My "Oxford story" started more than a year ago, when some time in the summer I had the sudden thought of looking for the websites of Oxford and Cambridge (It had been a running gag in the family that one day I'd go to an elite university) just for fun.
But the more I read about Oxford (it soon preferred it over Cambridge), the more I wanted to really go for it and apply there.
So I applied for Christ Church for Experimental Psychology.
To make a long story short, I got rejected without even getting an interview (more than 70% are interviewed), a reeeaaally depressing day. I came home during school breaks for a week when it finally arrived and I cried for the following 3 free lessons I had at school...
Anyway, now that I reflect on it I made every possible mistake with my application, which I am not going to list here. But applying to uni in the uk is a science! You have to know all the tricks, know what to do and what to avoid.
Since I realized that, I thought I might as well take a gap year and try reapplying as I hadn't shown Oxford my full potential. Luckily, my lovely hostmum Jackie is a secondary school teacher, so from the start she was thrilled about me applying to Oxford and has immensely supported me (I redrafted my personal statement at least 10 times thinking about every single choice of words carefully. She asked other teachers for advice. She brought home books from the school library illegally. She let me got to an Open day on a work day. I could go on forever, but most of all she kept reassuring me and was as enthusiastic about the whole idea as I was).
So then I sent my application and could only wait.
Waiting - a central word of the whole process :).
The interviews for my subject were scheduled for the 9th till 12th of december and i was supposed to hear at least a week in advance. What a nerve-racking time! I think I drove everyone around me crazy (I can see you nod, reader!) and was in tears daily during the last days until I finally heard on tuesday, less than 7 days in advance!
Anyway I was thrilled. Going to Oxford and actually staying there for a couple of days at a college. My college of first choice (one has to choose one) was Univ, as I had liked it on the open day, so that's where I stayed.
I had 4 amazing days! I met lots of lovely people and we really bonded (sadly, only one of them got in while many great people got rejected). We had lots of free time. I stayed for four days and altogether had 2 interviews and one written test. My second interview was at Christ Church, coincidentally the college that had declined me last year. I was immensely pleased as I was now in the run for two colleges I really liked.
My interviews went fine. They were challenging (When I first saw the tasks I got at my Univ interview I thought that's it, I have nooo idea!) and I got things wrong a couple of times (We were presented with an experiment and asked questions about what the result might mean and so on) but got to some conclusions with the tutor's help. The Christ Church interview was quite different as I was asked a lot more personal questions, about why I wanted to study Psychology and so on. I am glad I prepared for that question as I said that we discussed Milgram's study of obedience at school and was asked a couple of details about it which I knew! I liked both tutors. The Univ one was very young and the ChCh one was more impressive, but still not too intimidating.
In our free time we hung out together or did some activities the student helpers organized, e.g. a quiz in the college bar which my team one (not due to me though...;)) and a cinema night (the golden compass, set in Oxford!)
I wasn't happy to leave at all, but eventually did on Wednesday. We were told that decision letters would be sent by the end of the week or the beginning of the following week. So, waiting again.
My first letter arrived on Monday, from Univ. I almost fainted when I read the first line, as it said that they couldn't offer me a place at Univ. But then it said that is was LIKELY that I'd get an offer from a different college soon. How precise :). Jackie celebrated as if I was already in, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high... We all prayed I'd get an offer from Christ Church.
But then, hurray, I got a letter from Christ Church today! I talked to the postman in delirium when I saw the envelope and then, as I read the offer, cheered and jumped through the house.
I actually can't believe I am going to Oxford, yet. It is too good to be true.
