<p>O.K. I don't think i really have a shot because of my grades, but here goes:</p>
<p>White Male, Millburn, New Jersey.
3.4/3.85 UW/W GPA
4 APs Junior year (5s in U.S. History, U.S. Government and Statistics, 3 in Spanish)
5 more this (senior) year (Macro/Micro Econ, AB Calc (I will self study for BC, long story as to why I'm not in BC), Psych, European History).
All other courses were honors.</p>
<p>SATs:
740 CR
740 Math (though this should rise)
710 Writing (hope to raise as well)
760 Math 2
710 US History</p>
<p>Oxford doesn't look at ECs, so there's really no point in my listing them. Do I have a shot? This is actually really a question on a whim, so don't think you'd be killing any grand dream I have by saying no, haha.</p>
<p>"Though there are no formal requirements, successful candidates would generally have an excellent High School record, supplemented by:</p>
<pre><code>* Scores of at least 700 in Verbal and 700 in Math in SAT I (or 1400+ combined)(Or ACT with a score of at least 32 out of 36)
</code></pre>
<p>We would also expect:</p>
<pre><code>* SAT II in a good spread of three or four subjects at 700 or better;
* Or, preferably, grades 4 or 5 in two or more Advanced Placement tests in appropriate subjects
* Alternatively, a mixture of SAT II and Advanced Placement scores; both should be at the levels indicated above.
</code></pre>
<p>We also welcome candidates sitting the International Baccalaureate; successful candidates generally have an overall score of at least 38 with 6s and 7s in the higher level subjects.</p>
<p>Generally speaking we are looking for candidates who are in the top 5% of school leavers nationwide; and most successful applicants will be in the top 2%.</p>
<p>The competition for places on all courses at Oxford is very strong. Please note that even excellent grades will not guarantee a place."</p>
<p>See, that's the one I'm going for, and looking at that I seem to have a good shot. My SATs will be/are well above the reccomended, as are my SAT 2s/APs (I will have taken 9 AP tests, with potentially/likely 8 4s/5s)...the only question I have is GPA. Anyways, thanks.</p>
<p>I might be able to give a brief explanation, since it is rather complicated, but...in applying to schools in the UK (we are talking Oxford, England, right?) you much apply through the public system, called UCAS. Traditionally, you select your major in your application and desired picks of schools, then your application is provided to all of the those schools and they decide where you fit. I would go to the UCAS website. So you could enter into the situation wanting to go to Oxford but ending somewhere else. Also, the British Council is the UK's education recruiting device abroad, so I would check <a href="http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa.htm</a> as it provides further advice in applying (and it's a government group tied with UCAS). The hierarchy, again, can be perplexing of education in the UK.</p>
<p>The link to the Oxford admissions pages that Insane Membrane posted will give most of the detail you need to approach the application process. Remember you must decide and indicate what course you want to study. I think you said on another thread, NJPitcher, that you were interested in PPE. From the general admissions pages (top left on the link) you can get to the course specifics. E.g. for PPE there is an extra written test set by the University. </p>
<p>The interviews are important and are intended to be another test of your interest in your chosen subject as well as your ability to think around it. </p>
<p>You have to send an application to Oxford and another one to UCAS (University & Colleges Admissions Service). The UCAS system allows you to apply for up to six UK universities at one go, but there's nothing to stop you just putting down Oxford. </p>
<p>You need to be making your mind up whether to apply very quickly as applications must be in by 1 October. If you are called for an interview they take place in early December (North Americans can be interviewed in New York or Vancouver). You would then be told around Christmas if you have been offered a place. In most cases an offer will be 'conditional' on meeting specified conditions. In the UK these will usually be to get certain grades in A-level exams in the summer. For the USA it may well be specified grades in APs.</p>
<p>Getting into Oxford will be just as hard, if not harder than HYPSM. Academically, you will have to be at a higher level, thats for sure. Oxford pays more attention to academics than ECs, but ECs are still looked at and ARE important. Just not as important as for HYPSM. </p>
<p>As someone has mentioned before, the interview is a major part of the process. They wil ask you very difficult questions. They will test your intelligence and aptitude for the subject you are applying for. </p>
<p>By the way, what course are you applying for?</p>