Oxbridge Aspirants: Sep 2021

[funkysatsuma]

Not sure if it's too early to start this thread in Nov 2019 :)

DS would like Cambridge Economics as the first choice. Would like to know where can we get some help to prepare for the ECAA test - appreciate any pointers/links. Thanks in advance

[Stitchintimesaves9]

Checking in

DD thinking of Oxbridge for English. She's not 100% sure though - I'm trying to encourage her to look around at all the courses available to see which one she fancies

[Vargas]

Hi @bakedpotatoandgin my ds is keen on Spanish and learning another language from scratch, possibly Russian. What languages are you doing?

[HadEnuff20]

Hi my ds would like to apply for Physics at Oxford but is considering Natural Sciences at Cambridge too. He will also look at Physics elsewhere. Physics and music are his passion.
We are totally new to the Oxbridge application process, does seem a bit daunting. So will be keen to have any insights or advice.

[HadEnuff20]

Does Oxbridge pay much attention to EPQs? My ds is doing 4 A levels, Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Music. He is also doing grade 8 piano and volunteers in a top set GCSE Physics class. He was wondering if the EPQ would add any value to his application. We feel with all his other enrichment and music commitments he has enough on his timetable already. I’d appreciate any insights.

[IrmaFayLear]

I wondered about this. Dd's school really pushes the EPQ, but ds didn't do one (and got in), but then again he did four A Levels and now one can only do three (at dd's school, anyway).

I had a look at some EPQs at the open evening, and they seemed pretty lightweight, at least the humanities-type ones were. Not impressive at all, yet the teachers were trumpeting that these particular ones had achieved top marks.

[IrmaFayLear]

Hmmmm, thank you, Hugo.

So would, say, Durham offer lower grades for an EPQ? But how do they know you've done it? Or the quality?

[hobbema]

@HadEnuff20, I’m nosing over from current Oxbridge thread. DD is a Cambridge
offer holder for History. At an Indie which offers 4 A levels and EPQ. She started one and dropped it . Did essay comps x 2 instead and was ready with argument that her research for these was useful evidence of higher level research. Never came up at interview. She put a huge amount of effort into her application last term and is motoring to catch up. I think the EPQ can lead to kinder offers at non Oxbridge unis. Good Luck!

[hobbema]

Should have said she is doing 3 not 4 A levels

[HadEnuff20]

Thank you Hugo, my ds wants to do Physics. He did previously get a Silver CREST award in year 10, I’m not sure what value that would have. I think four A levels should be enough really.
I wondered too, if universities look at them or do they just have a grade.

[HadEnuff20]

Thank you @hobbema maybe its worth given it a closer look. Good luck to your DD.

[goodbyestranger]

DD4 didn't do an EPQ and is only doing three A levels and has the standard Oxford offer of AAA (but then Oxford don't vary their offers).

[bpisok]

DD also did 3 + EPQ and has a standard Camb offer (humanity).
It's also pretty good PS fodder if you want to do a non-school subject at Uni.
Science/ Maths it may not be as 'useful'?

[ThreeIsACrowd]

I will join in for all the wisdom. My daughter will be starting her A levels later this year and hoping to do 4 (biology, chemistry, maths and psychology). Hoping to do medicine.

[ErrolTheDragon]

My DD (3rd year Cambridge MEng) did an EPQ , 3 A levels plus comp sci to AS (she was just before the changeover). Hers was an 'artefact' rather than essay based - she designed and built a robot. The only reduced offer she got was at her 5th choice, lowest offer anyway uni. It did feature in her PS, but no idea if it was taken note of in any way (she had quite a bit of other engineering-related stuff to put in anyway). But it was worth doing as an end in itself anyway.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Tired... far too many anyways!

[Stitchintimesaves9]

Thanks all - that's really useful advice on EPQs

[Bakedpotatoandgin]

@Vargas sorry for the late reply, the thread slipped off my watch list. I’m doing french and Spanish both post A level. I did think about Russian ab initio but I decided against it in the end. The thing to know is that Russian students do their year abroad in second rather than first year.

[Bakedpotatoandgin]

Aargh need an edit function! Second year rather than 3rd year

[Bakedpotatoandgin]

I didn’t do an epq, I don’t think it affected my application, but I did spend that time doing my own reading and research, as well as a DipABRSM which is obviously unrelated but took up time

[Vargas]

@Bakedpotatoandgin - thanks for that. Unfortunately my ds isn't doing French A level so that gets knocked off the list...

I have looked up the Russian year abroad in Y2 and it looks really good....

Cambridge do it in third year, as do the other Unis I have looked at.

More food for thought!

[Bakedpotatoandgin]

Vargas - yes I have an older friend who did the Russian year abroad, she said it was really good but I think she's struggling somewhat socially with reintegration as "her" yeargroup for her French classes are now on their year abroad, so she had to switch classes and friends and so on. Maybe worth looking for colleges where there is more than one Russian student so your DS is not alone, although this varies from year to year.