American Applying for MSc at Oxford

[americanoxfordian]

Hi all,

I know this is probably inane and representative of how the next few months will go, but I will be submitting my application for an MSc in Russian and Eastern European Studies at Oxford for Fall of 2016 in a short while, and I was hoping I could get some prospectus opinions on my qualifications to gauge my level of competitiveness in the application process.

3.64 GPA in Honors Program at accredited university

Russian Minor: specifically dealing with cultural, historical, and linguistic aspects

Research presented at Honors Program's Fall Symposium detailing Chechen sovereignty i.e. feasibility and time frame (not published)

Term abroad at Oxford studying Russian History

Appreciate (hopefully) all of the responses

364

[Rising]

Hi,

I am in the same boat as you. I am planning on submitting my application for the same program on Jan 20. In my opinion, you are a very competitive candidate. Your GPA is slightly above the minimum requirement for this course, so no problems there. You have spent some time at Oxford, so they do know you. I think your chances look pretty good actually.

Just out of curiosity, have you applied to any university in the US? With your profile, I think you might be able to get in most (not to say all) of the Russian/Eastern European programs. 

[americanoxfordian]

19 hours ago, Rising said:

Hi,

I am in the same boat as you. I am planning on submitting my application for the same program on Jan 20. In my opinion, you are a very competitive candidate. Your GPA is slightly above the minimum requirement for this course, so no problems there. You have spent some time at Oxford, so they do know you. I think your chances look pretty good actually.

Just out of curiosity, have you applied to any university in the US? With your profile, I think you might be able to get in most (not to say all) of the Russian/Eastern European programs. 

I actually haven't.  During my time there, I kind of developed a love for the city and the school, so I have my heart set on doing my graduate work there.  Obviously, there's a possibility that it doesn't work out, but in that case I'm under consideration for Peace Corps work in Ukraine, and other programs in the DC area to bolster future applications.  Where are you looking at applying?

[hippyscientist]

4 hours ago, americanoxfordian said:

 I kind of developed a love for the city and the school,

Sorry I have to reply (and I know this probably isn't very constructive) but I grew up in Oxford and the city is a 5h1t-hole!! Sure the college buildings are pretty, as are some of the river walks but town itself? Blackbird Leys? Having the main hospitals in the middle of residential areas? Traffic? Cost of living?

I know I know, different  strokes for different folks. Personally I'd say your GPA is a little low for a typical international student, but the rest of your app looks solid. Good luck!!

[americanoxfordian]

8 hours ago, piglet33 said:

Sorry I have to reply (and I know this probably isn't very constructive) but I grew up in Oxford and the city is a 5h1t-hole!! Sure the college buildings are pretty, as are some of the river walks but town itself? Blackbird Leys? Having the main hospitals in the middle of residential areas? Traffic? Cost of living?

I know I know, different  strokes for different folks. Personally I'd say your GPA is a little low for a typical international student, but the rest of your app looks solid. Good luck!!

So, as an American, we lack the history and grandeur of a city like Oxford. Trying to drive down Longwall or biking from Merton College to North Oxford is admittedly difficult, and some placements are very unfortunate for obvious reasons. For me, it's all about the academic atmosphere and overall aura of the city that makes me love it so much. I know my GPA is a little low, that's my main concern. Thank you for the response though, most people I met who had lived in the city for their entire lives felt the same way about Oxford.

[hippyscientist]

I did my undergraduate degree in Bath - if you want history and grandeur you can't beat it. Beautiful city.

On the other hand I'm trying to go out to the US for my PhDs so it seems we have different outlooks.

I'm in a completely different field from you, and don't have the slightest clue about your programme, but there are some other excellent (actually better) universities for different disciplines than Oxford. It might be worth checking them out too. The oxbridge name carries a lot of weight, but for many fields, you can't beat other Russell Group universities. 

4 minutes ago, americanoxfordian said:

So, as an American, we lack the history and grandeur of a city like Oxford. Trying to drive down Longwall or biking from Merton College to North Oxford is admittedly difficult, and some placements are very unfortunate for obvious reasons. For me, it's all about the academic atmosphere and overall aura of the city that makes me love it so much. I know my GPA is a little low, that's my main concern. Thank you for the response though, most people I met who had lived in the city for their entire lives felt the same way about Oxford.

 

[americanoxfordian]

3 hours ago, piglet33 said:

I did my undergraduate degree in Bath - if you want history and grandeur you can't beat it. Beautiful city.

On the other hand I'm trying to go out to the US for my PhDs so it seems we have different outlooks.

I'm in a completely different field from you, and don't have the slightest clue about your programme, but there are some other excellent (actually better) universities for different disciplines than Oxford. It might be worth checking them out too. The oxbridge name carries a lot of weight, but for many fields, you can't beat other Russell Group universities. 

 

From what I've heard, Bath is very beautiful as well.  I know there are certain programs that are better i.e. University of Kansas, Ohio State, but given my GPA and time already spent studying there, Oxford appeals highly.  Strangely enough, the MSc I've applied for seems to be one of the easier programs to get into (I hope).