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Pocklington School or Trent College

30 replies

cecilia1233 · 25/03/2015 20:21

Hello everybody. I come from China and have applied some British school for Sixth form.
I am now thinking which is better? Trent College or Pocklington School.
In China is hard to find out because the agency always tells everybody that every schools they have suggested are good.

Now I happened to find this website, any one who have the experience can give me some advice?

I have received the offer from both school.
I love Pocklington school but it is smaller than Trent.

Whatever, What I most care about is test result. More precisely, the University destination. Because my parents do care about that and they hope I go to Oxford or Cambridge or LSE something like that.

Thank you.

OP posts:
LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 25/03/2015 20:27

A lot of children from ds's prep school went to Trent College. To be honest, it's not highly academic, so it's not really the best place if you have hopes of Oxford or Cambridge. I don't know about Pocklington, that's out of my area.

What about Repton?

cecilia1233 · 25/03/2015 20:39

I'm sorry that there is only two school I can choose. Because for the oversea students, the application for the independent school close now. I wish I can apply other school but now I can't. I'm not reading GCSE but in China instead.
But well tomorrow, I have an interview of Hurtwood House school. I heard that this school's results are good but there are too many international students. I don't know. I didn't pass the test of Lancing College and Wellington College, how shame.
Thanks you.

OP posts:
LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 25/03/2015 20:47

Smile All I can suggest is that you discount Trent College. It's a lovely school but academically you may struggle to get the grades for Oxford or Cambridge. Are you able to look at the web sites for the schools that you've mentioned? Look at the leavers destinations first. 'Top universities' doesn't really mean a great deal, it would help if you knew which ones, exactly. Pocklington doesn't give a great deal away, sadly.

I hope this helps in some way. Good luck Smile

Sandiacre · 25/03/2015 20:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 25/03/2015 20:57

Oh, that's useful to know, Sandiacre Smile

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 25/03/2015 21:00

Pock is a good school. I used to live near it and would happily have sent my kids there. I know several of the staff and they are very good.

LIZS · 25/03/2015 21:08

Friends dc have been at Pocklington and been happy with it. You might want to check the ratio of full to weekly boarders as it does primarily serve the local , fairly rural community even though It takes overseas students. It is also in a very small town so you could easily feel quite isolated. Where would you be flying in/out of? What do you plan to do after 6th form? Hurtwood House is primarily a drama/musical theatre school.

cecilia1233 · 25/03/2015 21:28

I'm so grateful for your advice.
Yes I viewed the website and went to both school myself. Pocklington is a small town but I like there, in fact I love the countryside of UK more than Beijing. Trent yes they don't have even one student went to Oxbridge last year. And Pocklington have two students went to Cambridge.
Well, after 6th from. I will go to University. But I also considering the University of USA. You know, if I do not get offer from G5 I may go to USA. There is a lot more choice than there maybe.
But yet I love Britain and the British is the best of course.
Apologize for my suck English.

OP posts:
cecilia1233 · 25/03/2015 21:31

And, can anyone tell me what ‘dc’ means?Hmm

OP posts:
LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 25/03/2015 21:37

"Darling Children" Your English is excellent Smile Good luck!!

cecilia1233 · 25/03/2015 21:48

Thank you a lot. I didn't pass the entrance test of Lancing College and Wellington College for they said my English isn't good enough to study thereSad
But anyway, I'll do as best as I can. Thank you!

OP posts:
Katie2489 · 25/03/2015 21:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Katie2489 · 25/03/2015 21:53

Your English is great, much better than my Chinese!

cecilia1233 · 25/03/2015 22:57

Thanks for your compliment. Well you know, as the universal language, we have to learn English in prep school, I remember I can recite the English alphabet while I couldn't even say some Chinese sentences. Learning English is a long way and it will going on.

OP posts:
cecilia1233 · 26/03/2015 07:56

Up
Does anyone have interest to be my guardian? I can cook some Chinese food if there are enough gridians.
(It's just a joke, my father will slove this thing.

OP posts:
cecilia1233 · 26/03/2015 13:22

Now I'm in Hurtwood House school. This is really a beautiful school. Gosh! As I check the website, in 2012 there is seven students go to Oxbridge. That's sounds good...... But seems have 10% Chinese......

I really don't know how to do. Let's see how the interview going on.

OP posts:
LIZS · 26/03/2015 15:28

How many students in a year ? 7 out of 50-100 is ok , 7 out of 200 is not so good. I don't think HH is really focussed on Oxbridge as such though.

cecilia1233 · 26/03/2015 20:54

Thank you. I'm thinking about if I care about Oxbridge too much......
In your thought. Is the Oxbridge the only top University? Or you think others like IC, KCL are just as good as Oxbridge?
Now if Hurtwood House give me the offer, then I'll study there. If it doesn't, then I may study in the Pocklington School.
I'm so grateful for all of your advice.Grin

OP posts:
LIZS · 26/03/2015 20:57

It really depends on your subject and area of interest . Oxbridge definitely isn't for everyone.

cecilia1233 · 26/03/2015 21:05

I want to study economics in university. So I chose this and Maths. But also I have interest in history, so I chose it though every teather told me that's too difficult even to the native speaker. But well I just follow my heart and actually don't really know if I can be good at it. Just do as much as possible. Strggling is l never a problem to Chinese, isn't it.Wink

OP posts:
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 26/03/2015 21:18

There's always an element of chance in Oxbridge admission, no matter what school you go to, so you should never set your heart on it too much. There are other good universities. That said, if you missed out through bad luck you might well end up there as a postgraduate.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 26/03/2015 21:21

History is going to be harder for a non native speaker, but personally I believe the easy option isn't always the best - determination can take you a long way.

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LIZS · 26/03/2015 21:34

Have you studied history before? It would be tricky for you to draw on the context for analysis otherwise. Some of the London University colleges and provincial universities are good for Economics and you could combine it , with languages or international studies for example. Oxbridge is definitely not the be all and end all. Most top Unis do however expect 3 good A levels ie. As & Bs.

senua · 26/03/2015 21:46

Don't get too hung up on Oxbridge. They are very difficult to get into and every year many very good students fail to get a place.
There are many other good Universities eg the Russell Group Universities. Before you start your studies look at their websites to see what A Levels they want. For example this is LSE.

Poisonwoodlife · 28/03/2015 13:10

Cecilia entry to Oxbridge and the top universities is not really related to what school you go to but to the quality of your application, predicted grades, your personal statement etc., then for Oxbridge there is an interview. Every year at even the most prestigious schools such as Westminster there will be applicants who the school thought were good candidates and had a chance of a place who did not get in and others that did not seem such good applicants who do. It is not that hard work and the right school will get you a place at top universities. You have to have the personal qualities, intellectual curiosity, natural aptitude, evidence that you have a real enthusiasm for your subject, have read widely, can critically appraise what you have read and understand and have your own opinions on the issues raised. All these are qualities any school teaching A level should be aiming to cultivate in you, which is why many many schools send pupils to Oxbridge but often not many pupils. The most prestigious schools, as you have found out, are very selective and just happen to select more pupils who have the potential to get to Oxbridge (but still not all will). The Economics course at LSE is by the way one of the most selective in the world, far more applicants and more selective than most if not all Oxbridge courses.

There are a lot of good UK universities offering excellent courses that will be full of bright pupils, many of whom may have applied but not got into Oxbridge LSE etc. the Complete University Guide provides rankings (I would link but I am in rural England for the weekend and with the slowest of connections) the Russell Group is not actually a marker of quality, it is an alliance but they are all universities that tend to be higher in these tables. You may not have particularly heard of universities such as York, Southampton, Leeds, Bath, Birmingham as much as the ones in Chinese parents minds like Oxbridge, Imperial, LSE, Edinburgh but all may actually be better for some subjects. Got a connection, this is the Economics table [http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings?s=Economics] but all those courses in the top 5 are incredibly selective, and will have candidates with predicted 5As including Maths and Further Maths not being offered places.

Most importantly I have been doing the rounds of UK universities with my daughters and all those near the top of the rankings have very large contingents of Chinese students and food shops catering for them nearby (something that is important to my daughters Wink)

US unis have a similar application process looking for evidence of ability, critical thinking skills etc via SATs, and varying requirements to submit sample essays etc. It is quite time consuming in terms of understanding and meeting all the requirements and helps if the school has experience.

So actually as long as the schools you are considering are able to get the occasional bright pupils A
s and into Oxbrige it does not matter how many. Few getting in may just reflect that it is not a selective school and bright applicants tend to go to other more selective schools.

Go on where you feel most comfortable and will support you to do well, beware of schools making assumptions about you just because you are Chinese, you want a school that will treat you as an individual. I have been Guardian to Chinese friend's daughters in the past (sorry I am past that stage now) and it is very important that it is a school that understands your culture but doesn't expect you to conform to their own stereotypes, beware for instance any school that allows any overseas pupils to stick together and isn't proactive in facilitating and encouraging integration.

Hurt wood House definitely market themselves in the UK as for those wanting to pursue training in the performing arts.

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