Would a person need to be officially GnT to consider Oxford?

I think a lot happens to people between 15 and 18 so it's always worth investigating, and generally worth applying if she things she will like the tutorial style of teaching and writing a lot of essays.

plenty of people at Oxford do the course, get 2.1s and go off to live respectable normal lives. They don't all have brains the size of planets. Encourage her to aim high. If she does, she might get in to Oxford (or if not, another highly regarded university).

A cat can look at a king. There is no harm in your DD going for a visit as long as she doesn't get caught up in all that 'dreaming spires' humbug.

However, her sights should be set on her subject not 'Oxford at all costs'.

OP was talking in terms of going on an open day years ahead of actually applying - no harm in aiming high on that.

Whether it is a sensible use if a preference is a much later question when she has found out more about the university and the style of course it offers in the fields she is interested in.

Just to state the bleedin' obvious, an Oxford place isn't some sort of reward sticker for school performance. It's a chance to study in a place with a very distinct style - ferociously academic, very short terms, very few contact hours in most subjects and an expectation of a self-motivated learning and independence. It doesn't suit every clever child. Your DD will need to think hard about both what she will need to do to get there, and whether it would actually suit her if she did.

I'd tell her that she needs 3 As at A level as a basis, and then more to offer on top, be it further academic stuff, sports, debating etc. There are people with 4 As who still get turned down - there are a limited number of places. But I think from her mum she needs encouragement with some realism. There's no reason she couldn't achieve this but she will need to work very hard.

"No harm in aiming high is there?"

I'm not sure. I know quite a few children who have been aspiring vets, medics, or who have wanted to go to Oxford who no one told they didn't really have a chance or even "well you would need to get around x y z grades in order to do that and while you absolutely should try for it you should also have a backup plan in case". There have been upsets when things haven't worked out and in some cases they would have been better advised to take different subjects at A level, so a more realistic view earlier on might have been helpful.

No harm in aiming high is there?

OK 5 then. I didn't realise it had changed, but the point still stands. Applying to Oxford isn't going to do any harm.

'You're allowed 6 choices on your UCAS form'

Incorrect. It's actually 5 choices.

Four, if applying for medicine. The 5th choice is then used for another course other than medicine or just left blank.

OP, please do encourage your DD to try for Oxford.

Definitely encourage her to go to the open day.

Oxbridge is what, the top 3% of those who even apply for Uni?
So that's probably what... the top 10% of the population, inherent ability/natural brains wise?
You don't know if you don't try....

Depends what you mean by normal I suppose...

of course not - oxford needs a combination of hard working normal people with common sense to balance all the 'off the planet' types. There are plenty of sweet normal people there. x

Of course not.

You're allowed 6 choices on your UCAS form, no harm in trying, and having a goal like this could spur her on to work extra hard for her exams.

Not necessary to be 'officially GnT' - not sure if official GnT actually exists - but she would normally need to be amongst the brightest in the school, or work fantastically hard. No harm in taking an interest, though she will have to have back up choices.

Does she know what she would like to study. Competition for some degrees is far greater than for others. You might be best guided by her school.