Thank you for attending live q&a with Oxford admissions team on Tuesday. For those who could not attend this event, here is collection of important question/answers and chat transcript.
Also note that we will do two more chats with Oxford's team in this application season; please take a look
at this post for dates and timing of these sessions.
"Once you register as a student you will be assigned a careers advisor based on the industry you want to work in. The careers advisor will work with you on your CV and alert you to specific opportunities. You will also have access to both the School's and the University's careers portals." - Teddy Sun, MBA Recruitment Manager, Oxford (Said)Abhinay: Oxford comes across as a university which focuses a lot on equipping students to solve world scale social challenges. Is that kind of aptitude a key factor in deciding who gets accepted?
Teddy_Oxford: Hi Abhinay, that is correct. For our MBA we are looking for candidates who see themselves as an active contributor to society.
manugupta: Is there a profile evaluation which Said does before people apply?
Teddy_Oxford: Yes, you can access it here
https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/programmes/degr ... eview-formSolarus: If an applicant has a GPA which is below the minimum requirements, but a GMAT which is well above the average (30-40 points), would this be sufficient evidence to prove academic capability? Oxford has a posted minimum GPA requirement, however I'm not sure how strict this is.
Teddy_Oxford: If you have less than an equivalent to an UK 2.1 or 3.5 GPA we would be looking for mitigating circumstances. A high GMAT will help to strengthen other parts of your application but cannot be substituted for your undergraduate score.
km95134: Does Said require the official GMAC report at time of application or will it accept self-reporting?
Teddy_Oxford: You can self-report. We will check your score with GMAC when we process your application.
badhanc4u: My University awards GPA out of 10. So how to convert the same to 4 or is it ok to give it out of 10?
Teddy_Oxford: No, you will have to convert to a 4 point basis.
Narenn: in such cases does Oxford provide any guidelines on how to convert GPA to 4 point scale?
Teddy_Oxford: We do not provide a conversion table. However, if you are really stuck you can email us your score and we can give you a rough conversion. My email address is
[email protected]km95134: Question regarding academics, is it possible to cross-register or attend classes in other Oxford divisions?
Teddy_Oxford: You cannot register for any other courses (i.e. get credit for them) but you can audit most lectures apart from the medical ones.
Abhinay: What’s the impact on Said business school with the latest changes in the UK immigration policy? I reckon the shift in policies mean that most non EU nationals will have to exit the UK as soon as the study program is over. Is Oxford doing anything to still attract top talent from across the world regardless of this rule?
Teddy_Oxford: I believe students on Tier 4 Visas have 3 months after graduation. It is important to take that into consideration if your plan is to stay in the UK after graduation. Most major employers do provide sponsorship but smaller ones may not.
veenasan: Hi Teddy. Do you consider IR section in GMAT score for evaluation?
Teddy_Oxford: We take the IR section into account but it is less important than the main score.
veenasan: What number of students apply in R1 ? In which round do you receive the maximum number of applications?
Teddy_Oxford: we receive the most applications in R1-R3. It is recommended to apply for these rounds. If you apply later than R3 you will be restricted in terms of funding, college choices etc.
Narenn: Teddy, can you tell us about scholarships and other financial assistance provided to students? Typically how much of admissions cost they cover? Also does Oxford have tie up with any British banks to provide students with student loans?
Teddy_Oxford: we partner with
Prodigy Finance for student loans (
https://prodigyfinance.com/oxford-unive ... chool/loan). Other types of scholarships and bursaries are given based on merit and need.
km95134: Question regarding the 1+1 program, admission, Is acceptance mutually exclusive for both degrees? Would it be possible to get into the MBA program and not the MSc? Or vice versa? Must an applicant be admitted to both programs?
Teddy_Oxford: km95134 the applications are processed by two separate teams; if you get rejected from one you will still be able to attend the other.
GhanaBa: How does the school ensure diversity considering how difficult it is for some applicants from non-English speaking countries to perform well on the verbal sections of the GMAT? Is the scale for such applicants tailored? Can such applicants make up with good leadership skills?
Teddy_Oxford: GhanaBa we take that into consideration but you have to demonstrate strong English skills regardless by achieving 7.5+ on IELTs or 110 for TOEFL
Narenn: Teddy, can you comment on the Employment process of the school? What support do students get from Career Services dept, peers, and alumni?
Teddy_Oxford: Once you register as a student you will be assigned a careers advisor based on the industry you want to work in. The careers advisor will work with you on your CV and alert you to specific opportunities. You will also have access to both the School's and the University's careers portals.
Solarus: Hi Teddy, I was wondering about how Oxford feels about applicants reapplying the following year if they are unsuccessful?
Teddy_Oxford: Solarus you should explain how you have improved your application since. Have you asked for feedback on your previous application?
Abhinay: How big is Consulting as an employment opportunity coming out of an Oxford MBA? I have seen that McKinsey was one of the companies which hired the most number of students - But I have also heard that these recruits mostly in the renewable energy space? Is that true?
Teddy_Oxford: Consulting is the most popular career choice for our students. I believe people recruit into McKinsey as generalists.
saurabdey: Roughly what percentage of the batch gets through strategy or leadership roles with an work exp of 3+ years? Just need a rough estimate.
Teddy_Oxford: Do you mean C-suite roles? Most MBA graduates become mid-career professionals after graduation. It will take more than 3 years to reach those types of positions in large corporations. However, about 5% start their own companies, in which case they will be
Solarus: Is Renewable Energy a popular focus for students at Oxford? I am very interested in pursuing a career in the Renewable Energy sector following graduation.
Teddy_Oxford: Solarus it's somewhat niche. We do not have specific electives in this area. However, if that is what you want to do, you may find it interesting to connect with the engineering and environment science departments.
Chat TranscriptAttachment:
28 Jun 2015, 23:36
