OXBRIDGE COURSES: DON'T RUSH YOUR CHOICE

Oxbridge admissions statistics reveal that the number of students applying for the two universities' most popular courses has continued to rise. As a result, student success rates for those courses must necessarily fall. So, if you are irresistibly drawn to the brainy world of Oxford or Cambridge, it is best not to make your degree choice quite yet.  Find out first whether there is more than one attractive Oxbridge course that's open to you; then check how many applicants per place each of these is likely to get.

Do not just look at your most obvious choices. While your A-level subjects may restrict the number of degree courses you qualify for, this does not mean that you can only apply for something you have taken at school. Certain core subjects, if well combined, give you a very wide degree choice indeed. Knowing this can help you avoid (if you so wish)  the most over-subscribed courses.  

Where should you begin? There is no Oxbridge chart which shows you at a glance where specific A-levels could lead, but another top university, Bristol, does provide such a chart.  This is well worth looking at, although the Bristol courses (and entry rules) are not quite identical to either Oxford or Cambridge ones. For more detailed advice on how to find the Oxbridge course that is right for you, see chapters 3 to 5 of OXBRIDGE ENTRANCE: THE REAL RULES.