How (I think) I got into Oxford
I am starting at Oxford in September, and I have had some time in the last few months to reflect on why my application was successful. For context, I applied as an international postgraduate student. And while the undergraduate application process is somewhat different, I still believe some of my thoughts are transportable to other contexts - mostly because they are ‘rules of business’.
Think about mutual benefits
Most universities operate like businesses, and business is about the exchange of value. It is always a smart thing to think about mutually beneficial relationships, where it’s a win-win for everyone involved. Before I started writing my application, I thought about two fundamental questions: How can I be of value to the university, and how can the university be of value to me? Essentially - what am I giving to this relationship, and what am I getting out of it? Nobody wants to be in a relationship (not even universities) where they are all-giving or all-taking.
I believed that a good application not only provides answers to both of these questions, but also links the two answers together. For example, I wrote in my personal statement that I had international professional experience working in my subject matter, which shows that I can bring a pragmatic and worldly perspective to class discussions. In this case, I would be benefitting from a spot in the class (and all the benefits of an Oxford education), and Oxford would be getting a more diverse class (and all the benefits this has for future research output). I also wrote about how I would like to apply for a PhD after the course, which suggests that I would benefit from doing research through the Masters, and that the university would benefit from having a prospective PhD student in the near future.
My advice for prospective applicants is to be mindful of how the entirety of the university application package (from the personal statement to the transcript) indicates a mutually beneficial relationship. It can only help to stress how you are giving back to those around you, even if it is in an informal way like helping out your peers.
Answer the right question under clear headings
I found writing the personal statement to be the most challenging aspect of the Oxford application. It was like looking at the mirror and confidently saying all the reasons relating to why you should have a place at Oxford. Easy in thought, difficult in action. I had to resist or more often, ride out the emotionally stressful waves where I thought the opposite.
On the surface, the big question behind the personal statement is ‘why are you good enough?’. I thought about this question a lot and I think it just made my application process more anxiety-stricken. Remember the question from the previous section: ‘How can you be of value to the university, and how can the university be of value to me?’ This question is more balanced, more business-like, less personal. It helped me think about the application as a proposal for a project, rather than a proposal linked to my self-worth.
Next, I wrote down the three big answers to the question in light of the assessment criteria. The criteria for my course were:
Commitment to graduate studies in evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation
Reasons for selecting the department
Motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
Any relevant practical/applied experience (such previous jobs)
Ability to present a reasoned case in English.
My one-line answers (which became headings) were:
‘My academic experience evidences an aptitude for quantitative and qualitative research’ (which addresses criteria 1, 3, 4)
‘My professional experience demonstrates that I care deeply about interventions affecting children and families’ (which addresses criteria 3, 4)
‘My aspirations align with the aims and features of the course’ (which addresses criteria 1, 2, 3)
Criteria 5 was implicitly addressed through the presentation of a structured argument (i.e. clear headings and clear evidence under each heading).
My advice for prospective students is to start simple. Find the assessment criteria for the personal statement (or ask for one if it isn’t on published material). Think about ‘How can I be of value to the university, and how can the university be of value to me?’. Write down three one-line answers which cover all of the criteria. Then start populating each section with evidence (which you can further prove through your transcript, CV, writing samples).
Label everything and dot every ‘i’
The last point speaks to details, which was the last 20% of effort for me. I spellchecked everything multiple times, checked again and again for clear document scans, and labelled everything I sent through. I imagine that labelling all the application materials helped create the impression that I cared enough about who was reading my application, and what their experience must be like during application season. I believed that a spelling error might have been enough to give another student a spot if the competition was tight. I certainly didn’t want to risk being affected by minor errors I could have fixed. Everyone is subjected to implicit biases, which is why every ‘i’ matters.
Those are my reflections for the moment, and I hope it helps out anyone who is thinking about applying to Oxford (or any other school for that matter). Happy to help, so feel free to send a message through + follow for more study-related posts.
*** I can read your personal statements / college essays. Just follow the instructions here @read-my-essay.
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