Oxford and Cambridge Explained

1. Oxford and Cambridge Explained Jacqui Howard MA Cantab MEd PGCE Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

3. Choosing a course Both offer a range of academic arts, social science, science and engineering subjects – some differences in courses and options available Things to think about: Your academic and wider interests – be open minded Course requirements – for entrance and throughout Course structure and content Assessment Graduate prospects – professional requirements, transferable skills College choice has no impact on course – unless it isn’t on offer! FAQ: Can I apply to both Oxford and Cambridge? A: No

5. Academic life • Lectures, classes, seminars, practicals • Supervisions - small-group teaching, high quality, intensive contact time with topic experts • Lectures are important but independent study for supervisions is at the heart of learning • Students are required to produce ~2 – 3 times as much written work as their counterparts on comparable courses elsewhere • Director of Studies – oversees academic progress and welfare • Assessment – end of year rather than termly

6. The Colleges – what are they? • 29/30 undergraduate Colleges – choose or make an open application • Pre-admission • Where your application is processed • Where you are interviewed • As a student • Where you live (accommodation provided) • Where you eat (lots of provision!) • Your primary community (like a ‘mini-campus’) • Where your supervisions are organised FAQ: Are some Colleges easier to get into than others? A: No FAQ: Which Colleges are better for which subjects? A: None!

7. Choosing a College - where would you like to live? • Common facilities include: • accommodation • JCR (Junior Common/ • Combination Room) • library and computing facilities • dining hall and bar • sports facilities

8. Choosing a College - where would you like to live? • Differences include: • subjects offered • size / number of students • location • specific facilities • appearance

9. Choosing a College - where would you like to live? • Differences include: • subjects offered • size / number of students • location • specific facilities • appearance • Differences are not in educational opportunity!

10. Social life Freshers’/Societies’ Fair University clubs and societies Sport, music and drama at every level College community Pubs, clubs, bars, theatres Get involved! Find a good work/life balance

12. Welfare and support Academic Pastoral Financial Disability Service University Counselling Services Peer support Student Union

13. Financial Support at Oxford and Cambridge • No UK student should be deterred from applying to Oxford or Cambridge for financial reasons • No student should have to leave because of financial difficulty • Oxford and Cambridge have the lowest drop-out rates in the country

14. University Support • College-owned accommodation for duration of course and only pay in term-time (short 8 week terms) • Excellent library, IT, support facilities – rarely need to buy own books • Subsidised meals and entertainment • Bursaries • College Awards • Book and travel grants • Achievement awards – academic, sports, music etc.

15. Application process overview UCAS application (Extenuating Circumstances Form if relevant) Choose course and College Complete online SAQ (UMS scores and optional Cambridge statement) Submit by 15 October Written work / tests Result of application Interview Choose ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ choices Exam results/ confirmation Start university

16. Key information in selection Selection is holistic • Predicted and achieved results in public examinations • UCAS reference • UCAS personal statement • UMS • Any relevant tests (BMAT, Cambridge Law Test, TSA [STEP]) • Contextual data • Submitted work • Performance at interview

17. Profile of successful applicants • We seek students whose academic record places them in approximately the top 3% of the ability range • Most – though by no means all – successful applicants have an AS UMS average (across their best (arts) or most relevant (sciences) three subjects) of comfortably above 90% • The mean AS average of students receiving offers from a range of Cambridge Colleges in 2010/11 was 94-96% • Note that these figures are averages, which means that there were successful Cambridge applicants who had UMS averages in their best/most relevant three subjects below 90% • Every applicant is looked at as an individual

18. What about GCSE grades? • Most applicants to Cambridge have at least 5 A*s at GCSE, and most successful applicants have at least 8 A*s. It is also generally expected that students will have achieved high grades in subjects relevant to their chosen course • HOWEVER – there is no GCSE minimum requirement. • Our research shows that GCSEs are not an accurate predictor of success at Cambridge, whereas AS UMS scores are. • We also know that many students ‘come into their own’ in Year 12, for a number of reasons, and that GCSEs are not always an accurate reflection of potential

19. Personal Statements for Oxford and Cambridge • Chiefly a starting point for interviews • All of the standard personal statement advice from previous session stands • Write first about your interest in the subject, your wider reading and other ways in which you have explored the subject (super-curricular) (~70%) • Then write about extra-curricular activities/positions of responsibility (~30%) • Extra-curricular activities do not figure in our admissions considerations – • the overwhelming focus is on the chosen subject

20. Personal Statements for Oxford and Cambridge • Evidence your RELEVANT skills and experiences – evidence of more than study, but in Oxbridge’s case it is more important to show permeation of ‘study’ – e.g. having attending a free lecture series in your own time would give you more material than having been on the rounders team, no matter what transferable skills this provides. • Avoid excessive quotation. They want to know what you have to say, not that you know what others have said. • Write in your own voice – don’t use unnecessarily long words to show off; the same goes for name-dropping. • Evidence of further reading is essential, but don’t write a ‘shopping list’ of books you’ve read and things you’ve done – it is more important that you critically reflect rather than shoe-horn in.

21. Interviews The majority of applicants (over 80%) are called for interview (December) Interviews are conducted by the Colleges, by subject specialists Applicants have 1, 2 or 3 interviews, each lasting 20-45 minutes Interviews are conducted by lecturers and are predominantly academic and subject-focused Designed to replicate a supervision – looking for ‘teachability’, interest, aptitude Get used to verbalising your thought processes, talking through problem-solving scenarios, and discussions

22. Interviews: what to expect • Focused and challenging questions • New approaches to existing knowledge • Prompting from interviewers and questions from you • Interviews usually cover: • Academic work • Reading and other super-curricular exploration • Subject-related wider awareness • ‘Prompt’ material No hidden agenda and no trick questions – you’re not expected to know all the answers but you are expected to think what the answers could be!

23. Common pitfalls • Wrong subject or course – especially common occurrence in Economics, Law and Medicine • Uneven track-record in exams • Too many subjects in Years 12/13 • Poor organisation • Lack of super-curricular exploration – little or no wider reading/exploration • Subject knowledge insecure • Insufficient clarity or flexibility of thought • Insufficient critical and analytical engagement • Unwillingness to rethink ideas in the face of contrary evidence • Inconsistent UCAS reference • At interview, rehearsed answers, insistence upon ‘performing’, unwillingness to admit to perceived weakness or explain thinking

24. Finding out more Prospectuses University websites Cambridge www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/ Oxford www.admissions.ox.ac.uk Open days and events Contact Admissions Offices – yourself… Ask questions today!