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Get Organised

You will need to work out your visits in advance, so make sure you know which universities are opening. Useful tools are websites such as opendays.com or the UCAS website. You will also need to get hold of a campus map – most websites will have a PDF version to download to your phone.

Work out a schedule for the weeks or months ahead and, when planning each visit, don’t forget to find out about the events and presentations going on around campus and book on if needed – it’s likely the popular ones will fill up fast!

Don’t forget to plan your journey so that you’re not flustered, or late arriving to the open day, if travelling by train, prebook your tickets. If you’re driving, research parking on campus or nearby to save time on the day.

Fair Comparison

Work out how you will score each university. If you are torn between similar courses it is important that you judge each establishment on the same criteria and draw up a fair scoring system to better aid your decision. Take notes and photos (especially of things like accommodation and key study areas like the library) during the open day to help record as much information as possible and to refer back to after the day. Input and advice from parents is important, but don’t take a back seat to their questioning – see below for tips and advice on that.

It’s also important to see where the university is in relation to the town or city; is it somewhere you’d like to live for a minimum of 3 years? If you have time, get a feel for the area by having a walk around outside of the main campus.

Questions

Think well in-advance about the questions you want to ask of staff and other students. There will be a large number of them there to ensure that the day runs well, so take advantage of this to get a wide variety of insights. The Uni Guide have an excellent selection of questions that can help form part of your investigations.

Accessibility

If you require extra assistance for your visit make sure to contact the university prior to the open day and they can help make your day as easy as possible. You can download or print this handy UCAS guide before you go and take a look at a list of questions here.

University Mentor

If you are interested in the benefits of having a university mentor guide you through an open day and to benefit from their ongoing support through university then connect with Think Tutors. We work with a leading team of mentors and tutors who have graduated from world-class universities who can substantially improve your transition both to and through university.

About University Applications:

In the UK, most university and higher education applications are made via UCAS – the University and College Admission Service. For courses starting in September 2022, the deadline to apply to Oxbridge, medicine, dentistry & veterinary science courses is 15^th October 2021. The deadline for the majority of courses is 15^th January 2022. However, we always recommend leaving enough time to prepare a quality application and not rushing it.

Offer Types:

Once you’ve applied to your chosen universities, you will start to hear back from them. There are typically three types of response you will receive from a university or college:

• Unconditional
• Conditional
• Unsuccessful or withdrawn

So, what do these mean?

Unconditional

This means you have a place and have already met the entry requirements. This is often given to students who have applied to university after receiving their A-Level results and are on a gap year, or, to outstanding students still waiting to take their exams.

However, make sure you check the offer fully, in case there are any criteria or things you need to do. The great thing about being made an unconditional offer is that even if you’re still waiting to take your exams, your results won’t affect the offer. It’s also worth bearing in mind, that if you do accept an unconditional offer, you are unable to make an insurance choice, so be certain that you want to study there before committing your response.

Conditional

A conditional offer means that you will have a place at that university, as long as you meet the conditions set out in the letter. This is generally exam results, for example, AAB in specific subjects, a set number of UCAS points, or International Baccalaureate Diploma points.

The university will clearly state in your letter what the conditions of your offer are. If you firmly accept the offer, a conditional offer can be changed to an unconditional by the university. For the vast majority of students, conditional offers mean waiting for results day to find out if they are going to their first or insurance choice university.

Unsuccessful or Withdrawn

A withdrawn status indicates that the university has either withdrawn that course choice, or you have withdrawn your application to that university. The exact reason will show up in your UCAS Track account.

Unsuccessful is given when a university has unfortunately decided to not offer a place on that course. You may get a reason for this, but if you don’t, you can contact the university to discuss the decision with you.

If you’d like to discuss university applications with us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected]. We provide numerous resources aimed at helping students succeed. These range from providing mock interviews and drafting assistance for personal statements as well as insights for those applying for Oxford and Cambridge.

Applying for Oxford and Cambridge

Every year thousands of students across the world—from Shanghai and Soho to New Delhi and New York—apply to study at either Oxford or Cambridge (or to both if they are applying for masters or doctoral degrees). For many they will be blazing a new trail, attempting to be the first in their family, school, or community to gain admission to one of the coveted Oxbridge colleges. For others it may be a long-held tradition to take a place at colleges like Trinity or St. Johns (and funnily enough, both Oxford and Cambridge have colleges with those names); but that does not necessarily make it any easier for such students in this day and age.

Oxbridge Applications

Simply put, it does not matter who you are or where you come from, admissions to Oxford and Cambridge are academically demanding and highly competitive. In fact, just getting to grips with all the medieval and mind-boggling traditions and structures at these two universities can be hard to get your head around—and that’s coming from a tutor who has done an MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History at Cambridge and is completing his DPhil in History at Oxford! But as demanding as it may be, the experience of applying (let alone gaining admittance) is more than worth it. That’s because there’s nowhere else quite like Oxford and Cambridge.

This is also where Think Tutors can help. This series of blogs is intended to provide a sampling of sorts for those interested in studying at Oxbridge. In my ‘Elite Tutor’s Guide to Oxford and Cambridge’ I will explore various aspects about what it’s like to live and study at both institutions. Here is a preview of the topics that I’ll cover in the following weeks and months:

• Oxford or Cambridge?
• Studying at Cambridge
• Studying at Oxford
• How to approach your application
• Study skills
• Undergraduate life
• Graduate life
• Postgraduate life
• If at first you don’t succeed, should you try again?

In the meantime, feel free to talk to us at Think Tutors if Oxbridge applications are something that you are considering. While this blog series will answer some of your questions, our experienced team has even more to offer: ranging from one-on-one consultations to application assistance and mock-interview training.

Applying for Oxford

Much like its counterpart Cambridge, Oxford stands out as a north star for the studious. Its reputation across every subject and department is world-leading, as are the copious resources available to the diverse scholars who live and study there. It’s no surprise, therefore, that last year more than 23,000 students applied for undergraduate programmes and an additional 34,000 for graduate studies, with a dauntingly low 14% and 16% success rate respectively. Indeed, given these admissions statistics, it might be more appropriate to compare Oxford to the North Pole rather than to the North Star. You can easily find them on a map, but they are a long, hard slog to get there!

Some students get in on their first attempt, while others, like myself, apply more than once before gaining admittance. In that respect I wish that I’d had the help of Think Tutors when I was first applying to Oxford, since it would have helped make the admissions process both less intimidating and more efficient (not to mention efficacious)—but the upshot is that I’m at Oxford now (studying for my DPhil in history) and that both myself and others at Think Tutors can help you navigate this challenging but exhilarating endeavour.

Naturally, it goes without saying that it is more than worth the effort of applying. Studying in the city of dreaming spires is like running with Usain Bolt, cooking with Gordon Ramsey (minus the profanity), and being on stage with Beyoncé. It’s like living inside Hogwarts, Disneyland and Brideshead Revisited all at once. For there is nowhere else in the world quite like it. The libraries are the biggest and most beautiful; the colleges are the oldest and grandest; the dining halls are the most storied and splendid—and the pubs are the quaintest and their ales the most quaffable. Even bizarre traditions like college tortoise racing and Merton’s Time Ceremony are uniquely quirky and cool.

How does the Oxford application process work?

Like Cambridge, Oxford operates along a collegiate system. This means that rather than studying at the University of Oxford as such, you actually live and learn (more so at the undergraduate level) in a specific college. This could be at any one of thirty-nine different colleges or six permanent private halls (known as PPHs, which specialise in but are not limited to theological training). All of these are scattered around the centre of the city and its adjoining precincts.

How do I choose an Oxford college?

Choosing a college is a major decision. It’s not quite as important as deciding which subject to study, but it’s close. After all, it’s the colleges which directly interview and admit students to the university. One’s college is where you live and eat, learn and study, as well as socialise (and occasionally party!). There are no ‘bad’ colleges, however, only different ones. Some are well-known for their academic achievement (as measured by the number of firsts attained in a given year, as reported in The Norrington Table). While others may be known for their beauty, traditions, food, student experience, welfare support and so on. The best way to pick a college is to view their websites, watch their videos, and visit the college in person.

Personally, when choosing a college, I have always cared more about the beauty of its buildings, the quality of its food, and the centrality of its location rather than whether it had a high score on the table or if it was a ‘rich’ college (i.e., had a massive endowment). I like to focus on the things that make every day a little bit more magical, which is why I applied to (and was thankfully accepted) at Harris Manchester College.

Life at Harris Manchester is terrific for a number of reasons. First, its library is a beautiful and friendly place to study. Second, its food and dining hall are utterly fantastic, which is ideal for me, not only because I’m a glutton and love to eat, but also because I enjoy brining friends from other colleges to dine at formal dinners. Third, the college, though not large, has stunning buildings, which always give me the Hogwarts shivers. Lastly, as a small college it’s a more intimate atmosphere which I really enjoy and its location in the city centre meant that other libraries and amenities were never far away.

Applying to Oxford as a post-graduate

As a doctoral student I don’t spend time in lectures and mostly work researching in the library (both in college and at the Bodleian). This past year, however, I worked both as a Junior Dean at Regent’s Park College and helped teach in the history faculty. This provided me with a great window into the current undergraduate experience at Oxford. It was encouraging to see that despite the strains and limitations of a pandemic, students were still making the most of their studies. Indeed, I didn’t encounter a single person who wished they were going to university elsewhere.

So too, in the years ahead, life at the university should return to normal. This means that everything from bops (i.e., themed college parties) and rowing to debates at the Oxford Union and student clubs should be up and running again. For me, that means once again joining other students golfing, beagling and blind wine tasting. For others it could be doing judo, choir, skiing or pretty much anything else under the sun. There are even skydiving and scuba diving clubs.

Is it worth applying to Oxford?

It’s hard to put into words how magical and rewarding it is to attend Oxford. That said, it is not easy. Nothing is. The pace and the pressure can be highly demanding and that can take its toll, although there are a lot of pastoral and welfare resources available to assist with keeping calm and carrying on. But despite these challenges, the uphill climb to get into Oxford is more than worth your efforts.

At Think Tutors we’re expertly equipped to help you along your way. We provide expert advice on applying for Oxbridge, including support around entry requirement for Oxford, writing your Oxford personal statement, and mock interviews. If you are interested in learning more you can contact us at any time.

Applying for Oxbridge?

The first thing to note is that Oxbridge is not the Ivy League: you don’t need a mountain of extracurriculars on your application. Oxford and Cambridge are primarily interested in your proven and potential academic abilities. This includes, but is not limited to, having the prerequisite grades and providing references who can speak to your strengths as a student.

Just as importantly, applicants should possess a burning passion for their subject, which can be evidenced by having read about or explored their intellectual interests beyond the boundaries of their classroom. Likewise, they ought to possess (or are cultivating) the ability to articulate (both in writing and speaking) their passion and curiosity for their chosen subject.

How do I succeed in the application process?

Given the tutorial system employed at both Oxford and Cambridge, the ability to communicate engagingly about your subject is of paramount importance. That is not suggest that charisma is key. I’ve seen many an awkward wall-flower get in. Rather, interviewers are looking for students who can communicate intelligently (which is not the same as authoritatively) about a given topic or question—usually through the medium of a two-way conversation, rather than a grandstanding student monologue. This does not come naturally to everyone, but I’m never met an applicant who did not benefit from various forms of practice.

Personal Statement

The personal statement is of paramount importance in the application process. This is where you are given the opportunity to demonstrate your aptitude, experience, and enthusiasm for a course. Writing successive drafts and acquiring editorial comments to help improve your statement is vital. I would also recommend getting up-to-date with leading scholars in your field, reading their most accessible works so that you can reference the kinds of ideas and debates that are of contemporary interest to your field. This enables you to show that your interest in your proposed programme of study is more than skin deep.

Choosing an Oxbridge College

Lastly, I would recommend investing a lot of time into deciding which college to apply to. Each college has its own ethos and priorities. Some, for instance, pride themselves on admitting more state school applicants. Others have a larger intake from public schools. There are some which admit an above average number of international applicants. Similarly, there are some which have higher intakes of humanities students and others who focus more on the sciences. All of this information can be found on college websites. But it’s important to do your homework, as there is no point prioritising a college for which you may not be a natural fit.

Most of all, it is important to choose a college that feels like it could become your home. To that end, I would highly recommend visiting colleges in person and reaching out to their admissions offices about opportunities to speak with current members. The students they can put you in touch with have been where you have been and felt what you might currently being feeling: hearing their stories and learning from their experiences could be highly valuable.

How can Think Tutors help?

If this all sounds a little daunting, don’t worry. Think Tutors is well equipped to assist with each stage of the application process. If it sounds all too easy, be mindful that a mixture of humility and hard work goes a long way. After all, only about 14% of undergraduate applicants are awarded places. Naturally, there are no guarantees. Perhaps the brightest of all my tutees made it through to the interview stage at Oxford only to be rejected—and then accepted at Harvard with a scholarship! The one thing that I can advise, however, is that solid preparation and expert advice can go a long way in making your Oxbridge dreams a reality.

Applying for Cambridge

For those who are interested in applying, the statistics for admissions can appear daunting (but don’t worry, Think Tutors can help). This year 22,788 students applied to the university, but only 4,245 offers were given. But for those with the intellectual ambition to run the gauntlet, the prize is more than worth it. If you’re a mathematician, you’d be studying in the footsteps of Newton, Ramanujan and Turing. If you’re a scientist, you’d be joining a pantheon that includes Bacon and Darwin, Watson and Crick, Oppenheimer and Hawking. If, like me, you’re more into the arts and humanities, you’d be rubbing shoulders with the legacies of alumni such as John Milton, Lord Byron, John Maynard Keynes and Stephen Fry. Nor is it all dead white men! The university’s alumni include Dame Emma Thompson, Academy Award winner Olivia Colman, renowned zoologist Jane Goodall, and noted author Zadie Smith. Indeed, the university has put a much greater emphasis in recent years on diversifying the admissions process so that there is much wider degree of representation than ever before.

Once admitted, students become a member of a college (in fact, students apply to a specific college and not to the university as a whole). These colleges are a bit like the different houses that comprise Hogwarts in Harry Potter, but they are even more self-contained. Your college is the main hub of your time at university. Indeed, it is your home. College is where you live and eat, study and socialize. Though you may leave for lectures at the faculty or do things like lab work elsewhere (not to mention going to pubs and clubs), your college is the main point of contact within the Cambridge community.

Choosing a Cambridge College

There are thirty-one colleges in Cambridge and each has its own unique history, cultural identity, academic focus, and student experience. Don’t be alarmed by the array of choices, however, as there are no ‘bad’ colleges. Some are large and spacious; others are small and quaint. Some are especially well suited to sports, while others are known for their advanced academic rigour. The best way to find out about them is to visit their websites  (https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/colleges) and watch their admissions videos—or better yet, visit them. Likewise, Think Tutors is always happy to talk things through with you.

My college is/was (you become a member for life) Sidney Sussex. Founded in 1596 by the Countess of Sussex, Sidney is situated in the centre of the city. It’s slightly smaller in size, with roughly 350 undergraduates on about five-to-ten acres of land (including beautiful gardens), which makes it a much closer-knit community. Some colleges are massive by comparison, but that only makes for increased variety.

Cambridge College Life

My favourite parts about life at Sidney were the weekly candle-lit, waiter-served formal dinners, where everyone dresses smart and wears black robes; attending evensong at the stunning, ornate college chapel; and the fun of seeing friends in the college library and the JCR bar. That said, I also deeply enjoyed activities outside of college. While studying for my master’s degree I became active in the Cambridge Union (where internationally renowned figures come to speak) and got involved in the university’s various wine societies. I also greatly enjoyed visiting other colleges’ events and dinners, which is quite easy to do once you’ve made a few friends from outside of your college.

Naturally, it’s not all socialising at school. There is a lot of work to do and the short terms at Cambridge (3 x 8 weeks), coupled with high academic standards result in some very intense periods of study! That said, there is something exhilarating about studying at the pinnacle of higher education and being surrounded by like minds. The course work that you do is highly gratifying and it pushes and expands your mind in so many interesting and unexpected ways.

In short, Cambridge is more than worth the challenge and at Think Tutors we’re well position to provide support and guidance on everything from Cambridge university entry requirement and writing your Cambridge personal statement to even providing personalised tours. Contact us to find out more.