FEEL LIKE TRYING FOR OXBRIDGE?

Trinity College, Oxford

 

Are you in Year 12, enjoying your studies and getting high marks? Do you get a kick out of independent reading or research? Has a teacher suggested you look at highly-ranked universities? If so, you may already be considering Oxbridge.  To get in, though, you need to do rather more, and right now.

 

Students who focus on Oxbridge only after their AS exams have a much poorer success chance because both universities like applicants who have academically engaged with at least some aspect of their future subject. Picking your course (and, if necessary, seeking help) long before the October 15^th UCAS deadline enables you to do so.

 

Start by leisurely reading through the Oxford and/ or Cambridge prospectus. Check out course descriptions, entry requirements and success rates, but ignore the college section for now. Don’t worry if a course is totally new to you, or its content unfamiliar from school. Your local library will have a book about it. And, once at Oxbridge, you will be working through it with a personal tutor.

 

If you’re still undecided, or if a course seems more appealingly taught elsewhere, hop on a coach. There are masses of cost-free, introductory Oxbridge events out there. Not only can those assist you in making the right choice, but the best events, listed below, will also much improve your admissions chances. Book early, as they tend to fill up fast!

 

SUMMER SCHOOLS

Most effective are the lively summer schools held at Oxford and Cambridge. Each one covers a different course subject, and priority is given to state school students from non-university or disadvantaged backgrounds. Registration for Oxford closes on February 12^th and for Cambridge on March 9^th, but don’t leave it to the last minute: you will have to supply numerous bits of information.

 

OPEN DAYS

College Open Days at Cambridge start on February 17^th and are bookable now. While their main role is to demystify  college life, some also offer guidance on maths, the sciences, MFL or law. Cambridge Open Days, which focus on individual courses, will be held on July 2^nd and 3^rd, but can be booked from April. Oxford Open Days are held on July 1^st and 2^nd and on September 18^th. Most are course-focused and booking for those opens in May. However, unlike at Cambridge, there are also lots of drop-in events on those dates.

 

CONFERENCES

Also useful are the Oxford & Cambridge Student Conferences. Despite their scary name, these are friendly introductory talks, held in various UK locations. Speakers address  common student worries about the admissions process, funding and the interview. Conferences are not course-specific, but you do get to meet Oxbridge academics teaching in various fields. While there is no evidence that they raise admission chances, the events can give a student the confidence to apply.

 

Students wanting to learn more about Oxbridge admission prep, Oxbridge courses and the careers they can lead to right now should read the relevant chapters in OXBRIDGE ENTRANCE: THE REAL RULES.