Is Oxbridge mainly for single subject passion - not for polymaths?

[waddauthink]

...only ask, as the more I read about the application process, it seems it's the case that students applying nowadays have to show an incredible level of passion and interest in their 'chosen' subject (supra curricular).

However, there are of course some extremely bright kids who are genuinely gifted all rounders, more of the polymath persuasion where they have strong interests across a number of subjects.

When reading about the famous scientists, philosophers etc of times past, many of those seemed to fall into the polymath category.

Is this not valued any more?

Well PPE covers a broad spectrum

It depends on the subject. I did Natural Sciences at Cambridge, with the intention of pursuing Physics, starting with 3 physical sciences. I ended up specialising in Psychology. There are definitely other courses that have multiple subjects.

I think a real polymath can show the right level of passion for the right subject. Just because you are musical, a linguist or whatever doesn't preclude you having a deep interest in something else. Oxford does a lot of joint honours courses, and Cambridge natural sciences or HSPS gives you a broad range.

There are quite a lot of joint degrees that would suit polymaths.

Most degree courses in the UK are relatively specialised.

A lot of students at Oxford and Cambridge have multiple interests and express them in extra-curricular activities as well as in their chosen course of study.

Well you need to have a passion for the subject or subjects of the degree course you're applying for. Some are joint degree courses and some cover a broader area than others.

Unless they are doing IB, most students will already have narrowed down to three subjects at A Level anyway, however much of an all-rounder they may have been at GCSE.

There are tons of polymaths at Oxbridge, including people who pursue both their academic subject and multiple other things to a very high standard. There are also combination courses like PPE/PPP that you won't find elsewhere. It's not like there are any unis in the UK where you can take a degree in the arts and in maths at the same time.

One of Computer Science, Maths or Physics plus philosophy at Oxford is another example

In hindsight I think my dd should have played down her other interests on her application. I think they did want super focused and when choosing from lots of good candidates it’s a way to decide.

For what it’s worth, DD1 is at Cambridge, and when she arrived her director of studies said they liked the fact that she played in two orchestras precisely because the course (vet med) is so intense - they saw extra-curricular activities pursued at a serious level as an indication the student would be able to cope with a heavy workload! This didn’t come up at interview though

The exam (if applicable ) and the interviews will be about the subject or subjects. Other interests are not relevant by comparison.

You definitely can study a combination of arts and maths at some universities -- Exeter offers flexible combined honours degrees for example.

Most students I met at Oxbridge were polymaths. Eg Scientists who’d read and could discuss Ulysses and played Cricket or Medics who also rowed for the blues.
But admissions tutors are looking for passion for the subject and being “clever” and nowadays don’t want those who might be so distracted they neglect their studies.

I would say that the majority of Oxford students have interests and skills outside their specific course, often to a very high level. But this is correlation, not causation.

DD is nearing the end of her PhD in Cambridge, having studied there for the last 7.5 years. I have met a number of her friends during that time. Perhaps it's because she studied Natural Sciences, but almost all her friends and colleagues are polymaths. DD herself has sung in a chapel choir, played in a couple of orchestras, rowed/coxed for her college, danced competitively and stage managed a show whilst studying. She's running a marathon next week. She has always thrived on a balance of science/sport/music, but until very recently, the sport had to be indoor or in a swimming pool!

The world in general these days is not geared to polymaths. It favours honing in on an interest and then channelling towards that in life - IMO. A lot of cultures are entirely inflexible to career change. It’s not impossible but it is difficult. UK IS more flexible despite narrowness of A levels and then degree subjects. You could for example study history at Cambridge, specialising in the medieval period, and then become an accountant.
in Canada, Australia, France for starters that path would not be open to you

This isn't the US where you can take a variety of subjects

This. I did music to a very high level (one of the top players in my instrument in the country) but didn’t study Music at Cambridge. Spent every spare second playing to the frustration of my academic supervisors but still came out with a first. Most people I knew there (like most bright people) had a range of interests and talents.

There’s also more scope within the degrees for mixing and matching across subjects than might appear at first glance - eg history and language papers in the English syllabus, philosophy for scientists, literature for linguists, history for theologians. And medical students study something different their third year - most do a science but I had friends doing music and history.

This. Lots of my best-read friends from my student days are scientists with a well-informed passion for contemporary fiction, or French poetry. And the ones who played music at a high level, or sang in prestigious choirs were far from always music students.

Scotland is in the UK and many of the unis have a broad-based first year.
And there are unis all over the country that allow joint honours, combined honours or have courses with a broader perspective and non-traditional combinations.
And the OU let's you combine all kinds of units.

My DC met many polymaths at Oxford and Cambridge.
My DC both chose a mix of humanities and sciences at A Level, alongside sport and music. DD read a single STEM subject at Oxford but spent a huge proportion of her time on her other interests. DS opted for a multidisciplinary subject at Cambridge which suited him well. Both managed to convey the required amount of “passion” for their subjects but their interests were and remain much broader than that.

@BiancaBlank DD’s Oxford tutor said similar to DD after she started. In his experience the students that spent a great deal of their time on high level sport or music or whatever coped better with the academic pressure and were used to managing their time across multiple interests.

As well as the replies above I would highlight (parent of a DC at Cambridge) the college system encourages cross-pollination of ideas and interests as there are students of many subjects in a small environment. DD studying an arts subject attends formals and sits with mathematicians, NatScis, musicians, historians and more. She says how lovely it is having chats about their subjects and passions and interests and how they join dots between what may appear disparate subjects but do in reality have many touch points.

DD also does a fair bit outside of her course with sport and drama and certainly isn’t one dimensional.

Agree that the college system was amazing for finding out about college mates' subjects and cross-fertilisation. Also lots of options to take modules from other subjects, esp in part 2 (at least in my subject). It's a great place for polymaths, but obviously it's true that you won't get in if you can't show a deep and wide interest in the subject you're applying for. Your engineering DoS isn't going to care all that much about your discussions about Paradise Lost.

As others have said, Oxford and Cambridge are great for the single focus types, polymaths and everything between.
One of DDs friends did NatSci but was also a published fiction writer with a 5 book deal!