Questions about applying for Oxbridge

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Grateful if anyone can share any information for my DD who is considering an application to either Oxford or Cambridge.

In Cambridge, do students have to study 3 subjects in their first year, or can they opt to specialise immediately?

DD wishes to study geography, probably specialising in physical geography. Does anyone who's studied geography there have any observations about the courses and how they differ?

Thank you.

DD Y1 at Cambridge (but differnt submect). Work backwards by looking at the courses available. Cambridge has both Geograpphy and Natural Sciences (NatSci). It is the latter you study a range of subjects and then specialise but otherwise most undergraduate degrees are starting the first year with the subject of study. All the Syllabi are on the website.

Geography here https://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/courseguide/

If you study geography at either Oxford or Cambridge, you focus on geography throughout. You cannot 'drop' either human or physical geography but careful selection of options studied in years 2&3 means you can dial up your preference.

As Petts flags, the best thing for your DD to do is study the relevant pages about course structure on the websites. I had a look just now and the info looks pretty well laid out.

What makes you think they have to study 3 subjects ?

That's how it works for NatSci, which in some ways is Cambridge's signature course. But not for other subjects!

In Cambridge, do students have to study 3 subjects in their first year, or can they opt to specialise immediately?

No. some of their courses are quite broad at the start (eg NatSci, general engineering, HSPS), others aren't.

I don't know the details, but my DN did geography at Cambridge and did end up very much specialising in physical geography.

DC1 has just finished Geography at Oxford.

Year 1 (Prelims) is a mixture of Human and Physical Geography - all compulsory options

Years 2 & 3 you have more choice. 3 out of 5 core modules and 3 options. Easy to focus core on physical or human.

You bid for the options with notional coins - you get say 8,000 coins and bid into your preferences as there are limited places on each option and this is how they manage over subscription. DC1 was determined to get one particular v popular option and spent almost 7,000 coins on that then took a gamble on the others but there is loads of choice.

Many Options seems to run alternate years so you do them with either the year below or the year above. For your options you also do an assessed essay plus there is a dissertation worth 25%.