Tips to prepare for Oxbridge

[AckieAck]

DD is a sensible 14 year old in year 10 and academically able. She’s predicted 9s in most of her subjects, and some 8s. She has expressed interest (since she was old enough) in studying at Cambridge or Oxford. She has mentioned this again recently and from light research, it appears Cambridge might be better for the subject.

I won’t push or pressure on her but if that’s what she wants to go for, I want to support her. I know it’s not a given for anyone but how can she maximise her chances of getting in three years and a bit from now, should that still be something she’d like to attempt?

If you’ve DC who have recently gained admission or you have insight somehow, I would really welcome your help.

I went to Cambridge, graduated in 2015. Besides doing well in school, its a good idea to do relevant reading around her chosen subject. Don't bother with new extra curricular, if she's doing then anyway, fine, but Cambridge aren't interested in DofE/music grades (unless she wants to study music)/sport. Then plenty of reading beyond the GCSE/A level curriculum to show wider interest and to write about on application. If you tell us which subject she's thinking of, people might be able to make some suggestions of things to read.

Thats really helpful, thank you. I hadn’t realised that I had mistakenly deleted the reference to the subject. Good to know that she doesn’t need much in terms of extra curricular activities; I’ve been asking her to think of some she would be interested in. She plays netball for school and is average but that’s it. She also does cross country but it’s just to get some exercise in. She’s an avid reader though and loves reading and discussing various things with us or anyone she’s comfortable with.

She is interested in studying Engineering, she’s not sure which branch yet.

DC just graduated from Oxford in Engineering.
The course at both Ox and Cam is a general course, so the first two years are spent covering lots of elements of engineering. Then in years 3 and 4 you start to select modules according to what you are interested in. DC started off thinking they were interested in aerodynamics, but ended up focusing on AI use in medical devices. They've now got a job being an IP patent lawyer.

I wouldn't bother with extra currics. Oxbridge really aren't bothered! Try and get your DD to do some workshops/events at local uni's or science parks.

At interview DC said they were interested in getting their opinions on a moral situation, and also discussed with the tutors how to dive deeper into a mathematical theory they suggested. Disclaimer- I stopped understanding what exactly they do a long time ago, so I hope what i've written makes sense!

Oh - the course involves A LOT OF MATHS, which does not involve any numbers🤔

Good luck to her. DC was very happy at Oxford. Tired, and worked their socks off, but the happiest they had been at any educational setting.

I was a geographer but incidentally got a grad job with a large engineering consultancy. As PP above said, Cambridge engineering is broad then you specialise in years 3 and 4, so that might suit her given she's not sure what she wants at the moment. Getting some engineering work experience might be worthwhile, and would be a good thing on applications. And worth checking entry requirements especially before picking A levels. I can't suggest any books to read on engineering I'm afraid!

There are lots of courses/ study days etc - have a look athttps://www.etrust.org.uk
and shows like big bang science fair 2026 https://www.thebigbang.org.uk
universities including Oxford and Cambridge run study days for prospective students.
These all add super curricular experiences- reading science books/ journals etc, all broaden knowledge.

My DS got a Cambridge offer although didn't end up going and I have some exposure to Cambs admissions through friendships with some admissions staff.

As PP said, absolutely no one cares about netball or any other non academic hobbies. If she has any relevant hobbies then great e.g. building functioning airplane models then great. Otherwise dont worry about them. The key is passion for the subject. My DS was particularly passionate about 1 aspect of the subject, always has been since a wee boy. He reads so many books on it just in his own time and this set him in really good stead on the UCAS form and then interview as he was really able to explain his interests, opinions etc. They are looking for critical thinking so if she can explain how she approaches problem solving and enjoys discussing or debating this sort of thing, that also helps.
Beyond that of course she needs the grades. And it's not just 9 in GCSE, for her chosen subject she needs the teachers to be saying "she's the best in class" or "best I've seen in a whole". They are looking for academic excellence basically

They want people who are top tier clever, and who are passionate about the subject. So given that she’ll be working hard on the top one and you can’t ask much more than that, I’d help her to grow the latter - and to do this in conjunction with a lot of different engineering places.

So - see if there are any open days or summer schools at a nearby university, see if there are any clubs, watch programs about engineering, read maths books for fun, all that sort of thing.

Particularly see if she can visit or link up with other university engineering open days or similar - and I’m saying that because not only does it help to find out what goes on in engineering, but it’s really important to see engineering as an amazing thing at a range of places, not a means to a special Cambridge end.

Cambridge is wonderful, I loved it there, but there are so many other places with just as / even more spectacular and impressive departments. And I know students who did all the “right things” - smartest in the school, all the additional stuff, summer schools etc, - and still didn’t get a place because there is so much competition.

Focus on growing the passion and interest in what she’s studying and what she’s interested in, and that’ll take her far in any direction, and would be most what they’d want to see at Cambridge too.

My DC is in year 11 and also looking at Oxbridge for engineering. He is at an independent school and every single thing we look at for engineering tasters excludes children who are at independent schools. I was delighted to see the link above to the Big Bang competition but it’s only for state school children. Does anyone know where he could obtain experience and wouldn’t be excluded due to his school? OP our school have noted him as Oxbridge material and he has also been told extra curricular activities linked to engineering are helpful but nothing else extra curricular is. We are also looking at uni in USA where there are some great engineering degrees that are broader.

Look at courses run by the Smallpeice Trust.

Year 9 is the perfect time to start preparing. The biggest piece of advice is to read - read as much as possible and as widely as possible: not just in the chosen subject area, but to take an interest in and around all sorts of things, from politics and the news to what’s happening in science and the arts more broadly. A well informed and inquiring mind across the board is a huge asset. In the chosen subject, read as much around the curriculum as possible. A scientist? Read New Scientist and other related periodicals. Read nonfiction books about science or popular science. Watch the Royal Institution Christmas lectures from the last few years. An arts subject? Read novels - loads of them.
Go to art galleries or museums related to the subject (or talks, events - doesn’t have to be expensive, we all have more than enough access to free knowledge and information from galleries and museums to online texts). Universities, museums, science foundations — all offer free events and workshops for families, young people and school kids. Theatre tickets for example can be got hold of really cheaply for teens.

Show your child how to access public libraries, and how to get hold of books and journals free in their subject. Make use of all the stuff that’s out there online (but don’t only focus on online information and reading). There are loads of ways of getting hold of secondhand DVDs of good films, plays, etc., from Amazon marketplace to car boots. Encourage intellectual questioning and discussion. Be willing to talk about current affairs and issues of the day, from AI and economics to international politics and recent history.

Oxbridge now offer access visits via schools from quite early on, and you can certainly just go and look around, visit open days and so on, even in year 9.

What you really don’t need: expensive Oxbridge preparation courses, tutoring, paid activities, or extra teaching of any kind.

The key at this stage really is just reading (and a bit of watching!)

In case it helps anyone, DC studied Maths, further maths, physics and chemistry for A levels, and did a 'mini MBA' rather than an EPQ.
His extra curricular stuff amounted to 1 sentence on his personal statement.

@Claudiasboots DC did some online courses about coding and some other stuff I don't understand!

OP, when your DD comes to pick her A levels, be aware that to get into Cambridge for engineering she will need Further Maths as well as maths. (Officially it's "you must have Further Maths if your school offers it", but to all intents and purposes I think you need A level Further Maths to stand a chance of getting in.)

I'd caution against getting into a situation where Cambridge becomes "The Dream" because statistically the most likely outcome of applying to Cambridge is a rejection. I'd try to keep the conversation about getting on to a good engineering degree rather than getting into Cambridge. That's not to say she shouldn't apply, but you don't want her thinking that the world has ended if she doesn't get in.

Agree with this, friend of my dd didn’t get into Oxbridge , even though he was extremely able. He did engineering elsewhere and did exceptionally well, focusing only on Cambridge can mean it’s a real blow if you don’t get a place, and not getting a place is more likely than getting in, statistically. So encourage her to have a look at where else might be a good fit .
I don’t know re Cambridge but Oxford don’t care about extra curricular stuff at all.

As others have said, Further Maths is pretty much essential for Engineering. It’s early days for your DD but if her school offers extra maths qualifications at GCSE level it would be worth taking those too.

For Oxbridge it’s about reading and experience related to the subject rather than being a ‘rounded’ candidate.

There are various things that you can do, and it’s good that you are thinking about it early.

Have a look at Uni Taster Days for Engineering experience. I think these are for Y11 or Y12.

DD did a ‘Women in Engineering’ 3 day course in London in 6th form. I found it by Googling.

We also took DD to an open day at our local university in because it gave her a better understanding of the subjects she was considering.

DS chose Physics and spent a week at Leeds University between Y12 and Y13. The course was free, but we had to pay for accommodation. Other universities do similar things. Keep an eye on their websites. He also took himself off to a Physics Masterclass at Cambridge at the end of Y12. There will undoubtedly be similar for Engineering.