CAN’T DECIDE ABOUT YOUR OXBRIDGE COURSE?

Got AS grades of AAAB or above, plus strong GCSEs? Finished celebrating and ready for the next stage? With those grades under your belt, an Oxbridge application is likely to make sense.  This means it is time to start work on your UCAS statement.  Many teachers expect a near-final draft by early September.

         My June 15^th  post contained some basic UCAS guidance. If you still can’t face the project because the age and weirdness of Oxford or Cambridge scares you stiff, look at the picture above. It’s of Market Square, Cambridge, two minutes’ walk from most of its colleges and surrounded by cafés.  Reassuring, isn’t it?

        So, get cracking. What, though, if you are still unsure which subject to study? Feel that lots of courses look good, but none perfect? One way forward is to accept that even the most tempting course will have a bit which does not thrill you, or at least not yet. You’ll be amazed how many English students fall in love with  medieval literature once they begin to study it!

        Alternatively, you could listen to some sample lectures. You'll find links to inspiring ones on a range of subjects in my tweets. A student leaving course choice any later will struggle to develop the qualities, background knowledge and skills which make for a convincing applicant.  The new term is just weeks away and you will be inundated with A-level work from day one. Last minute applications are rarely successful, especially for non-school subjects.

         To move on, draw up a shortlist of,no more than three courses. Then reread the course descriptions, keeping in mind that similar-sounding courses may well differ at Oxford and Cambridge. Do several of the topics covered sound intriguing? Does the course contents play to your strengths? Are you taking the right A-level subjects? Pick the course that, ideally, meets all those criteria. A careful student may also check its success rate.

         Don’t try to be overly pragmatic. Getting an Oxbridge degree is a fulltime job. It’s no good picking a course just because you hope it will make you famous or rich. If you’re not inspired by its academic side, you won’t do well in exams. This can vastly reduce your career prospects.

        Remember, too, that your ambitions could be realised through more than one Oxbridge course. There are diplomats with degrees in Classics, History, PPE, AMES, Oriental Studies and MFL. Britain’s current ambassador to France, Peter Ricketts, read English Lit. A high achiever need not settle for the most obvious course..

        Problem solved? Great, you can now focus on becoming the curious, eager, well-read applicant Oxbridge seeks. For advice on what to read and how to handle challenging books, go to OXBRIDGE ENTRANCE: THE REAL RULES.