Yr7 dd wants to go to Oxford or Cambridge!

[natellie1970]

11yo dd just dropped into conversation 'I think I want to go to oxford or Cambridge, but I know it's hard to get in and there are other good universities so if I don't get in I can go to another one' (she sounded much more mature than me!) saying for a long time she wants to be a doctor and she really excels at science. I know things can change but I want to be prepared so is it more expensive to Oxbridge and how hard is it really to get in.

I was totally gobsmacked when she said she wanted to go to Oxbridge although she's said she wanted to be a doctor for a couple of years and she has real ability and love of science (maths and English too) I've neither pushed her or discouraged her. Being as single minded and stubborn as she is I don't think that would work anyway. Don't think she has her heart set on going there, as she knows it's hard to get in. Trouble is I don't know anyone who's been to uni at all let alone Oxbridge. So have no idea how it all works. I am immensely proud of her and that won't change whatever she decides to do.
Sorry just don't want to seem like I'm pushing her in this direction. (Am I a bad mum for thinking life would be a little easier if she wasn't so bright?)

I have a good friend who is a medical dr and says she set her mind on it at about 11-12. It's one of those professions where it helps to be on a mission

I did an oxbridge PhD which is why I am confused about fees. I did my undergrad at a mere top RG . Aim high, why not

Good for her!

Based on what was needed to get into an Ivy League school (American, sorry ), apart from excellent grades in all subjects taken, they were very keen on extracurricular activities - sports, music, arts, anything to show that they were well-rounded as well as clever. Community volunteering was a big thing.

If there's a club/activity at Oxbridge that she would be keen to be involved in, get involved now so she has that to offer her school of choice.

And continue to research the non-Oxbridge options to keep on top of what is good for the field she's interested in. No point going to Oxford or Cambridge because they are "the best" if another university is actually doing it better.

Also, for medicine - my brother is a doctor and I remember this coming up when he was applying - it's important to have relevant 'work experience'. Medicine is ultimately a vocational degree and the med schools wanted to know that you knew what you were undertaking and were prepared. So, when she is a bit older, 16 or so I guess, look into whether she can do 'shadowing' for any doctors - get her to write to your GP to ask if she can spend any time with them, and ask any other doctors you know / if any of your friends have a friend / acquaintance / family member who is a doctor, beg them to help you out too. If nothing else, volunteering in a local nursing home was also seen as good and relevant experience. Medicine is not glamorous!

Some brilliant advice on here thank you all.

We lived quite near to Cambridge and by 12 I was keen to go there (I wanted to live inside those mysterious walls!). I did Natural Sciences, was the first of my family to go to university and the first in several years from my school to go to Cambridge. It's certainly not impossible and I'd definitely not discourage her now. I would make sure that when it comes to colleges you go through them very carefully, I started by throwing out all the ones that wanted special exam papers which left about half, probably the less popular 'big name' ones. I didn't do vast amounts of extra-curricular stuff - I had a weekend job - but somehow I snuck through the interview process. I could actually have been eligible for a reduced offer because of my school not having sent anyone for a while but being stubborn decided I didn't want to go if I couldn't get the grades anyway!
Mind you - the A-level physics teacher who told me that I 'might get to Cambridge but I wouldn't be a success when I got there' certainly spurred me on a little!

Joining St John's Ambulance is a good way of getting experience as a teen, they have different programmes for different ages. A friend's daughter was noticed & was presented with a medal by the Queen, I think she'd been very helpful to an elderly man without realizing who he was & he turned out to be a Lord Lieutenant or something like that.

My sibling read medicine at Cambridge. if you know no one at university then by all means ask us here.
I am not sure what kind of school she is at but do make sure she does 9 or 10 very good GCSE subjects

3 separate sciences
maths
english lit
english lang
at least one foreign language
ideally history and geography and perhaps RE
and then if she wants one or two extra like art or music fine.

Do people in her school get A* and As at GCSEs in those kinds of subjects?

I read medicine at oxford, and am now involved in medical education. Work experience is essential. Shadowing is ok, but REGULAR long term commitment eg working as hca or visiting nursing home, volunteering in a children's centre, that is so much better. I did it for 2 years every Wednesday after school. Get her on twitter, there are dozens of brilliant blogs, and you can follow both the great and the good in medicine and science, but also jobbing doctors of all grades, interact with them, etc.

She needs to read around her subject to stand out. I went to Oxford (from a state school) and in a way it was easier then because you still had the entrance exam so could demonstrate that you had read around. Now that's harder to demonstrate. Yes to others who have said work experience for medicine (this is true wherever you read medicine) & also you need to demonstrate you understand the realities of medicine (not Holby City) & good people skills becoming more important.

She sounds wise -in that she already recognises that even being good enough doesn't mean you'll get a place. I think that's important to stress to her. Also that she may change her mind as she gets older and find that other medicine courses sound more exciting, or she may want to do something else entirely.

My year 7 son has announced he wants to go to drama school so I sympathise - the stats/odds make it even less likely that getting into Oxbridge or medicine (Oxford/Cambridge/medicine I feel confident advising on - drama school I know nothing).

If he went to Cambridge he could join the Footlights, a huge advantage to any actor or director as they get so much experience whilst completing a degree. His time at Cambridge features heavily in David Mitchell's autobiography.

Can't see him at Cambridge (or Oxford). He's bright but not bookish - & ime you have to enjoy researching & sitting down with your head in a pile of books to some degree to enjoy Oxbridge. Ds3? Yep, but not ds2. Of course that might change but I doubt it tbh.

My son has just turned 4 and he says he wants to go to Cambridge University. Who am I to dissuade him? Both of my DP's parents went to Cambridge and received Chemistry degrees from there, did research for the University for their careers and still live about 10 miles away from the city. So he's been exposed to the city, buildings, their stories of university life..... his plan is to study at the University and visit with them on the weekend. He likes having a plan. He could count to 100 before he was 2, and was reading at age 2 1/2. He began doing division, multiplication and fractions aged 3 1/2. I just tell him to do his best work, and he may well go there when he is grown up.

JoInScotland that's great my dd said to me when she was 18 mths old 'me be doctor' (we were in a doctors surgery) I laughed about it but dismissed it. But bizarrely when she started doing science at school she absolutely loved it and was very very good at it and although we had a couple of years where she said she wanted to be a lifeguard (very good swimmer) she is now steadfast that she wants to be a doctor. Your DS sounds like he's got good genes. Good luck to him and you.

My son would like to go to Oxford as well - in Year 8 at the moment and really keen on it.

I did undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Cambridge 2004-2008, and spent a lot less than I would've done at my second choice universities. Whilst living costs are generally low, it's worth investigating each college's bursary systems etc. as they vary; however, it was made clear to us that no student would ever have to leave due to hardship, whichever college they were at.
I'd suggest a visit to the Cambridge Science Festival that's held every March; it'd be a great opportunity to experience the city, colleges and academic staff, and she'd meet current students.
Other than that, keep an eye out for open days for both medicine and colleges. Some if them are specifically targeted for younger pupils, so don't wait until she's in Yr 12.
As mentioned above, the Cambridge Outreach scheme is excellent and should be able to answer any questions you have.
Also, for all medicine courses at all universities work experience is key. My friends volunteered in hospices and hospitals etc. on weekends for approximately two yearsr (i.e. not just two weeks over the summer holidays!)

Sorry, posted too soon while trying to correct typo!

Was going to sign off and say good luck, they're both fantastic universities; but they're most definitely not the be all and end all.