Could some kind soul direct me towards discussions, books, any information about admission to Oxford / Cambridge, UK?
Any forums?
Would really appreciate. Many thanks!
Do a site search. There are a number of previous threads on the same topic.
Most Oxbridge discussions here are in the UK section of the International forum; also look at the Study Abroad section as sometimes people post there instead.
The great thing about Oxford and Cambridge is that they provide a huge amount of information: their online stuff is comprehensive and reasonably easy to navigate (though some persistence is required). In addition to their websites they have great admissions podcasts on iTunes and videos on YouTube. You will also find a fair number of links under International / United Kingdom on CC.
As I said in my post on your other thread, the UK system in general is very straightforward: for most of them if you have the requirements listed online you are likely to get an offer of a place
That is not true for Oxbridge, as having the requirements is simply a gateway: if you have a 2100 SAT, scores of ‘5’ on at least 3 / 5 (Oxford / Cambridge) APs that are relevant to the course you plan to study, and acceptable scores on any course-specific aptitude tests, decent recs and a solid Personal Statement (essay), you are likely to get invited to an interview. Note that the PS is where your D writes about her interest in, commitment to and and aptitude for the course she is applying to study, including references to the things (such as substantive reading) that she has done beyond the classroom that demonstrate those elements. Once at interview level the playing field is more or less level, and it becomes a matter of how you perform at interview. The interview is something like a cross between an oral exam and a tutorial (lesson). At least one part of it will be to present your D with unfamiliar material and see how she approaches it. The goal is to see how the student thinks, and to see if the tutorial format suits them.
Note that she can only apply to Oxford OR Cambridge, and that it is really, really, really important that your D read the course descriptions very carefully. UK / Oxbridge courses are much more prescriptive than US ones, and they are very intense. Trying to do a course in which you have no actual interest in the required modules would be very painful.
Finally, here is a company that helps with Oxbridge applications: http://www.oxbridgeapplications.com/
Obviously, they would like you to pay for their services, but there is a fair amount for free if you register. They will also, as it gets close to time, provide some services as stand-alones- I know people who had their children just do the practice interviews by phone/skype for example.
Another site is here: http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/universities/applying-to-university-and-ucas-deadlines/guide-to-applying-to-oxford-and-cambridge/
It is geared for UK students, but has a lot of good info and links.
FYI, you can substitute a 5 on an AP for an A at A-level; the only real difference AP-wise between A & A* is if Math is required- then an A* at A-level would need a 5 on AP Calc BC, (v AB).
Your family may also find the student room website useful, a UK site for students. They have many forums including those which are international and university specific.
Good luck.
4mummy is right about the UK website, but be aware that it really is a student site- much more so than CC. Parents who are too obtrusive are at risk of being flamed. You can learn a lot by lurking, but your D should be the one posting.
We were lucky last year as Oxford came to NYC for an info session at a local international school. Until that point, my daughter had thought about applying. She learned that you can apply to either Oxford or Cambridge but not both. She also learned that you apply for a specific subject and that is the only subject you study for your three years. No minors. It is a fantastic education but she is not ready to focus on one subject. You could check with the Oxford North American office to see if there will be any information sessions near you. http://www.oxfordna.org/
One thing to know about Oxford or Cambridge, if you are considering an undergraduate degree, is that a student obtains a degree in 3 years; and that the student doesn’t really have much opportunity to do what we would conceive of as a traditional 4-year undergraduate program. Most 4-year American universities are based on the model of Scottish universities, in contrast to the curriculum at Oxbridge.
Largely true that UK courses (including Oxbridge) are 3 years- but some are 4, especially in sciences and languages.- but they still don’t do the ‘traditional 4-year undergraduate program’
Even the Scottish unis tend to be more restrictive than American colleges/RUs.
You have some leeway to explore different interests but a greater percentage of your time (the majority, in fact) will be spent on your major area of study.
Also, the Cambridge Tripos system allows for some more interdisciplinary study and a bit of flexibility. For instance, if you read for the Natural Science tripos, you’ll be taking courses in various science disciplines your first year before specializing.
Many, many, many thanks to everyone!
I am trying to digest the trove of information.
The British and to some varying extent, overseas undergrad programs not using the US model lean closer to a US taught Master’s program than a US undergrad.
One reason for this difference was because in many other countries, the Gen Eds tended to be dealt with in high school or even middle school so undergrad is when one really specializes in ways we’d only start expecting in a US Master’s program.
@californiaaa, my d is at Cam (an American who applied from France). I described the admin process at length, which you can find if you scroll down my replies. My d basically read some books, knew what she wanted, and made a strategy. Also, see the student room, for UK unis.
@cobrat, good way of putting it. I’d add that in some fields like CS, the major courses in a good bachelors program in the US would be akin to a masters.