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Dutch Oxbridge Applicants Support Thread

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Hi,
I'm Anna, I'm currently in 6VWO and I applied to Cambridge for biological natural sciences, and also to Edinburgh for math& biology, Durham for natsci and st Andrews for biomolecular sciences.

As I'm nearing the end of the whole process, I have experienced how difficult and stressful this experience is, especially coming from outside the UK and especially form the Netherlands, where most people live by the 'zesjescultuur'. It's made me really passionate to help other students out. So wether you're in your third, fourth, fifth or sixth year (or even younger, in that case: wow), post your questions down below!

Some useful sources:
- The uni's themselves, they both have amazing webpages full of info:
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate?wssl=1
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/
- Oxford has some great podcasts about subjects and also about admissions:
https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/
- Cambridge livestreams:
http://cam.adobeconnect.com/peex8ws3hksv/
- This book (don't worry, it's short an concise) on admissions:
http://www.oxbridgeapplications.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/So-You-Want-To-Go-To-Oxbridge-Tell-me-about-a-banana-5th-edition.pdf
- Studytube: Youtubers who study!
In particular take a look at Simon Clark (Oxford, Physics), Jack Edwards (Durham, English), Eve Bennett (Oxford, Spanish& German), Unjaded Jade (Gap year, Bristol, Biology), Ibz Mo (Cambridge, Human, Social, and Political Sciences), Miss Varz (Oxford, Archeology and Anthropology), PaigeY (Cambridge, Physical Natural Sciences), Astrid Franciszka (Cambridge, English), MollyatOxford (Oxford, Classics & English), Eve Cornwell (Bristol, Law), ThisIsMani (Oxford, Computer Science and Philosophy), Viola Helen (Oxford, Classics), Senthooran Kath (Medicine and Engineering), Ali Abdaal (Medicine, Cambridge), Holly Gabrielle (Cambridge, Biological Natural Sciences), Parth G (Cambridge, Physical Natural Sciences), Magda Nikkii (Cambridge, Medicine), Gracefit UK (Oxford, Music) ...
- Ask an AT threads here on TSR
- Open days!! The next ones for Oxford are on 3/7/2019, 4/7/2019 and 20/9/2019. For Cambridge that's 4/7/2019 and 5/7/2019. There's also subject specific open days and some summer schools as well (most not open to EU students). They're really useful because you can have small group meetings with tutors in your subject to ask questions!
- College admission tutors & outreach officers. They can answer your questions, give you advice and maybe even give you a tour of the college (I arranged that when I visited oxford in the summer).

For 3rd, 4th and 5th years I would just recommend you explore your interests and read books, go to symposia and listen to podcasts on them etc. And look into language tests, for CAE and CPE for example the exam date is usually on exam results day, so take those exams in year 5 if you want to take them!! And work on your grades, you will likely be sending year 4 and 5, you should be getting an 8/10 in each subject and perhaps higher in relevant subjects.

Myths busted:
- Oxbridge have different colleges, but it doesn't matter to which one you apply. You will have equal chances of getting in because of pooling.
- Oxbridge don't really care about irrelevant extracurricular activities, such as sports or music.
- Oxbridge want you as much as you want them!!

Good luck!!

Reply 1

ANatsci

OP

14

@Lintar @dutchstudent123 @dutchette7 @M.W. @hysterria @Alex_Wolf @alexschmalex

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

dutchstudent123

17

Good luck! Have you been invited for an interview yet? I’m happily studying in Leiden atm but I could share my experiences if you like. I received offers from KCL and Durham and got rejected post-interview by Cambridge.

Reply 3

isajoy

7

Hi,

Nice to see some fellow Dutchies :smile:

, I applied to Oxford, KCL, UCL, Bristol and Edinburgh for Geography and already got offers from Bristol and KCL. I'm currently doing a gap year, so I already got my VWO diploma last year.

Reply 4

ANatsci

OP

14

Original post

by dutchstudent123

Good luck! Have you been invited for an interview yet? I’m happily studying in Leiden atm but I could share my experiences if you like. I received offers from KCL and Durham and got rejected post-interview by Cambridge.

I have got an interview yes!! I feel so excited and blessed.

Reply 5

ANatsci

OP

14

Original post

by isajoy

Hi,

Nice to see some fellow Dutchies :smile:

, I applied to Oxford, KCL, UCL, Bristol and Edinburgh for Geography and already got offers from Bristol and KCL. I'm currently doing a gap year, so I already got my VWO diploma last year.

That’s amazing, wish I would get an offer soon!! Good luck with the interview wait!!

Reply 6

ANatsci

OP

14

Original post

by isajoy

Hi,

Nice to see some fellow Dutchies :smile:

, I applied to Oxford, KCL, UCL, Bristol and Edinburgh for Geography and already got offers from Bristol and KCL. I'm currently doing a gap year, so I already got my VWO diploma last year.

Also congrats on the diploma!! What were your grades like?

Reply 7

isajoy

7

Original post

by Annamies

Also congrats on the diploma!! What were your grades like?

Thanks

I had 3 9s (English, Greek and physics) and for the rest 8s (Dutch, math B, chemistry, lst (life, science and technology), geography and French)

Reply 8

ANatsci

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Original post

by isajoy

Thanks

I had 3 9s (English, Greek and physics) and for the rest 8s (Dutch, math B, chemistry, lst (life, science and technology), geography and French)

Those are amazing, I think al the sciences subjects you took while still having some humanities will make you really competitive!!

Reply 9

isajoy

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Original post

by Annamies

Those are amazing, I think al the sciences subjects you took while still having some humanities will make you really competitive!!

thanks, I really hope so! What subjects are you taking?

Reply 10

ANatsci

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Original post

by isajoy

thanks, I really hope so! What subjects are you taking?

Maths B, Maths D, Bio, chem, physics, English, Dutch, Latin

Reply 11

isajoy

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Original post

by Annamies

Maths B, Maths D, Bio, chem, physics, English, Dutch, Latin

Seems like a good choice since you're applying for science programmes. Did you already hear anything about your interview in Cambridge?

Reply 12

ANatsci

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14

Original post

by isajoy

Seems like a good choice since you're applying for science programmes. Did you already hear anything about your interview in Cambridge?

I did, I got an interview on 3/12!!

Reply 13

isajoy

7

Original post

by Annamies

I did, I got an interview on 3/12!!

Congrats! A friend of mine also applied to natural sciences in Cambridge and she got an interview on 13/12. I'll probably get an email next friday or monday, so fingers crossed :smile:

Reply 14

ANatsci

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Original post

by isajoy

Congrats! A friend of mine also applied to natural sciences in Cambridge and she got an interview on 13/12. I'll probably get an email next friday or monday, so fingers crossed :smile:

Ooh good luck!! I found the wait really stressful, but all's out of your hands so you just have to wait.

Reply 15

isajoy

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Original post

by Annamies

Ooh good luck!! I found the wait really stressful, but all's out of your hands so you just have to wait.

yeah, that's true. I just wish the time would go faster, but at least it's less than a week away now

Reply 16

ANatsci

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14

I had my Cambridge interview yesterday, feel free to ask me anything about it!

Reply 17

isajoy

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Original post

by Annamies

I had my Cambridge interview yesterday, feel free to ask me anything about it!

How did it go? And did you only have one?

I'm going to Oxford on Sunday for my interviews :smile:

Reply 18

ANatsci

OP

14

Original post

by isajoy

How did it go? And did you only have one?

I'm going to Oxford on Sunday for my interviews :smile:

Exciting, have fun!! I had two interviews, my first interview went quite badly and the other one went really well. I really enjoyed both of them though, interviews are really casual and fun if you like that way of discussing your subject. You basically get to talk about your favorite subject with world-leading experts!! Interviews really aren’t about luck, because rather than having your test marked, you’re being assessed by people. Last minute preparation doesn’t really matter either, the work you’ve done in the last couple of years is your preparation. Try to chill and enjoy yourself!!

Reply 19

ANatsci

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14

Original post

by isajoy

How did it go? And did you only have one?

I'm going to Oxford on Sunday for my interviews :smile:

How did today go for you?

Dutch Oxbridge Applicants Support Thread

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