Let me tell you our story.......
My DC has a conditional Oxford Law offer for 2019 entry. He will be very young when he goes off, and was young in the application process. He attends a non selective 11-18 Scottish state school (no grammar schools in Scotland). There is no sixth form or UCAS coordinator to guide. His one advantage is applying with two sets of exam results - Nat 5s and Highers. He is currently studying for three Advanced Highers for which he needs AAB to meet the conditions of his offer.
His school has very little experience of Oxbridge application. In fact, they only brought up the subject a month before applications were due in. No mention of aptitude tests, requirement of supercurricular activities, etc. No mention of access courses and open days. We have no legal background in the family.
Well, how did he manage it?
His Grandma took him on a day trip to Oxford when he was 16 and he fell in love with the place. At this point, he had set his heart on reading law and started looking through the law section of the Oxford website.
Things he did to help his application, all discussed in his personal statement:
He noticed they had a law essay competition advertised and decided to enter this for his own enjoyment.
He joined the school' s debating society which is entirely student run. He discovered he had an aptitude for debating and was elected president. The club won a national debating competition which of course looked good on his personal statement.
He read and discussed a highly academic law text book and based his Modern Studies dissertation around one of the legal issues.
He independently contacted local law firms with his CV requesting work experience and was twice successful.
He wrote a rudimental legal argument to a bank expressing concerns that they had flouted the Data Protection Act. They conceded wrongdoing and sent him £250 compensation.
He applied and was selected to go to Auschwitz and act as an Ambassador for the Holocaust Educational Trust, and subsequently discussed Human Rights issues in his PS.
He performed above average in his aptitude test and really enjoyed the interview process.
As we realised early on that his school was unwilling/unable to help, I took on the role of facilitator to help him achieve his dream. I have spent many hours scouring websites looking for open day info, information about aptitude tests, interview advice and have passed this information on to him.
Due to my research, he managed to get a place on the Law residential Open Day and spent two nights in a college. He applied directly and he travelled down on the train on his own from the north of Scotland. They offered to pay for his transport , but at this point we had already bought the ticket and didn't feel it was necessary. He also managed to get a place on the half day interview workshop. This was only meant for local applicants, but he was visiting family in London and managed to tie this in. Again, a college offered to pay for his transport believing he was travelling from Scotland for the sole purpose of attending the workshop.
I feel Oxford has been very welcoming, but am realistic that without my organisational input, things could be very different. IMHO it's his school that has failed him as a facilitator, rather than the Oxford application process.
Incidentally, on his return from the interview workshop he bumped into the school's career adviser on the train. She asked him where he'd been. When he explained about his visit to Oxford, she told him that she had been sent info about this workshop, but had ignored the email as she felt no one would be interested!!!!!
I hope this helps and encourages some of your DCs to apply. Good luck!