aspiring to oxbridge
TRANSCRIPT
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.