Getting into Oxford?

Question

Just out of curiosity, how difficult is it for an American to get into Oxford University compared to schools such as Stanford in the US?

I'd LOVE to go to Stanford (or Oxford, but I think I realize how much of a long shot it is)...I'm not planning on it, because I don't want to get my hopes up, but I'm not ruling it out completely.

So what would my chances be if I had a 4.2 cumulative GPA, (about a 4.7 senior year, 4.2 junior year), and if I did really well on my SATs, etc.?

I don't know much about the college admissions process...I'm still learning. Again, I realize it's a long shot, but I'd just like some advice.

Answer 1

in england it's a different system

and very easy to get into them, my older brother

got into oxford and cambridge, but also Yale,

He chose Yale,

englandd, you could get into it with a scolarship he also played the guitar very well, so he got into oxford with a scolarship, they take scholars first.

you need about a perfect 4.0 average.

hope this helps  

Answer 2

Ryan's talking pure, simple rubbish, I'm afraid - you're not allowed to apply to both Oxford and Cambridge as an undergraduate, you have to pick one or the other, and Oxford scholarships haven't been awarded before entry for several decades, they're given on the basis of the exams at the end of the first year. Oh, and selecting students on any basis other than academic suitability is illegal over here.

Stanford's an Ivy league school, right? Then I'd think your chances of getting in are similar for both of them.

The thing you need to be most aware of is that the Oxford application has to be in REALLY early. If you are just going into your senior year in high school, you've got about eight or nine weeks to get yours in to start in October 2009. You also need to know now what subject you want to study, and apply for it. No picking modules and your major once you get there, you need to be applying specifically for history, or physics, or medicine, right now, and it's near impossible to change. You need to start doing some very serious research right now so you don't miss the cutoff date.

I don't know what the GPA marks signify, but basically are you the best student in your year (maybe top three if it's a huge school, a bit more leeway if it's academically selective)? You'll need to be at that sort of academic level.

I hope that doesn't put you off. If that sounds like you, go for it and good luck! Oxford is a fabulous place to study and live.

Answer 3

It depends which oxford university you want to attend.

A 4.2 (around 92%) is not very convincing although 4.7 is better

if i were you i would stick to stanford as foreign students have to pay hugely inflated prices. e.g) one year in an undergraduate course would cost you around $35000

remember that some oxford universities are not as good as stanford.

Answer 4

Hi, I'm australian but I'd like to try as well, what's 4.0? is the AMerican SATS similar to the Australian HSC? What's GPA?

Answer 5

This is what Oxford requires for entry for American students, as written on their website:

SAT 1 scores of at least 1,400 in Critical Reading and Mathematics and preferably also 700 or more in the new Writing Paper, giving a combined score of at least 2,100. OR ACT with a score of at least 32 out of 36.

AND

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.

There would also be specific subject requirements. You apply for all UK universities through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) and for Oxford and Cambridge, due to it's competitiveness, this must be done before October in the year before you plan to study. You can also only apply to either Oxford OR Cambridge, never both.

Extra-curricular activities are not at all important in the UK. You are assessed only on your academic record, so it is quite different from the USA.

They also do not have a 'core curriculum' as I seem to understand a lot of American universities have (from what I've seen people talking about their classes at college). I.e. you don't study several things and choose a 'major'. You study the subject you are taking your degree in, in depth, and can take other courses if you want (or do a joint honours degree) but you don't have to. It's very different from the American system.

As an international student tuition fees will be expensive (up to about £12,000 ($22,000 a year).

Scholarships are not like they are in the US; there are very, very few for undergraduates.