Oxford or Cambridge - law degree (knowing the odds are against either!)

[Swottinguponlaw]

My daughter wants to be a high-flying commercial barrister and she has been advised to read a law degree. I know stats say that 50% of lawyers do not study law at uni but she has been told that does not apply for budding BARRISTERS applying to top commercial chambers. Most of them do study law and have a first. Is our intelligence correct on this - noting that DD wants to be a barrister not a solicitor?

How to choose between Oxford and Cambridge for law? DD likes both cities. Are there substantive differences in the two courses?

Neither my DH or I know the slightest about this so any guidance welcome. Thank you

@ParentsTrapped Yes. I do understand what the DD wants to do so it’s a bit of a rabbit hole! Apologies. However it’s a qualification that’s highly desirable for her ambitions.

DD needs the best A level results and the best combination of subjects. Cambridge suggest Maths as being useful for Law, for example. Their “How to Choose A level Subjects” guidance is the best read for y11s choosing subjects.

My youngest DD has just finished her finals in Oxford and is staying to do the Open Days. There's no reason not to go up on either of those two days (26th and 27th June) if you're close enough to do so. After all your DD is Y12 in effect, having finished GCSEs. No-one would notice or bat an eye lid. Try Brasenose, Wadham and Magdalen - all very strong for Law and all would be seriously interested in any student who can achieve a straight sweep of 9s from an 'inadequate' comp. That's a massive achievement. Tbf even a straight sweep of 8s would be a massive achievement. The Oxford Open Days are seriously worth trying to do this year. Don't be put off by pushy parents; get your DD to talk directly to the student helpers - although there's no need to ask any questions at all. Useful to get a feel for the place and the June Open Days are arguably better than the September one when Oxford can feel a bit empty.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/open-days-and-visits

Good advice about perfectionism. It's a curse not a blessing. Oxford and Cambridge are excellent unis for levelling that out of their students. Doesn't always work of course - some perfectionists are hard nuts to crack - but it seems to me to be a very good thing to know you're not the absolute brightest cookie in the room, especially if it's quite a big room in the way that both those unis are.

To all the parents of the high achievers on here, could I please ask you a question. Which alternative universities would you have genuinely been happy with? I’m thinking specially for studying a law degree. If you have any ideas that include universities outside London that would be helpful.
Thank you.

My DCs' second choice was Durham in each case. The Law Dept is excellent and Durham has always been popular with law firms and chambers.

Thanks @Karolinska How do you rate Warwick and Manchester?

I don't know anything about either I'm afraid. I know both are very strong in other areas but no idea about their law departments.

Ok thanks.

@Lassi Do look at York for law, it has a very different teaching style which may or may not suit.

Also look out for competitions, DD did one for a Cambridge college in Y12 and won and I do think that really helped. She ended up falling in love with the college after the award ceremony in summer between Y12 and Y13 so it became a bit more high stakes than I think was healthy but then was a major motivation for her too. She is just in the final weeks of Y1 (not law but has law friends at Trinity and Pembroke).

Thank you @PettsWoodParadise We have a relative who went to York and enjoyed it. I will also have a look at the competitions.

@Lassi one of mine did Law at york and is currently undertaking the SQE and has a training contract at one of the major Law firms. It is a very different style of teaching in comparison to other Law schools but has an excellent reputation. She had a great time there.