University application

For those of you who applied to study modern languages at Oxbridge, what made you pick one university over the other?

I recommend @Espançais chapter of Oxford Demystified of French and Spanish: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6439260 and @redmeercat chapter of Cambridge Demystified of French and German: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6467236&p=88366258 Also @Oxford Mum what made your son want to do German at Oxford?

Reply 2

Espançais

It's all in my Oxford demystified (thanks @PetitePanda) but essentially it was because literature is my favourite bit of studying languages, and that's where the focus is in Oxford, more so than at Cambridge. I also fell in love with Merton College on open day and didn't feel that connection with anywhere at Cambridge

Reply 3

redmeercat

For me it was the opposite of @Espançais - I love literature, but I wanted to actively study more different elements of Francophone/ Germanic culture. At Cambridge they study Literature, film, philosophy, linguistics, history... but you also get to choose more modules based on your specific interests as you go up, meaning that if you don't enjoy history, for example, you won't end up doing much of it. There's also the option to dabble in another language in 2nd/4th years which might be interesting if I decide to do it!

Reply 4

Espançais

Worth stating that if you do a sole language at Oxford there's more options for linguistics and film etc, but if you do two languages there's less wriggle room (although still a LOT of choice within the literature papers for Finals)

Reply 5

redmeercat

Original post by Espançais

THat's a good point. And for Cambridge you can't just do one language, so everyone either does 2 languages post A level or adds one Ab Initio.

Reply 6

Espançais

Original post by redmeercat

THat's a good point. And for Cambridge you can't just do one language, so everyone either does 2 languages post A level or adds one Ab Initio.

True - this was initially a pull for me as I was scared the workload would be higher for dual linguists at Oxford, but as it happens everyone at my college does two languages anyway, so I haven't noticed. Plus the extra language work is mostly balanced out by more other papers for sole students