Classics at Oxbridge

[twistyizzy]

DD is only 13 but has loved Classics since Yr 3/4. She is pretty set on doing it at GCSE, A-Level + uni. She already does Latin + classics at school, top of each class plus reads for her leisure and has just finished the Pat Barket + Natalie Haynes series. She is about to start The Odyssey. Zero pressure from us, this is all driven by her.
My dad went to Cambridge to study Classics and she is obsessed with doing the same. Again, zero pressure from us as DH and I went to RG but not Oxbridge.
So my question is, bearing in mind she could change her mind but is unlikely to, what can we do to support her in terms of supra curricular? I know Oxbridge do outreach, taster days etc but they seem to be aimed at Yr 12 + 13 only.
I'm not thinking of now but maybe Yr 10 + 11 to help her make decisions about A level options etc.

Lots of adaptations of Greek plays around at the moment - eg www.londontheatredirect.com/play/oedipus-tickets

Watching stuff like I Claudius, histories of Rome etc

Books -Mary Beard is good. There's always Gibbon's rise and fall of the Roman Empire as well.

Can she start Ancient Greek on her own?

Where do you live? If you’re within reach of some of Roman sites or some good museums these are good ways to bring the subject to life. Also TV documentaries can be really interesting. If she is bright enough for Oxbridge she should be able to handle even some of the drier ones (good if you can watch with her and discuss).

You could also broaden her thinking - get her reading Sophie’s world, for example.

Or considering other civilisations such as Chinese or Egyptian - the comparisons can be fun.

Being well rounded, well read and generally thoughtful - all good.

Can she visited some Roman sites in the UK? The Mithraeum in London is fab, then there are many others across-the-board country, she could blog about her visits. Maybe tailor a family holiday to include something abroad? My parents took me to Pompeii and Herculaneum as a 10 year old and that's what sparked it for me. I wrote about it in my personal statement. Same degree as your dad!

Has she read the Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood? The Odyssey from the wife's point of view. Really good.

Thank you. She already does 2 MFL + Latin so I'm reluctant to add anything too academic on to her plate. The suggestion of plays etc is good thank you.

All these suggestions are great and I would emphasize reading around the subject as much as possible, both primary literature (so many great translations of Homer, like Emily Wilson's or tragedy) and secondary literature (Mary Beard etc). And if she can embark on a bit of Greek, that will show them that she has initiative as well as talent. PM me if you want - I'm ex-Oxford Classics, teach in the US.

No but I will add it to the list

I am pretty sure you need ancient Greek?

Not any more - they can't assume that people have it, so you can do a course that will teach you it when you are there.

Is that the difference between the 3 + 4 Yr course?

Simon Goldhill's 'Reading Greek Tragedy' is good, and designed for those without Greek but with critical thinking. He taught me so may be biased, but it might help to have a better understanding of things she would have to read and analyse later.

I'm pretty sure that Oxford Classics is always 4 years (Cambs is only 3) because of the unusually complicated course structure.

Even when I went, you didn't, you just did a different language course but were expected to be up to scratch by the end of the second year. Out of 6 of us at my college, I had A level, one had the international baccalaureate, so we had classes together, the other 4 were taught together, had more language classes per week, and started the first year earlier for an intensive week.

Not sure how it works now though, there seems to be a move to not even having Latin, and seeing how hard my friends had to work, 2 languages ab initio would brutal.

Oxford’s professor of poetry is a classicist named AE Stallings. Well worth a read through her interpretations.

JACT Durham Facebook JACT Durham Facebook JACT Durham Facebook
Do a Summer School in Latin and/or Greek, offered at different levels with a social program.
DD went to Durham last summer and had the best time ever! There are other centers but this one also gave her a taste of student life in St. John’s college accommodation.
It’s for all ages and under 18s have pastoral support.

That's a great idea.

Only about 200 people do Ancient Greek for A level each year (213 in 2019) and 3% of them were from non selective state schools.
It also has the highest grades by some way, about 80% of those who take the exam get an A or A*

It is absolutely not a "must" as 1st year has a lot of catching up/basics

Oh we live near Durham so this is perfect thank you

Get her to look closely at Oxford vs Cambridge as the two courses are very different. If she goes down the Oxford route she'll need a bit of philosophy too (possibly Cambridge too - I can only speak for Oxford!). She can ditch it after exams in the 5th term but it's obligatory before then. Not necessarily ancient philosophy, mind you - I did logic - but just some sort of philosophy she could talk about at interview!

However, I'd say the most important thing is that she explores something she's passionate about - whether that's history, literature, archaeology, philosophy, or anything else around the subject - as that's what really needs to come across at interview. The tutors are looking for potential, not existing knowledge (within reason!), and being able to convey a genuine passion for the subject is critical.

I'm very biased but the 4-year course (including 3 summers without exams) at Oxford takes some beating - but of course it's an extra year of fees/other expenses.

There is www.latincamp.co.uk.also run by the JACT at Harrogate Ladies College which they can do as early as Y9. My son went twice and had a great time. I didn’t know about the Durham courses even though my son is a St John’s college now studying History and Classics 😂.

OK, so being north based, and I appreciate it's still a journey, she could read up on Hadrian's wall and the general politics/culture of that era and you could go for a walk along a bit of it? My insane dad walked the whole thing once armed with a hostel guide and a tent, leaving mum to deal with us, but then he was, and is, mad. So I'm definitely not suggesting that!

No you do not. You can begin Classics without either language (you take intensive courses when you start).

OP - the most useful thing she can do is immerse herself in Classical literature in translation. Read Homer, Virgil, Ovid, Euripides, whatever authors take her fancy.

Language summer schools are great too and will give her a taste of intensive language study. Both courses, and especially Oxford, are extremely linguistic in focus and she will not be happy unless she enjoys language learning. (At Oxford she would pick one language to focus on for the first 2 years, with the option of taking up the other in the second part of the course. At Cambridge she would do the 4 year course rather than the 3 year course.)

She's definitely passionate, she spends hours discussing Greek myths with my Dad and is happy to challenge her Classics and Latin teachers from a feminist pov!!

She sounds great, and I wish her well!