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Oxford Demystified - Chapter 3 - Making your Application to Oxford
OXFORD DEMYSTIFIED – BY OXFORD MUM
CAVEAT: READING THIS BOOK DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU A PLACE AT OXFORD
THESE IDEAS ARE MY OWN AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
PLEASE CHECK YOUR FACTS BEFORE APPLYING
Applying to Oxford
“Dedication, dedication,
Dedication, that’s what you need.
If you wanna be the best,
If you wanna beat the rest.
Dedication’s what you need”.
Roy Castle, theme tune from “Record Breakers”
CAVEAT: READING THIS BOOK DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU A PLACE AT OXFORD
THESE IDEAS ARE MY OWN AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
PLEASE CHECK YOUR FACTS BEFORE APPLYING
Applying to Oxford
“Dedication, dedication,
Dedication, that’s what you need.
If you wanna be the best,
If you wanna beat the rest.
Dedication’s what you need”.
Roy Castle, theme tune from “Record Breakers”
(edited 5 years ago)
Scroll to see replies
Again and again, I hear the same cry from parents, friends and teachers of those who fail to get into Oxford. An applicant has top grades, competed at high level sports and was head boy. Why, then, was he not entitled to a place?
Remember Laura Spence, whose case was taken up by Gordon Brown? She went to a northern state school, gained the highest grades, but still failed to win a place at Magdalen College for Medicine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Spence_Affair
Brown said that Laura had been discriminated against by an “old establishment interview system”. She ended up at Harvard, but not for Medicine. Nonetheless, she finally qualified as a doctor after a postgraduate degree from Wolfson College, Cambridge.
So what went wrong initially?
Top “A” level grades are as common as air amongst Oxford candidates. The grades only help you get a foot in the interview door. Hobbies and sports trophies are interesting to tutors and show you have a well-rounded life, but they only really make a difference if they relate to your subject. I have seen several head boys and girls fail to get into Oxford.
So what is the missing magic ingredient?
Ken MacDonald, Warden at Wadham, has the answer.
“What we’re testing in the admissions process is not really achievement; what we’re testing is potential”.
Alan Rusbridger tells us what one Head of College says,
“We try to make the distinction between people who have been well-taught and those who can make the imaginative leap”.
These imaginative people may not necessarily come from a private school background.
Sam Howison, a professor of Maths, goes one step further:
What we want are students with the potential to grow their mindset rather than sit where they are”.
(“If Oxford Shrugs” – Prospect Magazine, 18 September 2018)
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/if-oxford-shrugs-alan-rusbridger-admissions-lmh
So Oxford does not just want students to just absorb knowledge like a sponge, then do nothing with it. They need to go out and develop the concepts they find interesting.
Remember Laura Spence, whose case was taken up by Gordon Brown? She went to a northern state school, gained the highest grades, but still failed to win a place at Magdalen College for Medicine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Spence_Affair
Brown said that Laura had been discriminated against by an “old establishment interview system”. She ended up at Harvard, but not for Medicine. Nonetheless, she finally qualified as a doctor after a postgraduate degree from Wolfson College, Cambridge.
So what went wrong initially?
Top “A” level grades are as common as air amongst Oxford candidates. The grades only help you get a foot in the interview door. Hobbies and sports trophies are interesting to tutors and show you have a well-rounded life, but they only really make a difference if they relate to your subject. I have seen several head boys and girls fail to get into Oxford.
So what is the missing magic ingredient?
Ken MacDonald, Warden at Wadham, has the answer.
“What we’re testing in the admissions process is not really achievement; what we’re testing is potential”.
Alan Rusbridger tells us what one Head of College says,
“We try to make the distinction between people who have been well-taught and those who can make the imaginative leap”.
These imaginative people may not necessarily come from a private school background.
Sam Howison, a professor of Maths, goes one step further:
What we want are students with the potential to grow their mindset rather than sit where they are”.
(“If Oxford Shrugs” – Prospect Magazine, 18 September 2018)
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/if-oxford-shrugs-alan-rusbridger-admissions-lmh
So Oxford does not just want students to just absorb knowledge like a sponge, then do nothing with it. They need to go out and develop the concepts they find interesting.
This is my theory of what is required:
It’s all about love for your subject, intellectual curiosity, a capacity for sustained hard work, natural intelligence, and teachability.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12308121
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationadvice/12189249/How-can-I-increase-my-chances-of-getting-into-Oxford.html
https://lifemoreextraordinary.com/oxbridge/what-does-it-really-take-to-get-into-oxbridge-5-things-theyre-looking-for/
I enjoy going to classical music concerts, though not for the reason you may think. My sons go to appreciate the music. Although I do too, I really go to watch the expression on the musicians’ faces. Have you seen the faces they pull when they are playing their beloved instruments? Their expression is one of pure ecstasy. They hunch possessively over their cellos as they scrape furiously away, blissfully unaware of my admiration. I can honestly say I may never have felt what they are feeling when they and their instrument are as one. Whatever they’re having, I want some, I think enviously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJY0fhmELrE
This must be how successful Oxford candidates feel about their subject.
When I meet my sons’ friends on the street, they are scrupulously polite. They ask me lots of questions about myself, as if I were much more important than them. However, if you ask them about their subject, an invisible switch is flicked inside them, and they change completely. Cue a torrent of excited technical ins and outs of their thesis. This is fascinating to them, but complete gobbledegook to us mere non-Oxford mortals. Within ten minutes I guarantee you will be lost, mostly in admiration. It won’t be long before they say they have work to do, and scuttle gratefully off to their rooms to immerse themselves yet again in the field they love.
In short, the places go to the keenest, the hungriest candidates. They are the ones who seem to have an endless supply of interest for their subject. This applies to everybody, whichever school they went to, or whichever background they are from. So next time you see an ordinary looking Oxford student, believe me, they are anything but ordinary, and have earned their academic spurs through sheer hard work.
It’s all about love for your subject, intellectual curiosity, a capacity for sustained hard work, natural intelligence, and teachability.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12308121
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationadvice/12189249/How-can-I-increase-my-chances-of-getting-into-Oxford.html
https://lifemoreextraordinary.com/oxbridge/what-does-it-really-take-to-get-into-oxbridge-5-things-theyre-looking-for/
I enjoy going to classical music concerts, though not for the reason you may think. My sons go to appreciate the music. Although I do too, I really go to watch the expression on the musicians’ faces. Have you seen the faces they pull when they are playing their beloved instruments? Their expression is one of pure ecstasy. They hunch possessively over their cellos as they scrape furiously away, blissfully unaware of my admiration. I can honestly say I may never have felt what they are feeling when they and their instrument are as one. Whatever they’re having, I want some, I think enviously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJY0fhmELrE
This must be how successful Oxford candidates feel about their subject.
When I meet my sons’ friends on the street, they are scrupulously polite. They ask me lots of questions about myself, as if I were much more important than them. However, if you ask them about their subject, an invisible switch is flicked inside them, and they change completely. Cue a torrent of excited technical ins and outs of their thesis. This is fascinating to them, but complete gobbledegook to us mere non-Oxford mortals. Within ten minutes I guarantee you will be lost, mostly in admiration. It won’t be long before they say they have work to do, and scuttle gratefully off to their rooms to immerse themselves yet again in the field they love.
In short, the places go to the keenest, the hungriest candidates. They are the ones who seem to have an endless supply of interest for their subject. This applies to everybody, whichever school they went to, or whichever background they are from. So next time you see an ordinary looking Oxford student, believe me, they are anything but ordinary, and have earned their academic spurs through sheer hard work.
To have a stab at Oxford, you need to take an ordinary university application and bling it to the max. This will require much more work than getting into a mainstream university. You need to really ask yourself, “am I bothered?”
It’s all about what you do outside school independently, not what you learn inside the school gates. Oxford loves the words “self- directed study” and this is precisely what they are looking for in a candidate. It is this meandering away from mainstream learning and wandering down your own little path, just because you want to find out more. When you have finished doing this, you will feel more confident, and more engaged with your subject. In short, you will be the best version of yourself.
So how to make a start?
Divide your chosen prospective course up into individual strands, then do as much as you possibly can with each strand.
Let’s take German.
MLAT test: study your grammar effectively.
Literature: read as much varied German literature (poetry, plays and novels) as you can.
Vocabulary (also for MLAT and the interview): besides the literature, read news articles and study German news. Look up the words and phrases you don’t know, write them down and keep them in a file. Learn the words for 5 minutes a day.
German speaking: ask your German assistant, if you have one at school, for further speaking practice. If you have a German neighbour (as we did), ask if you can come around and speak to them in German. If you do not know anyone, ask around.
Read a German book that really floats your boat, then find out as much as you can about it. Analyse it. Take it apart, piece by piece. Research details about the author’s life. Find out if the book gives any clues about the author’s real life experiences or views. Maybe read another book he/she has written. Look up critiques on the internet or find a book on Amazon that gives further opinions. Mention it on your personal statement and go into a bit of detail about why it speaks to your soul. That way you may find yourself having a conversation about it in your interview (as my son did). Develop your own theories about your chosen book.
Visit Germany, if your finances allow it.
It’s all about what you do outside school independently, not what you learn inside the school gates. Oxford loves the words “self- directed study” and this is precisely what they are looking for in a candidate. It is this meandering away from mainstream learning and wandering down your own little path, just because you want to find out more. When you have finished doing this, you will feel more confident, and more engaged with your subject. In short, you will be the best version of yourself.
So how to make a start?
Divide your chosen prospective course up into individual strands, then do as much as you possibly can with each strand.
Let’s take German.
MLAT test: study your grammar effectively.
Literature: read as much varied German literature (poetry, plays and novels) as you can.
Vocabulary (also for MLAT and the interview): besides the literature, read news articles and study German news. Look up the words and phrases you don’t know, write them down and keep them in a file. Learn the words for 5 minutes a day.
German speaking: ask your German assistant, if you have one at school, for further speaking practice. If you have a German neighbour (as we did), ask if you can come around and speak to them in German. If you do not know anyone, ask around.
Read a German book that really floats your boat, then find out as much as you can about it. Analyse it. Take it apart, piece by piece. Research details about the author’s life. Find out if the book gives any clues about the author’s real life experiences or views. Maybe read another book he/she has written. Look up critiques on the internet or find a book on Amazon that gives further opinions. Mention it on your personal statement and go into a bit of detail about why it speaks to your soul. That way you may find yourself having a conversation about it in your interview (as my son did). Develop your own theories about your chosen book.
Visit Germany, if your finances allow it.
The Univ Staircase 12 website demonstrates how to “bling” successfully:
https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/applying-to-univ/explore-your-subject/
It is worth taking a bit of time exploring the attractively designed Staircase 12 resource.
There are excellent reading suggestions in the Reading Bank to broaden your intellectual horizons (with reviews).
https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/book/1984/
The Resource Hub, with all kinds of excellent articles:
https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/applying-to-univ/resource-hub/
as well as tips on applying to Oxford.
Some people think applying to Oxford is a bit of a pose. Maybe it will make them look cool to their friends. They will pay lip service to their application and probably read a book or two, then lose interest. This type of candidate will be lucky to get an interview (maybe they will have done well on the admissions test). But, set against another candidate who is a real keen bean, their chances may suffer. A real Oxonian will grit their teeth and put their backs into the task.
I know the next clip is very old-fashioned and cheesy, but this singing nun best describes how you should immerse yourself in your subject as you prepare for Oxford:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoCPuhhE6dw
https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/applying-to-univ/explore-your-subject/
It is worth taking a bit of time exploring the attractively designed Staircase 12 resource.
There are excellent reading suggestions in the Reading Bank to broaden your intellectual horizons (with reviews).
https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/book/1984/
The Resource Hub, with all kinds of excellent articles:
https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/applying-to-univ/resource-hub/
as well as tips on applying to Oxford.
Some people think applying to Oxford is a bit of a pose. Maybe it will make them look cool to their friends. They will pay lip service to their application and probably read a book or two, then lose interest. This type of candidate will be lucky to get an interview (maybe they will have done well on the admissions test). But, set against another candidate who is a real keen bean, their chances may suffer. A real Oxonian will grit their teeth and put their backs into the task.
I know the next clip is very old-fashioned and cheesy, but this singing nun best describes how you should immerse yourself in your subject as you prepare for Oxford:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoCPuhhE6dw
First Things First
For handy hints about applying, why not listen to a real Oxford student?
Take a look at Oxford Vlogs (otherwise known as Oxvlogs):
https://www.oxfordstudent.com/2017/02/17/the-power-of-vlogging/
The vloggers will tell you what it is really like applying successfully to Oxford, and living and studying there, warts and all! Here are some examples:
https://www.youtube.com/user/oxvlog/videos
Miss Varz’s vlogs are not to be missed!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0a0jgB33-HHcAm84UFfPgw
Similarly we should be very grateful to Molly Gibson Mee an Oriel graduate, who has produced so many useful Oxford vlogs.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=MollyatOxford+
Have a look at the Oxford University website.
If you are an international applicant, the following information will be very important.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/for-international-students
Does Oxford offer your course (for instance you cannot read Dentistry or Veterinary Science there).
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses?wssl=1
Crucially, you will need to get the necessary grades. It’s a waste of time applying if you are predicted CCC at A2 level. Humanities subjects have an AAA requirement and the sciences A*AA or A*A*A (for Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, Mathematics and Philosophy and Mathematics and Statistics). This requirement is an absolute minimum, and many successful students go on to exceed their offer. You will need to visit the page for your individual subject to check the requirements.
For example, let’s take a look at Economics and Management:
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/economics-and-management?wssl=1
Each individual subject page will indicate the UCAS code, entrance requirements, which admissions test is required (if any), admissions statistics, duration of the course and essential, recommended or helpful A levels. There will be a short description of the course and sometimes a video.
For handy hints about applying, why not listen to a real Oxford student?
Take a look at Oxford Vlogs (otherwise known as Oxvlogs):
https://www.oxfordstudent.com/2017/02/17/the-power-of-vlogging/
The vloggers will tell you what it is really like applying successfully to Oxford, and living and studying there, warts and all! Here are some examples:
https://www.youtube.com/user/oxvlog/videos
Miss Varz’s vlogs are not to be missed!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0a0jgB33-HHcAm84UFfPgw
Similarly we should be very grateful to Molly Gibson Mee an Oriel graduate, who has produced so many useful Oxford vlogs.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=MollyatOxford+
Have a look at the Oxford University website.
If you are an international applicant, the following information will be very important.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/for-international-students
Does Oxford offer your course (for instance you cannot read Dentistry or Veterinary Science there).
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses?wssl=1
Crucially, you will need to get the necessary grades. It’s a waste of time applying if you are predicted CCC at A2 level. Humanities subjects have an AAA requirement and the sciences A*AA or A*A*A (for Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, Mathematics and Philosophy and Mathematics and Statistics). This requirement is an absolute minimum, and many successful students go on to exceed their offer. You will need to visit the page for your individual subject to check the requirements.
For example, let’s take a look at Economics and Management:
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/economics-and-management?wssl=1
Each individual subject page will indicate the UCAS code, entrance requirements, which admissions test is required (if any), admissions statistics, duration of the course and essential, recommended or helpful A levels. There will be a short description of the course and sometimes a video.
What about GCSEs? Do you need straight A*s (or 8s and 9s) for every course? My son gained only 3A*s yet he ended up at Oxford (for German).
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1067/~/are-my-gcse-results-good-enough-for-oxford%3F
Although many successful students have excellent grades, some will not benefit from their advantages because of the school they went to, or personal circumstances. All these factors will be taken in context and considered holistically. Even so, you will be expected to improve your grades considerably by A level.
The exception is medicine, where the average number of GSCEs the successful candidate tends to have is 10A* or 8/9s.
https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics
The average number of A*s at GCSE for a successful Biology candidate is 8.
The number of A- levels you need to take is also important. Having four A levels under your belt will not improve your chances of bagging that place. On the contrary, it’s better to have three A-levels with top grades than four with lesser grades. Quality beats quantity. That time you spent on the extra A-level could have been much more wisely spent with a well-thought out and researched EPQ. Here is Oxford’s viewpoint:
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/542/~/will-my-application-be-more-competitive-if-i-study-more-than-three-a-levels%3F
Make sure you are studying the right A-levels for your chosen course.
Please see the Oxford University table below, indicating which A-levels are essential, recommended and helpful for each course.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/admission-requirements/admission-requirements-table?wssl=1
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1067/~/are-my-gcse-results-good-enough-for-oxford%3F
Although many successful students have excellent grades, some will not benefit from their advantages because of the school they went to, or personal circumstances. All these factors will be taken in context and considered holistically. Even so, you will be expected to improve your grades considerably by A level.
The exception is medicine, where the average number of GSCEs the successful candidate tends to have is 10A* or 8/9s.
https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics
The average number of A*s at GCSE for a successful Biology candidate is 8.
The number of A- levels you need to take is also important. Having four A levels under your belt will not improve your chances of bagging that place. On the contrary, it’s better to have three A-levels with top grades than four with lesser grades. Quality beats quantity. That time you spent on the extra A-level could have been much more wisely spent with a well-thought out and researched EPQ. Here is Oxford’s viewpoint:
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/542/~/will-my-application-be-more-competitive-if-i-study-more-than-three-a-levels%3F
Make sure you are studying the right A-levels for your chosen course.
Please see the Oxford University table below, indicating which A-levels are essential, recommended and helpful for each course.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/admission-requirements/admission-requirements-table?wssl=1
Check whether your chosen college offers your course. For instance, Mansfield College is a no-no for German and medicine. It won’t look good on your UCAS form if you make the wrong choice because you haven’t even bothered to look at the college website.
Alternatively, you could make an open application, and if you are selected for interview, a college will be chosen for you.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/colleges/which-oxford-colleges-offer-my-course?wssl=1
Read your way in
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHMO_enGB531GB538&q=oxford+university+logo&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJ3LPw19ziAhW9QxUIHXufBJYQ7Al6BAgHEBs&biw=1920&bih=969
It’s no surprise that the Oxford logo is a book. You simply cannot get away from books in Oxford, nor should you want to. There are over one hundred libraries in what is actually quite a small city. Some colleges alone have three libraries.
At my university (Manchester), a lecturer would recommend a book. Afterwards, there would be a race to the library and unless you were a world class sprinter and did not have a seminar immediately afterwards, the book had gone. You would then have to order the book from the university bookshop, and very expensive it would be too. By the time it had come it would be too late for your essay, and once you looked at the contents it might only have a limited relevance anyway. Not so at Oxford. Your college will have multiple copies of all set texts and if you need anything urgently, put in an order via the college librarian. The desired book will either be available the same day, or as a worst case scenario, the day afterwards, at no charge to you. My younger son has never actually had to drag himself to the medical library. Everything is available in college.
ttps://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/bookworms-paradise-the-ten-most-beautiful-libraries-in-oxford/
To find out what to read, take a look at the Oxford reading list on your subject website.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/suggested-reading-and-resources?wssl=1
Then do the same with the Cambridge reading list (see the King’s College website). Ask your teachers if they have any recommendations.
http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/offerholders/reading-lists/index.html
You may well want to take part in the outreach and online talks, masterclasses and subject days Oxford is currently offering:
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/increasing-access/events-calendar
For even more inspiration, get yourself down to Blackwell’s on Broad Street. Blackwells is more than just a bookshop, it’s a veritable institution. There are floors and floors of sublime books, DVDs (also in foreign languages), sheet music, musical instruments, batons and even second hand and valuable books. There is also a café, just in case you decide to set up camp there all day. The Norrington Room, so important it needs a gorgeous mural to lead you to it, is a sight to behold. It is the largest commercial reading room in Europe. If you are a lawyer, a philosopher or a medic, enjoy.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186361-d7997350-Reviews-Blackwell_s_Bookshop-Oxford_Oxfordshire_England.html
Personally, I dread visits to the Norrington. As I sit in the husband chair, I nervously wait to see how many books my son will emotionally blackmail me into buying. There are always too many and I make him put most of them back, obviously because I’m a terrible mum. Once on the Student Room, a girl bought seven books “by accident”. My son was full of admiration for her. She must have had a more amenable parent than me, with much deeper pockets!
Alternatively, you could make an open application, and if you are selected for interview, a college will be chosen for you.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/colleges/which-oxford-colleges-offer-my-course?wssl=1
Read your way in
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHMO_enGB531GB538&q=oxford+university+logo&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJ3LPw19ziAhW9QxUIHXufBJYQ7Al6BAgHEBs&biw=1920&bih=969
It’s no surprise that the Oxford logo is a book. You simply cannot get away from books in Oxford, nor should you want to. There are over one hundred libraries in what is actually quite a small city. Some colleges alone have three libraries.
At my university (Manchester), a lecturer would recommend a book. Afterwards, there would be a race to the library and unless you were a world class sprinter and did not have a seminar immediately afterwards, the book had gone. You would then have to order the book from the university bookshop, and very expensive it would be too. By the time it had come it would be too late for your essay, and once you looked at the contents it might only have a limited relevance anyway. Not so at Oxford. Your college will have multiple copies of all set texts and if you need anything urgently, put in an order via the college librarian. The desired book will either be available the same day, or as a worst case scenario, the day afterwards, at no charge to you. My younger son has never actually had to drag himself to the medical library. Everything is available in college.
ttps://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/bookworms-paradise-the-ten-most-beautiful-libraries-in-oxford/
To find out what to read, take a look at the Oxford reading list on your subject website.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/suggested-reading-and-resources?wssl=1
Then do the same with the Cambridge reading list (see the King’s College website). Ask your teachers if they have any recommendations.
http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/offerholders/reading-lists/index.html
You may well want to take part in the outreach and online talks, masterclasses and subject days Oxford is currently offering:
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/increasing-access/events-calendar
For even more inspiration, get yourself down to Blackwell’s on Broad Street. Blackwells is more than just a bookshop, it’s a veritable institution. There are floors and floors of sublime books, DVDs (also in foreign languages), sheet music, musical instruments, batons and even second hand and valuable books. There is also a café, just in case you decide to set up camp there all day. The Norrington Room, so important it needs a gorgeous mural to lead you to it, is a sight to behold. It is the largest commercial reading room in Europe. If you are a lawyer, a philosopher or a medic, enjoy.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186361-d7997350-Reviews-Blackwell_s_Bookshop-Oxford_Oxfordshire_England.html
Personally, I dread visits to the Norrington. As I sit in the husband chair, I nervously wait to see how many books my son will emotionally blackmail me into buying. There are always too many and I make him put most of them back, obviously because I’m a terrible mum. Once on the Student Room, a girl bought seven books “by accident”. My son was full of admiration for her. She must have had a more amenable parent than me, with much deeper pockets!
(edited 3 years ago)
The books on the Oxbridge lists tend to be quite general sometimes and are good for a starter read.
However after a while I would recommend you start tailoring your reading to your EPQ (extended project). The more obscure and technical this project is, the better.
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/446/~/how-does-oxford-view-the-extended-project-qualification-%28epq%29%2C-and-can-i-submit
As you can see from the link, Oxford recommends the EPQ, but it will not guarantee you a place, nor will it form part of your offer. You can also get into Oxford without doing an EPQ. If the EPQ seems too onerous, just choose a subject-based topic that interests you, and read a few books about it.
This Guardian article describes the pros and cons of the EPQ
https://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2014/mar/28/extended-project-qualification-sixth-form-students
When you have finished your reading session, I want you to put down your book, and have “Oxford thoughts”. What I mean is you need to reflect on what you have just read.
For example if you are reading classical literature, what insight has the passage given you about the characters? What is their purpose? What are your thoughts on the structure of the piece? The style? Can you compare this book to any others you have read? Is this a book of its time, or does it have a message you can identify with now?
My favourite book of all time is “Vanity Fair”, by William Makepeace Thackeray. I was shocked to find out how little values and morals have changed since Thackeray wrote it (1847, and the book is set even earlier, around 1815). He writes of a society in thrall to money, power and sex, something you can read about today in every tabloid newspaper. Thackeray makes fun of these shallow values, much as we would mock articles of celebrities in the Daily Mail. I wonder what he would make of talk shows, politicians and morals today?
Try this technique if you are reading, for example, an economics book. Do you agree with what the author is saying? Can you think of a book that argues the opposite? Could you come up with a better theory? Then ask yourself that magical question: why? (The word “why” is used a lot in Oxford interviews).
The “Oxford thoughts” theory can also be used in practical cases. For example if you are watching a court case, could the lawyers have argued a better case? Is there a time you can pinpoint as the turning point in the case? Do you admire a lawyer for winning the case when it seems everything is going against the client? How does he/she achieve this? What have you learned from the case/witnesses/defendants/judge?
All this critical thinking is a useful preparation for the culmination of the application process: the interview, which I will come to later.
So how do you select an EPQ topic? When you look on the college websites you will see just how specialised and precise the tutors’ interests are.
https://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/people/dr-matthew-tranter
It would be correct, then, to conclude that this must be the way to go. What tutors are looking for is something intriguing and obscure, which helps them differentiate from all the other personal statements they see. For this reason, make sure you are not just plumping for “The Tudors” or “The Romans”, or indeed a topic you have just studied to A level!
Look everywhere for inspiration. You could find it in a TV programme, a person you meet at a bus stop, a walk down a country lane (like my elder son).
Also it’s worth mentioning Amazon at this point.
As an experiment, I looked at how much my recommended medical books would cost. I think it came to less than £10 (not including postage and packaging). Some were only 1p!
However after a while I would recommend you start tailoring your reading to your EPQ (extended project). The more obscure and technical this project is, the better.
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/446/~/how-does-oxford-view-the-extended-project-qualification-%28epq%29%2C-and-can-i-submit
As you can see from the link, Oxford recommends the EPQ, but it will not guarantee you a place, nor will it form part of your offer. You can also get into Oxford without doing an EPQ. If the EPQ seems too onerous, just choose a subject-based topic that interests you, and read a few books about it.
This Guardian article describes the pros and cons of the EPQ
https://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2014/mar/28/extended-project-qualification-sixth-form-students
When you have finished your reading session, I want you to put down your book, and have “Oxford thoughts”. What I mean is you need to reflect on what you have just read.
For example if you are reading classical literature, what insight has the passage given you about the characters? What is their purpose? What are your thoughts on the structure of the piece? The style? Can you compare this book to any others you have read? Is this a book of its time, or does it have a message you can identify with now?
My favourite book of all time is “Vanity Fair”, by William Makepeace Thackeray. I was shocked to find out how little values and morals have changed since Thackeray wrote it (1847, and the book is set even earlier, around 1815). He writes of a society in thrall to money, power and sex, something you can read about today in every tabloid newspaper. Thackeray makes fun of these shallow values, much as we would mock articles of celebrities in the Daily Mail. I wonder what he would make of talk shows, politicians and morals today?
Try this technique if you are reading, for example, an economics book. Do you agree with what the author is saying? Can you think of a book that argues the opposite? Could you come up with a better theory? Then ask yourself that magical question: why? (The word “why” is used a lot in Oxford interviews).
The “Oxford thoughts” theory can also be used in practical cases. For example if you are watching a court case, could the lawyers have argued a better case? Is there a time you can pinpoint as the turning point in the case? Do you admire a lawyer for winning the case when it seems everything is going against the client? How does he/she achieve this? What have you learned from the case/witnesses/defendants/judge?
All this critical thinking is a useful preparation for the culmination of the application process: the interview, which I will come to later.
So how do you select an EPQ topic? When you look on the college websites you will see just how specialised and precise the tutors’ interests are.
https://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/people/dr-matthew-tranter
It would be correct, then, to conclude that this must be the way to go. What tutors are looking for is something intriguing and obscure, which helps them differentiate from all the other personal statements they see. For this reason, make sure you are not just plumping for “The Tudors” or “The Romans”, or indeed a topic you have just studied to A level!
Look everywhere for inspiration. You could find it in a TV programme, a person you meet at a bus stop, a walk down a country lane (like my elder son).
Also it’s worth mentioning Amazon at this point.
As an experiment, I looked at how much my recommended medical books would cost. I think it came to less than £10 (not including postage and packaging). Some were only 1p!
(edited 3 years ago)
Other helpful (though not mandatory) ways to bling your application
For example, if you are applying for law, why not go and view a court case? You can do this in the UK from the age of 14, as long as it’s not family law. Just arrive smartly dressed.
Thinking of medicine? It’s well worth joining St John Ambulance or getting work experience in a residential home. They will not give you a place if you just rely on your stupendous science grades alone.
Any self-respecting PPE-ist or lawyer should aim to be in a debating team or participate in the European Youth Parliament or MUN (Model United Nations).
Let’s look at the European Youth Parliament
https://eyp.org/
Unfortunately, now we are leaving the EU, I am not sure how long this opportunity will last. The initial heats take place in your own country. In a nutshell, you debate points of European law with rival schools. The best debaters will end up in Europe, meeting people from France, Lithuania and many other countries. First, you will be given a subject to research. You will prepare a speech about it and other delegates will critique it. A bit like a tutorial, then.
If you are a budding scientist, the Cambridge Science Festival is worth a look.
https://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/
Every branch of science is represented there, with exhibits, experiments and lectures made to inspire and motivate. This takes place in March each year, so book yourself in for the free lectures the month before.
Whilst on the subject of Cambridge, they also offer masterclasses in quite a few subjects, for only £20. Check out their websites for what’s on offer.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/events/masterclasses
Some subjects, such as law and medicine, get booked up quite quickly, so create an alert.
If you want to hone your essay writing and research skills, look at the essay competitions on the Cambridge college websites.
https://www.pet.cam.ac.uk/essay-prizes
https://www.newn.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduates/newnham-essay-prizes/
http://www.discoverdowning.com/downing-outreach/outreach-opportunities/
https://www.oxfordandcambridgeoutreach.co.uk/events/robinson-college-essay-prize
There are competitions on the Corpus Christi, Peterhouse, St Johns, Robinson and Newnham websites (the latter for girls only).
Are you a budding engineer? Have a go at the Teentech competition.
https://www.teentech.com/
This is the brainchild of TV presenter Maggie Philbin (your parents may remember her from the TV programme Tomorrow’s World). They are looking for the UK’s best inventors and innovators. Many celebrities, such as Professor Brian Cox and Stephen Fry come and talk to the lucky finalists. At stake is a large cash prize, and tea with Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace.
There are poetry competitions for linguists and awards for the best Latin readings.
http://www.stephen-spender.org/spender_prize.html
https://youngwritersproject.org/node/14745
https://www.daad.org.uk/en/2019/05/10/writing-competition-2019-victoria-albert-love-letters/
There are Olympiads in Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology,
https://www.bpho.org.uk/
https://www.rsc.org/campaigning-outreach/outreach/educators/uk-chemistry-olympiad/
https://www.ukmt.org.uk/individual-competitions/
https://www.rsb.org.uk/get-involved/rsb-competitions/british-biology-olympiad
For chemists there is the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and the Top of the Bench competition.
https://www.ch.cam.ac.uk/outreach/cambridge-chemistry-challenge-c3l6
https://www.rsc.org/news-events/features/2014/jun/top-of-the-bench/
Oxford competitions for secondary school students:
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/teachers/academic-competitions-schools-and-colleges
History essay prizes:
https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/essay-prizes/history/
https://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/working-schools/caius-schools-prizes/history-essay-prize
https://www.st-hughs.ox.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/outreach/julia-wood-site/
Geography prize
https://www.rgs.org/schools/competitions/
Law competitions: The Legal Apprentice
https://www.kingsleynapley.co.uk/the-legal-apprentice
and Model United Nations (MUN)
https://www.una.org.uk/get-involved/learn-and-teach/model-un-portal
Get busy on the internet, enter your subject and “competition” in google and you will see there are many opportunities for the keen, ambitious student.
For example, if you are applying for law, why not go and view a court case? You can do this in the UK from the age of 14, as long as it’s not family law. Just arrive smartly dressed.
Thinking of medicine? It’s well worth joining St John Ambulance or getting work experience in a residential home. They will not give you a place if you just rely on your stupendous science grades alone.
Any self-respecting PPE-ist or lawyer should aim to be in a debating team or participate in the European Youth Parliament or MUN (Model United Nations).
Let’s look at the European Youth Parliament
https://eyp.org/
Unfortunately, now we are leaving the EU, I am not sure how long this opportunity will last. The initial heats take place in your own country. In a nutshell, you debate points of European law with rival schools. The best debaters will end up in Europe, meeting people from France, Lithuania and many other countries. First, you will be given a subject to research. You will prepare a speech about it and other delegates will critique it. A bit like a tutorial, then.
If you are a budding scientist, the Cambridge Science Festival is worth a look.
https://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/
Every branch of science is represented there, with exhibits, experiments and lectures made to inspire and motivate. This takes place in March each year, so book yourself in for the free lectures the month before.
Whilst on the subject of Cambridge, they also offer masterclasses in quite a few subjects, for only £20. Check out their websites for what’s on offer.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/events/masterclasses
Some subjects, such as law and medicine, get booked up quite quickly, so create an alert.
If you want to hone your essay writing and research skills, look at the essay competitions on the Cambridge college websites.
https://www.pet.cam.ac.uk/essay-prizes
https://www.newn.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduates/newnham-essay-prizes/
http://www.discoverdowning.com/downing-outreach/outreach-opportunities/
https://www.oxfordandcambridgeoutreach.co.uk/events/robinson-college-essay-prize
There are competitions on the Corpus Christi, Peterhouse, St Johns, Robinson and Newnham websites (the latter for girls only).
Are you a budding engineer? Have a go at the Teentech competition.
https://www.teentech.com/
This is the brainchild of TV presenter Maggie Philbin (your parents may remember her from the TV programme Tomorrow’s World). They are looking for the UK’s best inventors and innovators. Many celebrities, such as Professor Brian Cox and Stephen Fry come and talk to the lucky finalists. At stake is a large cash prize, and tea with Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace.
There are poetry competitions for linguists and awards for the best Latin readings.
http://www.stephen-spender.org/spender_prize.html
https://youngwritersproject.org/node/14745
https://www.daad.org.uk/en/2019/05/10/writing-competition-2019-victoria-albert-love-letters/
There are Olympiads in Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology,
https://www.bpho.org.uk/
https://www.rsc.org/campaigning-outreach/outreach/educators/uk-chemistry-olympiad/
https://www.ukmt.org.uk/individual-competitions/
https://www.rsb.org.uk/get-involved/rsb-competitions/british-biology-olympiad
For chemists there is the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and the Top of the Bench competition.
https://www.ch.cam.ac.uk/outreach/cambridge-chemistry-challenge-c3l6
https://www.rsc.org/news-events/features/2014/jun/top-of-the-bench/
Oxford competitions for secondary school students:
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/teachers/academic-competitions-schools-and-colleges
History essay prizes:
https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/essay-prizes/history/
https://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/working-schools/caius-schools-prizes/history-essay-prize
https://www.st-hughs.ox.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/outreach/julia-wood-site/
Geography prize
https://www.rgs.org/schools/competitions/
Law competitions: The Legal Apprentice
https://www.kingsleynapley.co.uk/the-legal-apprentice
and Model United Nations (MUN)
https://www.una.org.uk/get-involved/learn-and-teach/model-un-portal
Get busy on the internet, enter your subject and “competition” in google and you will see there are many opportunities for the keen, ambitious student.
Try visiting Oxford on an open day. If you don’t live too close to Oxford you can even stay the night (but book in good time).
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/open-days-and-visits
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/visiting-and-outreach/open-days/sample-open-day?wssl=1
First check that your chosen college offers your subject. Try to visit Oxford beforehand if you can.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors/visiting-oxford/visiting-the-colleges?wssl=1
Please phone the porters first, to check whether you can visit (if there is a function, e.g. wedding, christening, graduation, summer school, near exam time, you may turn up to find the college is closed to visitors).
Whittle it down to three colleges, and, after some research, down to one.
The open day is a great opportunity to stay in college without the pressure of interviews. Of course if you wish, you can just visit for the day, without staying overnight.
My younger son, M… made lots of friends on the open days. His little group had a lot of fun comparing the various rooms they were staying in. Please do take the time over the two days to visit other colleges too. M… visited Brasenose, which he had admired for many years, but found he actually preferred his newly adopted college. Another boy visited Hertford. He so loved the atmosphere and the friendliness of the staff that he applied there instead.
From time to time there are also subject taster days, at college and university level. I recall going to a languages open day in the imposing exam schools on the High with my elder son, A…. Two large wood panelled halls were packed to the gills with applicants and their parents.
It was intimidating listening to the posh parents and the students themselves. One was an English girl living in France, applying for a French degree. Another boy had taken his “A” level German two years early. But hey, A… made it to Oxford for German anyway!
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/open-days-and-visits
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/visiting-and-outreach/open-days/sample-open-day?wssl=1
First check that your chosen college offers your subject. Try to visit Oxford beforehand if you can.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors/visiting-oxford/visiting-the-colleges?wssl=1
Please phone the porters first, to check whether you can visit (if there is a function, e.g. wedding, christening, graduation, summer school, near exam time, you may turn up to find the college is closed to visitors).
Whittle it down to three colleges, and, after some research, down to one.
The open day is a great opportunity to stay in college without the pressure of interviews. Of course if you wish, you can just visit for the day, without staying overnight.
My younger son, M… made lots of friends on the open days. His little group had a lot of fun comparing the various rooms they were staying in. Please do take the time over the two days to visit other colleges too. M… visited Brasenose, which he had admired for many years, but found he actually preferred his newly adopted college. Another boy visited Hertford. He so loved the atmosphere and the friendliness of the staff that he applied there instead.
From time to time there are also subject taster days, at college and university level. I recall going to a languages open day in the imposing exam schools on the High with my elder son, A…. Two large wood panelled halls were packed to the gills with applicants and their parents.
It was intimidating listening to the posh parents and the students themselves. One was an English girl living in France, applying for a French degree. Another boy had taken his “A” level German two years early. But hey, A… made it to Oxford for German anyway!
When you apply, look closely at the colleges. Do you want a traditional old college, or one with a more modern, relaxed approach, like St Catherine’s? Do you prefer a riverside location, such as St Hilda’s? Do you want college accommodation for all of your university years?
http://apply.oxfordsu.org/colleges/compare/undergraduate-accommodation/
If you live in straitened circumstances, does the college offer a scholarship for people who live in your county? Or in the case of international applicants, people who live in your country?
Often, like M…, you may want to play “follow the professor”. His EPQ was all about the brain, and there were several brain specialists at his college. One student I know loved James Joyce, so she chose a college where the tutor had the identical interest. The college subsequently paid for her to go to Dublin to study her literary hero in more depth.
Are you mad on Spanish? If so, do you know that Exeter College has special links to the Spanish royal family?
https://www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/queen-sofia-of-spain-visits-exeter-college/
Follow the professor may, however, be a risky choice. My elder son wanted to apply to Exeter College because of Professor Watanebe O’Kelly, who was the head of the languages faculty. It was only when he had been invited to interview that he heard she was planning to retire at the end of the year!
Other professors may not teach first years at all, or may just be there for research purposes, rather than to teach the undergraduates. Always check at the open days, or with the professor/tutors themselves.
http://apply.oxfordsu.org/colleges/compare/undergraduate-accommodation/
If you live in straitened circumstances, does the college offer a scholarship for people who live in your county? Or in the case of international applicants, people who live in your country?
Often, like M…, you may want to play “follow the professor”. His EPQ was all about the brain, and there were several brain specialists at his college. One student I know loved James Joyce, so she chose a college where the tutor had the identical interest. The college subsequently paid for her to go to Dublin to study her literary hero in more depth.
Are you mad on Spanish? If so, do you know that Exeter College has special links to the Spanish royal family?
https://www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/queen-sofia-of-spain-visits-exeter-college/
Follow the professor may, however, be a risky choice. My elder son wanted to apply to Exeter College because of Professor Watanebe O’Kelly, who was the head of the languages faculty. It was only when he had been invited to interview that he heard she was planning to retire at the end of the year!
Other professors may not teach first years at all, or may just be there for research purposes, rather than to teach the undergraduates. Always check at the open days, or with the professor/tutors themselves.
Now you have chosen your ideal college and selected your course, you will need to check your timings. It is necessary to apply to Oxford by mid-October which is earlier than the normal university deadline.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/ucas-application
Please click on the link below to find out how to complete the UCAS form.
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application
You will hear about the interviews towards the end of November, and the interviews themselves will take place in mid-December.
There will probably be a specialist subject test you will need to undergo, for example the LNAT for Law, the BMAT for Medicine, the HAT for History etc. Check the subject website and also study the example mock test. Make sure you have registered for the tests, which are taken in your school.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/admissions-tests
Ensure you ace these tests, as they are very important to the selection process. You do not need a genius mark to pass them, just practice with past tests as much as you can.
There may be books that can help with the more popular subjects, such as law.
You will need to sit the tests in your school.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/ucas-application
Please click on the link below to find out how to complete the UCAS form.
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application
You will hear about the interviews towards the end of November, and the interviews themselves will take place in mid-December.
There will probably be a specialist subject test you will need to undergo, for example the LNAT for Law, the BMAT for Medicine, the HAT for History etc. Check the subject website and also study the example mock test. Make sure you have registered for the tests, which are taken in your school.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/admissions-tests
Ensure you ace these tests, as they are very important to the selection process. You do not need a genius mark to pass them, just practice with past tests as much as you can.
There may be books that can help with the more popular subjects, such as law.
You will need to sit the tests in your school.
(edited 3 years ago)
The personal statement can be a bit of an eye opener for students, who are not used to selling themselves on paper. It is important to be concise and show your devotion to your subject, as well as your suitability for the course. Rather than mentioning lots of hobbies, just choose one but go into more detail (a Univ admissions tutor taught me that).
I will not recommend what to put in your personal statement, as this is by nature, personal. It should not be anyone else’s work. It should be all about a feeling for your subject, and the sheer joy you experience when you study it.
The Student Room (TSR) has a bank of personal statements you can read:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/personal-statements/personal-statements-by-subject
Underneath the student has added his/her attained grades and the universities they have received offers from. Beneath you can see expert comments on the effectiveness of the statement and how they could have been improved.
There are even handy hints about how to craft the perfect PS.
JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON’T PLAGIARISE FROM THE EXISTING STATEMENTS.
If you have something interesting or different to offer, make this a feature of your personal statement, e.g. A…’s love of “Die Leiden des jungen Werther” (as A…’s German teacher said, “they’ll be reading, but not that book”). M…. had his St Johns Ambulance peer educator status.
Just remember that all this extra work needs to be in proportion. You should never neglect your “A” level work. The extras need to be more of a hobby than the main attraction. As a guide I would say 80% schoolwork, 20% Oxford. You don’t have to do everything I have talked about. Just pick the suggestions that appeal to you most.
I will not recommend what to put in your personal statement, as this is by nature, personal. It should not be anyone else’s work. It should be all about a feeling for your subject, and the sheer joy you experience when you study it.
The Student Room (TSR) has a bank of personal statements you can read:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/personal-statements/personal-statements-by-subject
Underneath the student has added his/her attained grades and the universities they have received offers from. Beneath you can see expert comments on the effectiveness of the statement and how they could have been improved.
There are even handy hints about how to craft the perfect PS.
JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON’T PLAGIARISE FROM THE EXISTING STATEMENTS.
If you have something interesting or different to offer, make this a feature of your personal statement, e.g. A…’s love of “Die Leiden des jungen Werther” (as A…’s German teacher said, “they’ll be reading, but not that book”). M…. had his St Johns Ambulance peer educator status.
Just remember that all this extra work needs to be in proportion. You should never neglect your “A” level work. The extras need to be more of a hobby than the main attraction. As a guide I would say 80% schoolwork, 20% Oxford. You don’t have to do everything I have talked about. Just pick the suggestions that appeal to you most.
So now there only remains the “mysterious” interviews. In “Getting into Oxford and Cambridge – 2011 Entry” (Blatt, K), a Cambridge Admissions Tutor lists the reasons why a candidate may be unsuccessful. They:
Are eager to agree/not keen to discuss/debate
Are well informed but cautious or uncritical in thinking
Had difficulty when challenged to think for self
Are reluctant to engage with the unfamiliar
Jump into answers without thinking
Why does Oxford have to interview candidates? It is not to scare people: quite the opposite. According to the “Four Myths about Oxford” (University of Oxford Department of Computer Science)
https://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/why_oxford/four_myths.html
“We use interviews as a way of being as sure as we can that we are fair to everyone who applies, and we do our best to make the experience as pleasant as possible for the candidates. I think you should view the interview as an excellent opportunity to show what you can do. At the end of the process, I hope you will be able to feel proud that you have done yourself justice, and anyway feel that you were given a fair chance of a place.”
Make sure you have at least one mock interview at school. Here are links to some useful interview questions:
http://www.cambridgeinterviewquestions.com
https://sites.google.com/site/oxbridgeinterviewquestions
Oxford University have produced this very helpful Guide to Interviews. It explains:
Why they interview
How you can prepare for interview
What happens during the interview
What distinguishes the best candidates
Practicalities
What happens next
https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/Interviews%20guide%202017.pdf
I have here a quote from Ken Charman, who interviewed students for E&M at Oxford:
I reviewed the admissions process by participating as an independent external admissions tutor. I went through the very thorough training process that outlined the methods and goals. The exclusive objective is to recruit the candidates deemed most likely to achieve a first class honours. I read through about 100 application forms from candidates whose grades and predicted grades were uniformly high. So, not much opportunity to filter by grade. We had to reduce this down to 12 who would be invited to interview for two places on Economics and Management. The applicant and teacher’s statements were also formulaic. Everyone plays the game and states the right things. So, that didn't help much either. But by sorting and comparing over and over again I managed to perceive a ranking. It was a perception though. I tried my hardest to be fair and objective but I cannot claim this was a scientific exercise. The difference in quality was marginal. An exception to this is made for candidates who are flagged for being from disadvantaged backgrounds. So long as their grades achieve the hurdle they are guaranteed an interview. Prior to interview candidates had to participate in an online thinking skills and reasoning test. Scores in this are supplied to admissions. Candidates are ranked from first to last. In our 12 interviews we saw two who had made it to the top ten in a ranking ladder that stretched down thousands of places. Obviously, the selection process could stop right here if a “blind” objective, quantitative approach was the goal. Maybe it should, but it doesn't. Candidates then perform an online written assignment under exam conditions. This is also marked with scores notified to admissions. The stage is then set for interviews. The final stage. Much has been written about this experience. I can only comment on the 12 conducted. I am reasonably confident they are representative. Candidates had to stay in halls until they were told they could go home. That meant at least one overnight stay and college dinner. Interviews were posted on a noticeboard and candidates were told to arrive twenty minutes early. In those twenty minutes they were given a 1200 word article to read, which would be discussed in the interview, amongst other things. The interview took place in a tutor’s room which was found up a winding sandstone staircase. Two interviewers faced the candidate. Everyone sat in an armchair. It was December and it was cold in the room. That wasn't part of shake down but it was a good taster as this room would be the main teaching location for the next three years for those selected. Before each interview the two interviewers reaffirmed their adherence to their anti-bias training. There were no trick questions. The discussion was, in effect, a 30 minute simulation of a tutorial. We referred to the reading and probed the candidates understanding, powers of analysis, ability to reason and state a position and defend it or modify it. Very little time was spent asking about hobbies or interests. The sole objective was academic selection. We were zeroing in on enthusiasm for and ability in the subject of study. All candidates were interviewed twice. When we met to share our scores and make the selection there were four opinions on each candidate. The selection meeting referred to all the gathered data but the interview was the dominant reference point. The key factor was our opinion about how well the candidate would perform in the Oxford method of tutorial learning. Tutorials allow no hiding place. For three years a group of two or three students meet several times a week to discuss a written paper with a tutor. Good communication skills and confidence are vital. Although the quality was high with all 12 candidates showing they could meet the standard, there were two who, we unanimously agreed, stood out. I was the only British born interviewer and both selected candidates were overseas applicants. I saw no evidence of bias or exclusion, but the system is rational rather than scientific. Luck plays a part and it is impossible to prove the best candidates were selected. The ability to participate in a Socratic dialogue was crucial. At the end of my research my conclusion was that Oxford tries very hard to be fair and objective about recruiting candidates with the best academic potential and it ignores other factors. However, the system i biased as it favours applicants who have accumulated advantages through superior social and educational opportunities that are paid for by wealthy parents. It is difficult to match their performance with a state school and working class background. The top tips for applicants? Get good grades and practice your analytical and debating skills.
Yes, the system does favour those who know what is required for the process and has insider knowledge, but hopefully I have posted enough handy hints to help. If you are state school educated and you have reached the interview stage anyway, well done. You have as much chance of a place as all the other candidates. You just need to keep your cool, debate logically, go through your thought processes by speaking aloud and show your enthusiasm.
TSR user vicvic38 (current Oxford student) has written the definitive guide to interviews from a student’s point of view. This article was originally published in the Hive (on TSR). The gems revealed are:
Reassuring advice
Clothes to wear for interview
What to bring
What happens in the JCR (junior common room)
How to cope during the interview
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/oxbridge/tips-on-interview-from-an-oxford-fresher
Highly recommended, calming reading for those fortunate enough to have reached this stage in the process.
As I have no experience of Oxford interviews, I will leave you in the capable hands of the fabulous Angelique, of Oriel College. If you watch her youtube video at MT9 My Oxford Skype Interview, she describes her successful Classical Archaeology and Ancient History interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCD5dUen68I
Crucially, she is a trailblazer from Jamaica. No one she knows has ever applied to Oxford. This means that, unlike her more knowledgeable peers, she was not aware she should be “freaking out” about the so-called “horrible” interviews. Her assumption was that she would not get in anyway, it didn’t matter and she just wanted to get it over with.
She was emailed a document half an hour before to study. In the event she was so nervous she could not take in the contents. She did not have the presence of mind to print out the document.
One unexpected aspect was the niceness of the two interviewers (most students concur with this). They tried their best to calm her down, and give her every opportunity to shine.
Throughout the interview she felt she was not blowing them away. Sometimes she could tell she’d given a good answer, but at other times they would just stop and look at her. In these cases they would make her backtrack and ask further questions to get her to the right answer. Angelique’s excellent advice is to not panic if you don’t know the answer. Rather than saying “I don’t know” all the time, analyse what you are thinking out loud. Do not be shy and speak more than you normally would (but don’t talk over the interviewers). Listen carefully to what they have to say. Don’t lie.
And finally, the bottom line. No one thinks they have got in to Oxford. Do not get disheartened and give up halfway through the interview. Instead Angelique decided “what the heck, I might as well enjoy it”. So she carried on making the effort anyway, and was rewarded with a place.
As you can see from the above example, interviewees are all too human, in fact they are just like you and I. They are not intimidating geniuses. They sometimes come from ordinary, non-academic backgrounds, yet are able to use their intellectual curiosity, good listening and analytical skills to great effect.
Do not be afraid of the interview. At the end of the day, it’s just a 17 or 18 year old having a conversation with a couple of adults, about a subject you all love.
People like Angelique are exactly what Oxford wants. She dares to dream, and is not afraid of a challenge.
Could this be you?
A tutor once said that they don’t want students with “pedestrian minds”. You may have a pedestrian mind, or you may have a mind as fast as Usain Bolt, and not even be aware of it! The only way to find out for sure is to put yourself in a chair opposite the interviewers.
Noorgal, a TSR member, describes how useful her EPQ was at her successful interview, and how thorough preparation is crucial.
“My main interest was cancer. At all my interviews, the interviewers were very interested and kept telling me lots of fascinating little facts they knew. It was obvious that they were also passionate about the same topics. Likewise, I noticed that all my interviewers asked the same questions and there was a lot of room to give your own opinions. They really liked it when I offered an alternative opinion and since I researched some quite niche topics; it felt really cool that I was explaining a novel concept to the interviewers that they'd never heard before”
Other examples of Oxford interviews:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLvt3UMn2r0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCn6-3D5z2E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rV99_p7DDA
After the interviews, the wait for the results can seem to last forever. The interviewers meanwhile, are busy making their decisions, as Alan Rusbridger, principal of Lady Margaret Hall, describes:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/alan-rusbridger-lifting-lid-oxford-admissions
At this stage, you have done all you can. I know you are going to think about your interview all over Christmas, but there is nothing you can change. Just plonk yourself down in front of the TV with a turkey sandwich, and forget about it. You may surprise yourself and bag a place, then all that worrying will have been for nothing.
Rusbridger’s article just goes to show that the decisions the tutors make are not taken lightly. They are bending over backwards to ensure the process of selection is just, given contextual data and other factors, such as performance at interview. Please trust the tutors, with their years of experience, to come to a fair and reasonable decision for you and the other candidates.
Are eager to agree/not keen to discuss/debate
Are well informed but cautious or uncritical in thinking
Had difficulty when challenged to think for self
Are reluctant to engage with the unfamiliar
Jump into answers without thinking
Why does Oxford have to interview candidates? It is not to scare people: quite the opposite. According to the “Four Myths about Oxford” (University of Oxford Department of Computer Science)
https://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/why_oxford/four_myths.html
“We use interviews as a way of being as sure as we can that we are fair to everyone who applies, and we do our best to make the experience as pleasant as possible for the candidates. I think you should view the interview as an excellent opportunity to show what you can do. At the end of the process, I hope you will be able to feel proud that you have done yourself justice, and anyway feel that you were given a fair chance of a place.”
Make sure you have at least one mock interview at school. Here are links to some useful interview questions:
http://www.cambridgeinterviewquestions.com
https://sites.google.com/site/oxbridgeinterviewquestions
Oxford University have produced this very helpful Guide to Interviews. It explains:
Why they interview
How you can prepare for interview
What happens during the interview
What distinguishes the best candidates
Practicalities
What happens next
https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/Interviews%20guide%202017.pdf
I have here a quote from Ken Charman, who interviewed students for E&M at Oxford:
I reviewed the admissions process by participating as an independent external admissions tutor. I went through the very thorough training process that outlined the methods and goals. The exclusive objective is to recruit the candidates deemed most likely to achieve a first class honours. I read through about 100 application forms from candidates whose grades and predicted grades were uniformly high. So, not much opportunity to filter by grade. We had to reduce this down to 12 who would be invited to interview for two places on Economics and Management. The applicant and teacher’s statements were also formulaic. Everyone plays the game and states the right things. So, that didn't help much either. But by sorting and comparing over and over again I managed to perceive a ranking. It was a perception though. I tried my hardest to be fair and objective but I cannot claim this was a scientific exercise. The difference in quality was marginal. An exception to this is made for candidates who are flagged for being from disadvantaged backgrounds. So long as their grades achieve the hurdle they are guaranteed an interview. Prior to interview candidates had to participate in an online thinking skills and reasoning test. Scores in this are supplied to admissions. Candidates are ranked from first to last. In our 12 interviews we saw two who had made it to the top ten in a ranking ladder that stretched down thousands of places. Obviously, the selection process could stop right here if a “blind” objective, quantitative approach was the goal. Maybe it should, but it doesn't. Candidates then perform an online written assignment under exam conditions. This is also marked with scores notified to admissions. The stage is then set for interviews. The final stage. Much has been written about this experience. I can only comment on the 12 conducted. I am reasonably confident they are representative. Candidates had to stay in halls until they were told they could go home. That meant at least one overnight stay and college dinner. Interviews were posted on a noticeboard and candidates were told to arrive twenty minutes early. In those twenty minutes they were given a 1200 word article to read, which would be discussed in the interview, amongst other things. The interview took place in a tutor’s room which was found up a winding sandstone staircase. Two interviewers faced the candidate. Everyone sat in an armchair. It was December and it was cold in the room. That wasn't part of shake down but it was a good taster as this room would be the main teaching location for the next three years for those selected. Before each interview the two interviewers reaffirmed their adherence to their anti-bias training. There were no trick questions. The discussion was, in effect, a 30 minute simulation of a tutorial. We referred to the reading and probed the candidates understanding, powers of analysis, ability to reason and state a position and defend it or modify it. Very little time was spent asking about hobbies or interests. The sole objective was academic selection. We were zeroing in on enthusiasm for and ability in the subject of study. All candidates were interviewed twice. When we met to share our scores and make the selection there were four opinions on each candidate. The selection meeting referred to all the gathered data but the interview was the dominant reference point. The key factor was our opinion about how well the candidate would perform in the Oxford method of tutorial learning. Tutorials allow no hiding place. For three years a group of two or three students meet several times a week to discuss a written paper with a tutor. Good communication skills and confidence are vital. Although the quality was high with all 12 candidates showing they could meet the standard, there were two who, we unanimously agreed, stood out. I was the only British born interviewer and both selected candidates were overseas applicants. I saw no evidence of bias or exclusion, but the system is rational rather than scientific. Luck plays a part and it is impossible to prove the best candidates were selected. The ability to participate in a Socratic dialogue was crucial. At the end of my research my conclusion was that Oxford tries very hard to be fair and objective about recruiting candidates with the best academic potential and it ignores other factors. However, the system i biased as it favours applicants who have accumulated advantages through superior social and educational opportunities that are paid for by wealthy parents. It is difficult to match their performance with a state school and working class background. The top tips for applicants? Get good grades and practice your analytical and debating skills.
Yes, the system does favour those who know what is required for the process and has insider knowledge, but hopefully I have posted enough handy hints to help. If you are state school educated and you have reached the interview stage anyway, well done. You have as much chance of a place as all the other candidates. You just need to keep your cool, debate logically, go through your thought processes by speaking aloud and show your enthusiasm.
TSR user vicvic38 (current Oxford student) has written the definitive guide to interviews from a student’s point of view. This article was originally published in the Hive (on TSR). The gems revealed are:
Reassuring advice
Clothes to wear for interview
What to bring
What happens in the JCR (junior common room)
How to cope during the interview
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/oxbridge/tips-on-interview-from-an-oxford-fresher
Highly recommended, calming reading for those fortunate enough to have reached this stage in the process.
As I have no experience of Oxford interviews, I will leave you in the capable hands of the fabulous Angelique, of Oriel College. If you watch her youtube video at MT9 My Oxford Skype Interview, she describes her successful Classical Archaeology and Ancient History interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCD5dUen68I
Crucially, she is a trailblazer from Jamaica. No one she knows has ever applied to Oxford. This means that, unlike her more knowledgeable peers, she was not aware she should be “freaking out” about the so-called “horrible” interviews. Her assumption was that she would not get in anyway, it didn’t matter and she just wanted to get it over with.
She was emailed a document half an hour before to study. In the event she was so nervous she could not take in the contents. She did not have the presence of mind to print out the document.
One unexpected aspect was the niceness of the two interviewers (most students concur with this). They tried their best to calm her down, and give her every opportunity to shine.
Throughout the interview she felt she was not blowing them away. Sometimes she could tell she’d given a good answer, but at other times they would just stop and look at her. In these cases they would make her backtrack and ask further questions to get her to the right answer. Angelique’s excellent advice is to not panic if you don’t know the answer. Rather than saying “I don’t know” all the time, analyse what you are thinking out loud. Do not be shy and speak more than you normally would (but don’t talk over the interviewers). Listen carefully to what they have to say. Don’t lie.
And finally, the bottom line. No one thinks they have got in to Oxford. Do not get disheartened and give up halfway through the interview. Instead Angelique decided “what the heck, I might as well enjoy it”. So she carried on making the effort anyway, and was rewarded with a place.
As you can see from the above example, interviewees are all too human, in fact they are just like you and I. They are not intimidating geniuses. They sometimes come from ordinary, non-academic backgrounds, yet are able to use their intellectual curiosity, good listening and analytical skills to great effect.
Do not be afraid of the interview. At the end of the day, it’s just a 17 or 18 year old having a conversation with a couple of adults, about a subject you all love.
People like Angelique are exactly what Oxford wants. She dares to dream, and is not afraid of a challenge.
Could this be you?
A tutor once said that they don’t want students with “pedestrian minds”. You may have a pedestrian mind, or you may have a mind as fast as Usain Bolt, and not even be aware of it! The only way to find out for sure is to put yourself in a chair opposite the interviewers.
Noorgal, a TSR member, describes how useful her EPQ was at her successful interview, and how thorough preparation is crucial.
“My main interest was cancer. At all my interviews, the interviewers were very interested and kept telling me lots of fascinating little facts they knew. It was obvious that they were also passionate about the same topics. Likewise, I noticed that all my interviewers asked the same questions and there was a lot of room to give your own opinions. They really liked it when I offered an alternative opinion and since I researched some quite niche topics; it felt really cool that I was explaining a novel concept to the interviewers that they'd never heard before”
Other examples of Oxford interviews:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLvt3UMn2r0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCn6-3D5z2E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rV99_p7DDA
After the interviews, the wait for the results can seem to last forever. The interviewers meanwhile, are busy making their decisions, as Alan Rusbridger, principal of Lady Margaret Hall, describes:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/alan-rusbridger-lifting-lid-oxford-admissions
At this stage, you have done all you can. I know you are going to think about your interview all over Christmas, but there is nothing you can change. Just plonk yourself down in front of the TV with a turkey sandwich, and forget about it. You may surprise yourself and bag a place, then all that worrying will have been for nothing.
Rusbridger’s article just goes to show that the decisions the tutors make are not taken lightly. They are bending over backwards to ensure the process of selection is just, given contextual data and other factors, such as performance at interview. Please trust the tutors, with their years of experience, to come to a fair and reasonable decision for you and the other candidates.
(edited 3 years ago)
If you are unsuccessful, you will also be provided with feedback, if you request it.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/decisions/feedback?wssl=1
Having described the road to Oxford, with all its highs and lows, I have to give you some bad news. There is no guarantee of a place. You could follow my advice to the letter but still not get in. This is because your success will depend on how much work your rivals have done. Or they may be naturally smarter than you.
One phenomenon I have seen quite often is the “all or nothing” attitude. Students suffer from I-have-fallen-in-love-with-Oxforditis. It’s gorgeous. It’s prestigious. Nowhere else will do. You are scared of failing.
Then, come results day, you are handed a rejection.
Statistically speaking, you are more likely to suffer this outcome. Please do not see it as your fault. You may have been an excellent candidate, but there are simply not enough places to go round.
Don’t be too hung up on a decision made by a handful of Oxford tutors you will never meet again. It’s important not to turn this small hiccup into a lifetime of regret.
If you really need to, you can re-apply, but in order to succeed, you obviously need to do things differently. Going to formal hall, I met several people around the table who got into Oxford second time around. All had learnt from feedback they had received from the tutors post interview. Some had plumped for less popular subjects, or done more reading round the subject. If you are taking a gap year, the tutors will expect you to keep on engaging with your subject, rather than lying on a beach topping up your tan. Look at your admissions test mark, and see how you can improve it.
If you accept an offer elsewhere, your Oxford experience will not be in vain. All that extra subject based work you did will make you an impressive prospective candidate for all the other universities you have applied to.
At the end of the day, getting into Oxford is not essential for success, wealth or happiness. The sky will not fall down because you haven’t got in. Your life will carry on, and you will, once over the initial shock, adjust and make the most of other, equally attractive opportunities.
Even if I wanted to, I cannot wave my magic wand over your head and make your Oxford dream a reality. My advice is simply a signpost, showing you how to make a start. It is you who will have to put in the time and effort to win that place. It’s like losing weight. Only you can do it for yourself.
Okay, so applying to Oxford is a risk. It can be a bit of a roller coaster at times. But remember, the surest way to not get in, is to not apply in the first place. And if you don’t, you may spend the rest of your life saying “what if?”
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/decisions/feedback?wssl=1
Having described the road to Oxford, with all its highs and lows, I have to give you some bad news. There is no guarantee of a place. You could follow my advice to the letter but still not get in. This is because your success will depend on how much work your rivals have done. Or they may be naturally smarter than you.
One phenomenon I have seen quite often is the “all or nothing” attitude. Students suffer from I-have-fallen-in-love-with-Oxforditis. It’s gorgeous. It’s prestigious. Nowhere else will do. You are scared of failing.
Then, come results day, you are handed a rejection.
Statistically speaking, you are more likely to suffer this outcome. Please do not see it as your fault. You may have been an excellent candidate, but there are simply not enough places to go round.
Don’t be too hung up on a decision made by a handful of Oxford tutors you will never meet again. It’s important not to turn this small hiccup into a lifetime of regret.
If you really need to, you can re-apply, but in order to succeed, you obviously need to do things differently. Going to formal hall, I met several people around the table who got into Oxford second time around. All had learnt from feedback they had received from the tutors post interview. Some had plumped for less popular subjects, or done more reading round the subject. If you are taking a gap year, the tutors will expect you to keep on engaging with your subject, rather than lying on a beach topping up your tan. Look at your admissions test mark, and see how you can improve it.
If you accept an offer elsewhere, your Oxford experience will not be in vain. All that extra subject based work you did will make you an impressive prospective candidate for all the other universities you have applied to.
At the end of the day, getting into Oxford is not essential for success, wealth or happiness. The sky will not fall down because you haven’t got in. Your life will carry on, and you will, once over the initial shock, adjust and make the most of other, equally attractive opportunities.
Even if I wanted to, I cannot wave my magic wand over your head and make your Oxford dream a reality. My advice is simply a signpost, showing you how to make a start. It is you who will have to put in the time and effort to win that place. It’s like losing weight. Only you can do it for yourself.
Okay, so applying to Oxford is a risk. It can be a bit of a roller coaster at times. But remember, the surest way to not get in, is to not apply in the first place. And if you don’t, you may spend the rest of your life saying “what if?”
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by Oxford Mum
What about GCSEs? Do you need straight A*s (or 8s and 9s) for every course? My son gained only 3A*s yet he ended up at Oxford (for German).
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1067/~/are-my-gcse-results-good-enough-for-oxford%3F
Although many successful students have excellent grades, some will not benefit from their advantages because of the school they went to, or personal circumstances. All these factors will be taken in context and considered holistically. Even so, you will be expected to improve your grades considerably by A level.
The exception is medicine, where the average number of GSCEs the successful candidate tends to have is 10A* or 8/9s.
https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics
The average number of A*s at GCSE for a successful Biology candidate is 8.
The number of A- levels you need to take is also important. Having four A levels under your belt will not improve your chances of bagging that place. On the contrary, it’s better to have three A-levels with top grades than four with lesser grades. Quality beats quantity. That time you spent on the extra A-level could have been much more wisely spent with a well-thought out and researched EPQ. Here is Oxford’s viewpoint:
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/542/~/will-my-application-be-more-competitive-if-i-study-more-than-three-a-levels%3F
Make sure you are studying the right A-levels for your chosen course.
Please see the Oxford University table below, indicating which A-levels are essential, recommended and helpful for each course.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/admission-requirements/admission-requirements-table?wssl=1
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1067/~/are-my-gcse-results-good-enough-for-oxford%3F
Although many successful students have excellent grades, some will not benefit from their advantages because of the school they went to, or personal circumstances. All these factors will be taken in context and considered holistically. Even so, you will be expected to improve your grades considerably by A level.
The exception is medicine, where the average number of GSCEs the successful candidate tends to have is 10A* or 8/9s.
https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics
The average number of A*s at GCSE for a successful Biology candidate is 8.
The number of A- levels you need to take is also important. Having four A levels under your belt will not improve your chances of bagging that place. On the contrary, it’s better to have three A-levels with top grades than four with lesser grades. Quality beats quantity. That time you spent on the extra A-level could have been much more wisely spent with a well-thought out and researched EPQ. Here is Oxford’s viewpoint:
https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/542/~/will-my-application-be-more-competitive-if-i-study-more-than-three-a-levels%3F
Make sure you are studying the right A-levels for your chosen course.
Please see the Oxford University table below, indicating which A-levels are essential, recommended and helpful for each course.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/admission-requirements/admission-requirements-table?wssl=1
May I add that if Oxford and Cambridge offer a very similar course, and your GCSE results are not sparkling, it would be better to apply to Cambridge, because they do not place as much emphasis on them as Oxford do. However, Cambridge, on the other hand, will expect you to show progress by A2 and the offers will often be higher, e.g. A*A*A for medicine, as opposed to A*AA for Oxford medicine. Cambridge is, in this sense, great for late bloomers.
It may surprise all of you to know I have no preference for Oxford over Cambridge. In some respects, Cambridge may be more suited to you than Oxford, and you need to do your research to decide which university is better for you.
Sorry, Oxford diehards!
A special thank you to @noorgal and @vic vic 38 for their permission to print their helpful observations
Also to @Coolkitkat23 for bringing up the 3 vs 4 A level debate.
Also to @Coolkitkat23 for bringing up the 3 vs 4 A level debate.
Original post by Oxford Mum
The personal statement can be a bit of an eye opener for students, who are not used to selling themselves on paper. It is important to be concise and show your devotion to your subject, as well as your suitability for the course. Rather than mentioning lots of hobbies, just choose one but go into more detail (a Univ admissions tutor taught me that).
I will not recommend what to put in your personal statement, as this is by nature, personal. It should not be anyone else’s work. It should be all about a feeling for your subject, and the sheer joy you experience when you study it.
The Student Room (TSR) has a bank of personal statements you can read:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/personal-statements/personal-statements-by-subject
Underneath the student has added his/her attained grades and the universities they have received offers from. Beneath you can see expert comments on the effectiveness of the statement and how they could have been improved.
There are even handy hints about how to craft the perfect PS.
JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON’T PLAGIARISE FROM THE EXISTING STATEMENTS.
If you have something interesting or different to offer, make this a feature of your personal statement, e.g. A…’s love of “Die Leiden des jungen Werther” (as A…’s German teacher said, “they’ll be reading, but not that book”). M…. had his St Johns Ambulance peer educator status.
Just remember that all this extra work needs to be in proportion. You should never neglect your “A” level work. The extras need to be more of a hobby than the main attraction. As a guide I would say 80% schoolwork, 20% Oxford. You don’t have to do everything I have talked about. Just pick the suggestions that appeal to you most.
I will not recommend what to put in your personal statement, as this is by nature, personal. It should not be anyone else’s work. It should be all about a feeling for your subject, and the sheer joy you experience when you study it.
The Student Room (TSR) has a bank of personal statements you can read:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/personal-statements/personal-statements-by-subject
Underneath the student has added his/her attained grades and the universities they have received offers from. Beneath you can see expert comments on the effectiveness of the statement and how they could have been improved.
There are even handy hints about how to craft the perfect PS.
JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON’T PLAGIARISE FROM THE EXISTING STATEMENTS.
If you have something interesting or different to offer, make this a feature of your personal statement, e.g. A…’s love of “Die Leiden des jungen Werther” (as A…’s German teacher said, “they’ll be reading, but not that book”). M…. had his St Johns Ambulance peer educator status.
Just remember that all this extra work needs to be in proportion. You should never neglect your “A” level work. The extras need to be more of a hobby than the main attraction. As a guide I would say 80% schoolwork, 20% Oxford. You don’t have to do everything I have talked about. Just pick the suggestions that appeal to you most.
thank you for the tips , i'm a bit confused about what 20% oxford mean ?
It means devote 80 percent of your time on a levels and 20 on getting into Oxford. Don’t be so beguiled by your Oxford research that you neglect your a level work. My younger son was guilty of that and then was worried he might have missed his offer.
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