Hard to get into Oxford as an International Student?

I'm currently considering colleges overseas, in particular, Oxford. How difficult is it, really, for a U.S. student to secure a spot? I keep hearing its extremely competitive but I would love to hear actual experiences!

As an American student applying to Oxford, you're absolutely right about it being quite competitive. With around 20,000 applications each year for just over 3,200 undergraduate spots, the acceptance rate is roughly around 17%. When it comes to international students, that rate can drop even lower.

One thing to bear in mind is that Oxford's admissions process is quite different from most U.S. colleges. Instead of placing equal weight on academics, extracurriculars, essays, and more, Oxford primarily focuses on academic achievement and potential. This means that your scores, grades, and subject-related performance (e.g. performances in academic Olympiads, research projects etc.) would be paramount.

You will need to submit your SAT or ACT scores since Oxford does not consider the high school GPA in the same way as American colleges. As reference, for many courses, Oxford wants international applicants with 1470 or more on the SAT, or an ACT score of 32 or above.

Also, applicants are expected to apply for a specific course, unlike in the U.S where you can apply "undecided". Therefore, expressing a clear passion and aptitude for your chosen course through relevant pursuits is critical.

Later, for those shortlisted, the subject-specific interview is crucial. It's less of an interview and more of a mock tutorial, where an Oxford professor poses highly challenging academic problems and discusses them with you.

Each year, a number of students from the U.S. are admitted to Oxford, so it's definitely possible – if you're academically strong and prepared for the rigorous application process. If the concept of studying abroad at such a prestigious institution like Oxford excites you, it could be worth the work involved in the application.