Oxford applicants

[louasdf123]

2 minutes ago, plankton890 said:

Oh great! It should be okay then. Me too -- I just want to know, one way or another!

Hope so! Yeah we will know it soon! Keep me posted! Good luckkk!!

[DonnaTrump]

14 hours ago, Seth101793 said:

Just to further ease your concerns, I was accepted with only two of my letters submitted, but I don't know if that's because my two letters were incredibly strong, or they respected my academic record enough to bypass the third letter requirement.

 

It sounds like you are a very impressive candidate overall, and I would imagine it's more likely you are offered a place versus being rejected, but the competitiveness of your program might also play a role as well. 

 

You are indeed too kind, Sir! I guess it's just waiting and seeing what happens. I hope to get an offer from my second choice, Edinburgh, over the next few weeks. That would certainly make it all less "critical".

[louasdf123]

On 3/14/2017 at 11:34 PM, plankton890 said:

Oh great! It should be okay then. Me too -- I just want to know, one way or another!

Hey did you hear anything back?  I am still waiting!!

[plankton890]

23 minutes ago, louasdf123 said:

Hey did you hear anything back?  I am still waiting!!

No, I haven't heard anything from the Department either  Argh! I suppose we won't be hearing anything this week seeing as it's Friday and there's been nothing so far..

[louasdf123]

2 minutes ago, plankton890 said:

No, I haven't heard anything from the Department either  Argh! I suppose we won't be hearing anything this week seeing as it's Friday and there's been nothing so far..

 

Ohhhhh noooo I hate the wait :((( Yeah I guess you are right...hopefully next week we can hear back from them. This is slowing down my scholarship application as well (in case I got in)....

[plankton890]

1 minute ago, louasdf123 said:

Ohhhhh noooo I hate the wait :((( Yeah I guess you are right...hopefully next week we can hear back from them. This is slowing down my scholarship application as well (in case I got in)....

Oh damn, that is unfortunate! Is this for an external scholarship? I guess the university scholarships are all automatic ones..

Really hope we hear soon!

[louasdf123]

1 minute ago, plankton890 said:

Oh damn, that is unfortunate! Is this for an external scholarship? I guess the university scholarships are all automatic ones..

Really hope we hear soon!

 

Yeah I am planning to apply for external funding resources but anyways I still need to wait until the result comes out and decide...did you apply for other programs? 

[plankton890]

2 minutes ago, louasdf123 said:

Yeah I am planning to apply for external funding resources but anyways I still need to wait until the result comes out and decide...did you apply for other programs? 

Yeah, I have received an offer from Edinburgh, but no word on funding (yet) from them. Have you applied anywhere else? Good luck with your scholarship apps! I am pretty much relying on university funding if I get in.

[louasdf123]

1 minute ago, plankton890 said:

Yeah, I have received an offer from Edinburgh, but no word on funding (yet) from them. Have you applied anywhere else? Good luck with your scholarship apps! I am pretty much relying on university funding if I get in.

 

No this is the only program I applied for lol... Edinburgh sounds great! I heard that UK universities do not usually offer fully-funded scholarships so that's why I am planning to apply for multiple fundings if I get in.. Oh my... 

[plankton890]

1 minute ago, louasdf123 said:

No this is the only program I applied for lol... Edinburgh sounds great! I heard that UK universities do not usually offer fully-funded scholarships so that's why I am planning to apply for multiple fundings if I get in.. Oh my... 

Well, I suppose they are not like US PhDs where there's more funding, but there are definitely a number of fully funded scholarships! Clarendon funding and departmental scholarships in my case for the DPhil at Oxford - let's see what happens though!  Good luck with your apps!

[louasdf123]

2 minutes ago, plankton890 said:

Well, I suppose they are not like US PhDs where there's more funding, but there are definitely a number of fully funded scholarships! Clarendon funding and departmental scholarships in my case for the DPhil at Oxford - let's see what happens though!  Good luck with your apps!

 

Yeah you too! Let me know when you get your result! Finger crossed!

[plankton890]

5 minutes ago, louasdf123 said:

Yeah you too! Let me know when you get your result! Finger crossed!

I will! I hope you let me know too -- the last time when they pushed my application to be evaluated with the January round, I didn't even know till I wrote to them..I think they got my email wrong/forgot to email or something :/ Glad I can now check with someone else lol

[louasdf123]

1 hour ago, plankton890 said:

I will! I hope you let me know too -- the last time when they pushed my application to be evaluated with the January round, I didn't even know till I wrote to them..I think they got my email wrong/forgot to email or something :/ Glad I can now check with someone else lol

 

 

Yeah I will definitely let you know as well! Oh no that sounds weird!! Maybe they didn't receive as many applications as they expected by the November deadline? Idk but glad you figured it out! Let's keep in touch and hope we will all get the good results! 

Edited March 17, 2017 by louasdf123

[Captain Cabinets]

Hello lovelies! Accepted for a DPhil at Oxford and I'm waiting not-so-patiently for college and funding results (nominated by my department, but obvio that means little at this point). I'm also considering a wonderful offer from UChicago, though, and I'm already obsessing over the prospect of having to choose between the two (despite Oxford not really technically being an option as yet, so long as funding isn't guaranteed). I wanted to ask my fellow DPhil applicants, specifically as I presume most of you are Americans, what draws you to Oxford (or the English system in general) over the many excellent US universities out there? Not sure I'm making sense, but I got the impression that in the US, at least, Ivies and T10 US programs are more highly regarded (and seen as being more academically enriching) than Oxbridge, and I was curious as to what some of you make of this? Sorry, I'm being horribly vague, ignore me if I don't make sense 

[Seth101793]

7 hours ago, Captain Cabinets said:

Hello lovelies! Accepted for a DPhil at Oxford and I'm waiting not-so-patiently for college and funding results (nominated by my department, but obvio that means little at this point). I'm also considering a wonderful offer from UChicago, though, and I'm already obsessing over the prospect of having to choose between the two (despite Oxford not really technically being an option as yet, so long as funding isn't guaranteed). I wanted to ask my fellow DPhil applicants, specifically as I presume most of you are Americans, what draws you to Oxford (or the English system in general) over the many excellent US universities out there? Not sure I'm making sense, but I got the impression that in the US, at least, Ivies and T10 US programs are more highly regarded (and seen as being more academically enriching) than Oxbridge, and I was curious as to what some of you make of this? Sorry, I'm being horribly vague, ignore me if I don't make sense 

Hmmm, that's an interesting perspective, as I find that outside HYP, Stanford and maybe MIT, Oxbridge has the next biggest "wow" factor among people and academics. Also, I'm an American too but I got accepted for an MPhil.

[somuchtoread]

I applied to two DPhil programs- Politics (Jan 6th)  and Area Studies (Jan 20th). I already heard from Area Studies that they are moving my application to the March deadline so probably won't hear from them for a couple of more months. Last Friday marked 10 weeks for the Politics application but I still haven't heard anything from them :S Not sure what to make out of it. I asked for an extension for all the other offers I have at the moment but I don't have too much time. Hopefully this week there will be some news!!!

[Seth101793]

10 hours ago, Pahi said:

I applied to two DPhil programs- Politics (Jan 6th)  and Area Studies (Jan 20th). I already heard from Area Studies that they are moving my application to the March deadline so probably won't hear from them for a couple of more months. Last Friday marked 10 weeks for the Politics application but I still haven't heard anything from them :S Not sure what to make out of it. I asked for an extension for all the other offers I have at the moment but I don't have too much time. Hopefully this week there will be some news!!!

Not sure if it helps, but I received my MPhil offer from SIAS via the January deadline and I know others who had their application moved to the March deadline, so you aren't alone by any means.

[DonnaTrump]

Good to see other area studies people. March deadline might mean the end of April/beginning of May for us, so still a long way ahead. I am trying to distract myself with work

[Seth101793]

13 hours ago, DonnaTrump said:

Good to see other area studies people. March deadline might mean the end of April/beginning of May for us, so still a long way ahead. I am trying to distract myself with work

Hope to see you and others at the department! (:

[jasper8625]

hi guys,

I e-mailed the department of education and they said they're still

open. I'm applying for CIE(Comparative and International Education).

Can anyone who has applied/been accepted to the masters

give me some tips about the critical reflection or interview?

 

Thanks

[Captain Cabinets]

I got my official funding offer from Oxford today (covering tuition, college fees and maintenance for three years), and I can't freaking believe it!!!  My head hasn't quite taken it in yet... While I've been wanting to go to Oxford since like forever, and while I think I'd work well with my supervisor there, I'm also completely terrified now. I'd have to finish in three years, and I'm a bit younger than most of my cohort, so a little insecure about my 'academic maturity' (if that's a thing), and my readiness for the dissertation. On the other hand, UChicago gives substantially more money than Oxford (despite the Oxford-scholarship being a full one), it's a fantastic program, and it would grant me more time to develop. At the same time I feel like I'd be selling out my dream just for lack of guts if I went there... Ugh, shouldn't be moping about what I realise is really an incredibly blessed and very lucky position to be in (but existential crises have never been my friends)! 

Edited March 27, 2017 by Captain Cabinets
grammar glitch

[MarinaLazarus]

7 minutes ago, Captain Cabinets said:

I got my official funding offer from Oxford today (covering tuition, college fees and maintenance for three years), and I can't freaking believe it!!!  My head hasn't quite taken it in yet... While I've been wanting to go to Oxford since like forever, and while I think I'd work well with my supervisor there, I'm also completely terrified now. I'd have to finish in three years, and I'm a bit younger than most of my cohort, so a little insecure about my 'academic maturity' (if that's a thing), and my readiness for the dissertation. On the other hand, UChicago gives substantially more money than Oxford (despite the Oxford-scholarship being a full one), it's a fantastic program, and it would grant me more time to develop. At the same time I feel like I'd be selling out my dream just for lack of guts if I went there... Ugh, shouldn't be moping about what I realise is really an incredibly blessed and very lucky position to be in (but existential crises have never been my friends)! 

 

Hi! Which studentship did you get? If you don't mind me asking!

[Captain Cabinets]

6 minutes ago, MarinaLazarus said:

Hi! Which studentship did you get? If you don't mind me asking!

A Thatcher Scholarship at Somerville (I think it's quite new?)  

[Concordia]

On 3/17/2017 at 5:42 PM, Captain Cabinets said:

Hello lovelies! Accepted for a DPhil at Oxford and I'm waiting not-so-patiently for college and funding results (nominated by my department, but obvio that means little at this point). I'm also considering a wonderful offer from UChicago, though, and I'm already obsessing over the prospect of having to choose between the two (despite Oxford not really technically being an option as yet, so long as funding isn't guaranteed). I wanted to ask my fellow DPhil applicants, specifically as I presume most of you are Americans, what draws you to Oxford (or the English system in general) over the many excellent US universities out there? Not sure I'm making sense, but I got the impression that in the US, at least, Ivies and T10 US programs are more highly regarded (and seen as being more academically enriching) than Oxbridge, and I was curious as to what some of you make of this? Sorry, I'm being horribly vague, ignore me if I don't make sense 

You do sometimes hear that the US PhDs are more rigorous, as they give you a very nasty MA component with languages and comprehensive exams before the dissertation, all while you hold down a job as a TA.  At Oxbridge, you start on the dissertation right away and aren't required to do all the other stuff.  You do need a separate master's degree first, but those aren't always run as pre-PhD bootcamps.  

For me, the brevity is an advantage since I'm a few decades older than most applicants.  There's no point in my finishing when I'm 60 while trying to get over the Stockholm Syndrome after years of under-minimum-wage slavery.   One observation I read a while ago-- maybe on this board-- is that in the UK, your supervisor more or less works for you, when he/she gets around to it.  In the US your supervisor is effectively your employer.  Very different situation.

I don't know that I'd be doing this at all, actually, if I hadn't stumbled upon a part-time master's at Cambridge a few years ago.  That led to a problem I thought I should work on a bit more, a set of marks that the Brits take seriously, and a good relationship with my supervisor.  [He's at Oxford, which is part of a much longer story, and that's where my first acceptance has come from.]  All very helpful in the UK system, even if selling that package to a US admissions committee that wants its graduates to become young academics would probably be hard.  

One thing to consider, apart from the specific skills you will or won't pick up, and your ability to sell them: what is the culture of the place you're joining?  I don't have a lot of comparisons to make, but Oxbridge seems to encourage a certain way of getting to know people that isn't necessarily typical of the US.  Whether that's going to be good for you, or relevant, or even true in your case with your particular choices is another question.

Congrats on the funding/college place, BTW.  I am still waiting to hear about my college, and I wasn't told about being considered for any of the flashy scholarships.  Let's hope I at least get placed somewhere I like.

Edited March 29, 2017 by Concordia

[Captain Cabinets]

18 hours ago, Concordia said:

You do sometimes hear that the US PhDs are more rigorous, as they give you a very nasty MA component with languages and comprehensive exams before the dissertation, all while you hold down a job as a TA.  At Oxbridge, you start on the dissertation right away and aren't required to do all the other stuff.  You do need a separate master's degree first, but those aren't always run as pre-PhD bootcamps.  

For me, the brevity is an advantage since I'm a few decades older than most applicants.  There's no point in my finishing when I'm 60 while trying to get over the Stockholm Syndrome after years of under-minimum-wage slavery.   One observation I read a while ago-- maybe on this board-- is that in the UK, your supervisor more or less works for you, when he/she gets around to it.  In the US your supervisor is effectively your employer.  Very different situation.

I don't know that I'd be doing this at all, actually, if I hadn't stumbled upon a part-time master's at Cambridge a few years ago.  That led to a problem I thought I should work on a bit more, a set of marks that the Brits take seriously, and a good relationship with my supervisor.  [He's at Oxford, which is part of a much longer story, and that's where my first acceptance has come from.]  All very helpful in the UK system, even if selling that package to a US admissions committee that wants its graduates to become young academics would probably be hard.  

One thing to consider, apart from the specific skills you will or won't pick up, and your ability to sell them: what is the culture of the place you're joining?  I don't have a lot of comparisons to make, but Oxbridge seems to encourage a certain way of getting to know people that isn't necessarily typical of the US.  Whether that's going to be good for you, or relevant, or even true in your case with your particular choices is another question.

Congrats on the funding/college place, BTW.  I am still waiting to hear about my college, and I wasn't told about being considered for any of the flashy scholarships.  Let's hope I at least get placed somewhere I like.

Thanks, and fingers crossed that you get funding! I think mine is specifically a college scholarship, and my supervisor mentioned that funding offers for overseas students (like myself) are sent out a bit sooner than the others. I do feel like I'd like fit well at Oxford, I just have some dissertation insecurities at the moment (sort of in the wake of unexpected success). Re the UK-US divide, an acquaintance of mine at Cambridge phrased the 'who-works-for-who' bit more along the lines of saying that in the UK, PhD scholars are the most senior students, while in the US, they're considered the most junior academics (but I suppose that comes down to the same thing).