Any point in dd applying to Oxford, a star predicted but no extra curriculum

[Chickensilkie]

She is not sure if it's worth applying because she feels she can't prove a passion in the subject.
She's predicted 3 x a stars and isn't sure what to study.
She's thinking about law or biology or history.
She could not do biolgy at Oxford but possibly law.
Is there any point.

@JessyCarr yes it's how their reports work but of course we understand that could well change.

I think there is a career evening coming up soon so hopefully we will find out more because at the moment it feels very in the dark having to make big decisions.

You have several months still to do even an early/Oxford application so no big decisions needed just yet. This is the information gathering phase.

Which A levels is she taking?

You're creating pressure for you and, more importantly, your DD, where there doesn't need to be any. You don't have to make any decisions for months yet - for Oxbridge, UCAS forms are submitted in October, for other universities, January. In term 2 of year 12, many students are in the position of ýour DD: exploring their options and taking advice.

What subjects is she taking? It seems to be quite early to be predicting A stars. There are stats on the Oxford and Cambridge websites which tell you the stats for each subject ie; for Biology, most successful candidates had Biology A level, Chemistry A level and maths (made that up but it will give this level of detail).

Maybe try to reframe it as not stressful, but exciting! It sounds as though she’s doing very well, so she can perhaps read around and explore beyond the curriculum to find her intellectual passions and in due course generate things to say on her UCAS form.

Three things I would recommend:

1. She might want to keep a diary of her reading and research beyond the curriculum. What has she read, what has she got from it, and how has it helped to narrow down potential areas of interest for her degree?
2. If you want, join us on the very supportive Y12 thread on this board.
3. She should take a look at the 2026 UCAS personal statement in its new format, to help focus on what the universities want to hear about: www.ucas.com/applying/applying-university/writing-your-personal-statement/new-personal-statement-2026-entry

Hi @Chickensilkie I agree with others, it would be helpful to know what her A levels are. You can do biology at some top-tier unis with just biology A level – I know this bc at one point MN was advising me that DS2 would struggle without chem A level, so I researched and found quite a few places that did not require a second science even. Warwick uni for example, tho in most cases the offer was higher. None needed chemistry as all accepted maths (which he was doing).

Anyway...

I agree that

• It is very early for an A-star x 3 prediction
• Extra curricular (sport etc) is not needed
• Supra curricular – showing passion for the subject by reading, online events, RL events and the like – is needed – for many unis tbh
• Oxford is a very specific place and not for everyone. A YP needs to be sure it is what they would enjoy rather than just thinking "oh well I've got three top grades so I had better apply". The terms are very short and very intense; workload is very high; the tutor system is very different from other unis
• She needs to do some research to decide what she wants to do. History or biology is quite a variance. She can look at websites, watch some sample lectures, look at the spec of courses in detail. She should also think about what she would like to do post-uni. A biology degree will lead in quite a different direction from a history degree.

For Oxford you also need 2 sciences.

I guess it may be that the OP's DD does biology and another science-related subject but not one of the ones on Oxford's list – for example geography, psychology, env science.

@clary where can she look at sample lecture please.
She's a grafter I think shorter terms and intense work would suit her well.
Obviously we are at the early stages.

It doesn't sound strange to be hesitating between three very different subjects this early on, but she does need to think honestly about whether there is something she has a passion for - even if she doesn't know what it's called yet. Is there something she always watches or reads? Is there a place or an activity she loves? If she were going to do an EQ, what would it be? These are questions she can ask herself to try and work out whether there is something she would spend 3 years studying, if she could, or whether another route would suit her better.

I just did a quick google and found this website with some history lectures from various unis inc Leicester and UCL (just clicked through on a couple and while some are dead links, some certainly go somewhere useful).

https://www.history.org.uk/student/categories/492/module/8755/university-transition-hub/9909/sample-lectures-and-podcasts

@JessyCarr that's brilliant thanks I will.
She's an incredible reader but of literature not reading around her current subjects.
I think English lit department would have been strong arming her in, but she didn't do english 🤔

Thank you clary. That's really helpful

I was very much like your daughter and also encouraged to apply to Oxbridge although in the end decided against it (mainly for financial reasons as was self supported and the south and prices were too daunting).

I also didn't know what subject but I really didn't understand the breadth of university subject choices. I only looked at those in the a level subjects I'd done where as in reality I could have combined an interest in history and biology with something like osteo archaeology.

My main advice would be for her to talk to someone about future options. I really wish I had understood how many choices I actually had beyond my a level subjects.

Having worked with people from private schools I also had an education in how to align yourself to a college. They reeled off'if you are sporty you want X and if you are into music you want y' as though this was common knowledge. 18 year old me had no idea even after spending three days in Oxford.

Get her a chat with someone who knows the UCAS system too as if she's not certain about Oxford it can alter her acceptance elsewhere (although with places at the moment and clearing it's less if an issue than it once was).

Just to add that having an Oxbridge degree will not help getting a grad scheme job as most company schemes are recruiting blind via aptitude tests to ensure fairness, quite rightly.

Has the op disclosed yet which A levels her DD is taking? She seems very reluctant to say!

Well, yes and no, because 1) there are ways into the world of work that aren't grad schemes; and 2) you're more likely to pass the aptitude tests anyway because of both the ability you had to get into Oxbridge and the education you received while you were there.

That's not to say you can't do just as well from other Universities, but "blind" isn't completely without context.

To OP, as others have said, extra-curriculars don't matter, super-curriculars do, and your DC has plenty of time to figure out which subject to gravitate towards before summer.

@tortoise18
I appreciate your comments however may I address them?

1. My response was in direct reply to OP who when asked why she was considering Oxbridge for her daughter responded "To give her a better chance at graduate scheme and hopefully jobs" Of course there are other ways into a career than graduate schemes, but going to Oxbridge will not necessarily help the chances of getting said graduate schemes.

2. Have you seen/done any graduate scheme aptitude tests recently? They consist of maths/reasoning/logic problems that test the innate aptitude you have always possessed whether you go to Oxbridge or any other university, The content will not have been taught at university unless your degree has element of maths involved (STEM).

I speak from personal experience having had 2 children go through scheme application process, one Oxbridge one not and the first stage of screening is aptitude dependent ONLY in the vast majority of cases.

I contributed this to help inform the OP that grad sheme entry is not a relevant reason to want an Oxbridge education. Instead, as many posters have commented, it is the opportunity to live breathe and sleep a subject you are passionate about, and therefore to identity what that subject is would be the first step.

Hi OP. What A-levels is your DD doing?

Does her school offer EPQ? This can be a good way of developing a particular interest, as well as research skills.

If she wants to study Biology, could she volunteer for a local conservation group or something like that? Then she could write about an aspect of that on her PS. Is there a school magazine she could write an article for?

@Chickensilkie DD read Biology at Oxford with an eclectic set of A Level subjects including Biology and Eng Lit (although all A star). To develop her biology interests, she shadowed a postgrad in one of the Biology labs our local university in the summer before Year 13 and completed a relevant EPQ.

It’s absolutely ok to be unsure about which subject to apply for at this stage, particularly if your DD is an all rounder. DS flip flopped between subjects as diverse as Physics and Politics when choosing A Levels and then between Engineering and PPE when applying to university. After a lot of research and a last minute application, he ended up reading a multidisciplinary degree at Cambridge which he loved.