Anonymous
09/22/2025 18:30
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anyone who says it is easier clearly has never had their kid apply to Oxbridge.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
Were they applying for different courses?
Exact same program. 2 years apart. Economics & Management. Maybe they dont likes siblings….We thought the 2nd one was a shoe in….
Since UCAS doesn't gather info on siblings, I don't think that's true.
My younger one, with the exact same SAT/ GPA and a much higher TSA, was also rejected, but had applied to a different college. I think the interview stage is determinative, and somewhat random. Different tutors will like/ look for different qualities.
Anonymous
09/22/2025 17:21
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:The Tuition for the non-london unis (excluding Oxbridge) range from :
£22k to £27k per year.
So for: £66 to £81k for a degree at:
Durham, Bath, Loughborough, Lancaster, Bristol and Exeter.
Hard to beat this price ($88k to $109k) vs any US OOS school. Forget Privates…..
That is actually not bad at all. Wonder how many Americans are attending those other schools?
Anonymous
09/22/2025 10:56
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
There is difference between “easier to apply” vs “easier to get in”.
Sure, easier to apply. As I mentioned i a PP. One of my 2 kids, who is now at Harvard, didn’t get in Oxford.
Sure, easier to apply. As I mentioned i a PP. One of my 2 kids, who is now at Harvard, didn’t get in Oxford.
Anonymous
09/22/2025 08:42
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
I had two kids apply to the uk for starting this fall (they are there now) including one applying to Oxford.
Despite having to fly to San Francisco to take the TSA1 as that was the closest testing location to us in Los Angeles, the whole process was indeed much, much easier than applying to US colleges with all the guff and nonsense they require.
Despite having to fly to San Francisco to take the TSA1 as that was the closest testing location to us in Los Angeles, the whole process was indeed much, much easier than applying to US colleges with all the guff and nonsense they require.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 23:38
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:The Tuition for the non-london unis (excluding Oxbridge) range from :
£22k to £27k per year.
So for: £66 to £81k for a degree at:
Durham, Bath, Loughborough, Lancaster, Bristol and Exeter.
Hard to beat this price ($88k to $109k) vs any US OOS school. Forget Privates…..
Agree.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 23:38
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anyone who says it is easier clearly has never had their kid apply to Oxbridge.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
For which major did each apply? How do you know 2 was an amazing interviewer? Did kid 2 have any APs below 5?
I said it in the 21:05 post…..same major. Again, as the post said, Kid 2 had 10 APs at 5. Kid 2 was (as an honest parent) an all around more qualified candidate in every metric. Amazing debater and excellent public speaker. It had to have been the interview, but Kid 2 came out of the interview telling us it was great.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 22:25
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anyone who says it is easier clearly has never had their kid apply to Oxbridge.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
For which major did each apply? How do you know 2 was an amazing interviewer? Did kid 2 have any APs below 5?
Anonymous
09/21/2025 21:59
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
The Tuition for the non-london unis (excluding Oxbridge) range from :
£22k to £27k per year.
So for: £66 to £81k for a degree at:
Durham, Bath, Loughborough, Lancaster, Bristol and Exeter.
Hard to beat this price ($88k to $109k) vs any US OOS school. Forget Privates…..
£22k to £27k per year.
So for: £66 to £81k for a degree at:
Durham, Bath, Loughborough, Lancaster, Bristol and Exeter.
Hard to beat this price ($88k to $109k) vs any US OOS school. Forget Privates…..
Anonymous
09/21/2025 21:09
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just average them out:
This is the avg using the same weight:
1. Oxford — avg 2.33
2. Cambridge / LSE & St Andrews — tied at avg 2.67
3. Durham — avg 4.33
4. Imperial — avg 6.00
5. Warwick — avg 8.00
6. Bath — avg 7.67
7. Loughborough — avg 10.00
8. UCL — avg 10.67
9. Lancaster — avg 11.33
10. Exeter — avg 14.00
Your averages are not correct…. This is the correct avg of all 3:
1. Oxford — 2.33
2. Cambridge / LSE / St Andrews — 2.67
3. Durham — 4.33
4. Imperial — 6.00
5. Bath — 7.67
6. Warwick — 8.00
7. Loughborough — 10.00
8. UCL — 10.67
9. Lancaster — 13.00
10. Bristol — 13.33
11. Exeter — 14.00
The non-london English schools on this list are a steal (I know Oxford raised prices, but the other ones…). 3 years, great unis, the avg US family spending money on OOS options or privates with litttle merit can benefit financially from sending a kid to any of these schools.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 21:05
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anyone who says it is easier clearly has never had their kid apply to Oxbridge.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
Were they applying for different courses?
Exact same program. 2 years apart. Economics & Management. Maybe they dont likes siblings….We thought the 2nd one was a shoe in….
Anonymous
09/21/2025 20:41
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anyone who says it is easier clearly has never had their kid apply to Oxbridge.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
Were they applying for different courses?
Anonymous
09/21/2025 20:38
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anyone who says it is easier clearly has never had their kid apply to Oxbridge.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
odds of these getting into HYP is maybe 10-15%
Anonymous
09/21/2025 18:39
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
OMG you are all insufferable.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 18:37
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anyone who says it is easier clearly has never had their kid apply to Oxbridge.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
I have two kids in the UK. One at Oxford and one at LSE.
They both applied to Oxford.
Kid 1: 8 AP’s at 5. 1570 SAT 3.9/4.0 UW GPA (top 10% of his class), great interview and did well on the TSA.
Kid 2 had 10 AP’s at 5. 1600 on SAT/36 on ACT. Valedictorian, 4/4 UW GPA. National debate awards, amazing interviewer. Also crushed the TSA.
Kid 1 got in Oxford. Kid 2 didnt.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 18:21
Subject: Final UK undergrad ranking is out as if last night (The Times)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:people on this board ONLY care about these rankings because they hate St Andews and are annoyed that it's ever near the top.
why do they hate it? who the f knows. I live in the unites states and care very little about this.
rank the best colleges in India or South Africa and I'll also have no option there. China? No opinion.
but here, about the UK, they care. and it's all about one small school. it's BIZARRE behavior
It is very simple. Despite having very high tariffs for UK students, it is admittedly easier for good US students from good private schools to gain acceptance there. And for more American brains, they cant reconcile the fact that an easier admissions for American is different than the school being a decent school. I understand. Even if I disagree. Most Americans have been pre-condition to believe low admissions rate equals amazing education….
it's easier to get into every Oxford and Cambridge from the US too. UCL is much easier.
holistic admissions in the US makes admissions to top 20 colleges HARD for everyone, including unhooked UMC white kids.
It is not easy for US students to get into Oxford or Cambridge as undergraduates. It is possible, but it is not easy.
DP. The word "easier" is comparative. The word "easy" is absolute.
It is not "easy" for any unhooked student to get into Oxbridge. Partly for financial reasons (i.e., much higher international fees), it really is "easier" for an international fees applicant to be accepted at Oxbridge than an equally qualified UK applicant.
Nearly all UK universities, including Oxbridge, operate at a loss with their UK students. They need enough international fees students to make up the budget deficit.
You are still applying American terms. The UK does not have a "hook" or "non-hook" system. That's exclusively US.
And I know about the finances in the UK, thanks. I am from the UK.
NNP that’s why it’s easier.