EPISODE · Jul 24, 2026 · 21 MIN
How I Got Into Oxford and Cambridge, Both Fully Funded, After 19 Rejections
from The Open Secret Podcast: How People Really Get Into Oxford, Cambridge, and the UK's Top Universities for Postgraduate Study · host Dr Claire Bergstrom Johnson
In my first application cycle I sent off 11 applications and got 11 rejections, without a single interview, and I thought that was my answer.Then in the very next round, the same cycle where I collected eight more nos, Oxford and Cambridge both said yes, and both fully funded.This is the first ever episode of The Open Secret, and I wanted to open the show with the story I usually only tell in pieces. Not the tidy version where it all worked out, but the whole thing: the rejections stacking up one after another, the year I spent convinced someone like me was never going to be competitive, my twin sister Maegan and why she is the reason I do any of this at all, and the one shift in approach that changed everything between the round that rejected me and the round that funded me.Same grades, same imperfect profile, a completely rebuilt approach.If you have already decided that Oxford or Cambridge is for you, but somewhere between that certainty and the blank application everything starts to feel impossible, this episode is for you. My whole thesis is that how you apply matters more than the profile you walk in with, and that the game is far more winnable than the myth of the perfect applicant would have you believe.🗺️ The Oxbridge Postgraduate Roadmap: Start here to find out how competitive you really are for a UK Master's/PhD compared to previously accepted applicants → http://oxbridgeadmissionsclub.thrivecart.com/roadmap/?el=podcastMY OTHER COURSES & GUIDES🛠️ Oxbridge Application Accelerator Toolkit: Comprehensive, all-discipline application guide for top UK Master’s & PhD programmes (54.4% accepted) → https://oxbridgeadmissionsclub.com/application-accelerator/?el=podcast🎙️ Oxbridge Interview Mastery Programme: Comprehensive interview prep guide for Master’s & PhD admissions → https://oxbridgeadmissionsclub.thrivecart.com/interview/?el=podcast💰 Oxbridge Scholarship Success Course: How to fund your postgraduate offer (£2M+ secured so far) → https://oxbridgeadmissionsclub.com/ossc-eg/interview/...
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In my first application cycle I sent off 11 applications and got 11 rejections, without a single interview, and I thought that was my answer. Then in the very next round, the same cycle where I collected eight more nos, Oxford and Cambridge both said yes, and both fully funded. This is the first ever episode of The Open Secret, and I wanted to open the show with the story I usually only tell in pieces. Not the tidy version where it all worked out, but the whole thing: the rejections stackin...
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How I Got Into Oxford and Cambridge, Both Fully Funded, After 19 Rejections
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