Studying at Oxford

[Aunt]

I have a very clever niece (11 A*) who will be going to university in 2006. She wants to study history with the aim of becoming a primary school teacher.

She is looking at universities at the moment but is not considering Oxford or Cambridge. I think mainly because of financial reasons - the cost of returning home, other students being better off, etc.

Oxford would be closer to her home. I have been arguing that there will be lots of people from state schools, not all of the students will be from wealthy backgrounds and more importantly, the facilities will be first class - hopefully the teaching will be excellent (?). Any first-hand advice on why she should at least go on an Open Day and consider it?

NN, sorry to hear your experiences were bad. Mine weren't all brilliant, but on the whole it was positive for me. I did an arts subject - English and a language - guess which one? - maybe it can be different in the sciences. When were you there and what college? (You don't have to say, or you can CAT me if you like).

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Agree with most here. I went to Oxford from a State school (one of the outer colleges, perhaps less public schooly than some of the central colleges, although still plenty of Old Etonians). I did a Science subject, but dh did History. He seemed to enjoy it.

An Open Day is a great idea- especially if she stays overnight. I wasn't reallly interested (thought it ws out of my league) until I went to an Open Day, then decided I really wanted to go.

hmm. I found the work side of things demanding, but really rewarding. I did a masters a few years later at another university and that made me realise just what a luxury the 2-3 student tutorial is (sorry that NN's experience wasn't like this, I do think that's the exception to the rule).

On the other hand, as a v shy and rather naive 18 year old from a northern state school, I found college life incredibly intense (generally in a bad way though not always) and the (outward) self-assurance of public/private school kids pretty difficult to handle at times.

But there's always plenty of things to get involved in both inside and outside college, and those things made it generally more bearable (I do sound rather sorry for myself now, don't I...)

I'd definitely recommend an open day, though - much better to have a glimpse of what it's really like before she decides than rely on all those Brideshead stereotypes.

i went to Oxford from a bog standard state school in the early nineties. I had a`similar experience to Nighty Night i'm afraid, but still glad I went. I studied English Lit and the syllabus was archaic. Also missing out on Classics and Latin was a disadvantage. But one on one tutorials totally one way, me to tutor, and barely any feedback at all. Also i did feel majority of students had lots of money, but that may have been my college.Private education definitely prepares you better, but i did enjoy a lot of it.

I went to a slightly strange but very ordinary comprehensive (had parents with "principles") then on to Oxford in early 80's. I did not remotely have a chip on my shoulder but was at a very ungrand college. What it gave me was the ability to analyse and question anything and everything and to stand up for myself in any circumstances. That more than anything has stood me in very good stead over the following years.

Its highly entertaining how many other MNetters would have been there at the same time as me!

lol Anchovy, you could organise an online gaudy .
Or an MN gaudy in real life.

Definitely look into the different cultures of each of the colleges, there used to be guides to such things produced in my day, are there still? It can make a huge difference both to what the people are like and how much you have to pay for accomodation etc.

I had a bit of mixed experience at Cambridge, loved first year, less sure about it as time went on. Facilities (library etc) were probably better, one-to-one tutition definitely good and much better ratio than redbricks, although that won't help if your tutor is rubbish...

Future benefits depend entirely on whether you are in a career where the snob value is good, or one where you are basically a bit embarrassed about it...

Still worth looking at, but much the best thing is to support her in wherever she feels most at home

To be honest even the choice of collage isn't so big an issue as long as it it big enough. The collage I went to was one of the 'poshest', with lots of people from private schools. I was a red hot socialist from the Valleys in South Wales, the product of a working class home and a bog standard comprehensive school. Astonishing as it sounds I fitted right in! There were plenty of people like me there too! And lots of the others enjoyed the debates, it was a blast!

Out of inverted snobbery I turned down my place at Oxford and went to Kings London instead, from comparing with my friends who went to Oxbridge I think my course was more packed with public school kids than theirs! There can also be quite a strange defensive air to redbrick unis such as Kings, Imperial, Durham etc as the first term all you here is "I am not at Oxbridge because....."

I don't think my studying was as intense and pressured as the Oxbridge course, my A level teacher at the time told me that from exerience his pupils that had gone on to Oxbridge had struggled and tended to get a grade lower than their friends who had gone on to other redbrick universities , but that was very anecdotal info as we had very few students go from our comp to Oxbridge. It is also ten years ago and things have moved on.

I loved my time at Kings, and I think it was the right choice for me, but I have to admit that i sometimes think "what if?" and my mother has never forgiven me for not going, infact for the first term she told her friends that I was studying law at Oxford as she found it deeply embaressing to admit I was doing Theology in London!! Mothers eh

My advice would be.... actually i don;t know .... go for your interview at Oxbridge and if you turn it down do so because the course isn't right or you love somewhere else more not because of your assumptions about the place.

I really didn't want to go to Oxford but my parents were so thrilled that I went along with it. I had a good time but felt I might have had a better time elsewhere. Somehow it was always expected that I would go and I think that inevitably put pressure on me. I do think that Oxbridge still impresses certain people though.

I often wonder what would have happened if I'd dropped out at the end of my first year.

gosh what an opputunity to study at oxford or cambridge, something i can only dream of with envy!
studying to do midwifery i chose my uni based on the hosital at which i wantd to train ratehr thatn university, what a silly mistake that has been, as i trained at thames valley in slough! although i consider my knowledge of my subject to be more than adequate, this had been acheived largley through my own hard work and that of my fellow students rather than adequate teaching/direction from teh majority of lecturers. (although one or two of them have been fantastic)

Thanks for the extra experiences and opinions.

Most of the colleges have their Open Days on the same day in September. Anyone willing to recommend (or not) their college?

It's pretty difficult to choose between them - they are all a bit different in atmosphere but still pretty much equal. They all have their own websites and often an 'alternative prospectus' written by current students. It's largely just a matter of picking one she likes the look of from that information, unless her school is steering her towards a particular college (mine did).

If money's an issue, it's worth looking for one that provides accommodation throughout the course, as Oxford rents are now eye-wateringly high. Another question is central or not - outside the centre of town the colleges don't look so romantic, but you get more space and fewer tourists, and you're still a short bike-ride from everything else.

hth

i've been at oxford more recently than most (late 90's - did english) ... & i would def. advise your niece to (at least) taste it & see - go for an open day & then maybe apply.
going to oxford (strangely not c. was something i always wanted, & it was fab. yes, some courses are quite old-fashioned (i loved mine tho), but i had some wonderful tutors, & the libraries leave you spoilt - as i've found later, as a postgrad at another fairly popular & prestigious uni...where the resources are a bit poor IMO. as for the social scene, the 'rahs' (!) stick together IME & i made some lovely lovely friends (for life i hope), from lots of different backgrounds.
colleges - mine was a central, old, formerly all-male college, with lots of character & good book grants! personally i'd prefer that to one of the newer, outer colleges, tho those generally have more space around them (eg onsite playing fields).
anyway, if your niece visits & likes the place, def. give it a go, she cd have the best time of her life & at least she'll never be left thinking 'what if'.

just seen CM's post - colleges that provide acc. for the whole course is def. an advantage (tho students almost cert. unable to stay in college outside term times). the short terms, tho intense, can also be quite nice!
yr niece shd, if she's able, visit a few to get a feel for them (always found the ones on turl st. v. small & crowded fwiw)....um, st. john's is lovely, but quite an academic powerhouse (ditto merton). colleges vary quite widely in size too, & this has a big impact on the 'feel' of the place - what type of events are on, how lively the beer cellars are etc..!
hth

DH went to Lincoln college, OXFORD

From private school but this was years and years ago

He is very very ancient and so prob not relevent really

very interesting thread. I was there 89-92 and 93-95. I loved every minute of it. I chose my college well - smallish but big enough to have a good social mix. I chose my subject badly cos I didn't explore the syllabus but was able to switch at the end of my first year. As with any universities if the subject is important to her she should check it out carefully. The best things about it for me were first and foremost the friends I made. They are still my dearest friends and have gone on to have highly interesting careers. The quality of teaching and the tutorial system worked very well for me - especially as a post grad. But it is very pressured. Not sure if they still do finals the same way - but when I did my finals my entire degree mark depended on about 16 exams which were taken in the space of about 10 days. That remains one of the most stressful things of my life. Collegiate life is another strong point - virtually any activity you can think of can be done at college level making it very easy to take things up. I played football, hockey and rowing. Never saw myself as a rower but ended up coxing the men's first eight - which was a huge commitment (twice a day)and a very good crew. very very fond memories.

LIke TwinSetandPearls I turned down my Oxbridge place and went to York to read History, really, really, really good and highly thought of course, absolutely worth looking at. It was actually recommended to me at the time, by the head of History at Manchester University, as the best course in the country. They also have small seminars and plenty of one to one tutorials and funded study trips abroad. I eventually went to Cambridge to do my PGCE, was a member of a tiny, ancient college (my Dad's) and thoroughly enjoyed myself, but I personally would not have coped there at 18.

However my nephew is at Oxford at the moment reading Maths and he's loving every minute of it, he's a state school boy.

Vickiyumyum
Just wanted to say that I spent 10 weeks in the Royal Berks with placenta praevia, and some of the best care I had there was from a couple of students from Thames Valley Uni - one before my section and one after when my dd wasn't feeding. Both these students were absolutely fab and I was so impressed that I wrote to the Head of Department afterwards to say how impressed I'd been. Just in case this makes you feel any better at having to spend time in Slough !

Aunt... Sorry, don't have any info on colleges. I went to an open day at Somerville because the Head teacher of my all-girls school thought that it was important that I should be segregated from men for as long as possible (... and my parents went along with it... what were they thinking of?). I felt massively intimidated by it, to be honest. But that was in 1984, so pretty out of date now...! Best thing might be to look at the websites of the different colleges. Also see where good historians are based, because that's who your niece will end up with for her tutorials. But definitely go to the open day, try to fit in visits to as many colleges as possible (even if it's outside the 'normal' open day hours - just ring the admissions tutor and say that you're going to be in Oxford on that day anyway, and could you pop in either before or after the organised open day stuff...). Good luck.

ellbell - thanks for that. i know that the hospital is a good place to work and the vast majority of the womaen that i meet are fantastic. so to hear it from the other side is a real boost that we/they must be doing something right! just being nosy, when did you stay at the rbh? and can you remeber which ward?

Hi Vickiyumyum... Ah, yes... it's engraved on my memory .

I was there between March and May 2000 (dd born 11/05/00) on Marsh Ward (room 13...). I moved around a bit (started out on a ward, but was moved to a private room when it was clear that I was in for the duration!) but was basically on that side of the building, overlooking what was then a building site (the highlight of my day was when the guy in the crane climbed down his ladder!) but is now probably a nice shiny new building. I can't fault the care I had there. As I said, I thought that the Thames Valley students were fab, but the midwives (especially the Senior Midwifery Sister - who was the one who got me the private room) were great and so was my consultant.

I was back in there in 2002 to have dd2, but it was literally a flying visit (I went in at 6 a.m. and was out again by 6 p.m.).

Are you working at the RBH now? I wonder if the same people are still there? I wonder if anyone remembers me (the mad woman who gave Italian lessons from her bed, and brought in her computer in order to edit a journal while waiting for her baby...!!!)

Good luck with your course (or have you finished now?)

ellebell - no not finished yet. most of the marsh ward lot have been there for years so probably were there when you were in. i also had my ds2 at the rbh and i have a laugh with one of the midwives about changing my inderwear for me after i had had my section, cos the spinal hadn't worn off! it was abit embarrasing at first, but i can joke about it now.
i know that i am biased, but even in your training you meet students that you know are going to make fantastic midwives and those that you really aren't sure why they are doing it, luckily for the rbh we seem to have a very enthusiastiic bunch at the moment and we are all loving it.
maybe see you for your next one!