Shadowing scheme

Got some information from my school today about a shadowing scheme at Oxford on either 14/15/16 Feb.

You get to shadaw an undergraduate and you state your preferences as to what course you would want to do.

Wondering if any of you guys have done this or able to shed more light?

It would be even better if there are any of you on here who will be the "mentor" as it were.

Thanks in advance

DV :biggrin:

Reply 1

Elles

donvito

It would be even better if there are any of you on here who will be the "mentor" as it were.

have been previously - what sort of "light" would you like shed..? :p:

(or what info have you already been given? & what Qs do you still have? :wink:

)

Reply 2

donvito

Well, what it was like? the requirements? etc. My school asked for only people who have done well in their GCSE's. I got 6A*'s 1A and 3B's. Is that good enough? :confused:

How did they select who gets to go? 0o0o so many questions! Whatever you think would help! :biggrin:

Reply 3

Elles

donvito

Well, what it was like?

my shadowee really enjoyed it! & sent thank yous & messages after she'd gone home so presumably wasn't just being polite because she was scared of me! :biggrin:

the requirements? etc. My school asked for only people who have done well in their GCSE's. I got 6A*'s 1A and 3B's. Is that good enough? :confused:

How did they select who gets to go?

I think it's probably the Oxford Access Scheme shadowing you're talking about?
so their website details of it are on here.

Shadowing Programme

What is it?

The Shadowing Programme gives Year 12 students the opportunity to ‘shadow’ an Oxford student for three days to see what university life is like.

If you are a Year 12 student who takes part, you will be provided with a room and all your meals by an Oxford college. You will be allocated to an undergraduate who is studying a subject that you’re interested in, and you will stay in their college. You will go with them to their lectures, practicals and tutorials, and eat your meals with them. In the afternoons and evenings you will take part in skills workshops and social events where you have a chance to meet all the other ‘shadows’ from all over the country.

When does the Shadowing Programme happen?

The Shadowing Programme takes place in two cycles of three days each (either Sunday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Saturday), from February 12 to February 18 2006. You will attend one of the two cycles.

Why take part?

This is your chance to see what Oxford is really like with your own eyes - to see behind the myths and form your own opinion about it.
It will also give you more information about university life in general, and the course which you’re thinking of studying, and it may help you with your university choices.
You will develop general skills such as interview skills through the afternoon workshops which will be useful with your university applications.
Who can apply?

If you’re a talented Year 12 student from an inner city state school or college, we want you to apply. Places are limited but we’ll consider every application carefully.

so with regards to selection criteria - i imagine it'll depend on precisely who they get applying.. but the designated criteria to then Apply to the uni via their support scheme:

What are the criteria to be eligible for the OASP?

Attending a school or college in the maintained sector in the UK
Little or no tradition of successfully applying to Oxford in the school or college
Expected to achieve at least AAB grades at A2
Attending a school or college in an inner city area
Low or no levels of entry into Higher Education in the student’s school/college and/or family

Candidates must meet the first three criteria, and should meet the last two as well, though these are not essential.

so i'd imagine for shadowing they might look at GCSE grades a bit too (yours look good! :biggrin:

) - & then perhaps your school/background - to try & make sure they choose the people who would benefit most?

0o0o so many questions! Whatever you think would help! :biggrin:

hopefully these'll help for starters. i would think it's definitely worthy applying if you're interested!

Reply 4

shinyhappy

Hey, I went on it last year, shadowing a second year biology student. Was a brilliant experience. Had to fill in a big questionnaire online, long answer questions, such as 'Who is a good role model for today's youth, and why?'
'Why (insert subject here)?'
'What is one situation that you have learnt a lot from?'
All fairly open questions.
They like inner city school, but its not exclusively for them.
And they seemed to like ethinic minorities, as 50% to 2/3 of the people who were there the same time as me were from ethinic minorities. However, I don't think they specifically state this as a requirement, so i'm sure they won't discriminate against anyone.
They gave us a Q and A session with an admissions tutor, and a session advising us how to write personal statements.
Also, when I was there I spent a week there, and so got to stay in a college. It was lovely, and gave me a good chance to look round the town.
They organised lots of other activities, such as ice skating.
Erm, any other questions feel free to PM me! although I can't think of anything particularly useful to say really! ^-^*
Think your chance of getting on (providing you fulfil their initial criteria) is to answer the questionnaire they give you, very well!

Reply 5

The bullring

donvito

Well, what it was like? the requirements? etc. My school asked for only people who have done well in their GCSE's. I got 6A*'s 1A and 3B's. Is that good enough? :confused:

They should be fine - you got the exact same grades as I did and I got in! :biggrin:

Reply 6

naelse

I had a shadow last year. Biggest waste of time ever. She was clearly shy but nothing I did could make her talk. She was just generally apathetic about everything...

Reply 7

FadeToBlackout

As naelse hinted, Cambridge do exactly the same thing. I'm hoping to be a mentor (History at Clare) this year, so we'll see how it pans out and if I'm needed after all.

The only downside for me is that it would entail going to all my lectures, even the 9:00 ones... :wink:

Reply 8

iRock

naelse

I had a shadow last year. Biggest waste of time ever. She was clearly shy but nothing I did could make her talk. She was just generally apathetic about everything...

Hmm... doesn't sound like fun. Do you get paid for doing it?

Reply 9

naelse

no, i didn't get paid, though I did get free meals since I had to eat with her in the canteen when i would normally cook

Reply 10

musicbloke

naelse

I had a shadow last year. Biggest waste of time ever. She was clearly shy but nothing I did could make her talk. She was just generally apathetic about everything...

Yep, mine was a complete bastard too. We organised to take all of our shadows to the footlights lent term show. I bought tickets for everyone, and then my shadow binned us off to go to laserquest, and didn't bother to warn me which left me out of pocket. Now normally I wouldn't worry about a few quid (it was more than usual cos it was a weekend performance), but I got no thankyou for giving up a weekend, sorting out lectures and supervisions for him to sit in on, and showing him around Cambridge. All I can say is, if you are a shadow, be nice to the person who takes you around. Chances are they're giving up time that they don't really have and as a result will spend a couple of nights not sleeping to catch up.

MB

Reply 11

FadeToBlackout

All I can say is, if you are a shadow, be nice to the person who takes you around. Chances are they're giving up time that they don't really have and as a result will spend a couple of nights not sleeping to catch up.

Please be nice! The thing about not sleeping really sounds like it will happen...

Reply 12

Bryllyg

As I have posted before, your shadow shouldn't have really bothered to go. I had a great time when I went to Cambridge on their shadowing scheme last year and tried to make myself the least trouble I could be. I made a card to say thanks and generally was happy with everything that they showed me. It was a great experience, and changed my mind about Cambridge completely. Before I went I didn't exactly think it would be a place full of guffawing men called Aloysius, but at the same time I didn't expect to feel comfortable. It really is a great idea to go if you can. When I came back I couldn't wait to apply.

Reply 13

sjuthani

This sounds exactly like the thing I did last year. It was a slightly different access scheme, and was based on the fact that neither of my parents went to university. My school is a state grammer school, with a good record for Oxbridge, so it wasn't that, and its certainly not inner-city!

I found it was very helpful to me, following students around. Three friends all got shadows, and we went with whichever one was doing the most interesting thing. That's why I was able to go to a labour economics tutorial and an international relations lecture on the same day. It was really helpful in confirming to me that PPE was the degree for me. I loved the day (plus a day off school!) and thought it was invaluablle.

My personal experience, it may not happen to you, or be quite so helpful. Either way, I think its worth a shot.

Reply 14

cupcake88

hi= i'v also applied for a shadowing scheme.. for this year. But I still havn't got any replies or anything yet. do you know when they will be telling us???...

Reply 15

sjuthani

They're usually very slow.

Don't worry! They'll come to you in good time before the day itself!

Reply 16

-G-a-v-

I went on the Cambridge shadowing scheme last Feb at Robinson. It was really good, was paired with a (then) 2nd year physical natsci, but didn't see all that much of him, as I went to 2 first year lectures on the main shadowing day, he was cool though when we did hang out, was mainly with a (then) first year maths/phys and her medic friend, and two other shadows both wanting to be medics, one of who (strangely enough) was from Stoke, and knew a few of my friends who go to his school :p:

Small world!! Anyone who's shadowing this year, enjoy it - the students are awesome and you'll have fun. On the first night I decided it'd be a good idea to sing Karaoke with some random student who asked if she could sing with me :p:

(we did Nickelback's How You Remind Me lol) - was a great few days :smile:

Reply 17

crazygirl4521

How do you apply, for the shadowing scheme?

Reply 18

sjuthani

Your school/college should tell you if they meet the criteria. Make it clear to them though that you're considering Oxbridge, otherwise many who consider that they're not "that sort of place" won't give you the opportunity.

IIRC, the colleges that participated in the shadowing scheme that I did were St. Anne's, Somerville and Lady Margaret Hall.