Are you on the hunt for Oxbridge application strategies?
This 7 days, I attended a webinar for mom and dad of pupils hoping to implement to Oxbridge (Oxford or Cambridge). The webinar was hosted by the admissions directors at Sidney College, Cambridge, who made available an perception into the Oxbridge application method.
Implementing to Oxford or Cambridge does have some weird quirks. For illustration, if you apply to Oxbridge, you need to use 3 full months previously. This is likely why I never ever even regarded applying as a teenager!
You need to entire additional assessments, some of which you need to sign-up for and sit in an test corridor. You will will need to present some extra information and facts on your UCAS kind. Also – Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate universities, so college students utilize to a college or university, not the university. It is a lot to get your head all-around.
Underneath, I am sharing some of the finest Oxbridge application tips that I heard at the session. They include almost everything from GCSE grades and A-Degree selections to own statements, interviews and deciding on the appropriate university. If you have a teenager and you are hunting for suggestions on your Oxford or Cambridge software, then read through on:
21 Oxbridge Application Recommendations from an Admissions Director
When must my teenager start off considering about Oxbridge admission?
It is under no circumstances way too early to prepare for university. At pre-16, consider about what things to do, volunteering or careers you can do to present your desire in a certain occupation or space of research. Volunteering at a nursing household could guidance a later on clinical application, although contributing book evaluations to a magazine shows an interest in literature.
As a dad or mum, how do I preserve educated?
Sign up for the UCAS newsletter to get reminders and information. There’s also a mother or father model so you can guarantee no dates are missed. This 12 months purposes that contain Oxford or Cambridge must be submitted by Oct 15. Then interviews start off in November and selections are produced in January.
What is the Cambridge University Basis Calendar year?
Do any of the following utilize to you?
- experienced serious instructional disruption (not Covid)
- go to a university that is inadequately rated by Ofsted (special measures or calls for enhancement)
- live in a home with cash flow under £25,000
- are living in a family members that receives universal credit history
If so, you could apply for the manufacturer-new foundation calendar year at Cambridge. This is for arts/social science pupils who would in any other case wrestle to fulfill the application prerequisites at Cambridge.
The Cambridge Foundation Year is a 12-month programme for up to 50 pupils. These learners will total a calendar year of basis analyze, that prepares them for learning at undergraduate stage. Pupils will live in a faculty, show up at lectures and supervisions and do ALL the matters standard students do. Very best of all, the system is entirely supported. This means students will acquire cost-free tuition and a scholarship to include rent and a portion of dwelling costs. You’ll have to have the equivalent of 3 B’s to use. If you finish the course, you are guaranteed a location on a Cambridge undergraduate system without needing to apply.
How essential are my GCSE grades when applying to Cambridge or Oxford?
Really do not worry way too substantially about GCSE grades. The greater part of successful applicants do not have all grade 9s at GCSE.
Alternatively, admissions teams will look at the topic you’re making use of for, and no matter whether you have sturdy GCSEs in that location. They will also glance at your progression. This signifies if you acquired generally 5s and 6s at GCSE but you are predicted As and A*s at A-Level, you’re on a strong progression curve, and your GCSE success will be considerably less essential.
It’s not worth resitting GCSEs except if say, you obtained a 4 or 5 in maths, and want to implement to do maths.
Are BTECS a superior thought if I want to go to Oxford or Cambridge?
The guidance from this Cambridge University Admissions director: “Don’t tumble into the BTEC trap.”
There are very couple of subjects in which BTECs are regarded acceptable preparing for study at a major college. Engineering is the principal instance, but even this is deemed “spotty”. If you are significant about attending a best university, prevent BTEC courses.
What A-Amounts should really I just take for Drugs at Oxbridge?
For medication applicants the guidance is fairly obvious. More than 95% of students implementing for drugs at Cambridge research a few or extra science/maths A-Concentrations – and 23% will obtain a put. Of candidates researching two science/maths topics, only 3% attained a position. The assistance is to choose Chemistry furthermore two of biology, physics or maths.
Does an EPQ assist you get into Oxford or Cambridge?
An EPQ is never a undesirable notion. They aid pupils do independent study, produce for a longer time course work and produce skills that will be handy when they get to university. We do like to see an EPQ but it is truly worth noting it will by no means be element of the present we make to a college student. It is hardly ever concerned in that component of the procedure, because we are mindful that not all learners have obtain to an EPQ. It’s well worth hunting at your workload and choosing irrespective of whether an EPQ will be workable, or no matter whether they have to have an supplemental A-Stage or AS-Degree, such as even more maths.
We are normally fascinated in co-curriculars, especially all those that reveal an interest in your picked subject of research. Any realistic encounter you can gain is valuable in locations like fields like medicine and vet science.
If I research maths A-Degree, do I require even further maths?
For maths or economics candidates at Cambridge, A-Level maths is needed and more maths is “strongly desired” – primarily, if it is obtainable at your college, you must do it and we would be expecting you to do so.
If further maths is not out there, or you were being unaware of the relevance of this matter right until also late, then the guidance is to do an AS Degree in further maths. If that isn’t obtainable, then it is essential to do as a lot extra pure maths and conclusion maths as possible, most likely by utilizing on-line resources masking state-of-the-art maths. Accomplishing very well in maths competitions is found as a “positive facet of an application”.
Are all classes with the same name, the similar program?
The most essential point is to investigation your system and uncover the appropriate study course. The identical class could be fully unique at different unis. Economics at Cambridge is extremely maths-based mostly, but at Nottingham there is additional social science. Economics students wanting for a much more social/political class might want to utilize for Land Economy, which combines legislation, economics and natural environment.
Do I need to have to give further details on my UCAS kind if I utilize for Oxford or Cambridge?
Cambridge asks for extra info on the UCAS software form (Oxford does not do this). This is created to aid global students who may well sit distinctive styles of tests. It can also be a put to speak about any difficulties you might have faced. For illustration if you experienced academic disruption (exterior of the pandemic) or have any mastering disabilities, these should be talked about listed here. Even though Cambridge doesn’t make “contextual offers” it does think about all facts as section of the total application.
You can also post a Cambridge precise own statement, but this is totally optional and only value executing if you have anything very specific to incorporate.
How do I know which college to implement for at Oxford or Cambridge?
To start with, you do not have to utilize to a higher education if you just can’t choose. It’s achievable to submit an ‘open’ software. If you do this, then a computer system algorithm will randomly assign your software to a appropriate college or university. Your software will be handled specifically the identical as anyone who used immediately to that college. The folks hunting at your software will not know if you used to the college or university, or had been assigned to it.
If you want to implement to a college or university, the finest wager is to visit and see where you imagine on your own living. If that is not achievable, most people today choose colleges based mostly on place (metropolis centre, further more out), amenities (swimming pool, theatre) and architecture. Keep in mind not all faculties will offer you all degrees. Also, the swimming pool is outdoor, and it is not heated.
There are considerably far more similarities concerning schools than differences, test not to get way too hung up on it. If you really do not get into a asked for school (or do not specific a desire), you go into the winter pool and may well get an supply from any university.
Which faculties at Cambridge are best to get into?
The concept that some schools are a lot easier or more challenging to get into is a fantasy.
For starters, the selection of apps to just about every university shifts each year. Generally, heaps of people today apply to faculty A and their admission level appears to be lessen. This data is posted on line. You can promise absolutely everyone is on the lookout at those stats. The upcoming 12 months, significantly less people implement to that college or university. Their admission fee seems actually higher. And so on.
Basically, irrespective of which college you apply to, your odds of admission to Cambridge or Oxford will be the very same. If a person school gets extra purposes, they will be redistributed to much less in excess of-subscribed faculties. At just about every faculty, there is a moderation course of action to ensure the calibre of candidates who acquire offers is the exact, and pursuing this there is a different moderation the place presents built by all faculties are compared to be certain the excellent of prospect is the identical. At this stage, gives can be redistributed to make certain that all faculties are building the appropriate selection of offers.
Do you have any Oxbridge application guidelines for particular statements?
Your own assertion really should target more on you than the college. The admissions section needs to have an understanding of how you have created as a student, and how your desire in your issue/vocation has been a element of that journey.
Notify us a story about why you want to research psychology and what you’ll get out of it. That’s far more important than attempting to display why you’re right for us. Seem exterior of the faculty curriculum for items like wider looking through, do the job knowledge, volunteering, co-curriculars. For every single factor, inform us what it gave you, and the two the positives and 1 probable damaging of that practical experience.
What transpires if I implement for PPE at Oxbridge, but single subjects in other places?
If you are implementing for a multi-disciplinary topic like PPE, it is high-quality for a private statement to be extremely philosophy-centered, if which is what you’re making use of for in other places. We will browse it figuring out you’ll be applying for single subject matter degrees in other places.
How several candidates does Cambridge invite to interview?
If you are deemed to have a reasonable chance of admission, Cambridge will invite you to an job interview. The figure is remarkably significant – 75-80% of applicants will be invited for interview. Of these pupils, all around 25% will receive an offer you.
You are going to usually get two week’s discover of the job interview. They consider spot in the initially two months of December. For the previous two several years they’ve been on line, but the college is hoping to transition back again to live interviews this yr.
How need to I prepare for an interview at Oxford or Cambridge?
The reason of an interview is to uncover out how far you have explored your topic past what is required by the faculty curriculum.
My best Oxbridge software recommendations for learners attending an job interview are: initial, if you’re implementing for maths, do a good deal of maths. 2nd, whichever you’re implementing for, get incredibly snug talking about it.
The greatest way to prepare for an job interview is practice speaking about your issue a great deal, so you can discuss obviously in an job interview. If you are implementing for maths, do heaps of advanced maths issues, but ALSO follow talking to an imaginary man or woman at the identical time, about how and why you are carrying out just about every step of the trouble.
For English, exercise searching at new poems or stories for 20 minutes and then speaking about them. Communicate to friends, lecturers, the pet, a mirror. It does not matter. Just get really comfy speaking. (facet observe: university summer time colleges give learners a opportunity to raise their mastering and include things like exercise interviews with university personnel)
What pre-interview evaluation do I want to consider?
In some topics you will need to have to take a pre-interview assessment in advance of your job interview, and you will will need to register by means of your university/college or university just before Oct 15 to just take the evaluation in late November. This is a 90-moment paper that you acquire in college (or at an open assessment centre) in exam problems. It will be used as extra proof to help the university decide no matter whether to invite you for interview.
For English, prospective Oxbridge college students need to choose the ELAT evaluation which demands you to opt for 2 passages from six, and compose an essay comparing them. The college could possibly also request arts/humanities/social science candidates to post quite a few items of coursework or homework as far more evidence of your means. This will be completed by your school or higher education.
Some subjects have assessments that take place later on, and some have no evaluation – make confident you know which kinds you require to do, when. The details is accessible on the Oxford and Cambridge sites.
What happens soon after my Oxbridge interview?
If you show up at an interview at Oxford or Cambridge, you will discover out the conclusion in January. You may obtain an supply from your preferred college, from a pool faculty, or not be presented a location. We hope the procedure is good and provides you some educational engagement even if you really do not get in. Bear in mind that the the greater part of persons who utilize to Oxford and Cambridge unfortunately, won’t receive an offer you.
The university is a lot more than pleased to deliver suggestions about your software that may possibly assist a potential application. You will receive feed-back on your interview but also your entire application.
So there you have it. 21 Oxbridge software suggestions from a director of admissions at Cambridge University to enable your teenager with Oxbridge applications. My very own teen still has not determined wherever to utilize just however – there’s tons far more investigate to do. But I hope this tips assisted and many thanks so much to Sidney University for furnishing this information. Come to feel absolutely free to share queries or your very own Oxbridge application ideas in the comments 🙂