Oxbridge Admissions 2007/2008: Deadline Mid-October

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses the admissions process for Oxbridge, particularly focusing on the 2007/2008 application timeline, with specific inquiries about the mathematics tripos at Cambridge and general experiences related to applying for physics and other courses. The scope includes application deadlines, conditional offers, interview experiences, and statistics related to admissions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that Oxbridge admissions for various courses, including medical and veterinary programs, must be submitted by October 15th.
  • Inquiries are made about the application process for Part III of the mathematics tripos, including whether applications are accepted without final degree grades.
  • One participant shares their experience of receiving a conditional offer based on satisfactory progress in their final year and admission to a college.
  • Another participant expresses concerns about interview performance, particularly regarding the articulation of their passion for physics and the challenges posed by interview questions.
  • There are discussions about the nature of interview questions, emphasizing the importance of working through problems without relying on common interpretations.
  • Questions arise about the difficulty of gaining admission to Part III of the mathematics tripos, with some participants sharing anecdotal experiences regarding acceptance rates based on past performance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of agreement on application deadlines and conditional offers, while there remains uncertainty regarding the specifics of the mathematics tripos admissions process and interview expectations. Multiple views on interview strategies and experiences are presented without consensus.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference personal experiences and anecdotal evidence regarding admissions, which may not reflect current policies or statistics. There are mentions of varying standards and practices over time, indicating potential changes in the admissions landscape.

Who May Find This Useful

Prospective students considering applications to Oxbridge, particularly those interested in mathematics and physics, may find the shared experiences and inquiries relevant to their application process.

J77
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Just a heads-up that the Oxbridge admissions season for 2007/2008 started on the 1st of the month - the window closes mid-October...

I think UK med-school applications have to be in around this time also, but I'm not so familiar with this.
 
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is this also true for part III of the mathematics tripos at cambridge?
and if for example at the time you send the papers you still don't have your grades of your first degree, do they still accept your application form?
i still haven't finidhed my degree, but i wonder about it for the future.
 
No idea.

I doubt it's like undergrad admission tho' - it is more of a masters course.

I think Matt Grime did it - he probably knows.
 
My experience with applying to Cambridge for Part III: you get a conditional offer of admission from the department that's contingent on satisfactory progress on your last year and admission into a college (in the sense that the university is made up of academic departments an residential colleges).
 
all Oxbridge, medical , veterinary and dental applications must be in by October 15th I believe. I'm going for physics at oxford.
 
Good luck!

I applied and didn't get in - mainly, I believe, due to the fact our school didn't offer further maths A-level. That, and I completely lost the plot in the interview due to tiredness, solitude and nerves.

Stuff oxford though; I ended up with 460 UCAS points all in sciences and am aiming for a first (I'm starting 3rd year in a couple of weeks).
 
Sojourner01 said:
Good luck!

I applied and didn't get in - mainly, I believe, due to the fact our school didn't offer further maths A-level. That, and I completely lost the plot in the interview due to tiredness, solitude and nerves.

Stuff oxford though; I ended up with 460 UCAS points all in sciences and am aiming for a first (I'm starting 3rd year in a couple of weeks).

that's a pain, not being able to do further maths!

my college has really good oxbridge support so I'm quite hopeful, I'm just worried about the interview - I'm not good at articulating myself! I'm afraid that i won't be able to get across just how much i want to do physics.

ah well, there's always another university...

i just really want to go to oxford!:frown:
 
The interview takes the form of them proposing a number of (apparently) simple physics questions and asking you to work through them. They're looking at your ability to work things out. DO NOT explain to them the 'common knowledge' interpretation of the problem if you know it. Act as though you've never heard of any of the theories and you're working out the answer using simple algebra and common sense.

In fact, they have been known to choose questions whose 'common' interpretations are outright wrong. For example, aircraft don't fly because of the pressure differential above and below the wings, as many basic school books will say, but because it's what I'd always been told I ran with it and couldn't explain myself when it got down to the mathematics. This one caught me out.
 
Sojourner01 said:
The interview takes the form of them proposing a number of (apparently) simple physics questions and asking you to work through them. They're looking at your ability to work things out. DO NOT explain to them the 'common knowledge' interpretation of the problem if you know it. Act as though you've never heard of any of the theories and you're working out the answer using simple algebra and common sense.

In fact, they have been known to choose questions whose 'common' interpretations are outright wrong. For example, aircraft don't fly because of the pressure differential above and below the wings, as many basic school books will say, but because it's what I'd always been told I ran with it and couldn't explain myself when it got down to the mathematics. This one caught me out.


thanks for that - any more advice??
 
  • #10
how difficult is it to get into part 3 of the maths tripos? Does anyone know any admissions stats, and other details, like if they give interviews or not. I can't find any of these things on the website and I've looked quite hard.
 
  • #11
cheesemelba said:
how difficult is it to get into part 3 of the maths tripos? Does anyone know any admissions stats, and other details, like if they give interviews or not. I can't find any of these things on the website and I've looked quite hard.

In my day they took pretty much anyone who had a first. And even if you had a 2/1 you had a pretty good chance.
 
  • #12
how long ago are we talking? I'd be very grateful if I could find anyone who could give me more info.
 
  • #13
cheesemelba said:
how long ago are we talking? I'd be very grateful if I could find anyone who could give me more info.
Have a look at their website: http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/CASM/

btw: this is pretty exciting for you exam junkies - http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/ppa/2006/Part_3/index.html
 
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