Friday, December 15, 2006

Making a list, and checking it twice.

So - two weeks in and several thousand interviews later, where are we at with admissions to Oxford for October 2007 entry? To answer this question, I took a trip to one of the Colleges I had visited last week to talk to one of the (many) unsung heroes of the admissions activity, a College Admissions Secretary.

When I arrived (late on Thursday morning) she was in the process of printing out several hundred letters that were due to be sent by first class post on Friday of this week, indicating which candidates had received an offer, and which were unsuccessful. Prior to the start of the print-run, the various subject boards and interview tutors had met to compile a final list of those which they wished to admit. All of the results from the interviews, along with the marks from the tests and practical exercises that the candidates had taken had been fed into the discussion, and in each case a group of those to whom an offer would be made had been identified.

One of the particular facets of the Oxford (and Cambridge) admissions systems is that it is the individual colleges that are responsible for their admissions decisions, not the University.

The University of Oxford is responsible for the award of the degree - the Colleges were established (from 1249 onwards) to provide the tutoring (and also accommodation) to enable students to then take the examinations that led to the award of the University qualification. It is therefore critically important that candidates receive the appropriate letter indicating the decision of the College relating to their individual application.

In this College the letter of admission, which also sets down any conditions that the student still needs to meet to be fully accepted (typically three A-grades at A-level, or equivalent) also includes a great deal of supplementary information.

The Admissions Secretary believed that much of the content (on issues such as when student accommodation would be allocated, costs, and recommended reading lists) would be more likely read by the candidate's parents or guardians, but she felt it important that the initial letter contained as much detailed information as possible, and also set out for candidates the calendar of future contact that would occur between the student and the College up until October 2007. (For example the College organises a weekend visit for the new intake in February 2007 to allow them to meet with existing students and begin the process of familiarising them with the College environment). Every year she reviews all of the information and amends it in the light of the queries that she received from the previous admissions cycle.

Typically one in four of those students who apply each year to Oxford receive an offer of admission. For those who are not successful, they will also receive written confirmation of their situation from the College, usually prior to the end of December. For many applicants (who are usually academically very capable, and have a wide range of interests, often exhibiting significant responsibility in roles that they have within their school, colleges and/or local community) receiving a letter from the University that indicates that they have not obtained an offer can be the first point in their life that they have experienced a significant setback.

To attempt to provide some useful feedback, each candidate's school or college will (where requested) be sent a letter from the College (usually between January and late February) which provides feedback upon the candidate's performance and indentifies their strengths and weaknesses. It is also for this reason that the national admissions system co-ordinated by the Universities' and Colleges' Admissions Service (UCAS) allows an applicant up to five other choices (four additional choices from 2008 entry) to provide alternative options.

The Admissions Secretary was very concerned to ensure that the material was accurate, so two colleagues, including the College's Senior Tutor, were checking each individual letter before they were sealed in the envelope prior to being posted.

By the time you read this, those of you who have applied to Oxford this year may already have learned of the outcome. For anyone applying this year (whether to Oxford or elsewhere) I wish you every success in your future studies.

Mike Nicholson

p.s. I hope that you have found this set of entries to be illuminating, interesting and possibly even entertaining. Those of you who pay particular attention to the time of posting will note that as the weeks have progressed the time that the blog has appeared has got progressively later, as I have struggled to find the time to fit this into my daily routine. For that reason, I feel that it would be difficult for me to continue with a daily blog. It is clear from some your posts that the content, and possibly the perspective that I can bring because of my role at Oxford, has added some value to the activity however, and I therefore intend to have a break for the next few weeks, but return in the New Year with a weekly blog that will pick up either on an Oxford or national admissions topic. Expect the first post of 2007 sometime around the 12th January.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

When will we receive a decision? The wait is killing me!

Jingo said...

Thanks for all the information. I've been hearing nothing but scare stories about admissions and it's nice to get some reassurance from poeple in the business.

Hopefully I'll be seeing in 2 years time!

Anonymous said...

I was an applicant this year, and you observed one of my interviews. I have found your blog very informative and interesting to read. Unfortunately I was unsuccessful in my application, and even if I knew it wouldn't get in, I would do it all again! The interview period gave me the opportunity to taste the oxford experience over a few days, making several friends from across the country and challenging me in reflection of my chosen course at university. I found the student helpers, tutors and everyone I came across at Oxford very welcoming. Many thanks.

Anonymous said...

I applied to Oxford this year. I felt very apprehensive about the interviews and the admissions process, but when I arrived in Oxford, those feelings were dispelled! The picture I had had of Oxford University wasn't at all accurate - sure, the tutors were a bit intimidating, but in a good way - they challenged me, but were also very friendly and encouraging. Everyone at my college was most helpful, always there to lend a sympathetic ear, and also giving useful advice on the interview, uni life, etc.

Before Christmas I received a letter telling me I had been accepted... I promptly decided to try to help out new applicants next year, because I know how scared one can feel! Thank you for your blog. It's very helpful.

Anonymous said...

it's the 15th of january and there is no sign of your new entry :( we look forward to hearing more from you! your blog was very interesting and we only wish that more oxford staff (especially exam proctors) would come out in the open and expose myths and make the whole process more transparent, especially as there has been a lot of criticism of oxford's behind the door disciplinary hearings.

Events Courses said...

You know how good it feels when someone remembers your birthday during college? Pass on that good feeling (with more than a wall-post on Facebook). All you have to do is shoot out an email to your BFFs asking for their birthdays and add them to your calendar (you can even have Google Calendar email you if you’re worried about forgetting). Making other people feel good can give you a nice mood boost, too.

wireless security system said...

Nice post. Thanks for sharing useful information.

SMSF Investment Strategy said...

Try a practice interview for legal jobs, answering typical questions and also getting tips on how you should answer. There are also other questions students have been asked at law interviews. That's what my friend Efren has been doing the whole week. Kinda stressful but it's worthy.

maldives cruise said...

I was very pleased to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! This is a very informative post, it helps me more.

Learn Sharepoint 2007 Online said...

Better to make ready for everything. As a professional we do everyday business and there's no such thing as "Oh sorry I was surprised! Didn't expect it would turn out that way"...it's a no no.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the information. I like it so much cause my mind opened

iPhone Application Development said...

I am fulfilled to find this post very useful for me, as it contains lot of information. I always want to research the amazing content and this factor I found in you post.

Cheap Tee Times said...

That's a pretty post and you have submitted a very valuable information.

Jalapeno Recipes said...

This is a Great Website You might find Fascinating that we Motivate A person.

Photocopier Repairs Braintree said...

I read your whole blog. Your work is really good and inseparable .Thanks for sharing.

Seo Mexico said...

The blog is absolutely fantastic. Lots of great information and inspiration, both of which we all need. Thanks.

Masters Dissertation Writing services said...

Your article is very informative and coherent. I'm happy that I stumbled upon your page and hope to find more articles of such caliber on this site in the future.
Masters Dissertation Writing services

Creative and Professional Logo Design said...

I like your information so much. It is something worth appreciating by us.

Mobile Application Development Company US said...

Absolutely fantastic topic! Great blog. Thanks for taking the time and writing this.

justin albert said...

A beautiful and high quality information.this paper is accurate to be useful. Thanks to the author.


Dubai Safari

Unknown said...

Such quality content! I find this article very informative. I am waiting for your next post. Keep it up. I like this very much

Branded Logo Designs

Custom Logo Designs said...

Thanks great job with the blog, today is my first visit here and I’ve enjoyed reading your posts so far

kredīts internetā said...

Always should to check twice...

Anna Howell said...

I just placed this article on my facebook account. it is a very interesting read for everyone. cheap essay writing service uk

Unknown said...

Greetings! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I'm using the same blog platform as yours and I'm having problems finding one? Thanks a lot!
free janam kundali milan

Rogerchristian said...

The immigration system has undergone drastic changes since then. The immigration criteria are much closer aligned to the real job situation now.

digital marketing agency

Susan said...

Such a nice post. I found it informative and useful. I just read through the entire article of yours and it was quite good. visit kodi channels list to see my works.

Edward said...

The post is really awesome. I was searching for some stuff like this. Glad I have found yours. Thank you for sharing such an informative post. How to watch UFC on Kodi

Rose said...

Nice Post. It’s really a very good article. I noticed all your important points. Thanks

Furniture Movers Dubai said...

We are the professional furniture packers furniture packers and movers in Dubai. Providing Cheapest Movers Service, Reliable and Hassle-free Service. We are expert and professional in packing and moving your office furniture in Dubai. Our office move action plans are carefully drawn up to minimize the loss or damages of your office furniture.

Al Ameen said...

Get the best chauffeur service Dubai from a leading company. Offering affordable corporate transfer, airport transfer, event, wedding, Luxury Limo.