Well, if it was this time last year and you didn't get the waitlist e-mail, then I can only assume good news :)

Let's hope! There will only be one student admitted from South America out of the 30 applicants so I have my fingers crossed for you!!

I can't function properly anymore, I just want to know!!

Do you know if they send out the congratulatory e-mails first, and then the waitlist followed by the rejection e-mails? Or did they send it all at the same time last year?

Do not know what they do first. I was visiting Buenos Aires when I got the email, only saw it a few hours after it was sent. as far as I am concerned, what I know for sure is the same as you all: next to nothing! ehehehe
But, hey! There is not a rule about how many south-americans they are supposed to receive!
The fact only one was admitted last year does not make it a rule, nor a custom. I do not know if this year I will even make the waiting list! Oxford has its own way of evaluating us, so it is not something we can foresee...
Anyway, thank you for wishing me luck. As soon as I know something, I will let you all know. Bear in mind that it is pretty much possible they will email us only next week, as predicted on Oxford's website.
Recte faciendo, neminem temias!

That's true, I apologise for assuming it will be the same this year for the number of South Americans admitted.

It's the weekend now, so we can only expect to hear next week. Yes, do let me know if you hear anything.

Again, good luck!

'Recte faciendo, neminem temias!'- Not scared, just impatient :)

Does anybody know why they have added a March deadline? isn't that they do not have enough applicants? maybe not as many as last year?

What dou you think?

I do not think such a great School as Oxford would have any trouble in having applications enough to evaluate.
In their website nothing suggests (as far as I remember - if I am wrong, please, correct me) there are two different deadlines BECAUSE OF THAT (I AM CORRECTING MY POST). Maybe there are more people interested and they are opening a new class.
Maybe the applicants approved are not enough to fill the 30 spots... eheheh

Yes maybe you are right. Another question.

Do you think that entry to the MSc in Law and Finance is less competitive than entry to the MJur? On their website, they say that the entry requirement for the MJur is a first class degree in law, whereas for the MSc in Law and Finance is "just" a degree in law.

au contraire, my friend
I think it is FIERCER
check in their website the profiles of some of the addmited last year. then, you will see.
what I think is that not even 30 people filled the entrance requirements or that Oxford is considering to open a second class, due to the success of the course.
just a question. does anybody know WHEN did this second deadline come up? by knowing that, we can narrou the possibilites. but, even more accurate, did anyone emailed Ms. Blanshard about it?

I agree with emmanuel, I think it is tougher to get in to the MLF. It is arguably the toughest graduate programme in Oxford due to the number they admit. Having said that, if emmanuel is also right about opening a second class, then that would bring the numbers up, and, therefore, make it less exclusive than it is now.

I have not asked Kate about why they have added another deadline in my correspondence with her. My recollection is that the second deadline was confirmed sometime in mid-February. But this is the case for the BCL and MJur as well with all three deadlines added.

There a few missing points here, as well.
First, decisions are given pretty earlier, considering the course will start only in September. I know that gives on offered a place time to rearrage his life, but it is his concern, not Oxford's. So the University might want more time to receive more applicants and pick really the crème de la crème. That is the most reasonable possibility.
Second, there is a huge crisis regarding financing the University system in UK. Actually, I think this phenomenon hits all First-World countries. A crisis spares almost none... Even an University like Oxford is hit someway. By opening a second class they fill classes in times of the week they are not being used, just by hiring more teaching hours. It is a great investment. I am a Professor, and I know how it works.
Third, all we are guessing is just a bunch of crap, Oxford has some simple reason that is seen at plain sight but our anxiety prevents us from seeing it. eheheheheh (maybe THIS is the most probable option!)
I really want to hear from Lawmann!
Lawmannnnnnn! Drop your words of wisdom upon us, please!!!!!!!!! eeeheheheh

If people really want to know, they should just call up Oxford first thing on Monday... Haha!

I think we are just thinking of other things to talk about during the long and painful weekend before D-day..

hey, sleekgeek, I do not know about you, but I have been sick since saturday, so I am not working. All I can do is use a computer (and not since saturday, I assure you!). So, for me, it is a way to kill time.
About that, here it is only 20:11, so.... :)
Seriously, after trading posts here, I decided to read the course's e-brochure. Nothing there about how many spots and the deadlines, unlike last year.
Anyway, I started looking around, and check it out! I REALLY think it will be 60 spots. How? http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/course_guide/law.html - read the pink part, in the right of your screen.


Number of Places Available
Research degrees: 60


It makes no distinction between the MLF and the other courses...

It seems a good guess, but, well, it is just a guess!

Research degrees: 60
Taught degrees: 180 (full-time)
IP Diploma 60 (part-time)

The MLF is not a research degree, and it is most definitely not the IP Diploma, so that leaves us with the BCL, MLF and MJur cumulatively to add up to 180.

And I found this on the FAQs page:

The recent average has been about 150 for BCL and MJur combined, and 70 for research degrees (including transfers from BCL/MJur to MPhil and from MSc in Criminology to MPhil Criminology). Currently there are 23 places on the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice and MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice (research methods) combined; and we are looking to accept 30 students for the MSc Law and Finance.

So 150 (BCL+MJur) + 30 MLF= 180

Sorry to dash your theory :( We're back to 30 again!

Hi, Lawmann
Sorry to hear you have not been well. Hope it is not due to pre - annxiety Oxford MLF syndrome.
Anyway, get well quick to receive the good news ( I hope for you! ) by 18 march 2011.
30 is a good number. Auspicious number I should say based on No.3 minus the zero.
This number makes the MLF exclusive and world class. Otherwise, you would not be applying, would you?

Good luck for next week.

Ooops..........
my post was meant for Emmanuel............

Lawmann!!!!!
Happy to hear from you, my friend!!!
Actually, not that disease, unfortunatelly!!! I got a tropical seasonal desease, we call it here 'virose', as it is caused by a new cepa of influenza that came up every year. It is so commom, many people here did not get worried about the swine flu - for us, it is simply one of these new influenza that appears and goes each year. Next week, if I get sick again, then YOU are right!!! I would bet money on that!
By the way, you are invited to visit my city, we like to host people. My house is yours for a vacation, if you are willing to know a city called in Brasil "the land of the light" and "the land of the Sun". The invitation is for real, it is up to you. I appreciate good debatetors like you.
Anyway, I must insist in that theory. Oxford says they look for 30. It is not certainty, but a possibility.
About the course, dear Lawmann, in Brazil ANY course with the brand of Oxford would be deemed world-class. The size of the class is not what made my mind up, but the course itself. For instance, who would not want to learn from a prodigy like John Armour?
So, the size does not matter that much. If so, why the MJUR and other courses are still a huge success and atract great students worldwide?
I want that field as a career my friend, it is Oxford, it is England, there are emotional factos in motion, etc.
Liked your joke about the number. But consider that 30 vacancies is better than 29!
And what is your opinion for the double deadline?
Cheers!!!

Hi, Emanuel
Glad to hear that your condition is not serious. I must thank you for the kind offer to visit your city. If the opportunity permits, I will let you know.
Coming to Oxford, if it is so branded in Brazil, you can always consider the "Oxford Brookes University" across the street from Oxford. I know of someone who attended Oxford Brookes University for a BA(Hons) in law and Management. He styled his academic letters " BA(Hons) (Oxon)". So who can tell the difference?
As for the double deadline, my view is that either the number of applicants to Oxford for 2011/2012 has dwindled or that the quality of applicants has fallen so that the double deadline was devised to encouraged more applicants for Oxford to choose from. It could also be due to rising applicants from mediocre law schools aspiring to attend Oxford but gained no favour from Oxford and has to be weeded out.It is certainly not cheap to attend Oxford. My other theory is for Oxford to reap more application fees. Let me give you an example. The University of Hong Kong receives more than 10,000 applivants for its LL.B. If each applicant has to pay say HK$200.00 for each application based on say 10,000 applicants, the total application fees amount to a whopping HK$2,000,000.00. The HK$200.00 is for illustration only. This is only for law. Across all courses which charge application fees, the university rakes in millions in application fees each year. See the logic. Anyway, I am merely speculating the reasons for the double deadline. Logically, it is either the number and quality of applicants or it is financial that dictates the double deadline. What else could it be? For fun so that more applicants to Oxford will suffer from pre- decision Oxford syndrome. Just my 2 cents worth of opinion.

I just saw the beginning of the thread, mentioning a decision on 14 January:

As the admissions decision date is rapidly approaching (14 Jan 2011) for those who applied on or before 19 Nov 2010, I think it's high time to start a new thread.

Is this correct? I have not heard or read anything on the website that indicates a decision will be made in January....

Lawmann,

I will consider you are joking. After all, what you suggest could be considered a felony in many countries. Therefore, let's say you are on 'animus jocandi'.
I got your sarcasm about mediocre Law Schools. Way too subtle, my friend!
I stick with these two options: not everybody was qualified enough, so they had to start a new picking, to fill the spots, or the success of the course will lead them to open a second class.
Six days...

SleekGeek:
I got no idea at all!

Hi, Emanuel

I was not joking. Show me the law that ("Oxon") is exclusive to University of Oxford! Is "Oxon" a registered trademark? Oxford Brookes is in Oxford. The word "Oxford" is part of the name of the University ie Oxford Brookes University. So what is wrong for an Oxford Brookes graduate to be styled BA(Hons)(Oxon)?. Ethically, it may not be correct. But legally, is it really a felony? I leave it to you to ponder. How would you argue if you were prosecuting this person for a felony as you say.

Again, my friend, reference to " mediocre law schools" is no reference to you. It was a general illustration. So don't be so excited over it.

Now let me address the logic of your 2 options. First, not everybody was qualified enough. This is an understatement and unlikely to have occured. As least not for Oxford. If you care to look at the admission statistics of the MLF for 2010/2011, over 380 applicants applied and they were able to pick 30 for the 30 spots. So there were ample applicants to choose. It is logical to assume that for 2011/2012, the number of applicants have increased. Indeed, if you recall, in one of my previous threads, I pointed out that John Amour was reported in an article to have said that the MLF has attracted the most number of applicants over all other postgraduate law programmes offered by Oxford. So your theory on the first option does not hold water.

Second, the success of the course will lead Oxford to open a second class. If they want to open a second class, it will surely be announced on their website. There was none. There are only 30 spots. Assuming they want to open a second class, and increase another 30 spots, going by the statistics of 2010/2011 on the number of applicants, there are more than ample to choose from. What more with the increased number of applicants for 2011/2012. So there goes your theory on the second option. It also does not hold water. We are only talking about 30 spots, not 300 spots. So there is no logic in the success of the course having anything to do with opening a second class.

So what else to explain? The only plausible explanation is that the second deadline ( which applies to the BCL/MJur) is motivated by the financial rewards to be raked in from the applicants. I suppose you had to pay an application fee, didn't you?

Just be patient. As you have said, 6 days more to go........


I am not persuaded by your 2 options.

Lawmann,

in Brazil, leading someone into error, in order to obtain advantage, is considered a felony, under Article 170 of the Criminal Code. Inducing someone to think you are graduated from Oxford (THE OXFORD, and not 'these' Oxfords you mention) would mean something only to obtain prestigious and charge more, as well as obtain good clients. So, it is a felony in MY country. I really do not know where are you from, but the simple proposal is shameful. I normally have fun while debating over things with you, but right now I am really disapointed with your lack of etics or sick joke about it.
Both ideas might not hold water, as you say, but yours hold even less. Two simple reasons: (1) those new candidates will be taken into account, and some of them probably will be accepted, so it is not ONLY because the money; (2) if Oxford has done that only because the money, it would be stupid. Say more 500 applied because of the new deadline - it is 30,000 pounds - it REALLY does not compensate the damage to Oxford's image if people found out it was the main reason. It would be if the number of applications were of 10,000, like that University you mentioned.
Sometimes I think you have a distorted way of analysing character and facts. Do not know why, but it is your life, after all.