Oxford Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a Canadian citizen, but I live in the United States. I am interested in applying to the PPE (Politics, Philosophy, and Economics) program at Oxford University.</p>

<p>My SAT score, combined, is 2160
-Critical Reading: 730
-Math: 700
-Writing: 710
SAT II Math Level 2: 710
SAT II US History: 660
SAT II Spanish Reading: 690
SAT II Literature: Pending, still, because I just took it a few days ago.</p>

<p>I am currently enrolled in four AP classes, but last year my school only offered 2 AP classes for me to take, and I received the following scores:
AP US History: 5
AP Environmental Science: 4
AP Human Geography: taking this year
AP Spanish: taking this year
AP Literature: taking this year
AP Statistics: taking this year</p>

<p>I have been involved in internships at Center for Global Enterprise at Cornell University, I have won many awards in English, French, and humanities, and I have been involved in many leadership programs like the Link Crew program and done many charity events such as working at soup kitchens and the local assisted living center. I have studied Spanish and French throughout my high school career, and I have a 3.8 unweighted GPA and a cumulative GPA of 4.06 (this is out of 5). I receive almost all A's in my classes with only a few B's, and I am also the President of the National Honor Society, in addition to volunteering at the Red Cross. I've been in yearbook for three years and I was an editor last year, too, and I am also participated in the school newspaper.</p>

<p>I know that it's a long shot, and by that I mean a very, very long shot at getting into Oxford, but I'd like to know if I even realistically should expect an interview. Also, I am curious if the recommendation letter should be from a teacher or not, because according to the UCAS application, unless I'm reading it wrong, the recommendation should be from my guidance counselor. Please correct me if I'm wrong, and also please let me know if I have a legitimate chance of getting into Oxford.</p>

2

<p>Oxford: reach
Its deadline is October 15th, so hurry up!</p>

3

<p>No chance with your sat and ap.</p>

4

<p>Right now it’s not even a reach in spite of a great SAT score, since you need 5 AP’s with scores of 5 or 5 SAT2s with scores of 700 or 750, or a combination thereof. Without these, you won’t make it to the next round of selection (post Oct15).</p>

5

<p>If you are applying for 2014 entry your application has to be complete by next Tuesday (15 October) and you have to have registered for the TSA, which is on 6 November (in Ottawa or Toronto, or your school if they register as a test site). If you are applying for 2015, read the following with an eye to planning for your final year.</p>

<p>Your SAT is fine. Of your SATIIs, math is ok, though on the low end for PPE, US History is low but is trumped by your AP USH and your Spanish is both irrelevant to PPE and low, so doesn’t help you. Of your 2 APs, USH is good; but Environ Sci is too low and irrelevant to your course anyway. Of your 4 APs this year, 2 are Group B subjects, so carry less weight ([Advanced</a> Placement Programme - US & Canada | UCAS](<a href=“http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/explore-your-options/entry-requirements/tariff-tables/app]Advanced”>http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/explore-your-options/entry-requirements/tariff-tables/app)). Your GPA, grades and most of your extra- curriculars won’t be considered (only the ones that you can directly link to your suitability for PPE will count at all).</p>

<p>So, from the PPE tutors perspective, you will be applying with an ok SAT, plus 1 good AP (USH) and one ok SATII (math), and plans for 1 further AP (Lit). Because you need 3 scores, it is hard to imagine an offer that was not conditional on your current AP exams- and I wouldn’t be surprised if the offer was “conditional on attaining a score of 5 on three of the four AP exams, to include Literature and Statistics”. You read it here first!</p>

<p>Of course, to get to an offer you need to get an interview, and for that the TSA is the wild card. You don’t have a strong hand, but a great TSA score, plus a strong rec (yes, it can be from a teacher- and remember that you cannot complete your application until the rec has been submitted) and a good personal statement, could get you an interview. </p>

<p>I would call it a long shot, not least because PPE is the course that most North Americans apply to. As a result, tutors have a lot of other students to compare you to directly. As you know, all unis insist that they will take many qualified applicants from a given place- no quota- but the reality is that there a finite number of places, and the numbers play a significant role in the winnowing process.</p>

<p>Sorry if that sounds harsh- and I don’t believe in telling somebody not to bother applying- I don’t know you or the circumstances, and I am not an admissions tutor, so all I can give you is what I’ve seen over the last few years. Like all advice/opinions, it should be taken at face value.</p>

<p>Myos1634, Cambridge is 5, Oxford is 3. But as I have said before, I have never heard of anybody getting in with just 3.</p>

6

<p>Essentially we agree - they both “need” 5, although one requires it and the other only expects it. Right now, OP isn’t likely to be offered admission, but there are plenty of other schools in the UK and it can’t hurt to try.
@eszpiro: you can apply but don’t expect an interview. Do register with UCAS and explore other similar programs; you might be interested in NCH, for example.</p>