. You have to look at the kinds of ppl who want to become geographers. I'm pretty sure that their standard offer for geo is AAB. Knowing that even AAA or AAAA is basically a joke, AAB is just damn easy. The average PPEist is much stronger than the average geographer. Also PPE isn't one of the subjects with low admit rates at Oxford. Try med or E&M for that.</p>
<p>PPE does have quite a low acceptance rate. </p>
<p>Re: Geography - One of my friends has an AAA offer for geography at Merton College Oxford.</p>
<p>Anyway.... now that we have concluded the bashing of the colouring-in <em>cough</em> geography degree that oxbridge offer, does the OP have a particular subject he would like to study?
I ask becuase i like being helpful, and would like to help, which would be easier if I had a clue what his/her situation was! :)</p>
<p>"PPE does have quite a low acceptance rate."</p>
<p>Well it's about the same as the university average, so I don't know what you're talking about. Some subjects do have a 50% admit rate.</p>
<p>According to this link <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/2000-1/weekly/141200/es.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/2000-1/weekly/141200/es.pdf</a></p>
<p>PPE has a lower than average acceptance rate. However this was in 1998 and is likely to have decreased further. I couldnt find anything else on google. :P</p>
<p>argue about it all you like... but use the current data! ;)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/adstats.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/adstats.pdf</a></p>
<p>I had a quick glance at it. PPE's admit rate is about 5% lower than the average admit rate. That does not warrant "quite a low acceptance rate" when other subjects such as med or E&M have much lower ones.</p>
<p>btw i was interested in economics at oxbridge</p>
<p>also, im not lazy to do research, ive been trying so hard to understand this, its just that no one from my school has applied abroad in forever. most talented kids stick to their ivy league schools. i had no clue what ucas was, and there was vague hints on oxford's website.</p>
<p>also, how does the multiple college system work. are there any real differences between the schools, and are some harder to get into then others?</p>
<p>Okay, well I can probably help you more than most people, as I am a cambridge economist so know about your subject.
First thing is:
1) cambridge or oxford?
cambridge offers only straight economics, although it is possible to change in your 2nd or 3rd years to another subject (management is a popular one!)
oxford offers philosophy, economics and politics. ~Very respected course, didnt really suit me all that much. Can also do econ & management, although I was not so keen on the joint course, its also very competitive.</p>
<p>Colleges...
yes some are harder to get into than others although both unis have a system to spread candidates around should they be good for the university, but not good enough for that college. Example... you apply to trinity cam, dont get in there but because they think you are good they 'pool' you. Girton then decide to re-interview you, and then offer you a place there. Oxford system is slightly more complicated, but more efficient I am led to believe.</p>
<p>Regarding economics I will add that it is a very competitive subject, partiuclarly for internationals. Howerver, you can give yourself a better chance by having done atleast AP Calc AB, although you would be ** strongly ** advised to do BC, along with statistics if you can. UK unis like to see lots of AP exams over high SATS. if you want any other help, feel free to post here or to PM me.</p>
<p>LadyLou, which US schools did you eventually get in?</p>