This year, – or rather last year, given that those who apply to Oxbridge have to do so by mid-October, – twenty Lithuanians applied to the University of Oxford for undergraduate study. Considering the increase in tuition fees (at Oxford, the fee rate almost tripled), the number of Lithuanian applicants is surprisingly high. While it is yet impossible to make predictions as to how many Lithuanians will join us next year, it is interesting to examine the similarities and differences between the prospective candidates.
Place of education
The majority of applicants are about to graduate from the secondary education institutions in Vilnius. The Lithuanian capital is responsible for half of all applications, with more than 50% of them coming from Vilnius Liceum. A less prolific breeder has been the city of Kaunas, which supplied the University with four new Lithuanian applicants.
Meanwhile, a fourth of all candidates in 2012 originated from places outside Vilnius and Kaunas, and there was also one Lithuanian applicant from abroad. Our candidate list is as follows:
1. Vilnius with 10 applicants;
2. Kaunas with 4 applicants;
3. Anyksciai, Elektrenai, Klaipeda, Pakruojis, Utena all share the third place, with one applicant each. The applicant from abroad also falls into this category.
The most popular degrees
During his talk this February, Juras Banys, vice-rector of Vilnius University, mentioned that the most pitiable subject of study in Lithuania is Economics. This might be the reason why the largest percentage of student applicants expressed a desire to read Economics and Management (35%). In addition to these seven students, the other three would like to study PPE, a mongrel subject that comprises Politics, Philosophy and Economics, and one is also interested in EEM, the acronym that stands for Engineering, Economics and Management.
Four students are interested in sciences (Earth and Computer Sciences, Mathematics and Chemistry among their choices), three in political studies (Law, History and Politics, and Human Sciences respectively), one would like to study languages and another one to combine Math and Philosophy in his or her degree.
During his talk this February, Juras Banys, vice-rector of Vilnius University, mentioned that the most pitiable subject of study in Lithuania is Economics. This might be the reason why the largest percentage of student applicants expressed a desire to read Economics and Management (35%). In addition to these seven students, the other three would like to study PPE, a mongrel subject that comprises Politics, Philosophy and Economics, and one is also interested in EEM, the acronym that stands for Engineering, Economics and Management.
Four students are interested in sciences (Earth and Computer Sciences, Mathematics and Chemistry among their choices), three in political studies (Law, History and Politics, and Human Sciences respectively), one would like to study languages and another one to combine Math and Philosophy in his or her degree.
The most popular colleges
It is quite a common experience for an Oxford student to confuse a tourist. On the streets of the city, there is no such a thing as the University of Oxford. Instead, look for independent colleges, which function rather like little universities and which become home for students of this nebulous and pervasive institution.
At Oxford, there are thirty colleges that admit undergraduate students. Those who apply have a choice between naming a college of preference or leaving the decision in the hands of destiny. The data for 2012-2013 display a variety of choices, but an open application (meaning that the student does not care where he ends up) remains the most popular one among the Lithuanian candidates. Just under half of all applicants did not express any preference for a college, while, considering all prospective students across the University, just one fifth of them are as open-minded in regard to their future lodgings and teaching.
Those Lithuanians that made a choice about their three- or four-year long whereabouts, have picked out Queen's (2), Balliol (2), University (2), Exeter (1), St John's (1), Merton (1), Wadham (1) Colleges and Lady Margaret Hall (1). Here are some websites that might be helpful when deciding to be or not to be part of a particular college.
It is quite a common experience for an Oxford student to confuse a tourist. On the streets of the city, there is no such a thing as the University of Oxford. Instead, look for independent colleges, which function rather like little universities and which become home for students of this nebulous and pervasive institution.
At Oxford, there are thirty colleges that admit undergraduate students. Those who apply have a choice between naming a college of preference or leaving the decision in the hands of destiny. The data for 2012-2013 display a variety of choices, but an open application (meaning that the student does not care where he ends up) remains the most popular one among the Lithuanian candidates. Just under half of all applicants did not express any preference for a college, while, considering all prospective students across the University, just one fifth of them are as open-minded in regard to their future lodgings and teaching.
Those Lithuanians that made a choice about their three- or four-year long whereabouts, have picked out Queen's (2), Balliol (2), University (2), Exeter (1), St John's (1), Merton (1), Wadham (1) Colleges and Lady Margaret Hall (1). Here are some websites that might be helpful when deciding to be or not to be part of a particular college.
- www.chooseoxfordcollege.co.uk – the website functions as a test, based on a number of different factors, including academic matters, college particulars and student life.
- check the annual Norrington table if you want to choose a college on the basis of students' academic achievements.
- www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/How_to_choose_an_Oxford_College – an informal website, full of helpful information.
The referees
Although no Lithuanian expressed his or her desire to read English literature or language, almost a third of all applications were accompanied by reference letters from the English teachers. However, one should not forget that a good command of English does not make one stand out as an applicant for degrees such as PPE or Economics & Management. Beware of the British candidates who form the staple of all undergraduates at Oxford and who, although do not speak Lithuanian, are highly competent at the subjects they apply for.
Seven applications were supported by subject-related reference letters and as many came in with references from schools' vice-principals.
Although no Lithuanian expressed his or her desire to read English literature or language, almost a third of all applications were accompanied by reference letters from the English teachers. However, one should not forget that a good command of English does not make one stand out as an applicant for degrees such as PPE or Economics & Management. Beware of the British candidates who form the staple of all undergraduates at Oxford and who, although do not speak Lithuanian, are highly competent at the subjects they apply for.
Seven applications were supported by subject-related reference letters and as many came in with references from schools' vice-principals.
Other observations
- Both genders are equally well-represented by the number of Lithuanian applicants this year. Yet almost all referees are women;
- Just over half of all applicants have some kind of employment history;
- Determinism is used as a trump card by more than 40% of all Lithuanian applicants this year. Now we know whom you were destined to be since the early days of your babyhood;
- Whether it is a good or a bad fact, I abstain from saying, but no less than 25% of the applicants write better English than their referees;
- Brandos Atestatas is still the king among the school diplomas, with 85% of all Lithuanian applicants studying for this type of certification. Two students will hopefully receive their IBs and one will be awarded a different qualification.
Conclusion
In October 2012 we will certainly welcome new Lithuanian students, but meanwhile we can only guess how many of them will be successful and thus will contribute to our numbers at Oxford. In Elizabethan England, the word 'success' meant 'outcome' and was related to both positive and negative situations. Although we hope that as many Lithuanians as possible get a place at this wonderful university, we would like to cheer up those who will end up in other places. In both cases, you can regard the outcome of your application to Oxford as a 'success'. Experience of the university begins with the entrance, but proves to be positive or negative only in the future.
In October 2012 we will certainly welcome new Lithuanian students, but meanwhile we can only guess how many of them will be successful and thus will contribute to our numbers at Oxford. In Elizabethan England, the word 'success' meant 'outcome' and was related to both positive and negative situations. Although we hope that as many Lithuanians as possible get a place at this wonderful university, we would like to cheer up those who will end up in other places. In both cases, you can regard the outcome of your application to Oxford as a 'success'. Experience of the university begins with the entrance, but proves to be positive or negative only in the future.