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How to improve my Oxbridge chances??
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Non subject related extra curriculars are next to useless. The people that read your personal statement are people that spend their whole lives teaching and researching their subject, they really won't give a **** about a Duke of Edinburgh award.
Having said that, showing that you do something outside of academia (be it a part time job or a player of a sports team etc.) will show that your not a complete recluse and understand the importance of a work-life balance. But that is all they are really useful for.
I think you just need to get clued up on your chosen subject really. In other words, you need to take the initiative to learn about it outside of your A-level course. I just read two subject related books and talked about then in my personal statement and it seemed to work OK (4 offers from top 20 unis in the space of 2 months).
Having said that, showing that you do something outside of academia (be it a part time job or a player of a sports team etc.) will show that your not a complete recluse and understand the importance of a work-life balance. But that is all they are really useful for.
I think you just need to get clued up on your chosen subject really. In other words, you need to take the initiative to learn about it outside of your A-level course. I just read two subject related books and talked about then in my personal statement and it seemed to work OK (4 offers from top 20 unis in the space of 2 months).
Read Beowulf (mentioned above) as it is AMAZING; also try to find some genre/book/something that you are genuinely passionate about.
Read a lot. By a lot, I mean you can read loads and loads and loads if you'd like to, or read a smaller amount of books in depth. Whatever you do, make sure you have a lot to talk about, firstly in your personal statement, then in your interview. Also, don't fall into the trap of thinking that all Oxford/Cambridge care about are the classical English writers like Shakespeare. If you like gory vampire novels or other weird crazy stuff, read that too. It'll add quirk.
yeah, i really wouldn't bother reading all of shakespeare's plays... unless you actually want to, of course. i'd just make sure i had a thorough grounding of his work, eg by reading two or three tragedies, comedies and histories. in my personal statement i mentioned some classical stuff and some more sort of 'quirky' things as nuodai said, though maybe not gory vampire novels 
and in my interviews i wasn't really asked about the classical things (namely the brontes/oscar wilde, and i wrote quite a bit on them) that i mentioned at all... i did get rejected, but still. ahem. you should start reading poetry if you don't already, you'll be given an unseen poem at interview and asked questions on it. well, this is at oxford; at cambridge you do some sort of test.
the main thing is to remember not to plough through tons and tons of poetry and prose for the sake of getting into oxbridge, you need enthusiasm for what you're reading. that's one of the main things they look for.
and in my interviews i wasn't really asked about the classical things (namely the brontes/oscar wilde, and i wrote quite a bit on them) that i mentioned at all... i did get rejected, but still. ahem. you should start reading poetry if you don't already, you'll be given an unseen poem at interview and asked questions on it. well, this is at oxford; at cambridge you do some sort of test.the main thing is to remember not to plough through tons and tons of poetry and prose for the sake of getting into oxbridge, you need enthusiasm for what you're reading. that's one of the main things they look for.
Obviously my experience isn't completely representative, I don't really know many others who have applied for English and I myself am still at school. But here are a few tips I would give:
- Like others have said, find an author or a movement you are really interested in and really look into it in depth. This could involve looking at what influenced it, or what it has influenced. Reading critical essays and books can really broaden your perspective.
- Go beyond those generic reading lists, go below the surface and find something that's maybe a bit quirky, a bit off the beaten track. Pretty much every teenager with an interest in books has read things like Catcher in the Rye and Pride and Prejudice. Then again, if you really love one of the more "popular" books, try reading other works by that author, which are perhaps less well known. (I myself love Sylvia Plath, which isn't exactly unheard of for an academic teenage girl!)
- Try to have an idea where books fit in within the wider context of English Literature. Is it a part of a movement? Does it represent a reaction against what came before it? Historical knowledge can really enhance the way you approach a text; could the text be viewed as product of a specific time and place?
- Literary theory is a good thing to become acquainted with. The best quick introduction I can think of is "Doing English" by Robert Eaglestone, which introduces you to some of the key debates in literary theory.
- Extra-curricular, like many have said, are overrated if they are not relevant to the subject. Of course, if you enjoy something, don't stop it just because it won't help your application, just don't waste valuable lines on your personal statement.
This may all sound a bit mercenary, but if you enjoy and love English it really isn't. All my advice can be summed up with the words "read, read, read".
Sorry, if I'm repeating what everyone else has said and if you have any questions, just PM me!
Edit: I've just realised how long that post was, maybe I should get back to revision!
- Like others have said, find an author or a movement you are really interested in and really look into it in depth. This could involve looking at what influenced it, or what it has influenced. Reading critical essays and books can really broaden your perspective.
- Go beyond those generic reading lists, go below the surface and find something that's maybe a bit quirky, a bit off the beaten track. Pretty much every teenager with an interest in books has read things like Catcher in the Rye and Pride and Prejudice. Then again, if you really love one of the more "popular" books, try reading other works by that author, which are perhaps less well known. (I myself love Sylvia Plath, which isn't exactly unheard of for an academic teenage girl!)
- Try to have an idea where books fit in within the wider context of English Literature. Is it a part of a movement? Does it represent a reaction against what came before it? Historical knowledge can really enhance the way you approach a text; could the text be viewed as product of a specific time and place?
- Literary theory is a good thing to become acquainted with. The best quick introduction I can think of is "Doing English" by Robert Eaglestone, which introduces you to some of the key debates in literary theory.
- Extra-curricular, like many have said, are overrated if they are not relevant to the subject. Of course, if you enjoy something, don't stop it just because it won't help your application, just don't waste valuable lines on your personal statement.
This may all sound a bit mercenary, but if you enjoy and love English it really isn't. All my advice can be summed up with the words "read, read, read".
Sorry, if I'm repeating what everyone else has said and if you have any questions, just PM me!
Edit: I've just realised how long that post was, maybe I should get back to revision!
Martin_Kellogg
Apologies if this has been covered...., etc. but I was looking for advice in how to improve my chances of getting a place at Oxbridge/Cambridge.
An idea would be to have a special area of interest that you're really willing to research and explore in detail. For me this was mainly jane eyre and wuthering heights. However, make it clear that this isn't all you can talk about, don't be afraid to start with the canon or classics especially poetry and plays to show it's not just novels you're interested in! Maybe an idea also for the work you have to submit would be to do it on something like poetry to show how you can analyse in detail. Also, make sure you look at unis apart from oxford and cambridge...there's some great ones for english literature that still require this level of commitment to the subject. Lastly i have no idea what uber means although people keep using it!:-D
I think uber means "very" here, although it actually means "over/across" in German?!
To clarify on what rainbow drops said above, at Cambridge you sit a test at the interview, which is analysis of an unseen passage, and you also have to talk about an unseen passage in one of your interviews.
Um, my other advice for you is don't worry if you feel like you haven't read a certain major work of fiction and they'll instantly reject you. They're looking for people they can teach, not people who know everything and have read everything already. I didn't believe that, but it is true!
To clarify on what rainbow drops said above, at Cambridge you sit a test at the interview, which is analysis of an unseen passage, and you also have to talk about an unseen passage in one of your interviews.
Um, my other advice for you is don't worry if you feel like you haven't read a certain major work of fiction and they'll instantly reject you. They're looking for people they can teach, not people who know everything and have read everything already. I didn't believe that, but it is true!
charlottesometimes
I think uber means "very" here, although it actually means "over/across" in German?!
To clarify on what rainbow drops said above, at Cambridge you sit a test at the interview, which is analysis of an unseen passage, and you also have to talk about an unseen passage in one of your interviews.
Um, my other advice for you is don't worry if you feel like you haven't read a certain major work of fiction and they'll instantly reject you. They're looking for people they can teach, not people who know everything and have read everything already. I didn't believe that, but it is true!
To clarify on what rainbow drops said above, at Cambridge you sit a test at the interview, which is analysis of an unseen passage, and you also have to talk about an unseen passage in one of your interviews.
Um, my other advice for you is don't worry if you feel like you haven't read a certain major work of fiction and they'll instantly reject you. They're looking for people they can teach, not people who know everything and have read everything already. I didn't believe that, but it is true!
Thanks for the uber definition...perhaps it comes from the german word. I've always been too embarrassed to ask before :-) i also agree with the thing you said about major works of fiction. I felt sure they'd ask me something on a widely recognised book and reject me if i didn't know about it!
Andy the Anarchist
Also, Literary Theory by Terry Eagleton, because if you get in you'll have to read it anyway.
I'm fairy sure that depends on you, your course, and your tutor. There are very few things on either course that everyone "has" to read.
Read. And think about what you're reading, and try to link it up to other stuff you've read. You'd be surprised how many people forget that part.
Ask I'm so academic... He's the resident Oxbridge expert...
leala4628
Thanks for the uber definition...perhaps it comes from the german word.
Actually it's loosely derived from one of Nietzsche's works, Mensch und Übermensch (Man and Superman). The "Übermensch"-concept was popularised by the Nazis, and since then, referring to decidedly less serious ideology-laden things as "uber-good" etc. has been turned into a kind of joke.
Yes, I know that was boring...
hobnob
Actually it's loosely derived from one of Nietzsche's works, Mensch und Übermensch (Man and Superman). The "Übermensch"-concept was popularised by the Nazis, and since then, referring to decidedly less serious ideology-laden things as "uber-good" etc. has been turned into a kind of joke.
Yes, I know that was boring...
Yes, I know that was boring...
Lol i'm often impressed by what are considered boring facts :-D now i finally know where it comes from...
i'd recommend you find an area of literature that particularly interests you i.e. american beat writers/victorian literature etc. and dive into these collectively with a comparative mind. of course, do not dismiss each book's individual merit but perhaps make reference to them as a collective in your statement and be prepared to discuss the books in context, referencing world affairs/culture/literary styles/etc. of the time. i did this with the american beat generation and victorian literature as a precursor to modernism and felt like i could of carried on speaking forever at interview.
also begin to dig into literary theory a little. terry eagleton is a great place to start, as suggested above. he's got a great book on marxist approaches to literary criticism which i'd certainly recommend if you're taking sociology/philosophy as you'll already be fairly well acquainted with marxism - at interview you can say something like "i began to explore marxism in sociology and was interested in how marxist ideas could be applied to literature". "how to read a poem" is also a fantastic little book by eagleton (though the title suggests a simplicity which is perhaps misleading!). having read it helped me a great deal when having to annotate my poem for interview an hour previously. refreshed my vocabulary... fairly simple terms e.g. synecdoche, metonym that i otherwise would of missed.
erm. somebody already suggested shakespeare. i discussed shakespeare for a large part of my interview and was glad i had read over what i'd already covered - it certainly isn't a bad idea to read something new and mention that you've done this (they'll almost certainly ask you what you're currently reading). i read henry viii alone prior to interview and spoke of it with reference to the "cambridge companion to shakespeare's history plays" (i think) and noted how i found the experience - i said something like "i noticed that none of shakespeare's history plays appeared to be on my english lit syllabus and consequently expressed a desire to read one. i chose henry viii because ... found ... particularly interesting". certain shakespeare i find is perfect to discuss at interview - themes of anti-semitism relating to shylock's character in merchant of venice, for example. could read this and discuss mov performances as part of nazi propaganda in 40s berlin (tutor brought this up in my interview). just suggestions. it's almost impossible to pinpoint exactly what you'll be saying at interview, but it's fairly easy to guide the discussion to areas that you feel comfortable discussing. i certainly had specific areas that i wished to talk about and, if anything, the tutors seemed enthusiastic to steer towards these. they are, after all, attempting to get the best out of you.
what else could you do... do you write yourself? in interviews for other universities (king's college for example) i was asked about writing competitions i'd won and how these influenced my reading of fiction. that's a really interesting topic to cover.
another great idea is to, a couple of days before interview, draw up a list of every single text you've read (fiction or non-fiction) and link them together. be it in terms of writing style, sociological themes... anything. you'll be surprised at how well you remember the links and how helpful that is, i'm sure.
as an extremely recent applicant i'm more than willing to answer any questions etc. just quote or pm. (and remember that these are only my opinions!).
also begin to dig into literary theory a little. terry eagleton is a great place to start, as suggested above. he's got a great book on marxist approaches to literary criticism which i'd certainly recommend if you're taking sociology/philosophy as you'll already be fairly well acquainted with marxism - at interview you can say something like "i began to explore marxism in sociology and was interested in how marxist ideas could be applied to literature". "how to read a poem" is also a fantastic little book by eagleton (though the title suggests a simplicity which is perhaps misleading!). having read it helped me a great deal when having to annotate my poem for interview an hour previously. refreshed my vocabulary... fairly simple terms e.g. synecdoche, metonym that i otherwise would of missed.
erm. somebody already suggested shakespeare. i discussed shakespeare for a large part of my interview and was glad i had read over what i'd already covered - it certainly isn't a bad idea to read something new and mention that you've done this (they'll almost certainly ask you what you're currently reading). i read henry viii alone prior to interview and spoke of it with reference to the "cambridge companion to shakespeare's history plays" (i think) and noted how i found the experience - i said something like "i noticed that none of shakespeare's history plays appeared to be on my english lit syllabus and consequently expressed a desire to read one. i chose henry viii because ... found ... particularly interesting". certain shakespeare i find is perfect to discuss at interview - themes of anti-semitism relating to shylock's character in merchant of venice, for example. could read this and discuss mov performances as part of nazi propaganda in 40s berlin (tutor brought this up in my interview). just suggestions. it's almost impossible to pinpoint exactly what you'll be saying at interview, but it's fairly easy to guide the discussion to areas that you feel comfortable discussing. i certainly had specific areas that i wished to talk about and, if anything, the tutors seemed enthusiastic to steer towards these. they are, after all, attempting to get the best out of you.
what else could you do... do you write yourself? in interviews for other universities (king's college for example) i was asked about writing competitions i'd won and how these influenced my reading of fiction. that's a really interesting topic to cover.
another great idea is to, a couple of days before interview, draw up a list of every single text you've read (fiction or non-fiction) and link them together. be it in terms of writing style, sociological themes... anything. you'll be surprised at how well you remember the links and how helpful that is, i'm sure.
as an extremely recent applicant i'm more than willing to answer any questions etc. just quote or pm. (and remember that these are only my opinions!).
Many thanks for the replies, so I've gathered I must READ and enjoy doing so. Also to have a little niche that I really enjoy whilst also covering a broad range of different areas.
Can I ask, I've just done my S1 exam (further maths course) and I've failed it (I mean really), I will therefore need to retake. How much of a disadvantage will this put me at if/when I apply to Oxbridge? Oh, and is it possible to retake S1 and not C1 and C2?
Many thanks for all (ok most) of your replies they're much appreciated
Can I ask, I've just done my S1 exam (further maths course) and I've failed it (I mean really), I will therefore need to retake. How much of a disadvantage will this put me at if/when I apply to Oxbridge? Oh, and is it possible to retake S1 and not C1 and C2?
Many thanks for all (ok most) of your replies they're much appreciated
Martin_Kellogg
Many thanks for the replies, so I've gathered I must READ and enjoy doing so. Also to have a little niche that I really enjoy whilst also covering a broad range of different areas.
Can I ask, I've just done my S1 exam (further maths course) and I've failed it (I mean really), I will therefore need to retake. How much of a disadvantage will this put me at if/when I apply to Oxbridge? Oh, and is it possible to retake S1 and not C1 and C2?
Many thanks for all (ok most) of your replies they're much appreciated
Can I ask, I've just done my S1 exam (further maths course) and I've failed it (I mean really), I will therefore need to retake. How much of a disadvantage will this put me at if/when I apply to Oxbridge? Oh, and is it possible to retake S1 and not C1 and C2?
Many thanks for all (ok most) of your replies they're much appreciated
You can retake whichever you want, you cand o just S1.
Martin_Kellogg
How much of a disadvantage will this put me at if/when I apply to Oxbridge?
I know someone who got into Cambridge this year and had taken a couple of retakes in June. I also messed up one of my History modules last June and indicated that I would be retaking it this January (last Tuesday, to be precise). They probably realise that everyone slips up now and again.
I'm retaking pretty much all of my German modules, and all of my History modules (got AABC at AS) and got an offer. I don't think it matters that much.
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