#my application

Hey :) thank you!

I applied to the UNIQ summer school which is run by Oxford university, and also for a Nuffield research placement (both take place over the summer of Year 12). I didn’t get onto either, which I think is both because they are competitive, and that they are primarily access schemes - I am quite a privileged person and didn’t fit the selection criteria in that regard. 

When I was applying to Oxford, I had just started Year 13. On your UCAS application form you have to declare all your previously achieved grades (GCSEs, AS Levels) as well as your predicted A Level grades. I applied with my GCSEs (10 A*s), the 2 AS Levels I had done (2 As), and my predicted A Level grades (3 A*s). So my predicted grades were higher than a typical medicine offer at Oxford (and higher than what I actually achieved aha). A typical offer (and what I actually ended up getting in my A Levels) is A*AA.

Your predicted grades don’t have to be higher than the offer though - they just have to at least match it. 

15.03.18 // I got my first offer for Medicine!! I can’t explain how relieved and happy I am - it’s like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders and now I can finally just focus on getting the grades!

13.12.17 // Lincoln college, Oxford • 

Oxford interview experience part 2 (Medicine)

Early on Monday morning, I packed my bags, wrapped up warmly, and headed off to Lincoln college in the freezing cold. 

When I arrived, I was told that my first interview was in 15 minutes so I settled in the JCR, figured out which room I needed to go to, and tried to look less out of breath from my walk! Over the course of the morning, I had 2 interviews. The first was academic and pretty similar to my Keble one, and the second was non-academic and so weird aha

While waiting around I’d met 3 girls, and we went for lunch together. Lincoln’s hall is a lot smaller than Keble’s, but still very pretty, and the food was nice.

After that, we were free to leave, so I trekked across snowy Oxford with my massive suitcase to the train station.

11.12.17 // Keble college, Oxford • I just got home from my interviews at Oxford so I thought I’d share my experience! 

 Oxford interview experience part 1 (Medicine)

As you can tell from the pictures, on Sunday morning I had quite a big surprise to see it was snowing! ❄️❄️ It was really stressful getting into Oxford, as all the trains were cancelled. In the end, I begged someone I know who has a four-wheel drive to give me a lift in and although we were going at like 5 mph we got to Oxford.

Once I’d arrived at Keble, I was shown to my room and given my interview times. After settling in, I went for a briefing with the interviewers, who introduced themselves and took pictures of us (I assume so they can remember our faces). I was first on the list, so I went in for my ‘academic potential’ interview! 

The interviewers were soo friendly and made me feel at ease, so even when they asked me very difficult questions I didn’t panic and managed to hold it together. It was actually quite an enjoyable experience - more like a discussion than them grilling me. 

I was supposed to have a second ‘suitability for medicine’ interview, but the interviewers couldn’t get in because of the snow! So once my interview was over (it lasted about 20-25 minutes) I was free for the rest of the day.

I went into the JCR (junior common room) with the other candidates who were waiting for their interviews. I met some really lovely people, and once we’d all finished our interviews we went to dinner together. Keble’s hall is beautiful and the food was really good.

Afterwards, me and about 6 people I’d met decided to go into the centre and have a wander, which was really lovely (if cold!). When we got back to Keble we had a look around the chapel, which is absolutely stunning, before someone started a snowball fight! 

Obviously this is quite disappointing, but my overriding feeling is pride that I got this far in the application process. I had such a lovely experience as well, and met some incredible people.

28th November 2017

I thought I’d update you guys as to where I’m at in the process of applying to university. (If you didn’t know, I’m applying to study Medicine)

So I sent off my UCAS application on 9th October, and on the 24th October I got my back-up offer to study Medical Sciences at Exeter.

On 16th November, I stayed late at school to work on a project with a friend. I opened my email, and saw that I had an invitation to interview from Exeter! I screamed and ran around a bit and made all the obligatory phone calls ;)

On 22nd November, I was standing at the bus stop, freezing cold, desperate to get home, when I saw that I had an email. It was an invite to interview at UEA :)

This morning, I was working in silent study when I offhandedly checked my email. I have an interview at Oxford!! (something I thought impossible after my mediocre BMAT)

I haven’t heard from Bristol yet, but regardless, I am absolutely thrilled! I never thought that I would be in a position where I have 3 interviews for Medicine. But the anxiety is settling in - I don’t want to get my hopes up only for it to be snatched away. Everything feels so surreal!