Tips for applying the Oxford University,anyone???

St Hilda’s is opening up to men (though personally I still wouldn’t have applied there). Be aware that Economics at Oxford is only offered as a joint honours school with management (E&M), Modern History (MHE) or Philosophy and Politics (PPE). The selection has a very heavy academic focus. I’ve talked with my tutors a few times about this and they don’t really care that much about your extra-curriculars. They are after all the ones who will admit and teach you so they don’t want you too distracted from your work. It’s better to stress your enthusiasm for the subject that trying to create the well rounded individual. Academics decide admissions and Oxford is a very academic institution so trust me academics count above everything in the admission process. However, other universities do care more for the well rounded approach so decide how much you want to balance your personal statement (the additional statement on the Oxford form may help, but I didn’t bother with this.)

If you have to send in essays (PPE and MHE) make sure taht the are grammatically perfect and shows that you can argue coherently and logically.

Keep up to date with stuff as they might ask your opinion on an issue so read The Economist and a few broadsheet. Bone up on your maths (preferably you should be doing A-level maths if you want to do economics). They’ll no doubt ask you some problems in your interview that are maths based and the final question in the test they set at interview (for PPE) has a maths question albeit a relatively easy one. Don’t try to rehearse answer as you’ll come across as fake and incapable of quick thinking. Read up as much economics (both micro and macro) as you can as this never hurts. Becoming familiar with concepts in Game theory and market equilibriums can be quite useful. They’ll try to push you as far as they think you can go in an interview. I remember in my interview I was asked economic arguments for and against the Euro. The don kept asking for more and more until I just couldn’t think of anything sensible. This does inevitably give you the feeling that you’ve screwed up though, but never mind everyone will feel that.

I just finished my history degree at Magdalen College, Oxford. Great college but one of the most terrifying head tutors in Oxford. Really depends what you want out of Oxford should you ever get there: LMH has lovely tutors but is far from everything Queens is the ‘northern’ college and has a great bar. Wadham is artsy and alternative St Peter’s is ugly and depressing etc etc Doesn’t really matter where you apply to; even if you end up at a different colege you’ll become fiercely proud of, and loyal to, it. They never ask ‘why this college’ at interview and so your time would be better spent focusing on why you think you should be one of the chosen few to study at Oxford.

Don’t sound fake in your personal statement

why not apply for cambridge ? its more prestegious

I don’t if youd get good money for mathematics so maybe economics is better