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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.

Applying for Oxford and Cambridge

When choosing between the two you’ll find they have a lot in common. Just consider the following:

 

Oxford was established roughly 930 years ago, while Cambridge was founded 113 years later, populated in part by Oxford faculty and students.

 

Oxford has thirty-nine colleges, with the oldest continuous college, Balliol, dating back to 1263; whereas Cambridge has thirty-one, with Peterhouse harkening back to 1284.

 

Oxford has 72 Nobel Prize winning alumni and faculty, among them the physicist Roger Penrose, the economist Joseph Stiglitz, and the author V.S. Naipual. Cambridge, by contrast, has won 121 Nobel Prizes but funnily enough includes amongst their laureates both Joseph Stiglitz and Roger Penrose.

 

Oxford’s notable alumni include everyone from Margaret Thatcher and Boris Johnson to Stephen Hawking, Tim Burners-Lee, J.R.R. Tolkien and Mr. Bean! Not that Cambridge lacks by comparison. It boasts such luminaries as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Alan Turing, Zadie Smith and Prince Charles.

 

From even this cursory survey it’s obvious that Oxford and Cambridge have a lot in common. They likewise share many similarities, which range from beautiful quods and stately courts, gorgeous gardens and meandering rivers, cavernous museums and a mind-boggling array of student clubs and societies (which vary from blind wine tasting and sky diving to fencing and orchestras). There, are however, some important differences that prospective students should keep in mind.

 

The first of these is size. The city of Oxford is much larger than the ‘city’ of Cambridge, and they both have quite a different ethos. Cambridge has more of a ‘town’ feel, replete with cows grazing in city-centre fields; while Oxford feels both denser and more intense. Neither is good, neither is bad: it’s simply a question of preference.

 

Second, while both universities have top-ranked departments across every academic discipline, the atmosphere at Oxford tends to bend slightly towards the arts and humanities (no doubt as many prime ministers have attended it). Meanwhile, Cambridge is somewhat more oriented around mathematics and the sciences. That does not mean that you would be out of place studying something like history at Cambridge or biochemistry at Oxford. I studied political thought and intellectual history at Cambridge and never lacked for anything in anyway—but the profile of the arts and humanities is a little more entrenched and outspoken in Oxford. Likewise, I have many friends studying in the sciences at Oxford and there is nowhere else they would rather be.

 

In total honesty, however, I loved studying at both Oxford and Cambridge. I don’t have a favourite in the traditional sense of the word. I tended to prefer my time in Oxford for the beauty of its libraries (the Rad Cam and Bodleian are stunning) as well as for its pubs; while I favoured the pastoral qualities of Cambridge (especially the river and the College Backs) and the grandeur of attending evensong at Kings College Chapel. But I made amazing friends and incredible memories at both. The quality of my education has likewise been outstanding at each university.

Oxbridge Application

I would recommend that you personally visit each university in order to sample them. To maximize your time, focus on a few different colleges that you would like to see in person and inquire about their visiting hours and admissions events. Unfortunately, both geography and the current pandemic can pose challenges for those visiting from abroad. But do not worry. The team at Think Tutors is well equipped to find innovative and personalised ways to bridge these problems and help guide you through the application process.

 

Likewise, the next blog in this series is all about studying at Cambridge (followed by one on studying at Oxford).