Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Workload at Oxbridge - honest feedback please!

209 replies

rhubarba · 20/03/2022 14:05

Hi - I’ve read quite a lot on here about the workload at Oxford / Cambridge being more ‘intense’ than at other universities. I wonder how much of this is self-perpetuating hype and how much is reality? If you have DC at these universities, are they constantly overwhelmed? How bad can it actually be? I was specifically wondering about social science subjects at Cambridge (DD starting later this year). Do they really have to write three essays per week? Is there time to have a social life? How much pressure is there? Please be honest!

OP posts:
jusdepamplemousse · 20/03/2022 16:59

I did law. Three essays a fortnight, three tutorials a fortnight (max 3 students, some 1 on 1), lectures a few hours a day, reading a few hours a day. It’s definitely full time study. But there is absolutely time for a social life.

From what I heard from friends it is very very different to other unis. Really, that’s the point though isn’t it?

BeanStew22 · 20/03/2022 17:22

I studied a humanities subject at Oxford, then did a masters at university of London, then a second undergraduate degree at University of London (night school, while working an intense FT job). This was all between age 18-26 so 1 after the other

Workload at Oxford was intense, I usually worked 5 days a week, the pressure comes from the high standards/competition rather than the hours per se in my experience. But terms are short

The other degrees (and work) were v easy in comparison

That said, going to Oxford has opened a lot of doors for me professionally (and so financially), more so than eg my classmates on the Masters course, so it was v worth it to me

BeanStew22 · 20/03/2022 17:28

PS - my 5 days were ‘every waking hour’ days, not 9-5. It gets intense around end of year exams and finals: a number of my classmates had anxiety/depression problems then

CosmicComfort · 20/03/2022 17:49

@ClarasZoo

It’s very hard. I think my DS may regret going to Oxbridge due to the workload. There are lots of benefits though. But there is not much time for really enjoying yourself is the impression I get… on the plus side at Cambridge you can swap your subjects round a lot, so they can find something they really enjoy…
I think DS1 has moments of regret as well. Everything he did was toward getting to Oxford for several years and the reality is very hard! Think he enjoys it but it’s intense.

I am secretly relieved DS2 didn’t get in at interview for Oxford because I don’t think DS2 would really be prepared to commit to the workload.

Greattimestroubledtimes · 20/03/2022 17:59

@DrDetriment

Yes it's very intense and the reading lists are huge. But if you learn the skill of getting what you need from the reading quickly and can fire off an essay in a few hours, it is not that bad. You aren't meant to read everything cover to cover but to learn the skill of looking quickly at huge amounts of information and picking out the useful bits. It's a big workload and intense but if you are good enough to be there, you are expected to be good enough to figure this out and manage it. I speak from personal experience.
This was very much my experience too.

Yes there is a lot of essay writing but you don’t have to - at least for English- go to lectures at all so it never felt that onerous.

DahliaMacNamara · 20/03/2022 18:31

DD (first year Oxford, STEM subject) does not seem to me particularly overworked as yet. She's performing well and getting good feedback, otherwise I'd be worried she was missing out a good chunk of it somewhere. She does complain sometimes about modules she doesn't especially enjoy, but the rest of it is her idea of a good time, which helps.

There's enough time for friends and a modest social life. She's doing a fair bit of work during this vacation, which again is normal for her, so doesn't feel unduly intense. I'm conscious that they may be a big fat YET around the corner.

JulesJules · 20/03/2022 20:14

It's not just hype, the workload is huge and terms (only 8 weeks) are really intense. D1 is in her second year of a History joint degree at Oxford and has an enormous amount of work. She really loves her subjects so is enjoying it, but the volume of work and deadlines does make it stressful. She's very tired (just got home) and has a week away with friends this vac, but also has a lot of work to do before next term starts.

I didn't go to Oxbridge (went to a RG university) and had nothing like the workload she has.

Ironoaks · 20/03/2022 20:42

DS's experience (physical natural sciences):
1st year: workload was quite heavy; minimum 50 hours a week (not including revision).
2nd year: workload has been more manageable; or maybe he has just got used to it?

What helped him was learning to be less conscientious. In Y12 and Y13, he had been in the habit of pre-reading each topic, working through every example exercise given, consolidating each topic as it was taught, and making revision notes as he went along. That's achievable for four A-level subjects, but just isn't feasible for first year natural sciences. You wouldn't have time to sleep.

valbyruta · 20/03/2022 21:10

It's not 'only 8 weeks' though. More like nearly 10 (depending on subject and college) and definitely no 'reading week'

Original poster
rhubarba · 20/03/2022 21:19

Ok, so clearly it’s quite unanimous that the intense workload is a real thing Confused. Thanks to everyone for being honest. I guess I can just hope she gets into her stride with it all. Plus, as people say, she won’t know anything different ..,,

OP posts:
BeanStew22 · 20/03/2022 21:22

@rhubarba

Ok, so clearly it’s quite unanimous that the intense workload is a real thing Confused. Thanks to everyone for being honest. I guess I can just hope she gets into her stride with it all. Plus, as people say, she won’t know anything different ..,,
What might be helpful is some books/training on study skills, I found the sQ3r method really helpful

ucc.vt.edu/academic_support/study_skills_information/sq3r_reading-study_system.html

Knowing no different also helps Grin

Ironoaks · 20/03/2022 21:24

@rhubarba

Ok, so clearly it’s quite unanimous that the intense workload is a real thing Confused. Thanks to everyone for being honest. I guess I can just hope she gets into her stride with it all. Plus, as people say, she won’t know anything different ..,,
She must have demonstrated both aptitude and interest in order to get the offer. And bear in mind that she will be surrounded by others with similar workloads.
Original poster
rhubarba · 20/03/2022 21:26

I wonder if it’s possible to get ahead with some of the reading before she goes? Are there reading lists? It might just take a bit of the pressure off in the first term maybe?

BeanStew22 - thankyou for that. I will show her.

OP posts:
ofteninaspin · 20/03/2022 21:39

DS is social science at Cambridge. He averages 3.4 essays per week and a problem sheet alongside 17 hours of lectures weekly. He trains/plays sport at a high level, manages a college sports team, is on the exec ball committee but also finds time to socialise, apply for internships and so on. He is very busy but enjoys himself, hands stuff in more or less on time and is doing well. He does sleep for a solid 24 hours when he comes home at the end of term!
DD is a fourth year STEM at Oxford and thrives on busyness. Weekly essay and a lot of labs in first three years. She spends most evenings training for her sport and her social life revolves around the squad rather than clubs/bars. As a fourth year, DD has fine tuned her time management and takes one whole day off a week.

Gerbilteeth · 20/03/2022 21:42

There are reading lists for the first year - have a look at the subject and college websites (some colleges publish them).

Moonlaserbearwolf · 20/03/2022 21:54

It depends a lot on the subject. Reading the responses above I feel lucky!
I read a humanities subject at Oxford. We had between 3-6 lectures a week and 1 tutorial. We had to write 1 essay per week, which usually took me a couple of days to research and write, leaving the equivalent of 4 days a week to have fun. I think I was a particularly efficient worker, but students reading my subject had a reputation for playing a lot of sport and having time to enjoy the extra curricular side of university.

Friends reading science subjects spent a lot of time in the labs and seemed to have a much greater workload. English students had a huge amount of reading, which I know I would have struggled with.

Anonymouslyposting · 20/03/2022 21:58

There are usually reading lists online - but beware, the reading list for each essay is set by the individual tutor, there are obviously some key texts that all will set but if you get an eccentric tutor there will be lots on your weekly reading list that aren’t on the main university list.

Moonlaserbearwolf · 20/03/2022 22:00

@rhubarba

Ok, so clearly it’s quite unanimous that the intense workload is a real thing Confused. Thanks to everyone for being honest. I guess I can just hope she gets into her stride with it all. Plus, as people say, she won’t know anything different ..,,
Not quite unanimous! Reading lists can appear long and daunting, but there will always be key texts and those which can be skimmed/read the summary.
Anonymouslyposting · 20/03/2022 22:02

I once had a tutorial partner who started one tutorial with the statement “I’ve read the full Oxford recommended reading list so I went and found the equivalent Cambridge one and read all of that, what should I do next?” He’s now a fellow at All Souls so clearly worked out very well for him but I wouldn’t advise her to be “that guy”!

Gerbilteeth · 20/03/2022 22:10

I think it can be very tough on the weaker or slower students. Especially in heavy subjects like history.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 20/03/2022 22:18

dd is a 4th Year Cambridge mathematician. In Part 3 (the masters year) the workload is self imposed. They chose as many courses as they wish within limits, depending on how many exams they expect to do. The number of exams taken depends on the grade they are aiming for. The content of each course is both huge and very difficult, but deeply interesting.

They do need to learn to switch off from perfection though and instead do their best within reasonable daily time limits.

Bumpsadaisie · 20/03/2022 22:33

@rhubarba

Ok, so clearly it’s quite unanimous that the intense workload is a real thing Confused. Thanks to everyone for being honest. I guess I can just hope she gets into her stride with it all. Plus, as people say, she won’t know anything different ..,,
Yes definitely a thing.

Worth it though!

And

twaslongago · 20/03/2022 22:51

In the 1980s at Oxford the joint honours in Modern Languages' workload for an 8 week term was 12 literature essays (which would be read out in your tutorials) and 16 prose translations (English to French/German etc). You would also have lectures to attend but these unlike the tutorials at which you read out your essays were not compulsory.

It was insane and you had to do all your reading prep in the vacation as there was only time for reflection and essay-writing during the term itself.
I hope it has eased off a bit but I suspect it is still pretty bad. I remember a friend going home at Christmas and being incensed that someone else form her state school at a 'redbrick' university only had to submit a couple of essays in her first term.
I am sure the internet has made some of these tasks easier to navigate however...imagine having to translate with just a dictionary back then.

BowerOfBramble · 20/03/2022 22:54

I don’t think my mum would have been able to give a realistic answer to this - she was so overwhelmingly chuffed that I’d got in that she just assumed it was all “worth it”or “not that bad”. Luckily I have had quite MH for the most part so didn’t get into serious woe, but I had a lot of very hard times facing down the workload and the lack of time off. Some people function fine without a day off for 8 weeks, others (like me) really don’t. I hated that I was essentially supposed to be working all the time. I felt very trapped and got through it by hanging on to the idea that having the oxbridge degree in the end would be something. I was pulling all nighters usually 1-2 nights a week.

Often wish I’d gone to a more normal uni, despite the doors that my degree probably has opened for me.

OP hopefully your DD is better organised and has less work! But I wanted to give a counterbalance to all those on here who breezed through it.

BowerOfBramble · 20/03/2022 22:55

*quite good mental health