Starting in Year 6, at 9pm on a Monday evening, I would get into bed and turn on the LBC legal hour. I didn’t read comics in bed as a kid; I listened to legal programs.
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So - you’ve submitted your essays and your personal statement, you’re preparing for your interview, and you’re half-way through the Oxbridge application process for English. One hurdle looms ahead: the ELAT, or English Literature Admissions Test.
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Reading Nicholas Cook's 'Music: A Very Short Introduction' kindled my enthusiasm for the study of music. I was particularly interested in his discussion of how performers are perceived in classical music, and their presumed job to channel the intentions of the composer.
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The first and most important step of your analysis must be to identify the themes within the source; that is, what broad topics and subjects does the source pertain to, what ideas recur throughout the source? Identifying themes is crucial because it provides the foundation on which you can build the rest of your analysis…
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Practice questions to get you into the Interview mindset. 1) What is the role of myth in history? 2) Should historians seek to achieve objectivity, and can they ever succeed? 3) Is visiting historical sites useful to a historian?..
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An English degree gives you the chance to spend three years reading books, thinking about books, writing about books, and talking about books. This means you’ll need to spend a lot of time reading - in the library, in your room, in a cafe, it doesn’t matter, as long as you’re meeting your weekly reading goals.
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My application experience was rigorous but crucially surprised me in that I enjoyed the interview stage far more than I expected. In light of this, through the process itself I was able to gauge whether the Oxbridge teaching system suited my learning style…
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The English interview is, essentially, a couple of hours in which you’re allowed to discuss the entire body of English literature with leading experts in the field. That may sound daunting, but it’s also a very exciting opportunity…
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Hearing about my mother's experiences growing up in Belfast in the 70's made me realise how important an understanding of history is to comprehend today's politics. Bomb scares, curfews, soldiers on the streets were all part of her daily life. Segregated education meant that she never met a Catholic until she was 19.
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These teachers were well-intentioned, telling me often about the various disadvantages I would be faced with given I came from a state school. However, in reality, the real disadvantage was…
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You’ll be pleased to know that both Oxford and Cambridge have large international student communities. So, you should in no way feel set back by reason of your nationality…
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By the time you arrive at the interview stage, your application would have passed through many hands, and been reviewed thoroughly by your tutors. They will know already what your grades are like…
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Having read History & Politics at Oxford, I cannot imagine myself having studied a different degree at a different university. The opportunity to combine two subjects I love and study them…
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There is a lot of bad advice given to students about interviews. Some of this comes from the press and speculation on internet forums. However, a lot also comes from well-meaning…
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The interview is typically the most nerve racking part of the entire application process. Sitting down face to face with your potential future tutors and being quizzed by world class…
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Your Philosophy interview is likely to be mentally stimulating, intellectually challenging and often at times downright mind boggling. Either way, it is likely to be a memorable experience…
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There is a great deal of speculation and intrigue surrounding the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Against the romantic backdrop of historic buildings and manicured quadrangles…
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Defending one’s argument is essential to performing well in the Oxbridge interview. I had done so passionately; we had started by agreeing that spheroids had a lot in common with flat…
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