Applying to Oxford as an American - AP Scores, DE Classes and Awards

Applying to College
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I agree with much of the contributions above and so don’t really have much more to add. Getting into Oxbridge is tough but as with other top institutions, there’s always a degree of unpredictability in the admissions process - each year, some you expect will get in don’t and others surprise on the positive side. This is because much rides on the Oxbridge exams (in OP’s case, the TSA) and interviews so the “paper” qualifications simply get applicants through the first gate.

Compared to the highly skewed Oxbridge applicant pools, OP’s record probably sits in the lower half (overall it is highly impressive). For example, two of my D’s friends at Oxford who took US standardized tests scored 1580 (or 1590) on the SAT and 36 on the ACT (my D had similar performance in a single sitting). On high stakes exams (A level and IB), D and her friends have perfect or near perfect records (my sense is that these exams are more challenging than APs). I am sharing this not to dissuade OP but to give him/her a realistic picture of the competition.

One aspect that OP might wish to consider seriously is whether he/she would enjoy studying a single subject for 3-4 years, particularly if biology is chosen, as the academic experience at Oxbridge is incredibly intense.

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22

My D18 studied PPE in Oxford. She had the following stats:
by end of 11th grade - 5s on AP Spanish Lit, APUSH, 4s on AP Physics 1 and Music Theory
12 grade - 5s on Calc BC, Bio, English Lit and Micro/Macro Econ.
She was accepted conditionally before they had her AP scores from senior year, and the condition was a 5 on Calc BC and Econ.
Her ACT was 35, and she was National merit finalist.

The AP scores are the minimum requirement. The most important part of your application is their subject exam, and, if you pass that, the interview. I don’t know what it is for bio, but for PPE the exam was a steroid version of the SAT (much more difficult). A score of 70% guaranteed you an interview, and a score of 80+% was considered genius level. This was back in 2018. So, be prepared to spend your summer doing old exams that can be found on their website as well as reading recommended texts to prepare for the interview afterwards.

Your ECs that are relevant to bio need to be reflected in the UCAS essay. Unlike the US, the ECs are not that important. What they look for is intellectual potential reflected in their exam score and the subsequent interview should you get one. IN the interview, you will be given a problem or a text to discuss. The tutors want to see how you think. It is not an american style interview about your achievements, strengths and weaknesses and why you want to go to Oxford.

Applying to Oxford is a lot of work as their system is different. You need to register for the Oxford exam, learn how to write the UCAS essay, etc.

Anecdotally, a friend’s daughter, who is brilliant academically, did not prepare much for the Oxford exam, and was not invited for an interview. She subsequently got into UPenn, Duke and Columbia.

If you decide to apply, I recommend that you do not specify a college but send an open application. They will match you with a college they think you will be most suitable for, and this maximizes your chances. Good luck!

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23

The good news/bad news is that you will need to take the TSA 1 (90 minute multiple choice test) to apply for Human Sciences. The bad news is that you will need to study/prepare for it. The good news is that if you get a very strong score on the TSA, it can help overcome your weak APs and maybe get you shortlisted for interview. My son read Maths & Comp Sci and according to his admissions tutor, performance on the Oxford admissions test (the MAT in his case) carried the most weight in determining the shortlist candidates.
If you apply for biology, there is no Oxford specific admissions test and no submission of written work as part of the admissions process. They will only see the scores that you report on your UCAS. I agree with @Twoin18 that based on what you currently have in hand (4s in Calc AB and algebra based Physics 1), shortlisting is a longshot.
From what my son heard, Oxford is dubious of US standardized test math results (SAT/ACT and AP). They are viewed as inferior to UK A levels for Maths or Further Maths. In my son’s case, that fact that he had scores from other standardized math tests (AMC10/12, AIME) and nationwide math competitions (ARML, PuMAC, HMMT) helped establish his math abilities beyond the standard US test scores.

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24

I mean I excelled on the SAT math portion and I took ap calc when I was 14. So, I don’t know if I would consider multiple 5s and 2 4s from 9th grade “weak”. I honestly don’t think they’ll read into my 4 THAT much. I’ll probs get a 5 on ap calc bc and I’ll have calc 3, linear algebra and diff equations, along with mathematics research with a rhodes scholar.

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It doesn’t matter really that you were 14. In their view, it’s your problem not theirs if you took the test too early (they would think the same if a student with a GCSE 5-6 at age 13 applies, when a 7+ would be expected and clearly could have been easily achieved at 15.)
Fortunately, your DE classes with As will also matter.

Calc BC is equivalent to the former AS level so it’s a far cry from Maths/Further Maths at A/A*. Getting a 5 on it should be easy peasy so the student has a chance to catch up to their peers, being almost a full year behind in some subjects and potentially not having studied other topics.
(You have taken Linear Algebra so that may offset the concern as long as you get a 5&an A).
Not sure how feasible that is, but you could take A level Maths exams if you can find a place that would test you in November - an A* would make things clear (you’d have a shot due to your DE classes).

My recommendation would be to apply to Oxbridge, UCL, Birmingham, plus Arts&Sciences at UCL and a Science MA (ie , with Social Science electives) at St Andrews or UEdinburgh.
(It’s the same basic app for all of them).

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26

"I honestly don’t think they’ll read into my 4 THAT much. "

It doesn’t matter what YOU think. It matters what they think. You’ve got a lot of magical thinking going on here.

Take your shot. But recognize that even though you think you are a slam dunk, experienced posters here are pointing out that you need plans B and C.

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27

Some feedback: You don’t seem to be taking feedback particularly well.

Experienced people are giving you perspectives. Dismissing them makes me wonder why you posted in the first place. Are you just looking for validation?

Take their advice and prepare accordingly.

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28

Here are some excerpts from the 2024-2025 admissions cycle report on Human Sciences:

In Human Sciences, 167 (161 in 2023) candidates applied to Oxford; 105 (95 in 2023) of
those were shortlisted following the guidelines agreed among the colleges. The outcome
was that 36 (34 in 2023) offers were made, all for 2025.

For Human Sciences, the large numbers applying overall entail that it is not possible to
interview all candidates: only a proportion of candidates can be summoned for interview –
just over 60% overall this year. Grounds for not summoning include: less good results in
official examinations (especially GCSE); less good results predicted for A level and/or other
impending examinations; and relatively low results in the TSA.

My advice is to hit the TSA prep hard and do your research on the interview process to prepare for that as well. Also give some thought on who your UCAS “referee” will be. They need to be able to write an “Oxford style” letter of recommendation for you which is much different from a traditional US style letter.

Additionally, only nine Oxford colleges offer the Human Sciences course, so you will need to give some thought on where to apply. I would recommend against an open application as two of the nine are Harris Manchester and Regents Park which are “different” from traditional oxford colleges.

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