04 Dec 2007, 1:11 pm
Orwell wrote:
I've got an application being considered at Oxford right now- I made an open app, as I could see no real reason to pick one college over another, and I think they sent mine to Queen's College. Oxford, from what I have read, is generally very accomodating towards students who may need any special help, though not so much so as Cambridge. Good luck in your application, but understand that regardless of how strong an applicant you are, you will most likely be rejected. Not saying this to be mean, but you need to find another school at which you would be happy because setting your heart so completely on one ridiculously selective university can often be setting yourself up for disappointment.
That's wonderful - I wish you luck. What do you want to study?
And yeah, I know.
But I'm too stubborn, and, to be honest I don't want to go to college for the sake of getting more education. Frankly? I couldn't care less about getting a complete education. That makes me sound stupid, but I've been struggling with a lot, and I've been prepared for let-downs for years already. I wouldn't go anywhere else because I wouldn't see the reason to bother. If it's one thing I'm not going to waste my life on, it's sitting studying someplace where I don't feel like going. If I don't get in, okay. It was worth a shot. The dream will remain a dream.
04 Dec 2007, 2:49 pm
depth wrote:
If I don't get into Oxford I'm not planning to study anything, simply because I don't study for the sake of getting educated. It has to be... fun, you know? So if I don't get in the first year, I'll take a year to work on my written works. 
And yes, your input has been very helpful. Thank you very much. 
And yes, your input has been very helpful. Thank you very much. That's an great idea. If you could get something published (it doesn't have to be something big, maybe a short story or a magazine article) it would help even more.
I urge you to reconsider your decision to not attend college if not admitted to Oxford, though. Keep in mind, educations are basically the same, regardless of where you go. Regardless if you go to a public university or a nice private one, chances are, your English curriculum will basically be the same. In other words, if you find English fun at Oxford, you probably will find it fun at any other decent university. What matters, in my opinion, is faculty. Are there any scholarly writers you are particularly fond of, and, if so, where do they teach? Also, if your marks are good enough to get into Oxford, it would be a waste not to attend another college, even if not admitted.
04 Dec 2007, 5:40 pm
Phagocyte wrote:
That's an great idea. If you could get something published (it doesn't have to be something big, maybe a short story or a magazine article) it would help even more.
I urge you to reconsider your decision to not attend college if not admitted to Oxford, though. Keep in mind, educations are basically the same, regardless of where you go. Regardless if you go to a public university or a nice private one, chances are, your English curriculum will basically be the same. In other words, if you find English fun at Oxford, you probably will find it fun at any other decent university. What matters, in my opinion, is faculty. Are there any scholarly writers you are particularly fond of, and, if so, where do they teach? Also, if your marks are good enough to get into Oxford, it would be a waste not to attend another college, even if not admitted.
I urge you to reconsider your decision to not attend college if not admitted to Oxford, though. Keep in mind, educations are basically the same, regardless of where you go. Regardless if you go to a public university or a nice private one, chances are, your English curriculum will basically be the same. In other words, if you find English fun at Oxford, you probably will find it fun at any other decent university. What matters, in my opinion, is faculty. Are there any scholarly writers you are particularly fond of, and, if so, where do they teach? Also, if your marks are good enough to get into Oxford, it would be a waste not to attend another college, even if not admitted.
I'm a fiction writer, so, I'm going to attempt at writing a novel.
Or perhaps two. In English.
Technically... I know you're right. But I've been run over by school authorities my whole life, so the topic of school is... very strange. The fact that I'm even in school at the time being is a miracle in itself, you know? I've missed years of education, and that's a fact. My English is 75% or more self-taught (did I... mention that I'm Swedish?). So I don't know much about schools except, well, Oxford. I don't know much about scholarly writers, because, frankly, I've rather spent my time studying than looking such information up. In that way, I live very much in my own little world.
Oh, and my marks, um... this is the part that I usually despise to admit, because I used to be bullied about it, but... No. Wait. Let's just say I'm the weird information sponge kid, right.
Hey, I may be weird for asking, but you seem nice.
Could I get to know you more?
04 Dec 2007, 6:25 pm
depth wrote:
I suppose you're right about that. And another good thing might be that since I don't tend to have much of a social life, I'll be able to spend more time studying instead of joining all the weird activities around campus. Or how did this go for you? Whenever I mention Oxford people ask me what activities I'm joining. 
it was a disaster, i think i only went out about twice to any sort of clubs... enough to make me realise i wasnt welcome there anyway... so i spent most of the time locked away in my room.
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That's very good and valid points. The tricky part is that I rarely know these kind of things until I'm faced with the situation. And I'd also have to take in mind that I might or might not have recovered from Anorexia, depending on how things go, which could cause complications. But I'm determined to make it work. Somehow.
i had recovered when i started (140lbs) but had completely relapsed by the time i finished (85lbs ish)
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If you don't mind me asking, what did you study when you went to Oxford, and which college did you go to? I'm always interested in other people's choices. I do know that I would personally love to live in an older facility simply because, well, it would be very inspiring to my writing.
i read maths at St. Anne's, which is quite a new and large college. i didn't really like it there though. i'd chosen it because it was in the north, close to the science area, so i would be able to get to lectures easily. and because at the time it was lower down the league tables, i thought applying there would give me a better chance of actually getting in. i didn't say that in my interview though
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Good points. I don't think I would start college at another university, however, because, well. If I don't get into Oxford I'm not planning to study anything, simply because I don't study for the sake of getting educated. It has to be... fun, you know? So if I don't get in the first year, I'll take a year to work on my written works.
it's not a good idea to tell them that in your interview. actually i felt the same way, but because (for uk applications at least) the interviewers know which other universities you apply for, i had to fill in applications for other universities anyway even though i had no interest in going to them. if you're an EU student it might be different.
05 Dec 2007, 1:25 pm
DivaD wrote:
it was a disaster, i think i only went out about twice to any sort of clubs... enough to make me realise i wasnt welcome there anyway... so i spent most of the time locked away in my room.
That's what I figured. I will probably end up doing the same. Unless there happens to be a club which has "sitting quietly reading" as its main event, and I highly doubt there really is. Sigh.
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i had recovered when i started (140lbs) but had completely relapsed by the time i finished (85lbs ish)
Sadly, I can see how that can easily happen. Especially in an environment such as that. How did things go for you after you had finished, then?
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i read maths at St. Anne's, which is quite a new and large college. i didn't really like it there though. i'd chosen it because it was in the north, close to the science area, so i would be able to get to lectures easily. and because at the time it was lower down the league tables, i thought applying there would give me a better chance of actually getting in. i didn't say that in my interview though
Ah, well that's one way of going, heh. I'm getting confused when I look at colleges because the course I want to take is "English Language and Literature", but it rarely says exactly that on the colleges website, and this is very stressful for me, because then I don't know for sure, since... literally, it doesn't word it the same way.
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it's not a good idea to tell them that in your interview. actually i felt the same way, but because (for uk applications at least) the interviewers know which other universities you apply for, i had to fill in applications for other universities anyway even though i had no interest in going to them. if you're an EU student it might be different.
Point taken. If you don't mind that I ask, how did you find the interview? I'm afraid of not being able to get out a word if I get as far as getting an interview. I have tendencies of having times when I can't talk and have to use a notebook and write down what I want to say. It would be humiliating, to say the least, if that would happen when faced with the people that would determine whether I get accepted or not.
07 Dec 2007, 11:20 am
depth wrote:
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i had recovered when i started (140lbs) but had completely relapsed by the time i finished (85lbs ish)
Sadly, I can see how that can easily happen. Especially in an environment such as that. How did things go for you after you had finished, then?
ugh.... went back home, think i had to see a dietician for ages, then got ill and put on medicine, and the side effects of the medicine made me put on a lot of weight
i've never been able to lose that weight, not even if i starve for weeks.... anyway i've been so stressed and ill in one way or another that i've never managed to move out of home again, i hate it here but cant see any alternative.Quote:
Point taken. If you don't mind that I ask, how did you find the interview? I'm afraid of not being able to get out a word if I get as far as getting an interview. I have tendencies of having times when I can't talk and have to use a notebook and write down what I want to say. It would be humiliating, to say the least, if that would happen when faced with the people that would determine whether I get accepted or not.
thats quite a story... i'd read one of those "how to get into oxford" books, they are full of silly advice like read a posh newspaper and stuff like that. anyway, it said to smile, look the interviewer in the eye, give a firm handshake, all the usual nt stuff. so for my first interview i smiled and looked straight into the tutors eye and grabbed her hand... and noticed she was avoiding eye contact, her hand and arm felt limp like she didnt know what to do.... at that point i just thought, forget that stupid book, i'm just going to be myself....
so she asked me how i'd draw the graph of 1/sin(1/x) or something, and i thought, just be yourself, and said.... "on a graphic calculator!" and she laughed
she said wryly "the batteries are flat" and i knew i'd got in 
i guess its more about connecting with the tutor than anything... that might sound frightening for an aspie but what you have to remember is that these tutors are also very abnormal people, so in a way we have more in common with them than all the nts they are seeing. and they'll be seeing 20 or 30 people in a day, you want to be remembered!
for my other interview i had an old spinster who'd sacrificed her life to mathematics... i'd been warned that she liked to tell stories... so basically i just let her tell me a story, she was saying about a magician spinning a chain over his head, and she said he could only spin it at certian speeds, i said is there some reason for that, she says its like modes of vibration on a string.. i wont go into the details, basically the point i'm trying to make is that the interview isnt just about you telling them stuff, its also about them seeing if they can teach you stuff and if they get on with you and like you.
07 Dec 2007, 3:28 pm
DivaD wrote:
ugh.... went back home, think i had to see a dietician for ages, then got ill and put on medicine, and the side effects of the medicine made me put on a lot of weight i've never been able to lose that weight, not even if i starve for weeks.... anyway i've been so stressed and ill in one way or another that i've never managed to move out of home again, i hate it here but cant see any alternative.
i've never been able to lose that weight, not even if i starve for weeks.... anyway i've been so stressed and ill in one way or another that i've never managed to move out of home again, i hate it here but cant see any alternative.Awh, I'm sorry. A friend of mine (who lost a lot of weight due to medical reasons however) has experienced a similar thing about getting a medicine that made her gain very much. I've become paranoid and check every medicine I'm given nowadays, to make sure it doesn't say "weight gain" on the side effect part.
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thats quite a story... i'd read one of those "how to get into oxford" books, they are full of silly advice like read a posh newspaper and stuff like that. anyway, it said to smile, look the interviewer in the eye, give a firm handshake, all the usual nt stuff. so for my first interview i smiled and looked straight into the tutors eye and grabbed her hand... and noticed she was avoiding eye contact, her hand and arm felt limp like she didnt know what to do.... at that point i just thought, forget that stupid book, i'm just going to be myself....
so she asked me how i'd draw the graph of 1/sin(1/x) or something, and i thought, just be yourself, and said.... "on a graphic calculator!" and she laughed she said wryly "the batteries are flat" and i knew i'd got in i guess its more about connecting with the tutor than anything... that might sound frightening for an aspie but what you have to remember is that these tutors are also very abnormal people, so in a way we have more in common with them than all the nts they are seeing. and they'll be seeing 20 or 30 people in a day, you want to be remembered!
for my other interview i had an old spinster who'd sacrificed her life to mathematics... i'd been warned that she liked to tell stories... so basically i just let her tell me a story, she was saying about a magician spinning a chain over his head, and she said he could only spin it at certian speeds, i said is there some reason for that, she says its like modes of vibration on a string.. i wont go into the details, basically the point i'm trying to make is that the interview isnt just about you telling them stuff, its also about them seeing if they can teach you stuff and if they get on with you and like you.
so she asked me how i'd draw the graph of 1/sin(1/x) or something, and i thought, just be yourself, and said.... "on a graphic calculator!" and she laughed
she said wryly "the batteries are flat" and i knew i'd got in i guess its more about connecting with the tutor than anything... that might sound frightening for an aspie but what you have to remember is that these tutors are also very abnormal people, so in a way we have more in common with them than all the nts they are seeing. and they'll be seeing 20 or 30 people in a day, you want to be remembered!for my other interview i had an old spinster who'd sacrificed her life to mathematics... i'd been warned that she liked to tell stories... so basically i just let her tell me a story, she was saying about a magician spinning a chain over his head, and she said he could only spin it at certian speeds, i said is there some reason for that, she says its like modes of vibration on a string.. i wont go into the details, basically the point i'm trying to make is that the interview isnt just about you telling them stuff, its also about them seeing if they can teach you stuff and if they get on with you and like you.
I thought about getting one of those books a while, but then I realised that it would probably not do me any good. I see that I was not wrong about that. That's a very interesting story, although yes, you're right, it does sound frightening to have to somehow connect with the tutor. The headmistress at my current school says that I have very unbalanced social interaction, where sometimes I am apparently fun to be around, but then I can completely shut down. I would imagine that if I can manage to be "fun" at the interview, I would at least be one step closer to the goal, rather than if I would be quiet and not speak. Say, are slow with replies? Because the kind of questions they seem to ask, are the kind that I usually take a while to form replies for. I'm afraid to embarrass myself or seem very slow, because I think a lot.
15 Dec 2007, 5:15 am
hi all, i dearly want to get into Oxford. I'm in Australia but would apply as an EU student (irish citizenship tehe ). I want to get into engineering at the moment . I'm confused though, is getting accepted soley on what your high school leaving score is? Or does other extra curricular activites help as well?
