I'm applying BCL althought I can't afford it in any measure so if I don't get a full scholarship I can't go!

Erm cv, I'm in final year at a top10/Russell group uni, I have a first in 1st and 2nd year, I came top of the year in both years hoping I will in 3rd; I have over 70% in all of the modules bar two, but I only have 71/72 in everything and it says "exceptional first" so who knows, it's one thing to get in in the first place, but asking them to give you £40,000 to do it is another!

I've done national mooting and internships ect but apparently they aren't that bothered about non-academics save to prove your are time efficient? Any comments on this, it seems odd?

Did anyone notice the personal statement thing changed this year an the new document says it should only be 300 words? I swear you can't write anything in that!

I wonder if applicants select Oxford for the rigour or name?

I'm applying BCL althought I can't afford it in any measure so if I don't get a full scholarship I can't go!

Erm cv, I'm in final year at a top10/Russell group uni, I have a first in 1st and 2nd year, I came top of the year in both years hoping I will in 3rd; I have over 70% in all of the modules bar two, but I only have 71/72 in everything and it says "exceptional first" so who knows, it's one thing to get in in the first place, but asking them to give you £40,000 to do it is another!

I've done national mooting and internships ect but apparently they aren't that bothered about non-academics save to prove your are time efficient? Any comments on this, it seems odd?

Did anyone notice the personal statement thing changed this year an the new document says it should only be 300 words? I swear you can't write anything in that!

I've got a scholarship. Just make sure you have a good application and referees - much more important than your personal statement.

I'm applying BCL althought I can't afford it in any measure so if I don't get a full scholarship I can't go!

Erm cv, I'm in final year at a top10/Russell group uni, I have a first in 1st and 2nd year, I came top of the year in both years hoping I will in 3rd; I have over 70% in all of the modules bar two, but I only have 71/72 in everything and it says "exceptional first" so who knows, it's one thing to get in in the first place, but asking them to give you £40,000 to do it is another!

I've done national mooting and internships ect but apparently they aren't that bothered about non-academics save to prove your are time efficient? Any comments on this, it seems odd?

Did anyone notice the personal statement thing changed this year an the new document says it should only be 300 words? I swear you can't write anything in that!

I'm applying BCL althought I can't afford it in any measure so if I don't get a full scholarship I can't go!

Erm cv, I'm in final year at a top10/Russell group uni, I have a first in 1st and 2nd year, I came top of the year in both years hoping I will in 3rd; I have over 70% in all of the modules bar two, but I only have 71/72 in everything and it says "exceptional first" so who knows, it's one thing to get in in the first place, but asking them to give you £40,000 to do it is another!

I've done national mooting and internships ect but apparently they aren't that bothered about non-academics save to prove your are time efficient? Any comments on this, it seems odd?

Did anyone notice the personal statement thing changed this year an the new document says it should only be 300 words? I swear you can't write anything in that!

Re statement of purpose length:

Didn't see that anywhere, this is what I found regarding length:

"If you are applying for a taught programme, i.e. any PGDip, PGCert or Masters (incl. BPhil, BCL and MJur) other than the MSt programmes in Legal Research and Socio-Legal Research, you should submit a brief statement around one page in length - explaining your motivation for applying to graduate study at Oxford, in which you may wish to consider the following:

What relevant academic, research, or practical experience do you have?
Why are you applying to this particular programme of study?
Which areas of study within the subject interest you?
Your department may provide specific guidance on the length and/or content of this statement; if department- or course-specific guidance is provided on the departmental website, you should follow this carefully."

Well, I already submitted about a month ago and I only saw the 'Application Guide' page - since it specifically mentioned the BCL I didn't go looking for other rules! Maybe I should have, but the layout is fairly misleading.

I just emailed them. I hope it won't be a problem, but don't see how it could be when there is conflicting information on the website, both BCL specific.

(I'm just worried about that little disclaimer "Check for course specific guidelines") Hmmm.

.....Maybe "approximately" 300 words will work in my favour. :3!

Well i didnt have any coursework essays that were 2000 words (all of them were 2,500+) so I wrote one over the summer instead (whilst i was meant to be working at work)

Its on restitution of unjust enrichment in contract/antitrust.

Do you want to use the BCl to go to the bar? Haha I was told at a chancery set "oh you are applying for the BCL" , "yes I am", "oh thats good, make sure you do it", "oh ok why?", "well you are a very good candidate but I probarbly wont read your application if you dont have one, our last 5 new tennants all did it"

How are you planning to fund it?

I don't know I think I'd quite,like to just keep doing degrees

Maybe not at Oxford although I'd think the Bcl would be a good basis to do other study

Yeah I know about the scholarship thing it's wired; none of them really need you to do anything, I thought they might require another essay or something ha

Well i didnt have any coursework essays that were 2000 words (all of them were 2,500+) so I wrote one over the summer instead (whilst i was meant to be working at work)

Its on restitution of unjust enrichment in contract/antitrust.

Do you want to use the BCl to go to the bar? Haha I was told at a chancery set "oh you are applying for the BCL" , "yes I am", "oh thats good, make sure you do it", "oh ok why?", "well you are a very good candidate but I probarbly wont read your application if you dont have one, our last 5 new tennants all did it"

How are you planning to fund it?

Yeah I had an essay that was like 2,900 words so I ended up doing like a full week on it just to cut it down and stuff.

& yup, definitely the Bar for me. Although i'm looking at the BCL as a chance to further my study anyway, I really enjoy the theoretical side of law so I want to do a little more of that.

Umm take out a loan, beg parents, beg Oxford for a scholarship? I haven't thought too much yet. I'm hoping for a scholarship but for the most part it doesn't seem like we have to do too much for them other than fill out a form that says what we want to practise, so I literally just said 'I want to have a mixed-practice focussing on human rights and public law'.

Yourself?

Yeah the scholarship form is so weird, like I said I literally just said 'I want to have a mixed-practice focussing on human rights and public law'.

Yeah I read that, it just seemed to descend into bitchy chaos amongst the different users. John Gardner is an absolute hero, though. I've mentioned him in my SoP and I'm applying to his college- he is very good!

Yeah the scholarship form is so weird, like I said I literally just said 'I want to have a mixed-practice focussing on human rights and public law'.

Yeah I read that, it just seemed to descend into bitchy chaos amongst the different users. John Gardner is an absolute hero, though. I've mentioned him in my SoP and I'm applying to his college- he is very good!

Re statement of purpose length:

Didn't see that anywhere, this is what I found regarding length:

"If you are applying for a taught programme, i.e. any PGDip, PGCert or Masters (incl. BPhil, BCL and MJur) other than the MSt programmes in Legal Research and Socio-Legal Research, you should submit a brief statement around one page in length - explaining your motivation for applying to graduate study at Oxford, in which you may wish to consider the following:

What relevant academic, research, or practical experience do you have?
Why are you applying to this particular programme of study?
Which areas of study within the subject interest you?
Your department may provide specific guidance on the length and/or content of this statement; if department- or course-specific guidance is provided on the departmental website, you should follow this carefully."

Hey i got this in the frequently asked questions on admission i am posting the link
http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/postgraduate/admitfaqs.php

Its under this question:

What should I include in my statement of purpose/research proposal?

If you are applying for admission to the BCL, MJur, MSc Law and Finance or MSc/MPhil in Criminology and Criminal Justice, you should submit a one- or at most two-page long 'statement of purpose,' enclosed as a separate sheet at the end of your application. It should explain your motivation for graduate study at Oxford and give details of any relevant academic, research, or practical experience you have.

If you are applying for admission to the DPhil, or MSt Legal Research, you should provide a research proposal of approximately two pages, giving an outline of how you intend to structure and undertake your research, and where possible, a preliminary title for the thesis. Where relevant you may also wish to include details of your proposed methodology. It is not necessary to include a detailed bibliography.

Great! I got an email back from them a few days ago, they said that there should be no problems as long as my statement is not over 1 page in length, so that is a relief. :)

I am having some difficulty choosing what to use as my writing sample. I have had a case note published in an academic journal, so I was thinking I might include that. But then, I am not sure whether it might be better to include a traditional "essay"...but then all the essays I have written are over 2000 words. Thoughts?

I sent an extract of the essay I got the highest marks for.

It's a little awkward that mine was like a line and a half over a page...but then I just think their website does say 1, or at most 2, pages in length, so they can't complain too much.

For the essay I had one that was like 2,967 words long, which I got about 85% (so 15% above the boundary of a first) and won an academic prize for. It also critically examined the constitutional significance of very recent legislation. I just massively cut it down, plus you have to remember that footnotes don't count.

If you want my (very humble) advice then if you have an essay that scored very highly just use that, get lecturers to take a look and see if there are slightly more extraneous arguments and so on. It's better than trying to build something from scratch!

Does anyone have an opinion on how a very low 1st from Oxbridge might be viewed as against a very high 1st from a red brick University?

Does anyone have an opinion on how a very low 1st from Oxbridge might be viewed as against a very high 1st from a red brick University?

I very much doubt they will expect less academic progress from someone with an Oxford degree; indeed I suspect the contrary will be true, if you have a low first from Oxford they will wonder how come you've achieved that when others have achieved higher and had less opportunities.

That would be true, if getting a 1st required the same level of work and ability at every University, but that isn't the case.

The question is really a comparison of a high 1st from somewhere comparatively easier to get one vs. a low 1st from somewhere comparatively harder to get one.