aspiring to oxbridge

Acorn House CollegeMAY 2016

ASPIRING TO OXBRIDGE

BA THEOLOGY, OXFORDREBECCA WILLIAMS

• REGENT’S PARK COLLEGE, 2007 - 2010• HEAD OF OXBRIDGE

APPLICATIONS

INTRODUCING OXBRIDGE

OXFORD & CAMBRIDGEHOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT? Collegiate system

o Residence and accommodationo Teaching (Tutorials and Supervisions)o Social lifeo Course choice

• Oxford has 31 Undergraduate Colleges and Cambridge 29

• Contact time with tutors

• Short terms

SHOULD I APPLY?

OXBRIDGE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS• Engineering Science, Oxford, (A*A*A) – St Edmund’s Hall

• Classics, Cambridge, (A*A*A), Pembroke College

• Medicine, Cambridge, (A*A*AA), Jesus College

• Human Sciences, Oxford, (AAA), open offer from Keble College

• History, Oxford, (AAA), Lady Margaret Hall

• Economics, Cambridge, (A*AA), Queens College

GCSEs: Generally 5A*s minimumTypical A-Level offer: Oxford - AAA or A*A*A; Cambridge – A*AA (Arts and PBS) or A*A*A (Sciences)

• Academic ability AND potential

• Motivation - genuine subject interest and curiosity

• Good fit between the applicant and the course

• Vocational commitment where appropriate (e.g. Medicine, Veterinary and Medical Sand Architecture)

GRADES ARE ONLY ONE PART OF THE JOURNEY

OXBRIDGE ALUMNI – COURSE & UNIVERSITY?

Margaret Thatcher, Chemistry, Oxford

David Attenborough, Natural Sciences, Cambridge

Naomie Harris, HSPS, Cambridge

Stephen Hawking, Physics, Oxford then Cambridge

JRR Tolkien, Classics then English, Oxford

Mel & Sue, Languages (Mel), English (Sue), Cambridge

WHAT CAN I DO TO MAXIMIZE MY CHANCES?

CHOOSING YOUR COURSE

CHOOSING A COURSE…..THERE ARE MORE THAN YOU THINK

Fine Art/History of Art

Land EconomyOriental Studies

Philosophy and Theology

Archaeology and Anthropology

Experimental Psychology

Classics and English

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Mathematics and Statistics

Around 30 undergraduate courses at Cambridge and 50 at Oxford

CHOOSING A COLLEGE

CHOOSING A COLLEGE

OTHER KEY INFORMATION

ADMISSIONS TESTS

THE OXBRIDGE INTERVIEW

THE INTERVIEW• Why do Oxford & Cambridge interview?

• Who is interviewing you?

• What are you being judged on?

• Who gets in?

“HOW MANY PIANO TUNERS ARE THERE IN NEW YORK?”

“WHAT HAVE YOU READ RECENTLY THAT YOU DISAGREED WITH?”

SUMMARY

You are here

Today-Summer

September

October-December

January - March

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Assess your eligibility and motivation to applyResearch the different courses availableAttend university open days and sort out work experienceShortlist universities and courses that are right for youWrite your personal statement Re-draft your personal statement

Submit your UCAS form (15th October in some cases)Prepare for and sit an admissions test (if applicable)Submit your written work (if applicable)Prepare for interviewHave your interview(s) and further tests (if applicable)Test results and interview outcome

IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES• Start answering the following 3 questions:

1. WHAT do I want to study?2. WHY do I want to study this?3. WHERE do I want to study?

• Begin looking at university prospectuses (including alternative ones)

• Carry out extra reading outside of the syllabus• Attend open days in the summer

HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU FURTHER

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU

We are happy to answer any further questions you have.