By Tilly Rose
To all of you truly amazing applicants, who have been following TOG throughout the Oxford Uni application process, we know today is a really BIG one in your calendar.
You’ve no doubt been a bundle of nerves in the run-up, anxiously awaiting whether or not you’ve been offered a place at Oxford Uni - what a journey it has been!
If today you found out you are IN - then WOW! We are so so so excited for you! All your hard work paid off; the hours spent revising, editing personal statements, prepping for interviews - it has all led to this! You deserve this because YOU worked for it - you really do get nothing for nothing and we know that however clever you may be, this incredible result is down to all the effort, determination and motivation you put into this process. You are about to embark on a truly unique experience at one of the TOP UNIVERSITIES in the WORLD. We are so proud of you! So run around the room, squeal with joy, smile all day long and take pride in telling people that YOU yes YOU are GOING to Oxford University! And TELL US here at TOG - please do direct message or email me! We want to share this excitement with you! 🎉
If today you didn’t get the result you were hoping for then you know what that is RUBBISH! And I think it’s really important to acknowledge that. You worked so hard, went through round and rounds of a long and tough process and perhaps set your heart on Oxford and now it feels like at the final hurdle, it has been cruelly snatched away. It’s totally normal to feel upset, annoyed, frustrated and let down. My advice is get all those emotions out - rant to your friends, family, teachers etc because sometimes life just doesn’t feel fair. This is not a comment on your intelligence but rather whether the Oxford Uni system is the best fit for you.I always think doing something is better than doing nothing in these situations, so I’d highly recommend emailing to ask for feedback. If you’re considering reapplying, this will be invaluable and if not, it might just help you to come to terms with the decision in your own mind and be a learning experience in itself for future interview experiences.
Next stop - REDIRECTION. I like to make a list in these situations. Call it ‘Next Steps’ and bullet point your different options underneath:
• Ask for feedback from Oxford Uni
• Check out other unis
• Meet with school’s career advisor
• Consider a gap year
• Think about reapplying
Then write down what you have learnt from the Oxford Uni journey. You have undertaken so many new challenges and I can guarantee independent learning, self-motivation, analysis, attention to detail, time management, articulating thoughts etc., should all feature on this list. This journey has NOT been a waste, you will be so far ahead of the game wherever you end up and will have learnt so many transferable skills along the way!
Regardless of the result, I am so proud of you for applying to Oxford Uni in the first place. You took the leap to apply to one of the top universities in the world and I know you are going to go onto great things!
Whatever the result today, you are amazing.
Please do get in touch and I’m here for any questions you may have!
Tilly x