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Home , Imperial College London, Oxbridge, Russell Group, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford

Year 12 Taster Day: Applying to the and

Dr Catherine Seed Access Assistant Wadham , of Welcome to Wadham College

Founded in 1610 by Dorothy and Nicholas Wadham

One of the 38 that make the The Russell Group

University of Birmingham Imperial College University of Oxford King's College London Queen's University University of Queen Mary University, London University University of University of Durham London School of University of Southampton London Top What are these universities looking for?

- Evidence of high academic achievement - Academic potential - A clear interest in the subject you are applying for - Entry requirements: e.g. Political at Birmingham - ABB Picking a Course Picking a course

• What do you enjoy?

• What about it do you enjoy?

• What are you good at?

• What jobs do you want to do? Picking a course

Classics

Archaeology Oriental and English Anthropology Studies Literature History , Politics and Modern Economics History History of Foreign of Art Languages Art Philosophy Languages Law Oriental Classics and Studies Religion Picking a course

Mathematics Biology

Earth Materials Earth Physics Medicine Biochemistry Science Sciences Mathematical Biological Chemical

Medicine Biomedicine Materials Economics and Human Biomedical Science Management Sciences Sciences

Experimental Biochemistry Biology Engineering Psychology Courses with no ‘Required’ A Levels Classical Archaeology Classics and and Classics Fine Art and Ancient Oriental Studies Anthropology History

Ancient and History and History and History Modern History Economics Politics

Philosophy and Human Sciences Law Oriental Studies PPE Theology

Psychology, Religion and Theology and Psychology Philosophy and Oriental Studies Religion Linguistics Picking a university

• Do your research: • Friends/Teachers/Year 13’s • Open Days • Which?University • Guardian University Guides • Times Higher Medicine (5 year) Oxford University (3 years pre-clinical, 3 years clinical) Year 1 Core science and clinical practice Lectures, and Practicals (Pre-clinical) • 12 week course covering core knowledge and • Academic modules and a scientific research project Year 2 behaviour required of a . • The rest of the year is learned through clinical • Strong grounding of science behind clinical practice, and the scenarios. research that drives advances in medicine. • day most weeks spent seeing patients. • Students interact regularly with GP tutors. Year 3 Expand knowledge from years 1 and 2 • Opportunity to complete scientific project in research • Increased clinical time in hospitals and GP surgeries. laboratories across the Medical Sciences Division. • Clinical placement in Cardiff. • Optional program.

Year 4 3 year clinical school at the Oxford clinical school and/or one of the medical schools in London. Year 5 More active in clinical teams • Clinical skills training

Extra • Intercalated bachelors in years 3-4 or 4-5 in health related • Speciality rotations disciplines. • Can alternatively complete bachelor in 1 year with other institutions in Wales. The University of Edinburgh University of Oxford Year 1 Core Modules Compulsory Options Composition Special topics, for example: Issues in the study of music Performance Machaut’s songs Composition Keyboard Skills Historically informed performance Performance Historical Studies Schubert’s last decade Extended essay Psychology of everyday musical experience Global hip hop Musical analysis Techniques of composition and keyboard skills Compulsory Optional topics studied Year 2 Topics in music history before 1750 Musical analysis and criticism Topics in music history after 1700 Musical thought and scholarship Techniques of composition Solo performance Orchestration Dissertation Composition portfolio Year 3 Third and Fourth Year: Options in Edition with commentary Choose from courses in: Scottish traditional music Analysis portfolio Performance Music history courses. Music ethnography Musicology Chamber music performance Composition In 4th year, one Choral conducting Music Psychology, supervised Choral performance Film Music, study: Special topic papers. Music in community, Performance, dissertation, Music Analysis, portfolio of composition, Acoustics, edition or creative practice project. What does university cost?

• Tuition Fees • Most universities (~90%) currently Where you live and/or Maximum charge the maximum of £9,250 in study Maintenance Loan tuition fees. Living with parents £7,529 Living away from home, £8,944 • Student Finance Tuition Fee Loans are studying outside available up to £9,250 per year. London Living away from home, £11,672 studying in London • Living Costs Living and studying £10,242 • Student Finance ‘Maintenance’ Loans abroad are available (see right) Estimated living costs at Oxford

• Maximum Current Likely living costs per month

Maintenance Loan: £8,944 Lower range Upper range • Estimated living costs if Food £270 £385 staying term-time only: Accommodation £630 £760 ~£9000-£14000 Personal items £130 £245 Social activities £45 £110 Study costs £40 £95 Other £20 £55 Total £1,135 £1,650

https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/fees-funding/living-costs Support from Oxford • Bursaries • Non-repayable money to support your studies. • Up to £5000/yr depending on household income. • Crankstart Scholarships and Oxford Bursaries. • 1 in 4 UK and EU students currently receive a bursary. • University Scholarships and External Scholarships • Colleges • Travel awards, prizes and book grants. • Cost of living and term length. Paying back a student loan (Tuition Fees and/or Maintenance)

Salary Amount Yearly Monthly What you pay: above repayment repayment threshold • 9% of the amount you earn over £15,000 0 0 £0 £25,725 will come directly out of your wage and will go towards £21,000 0 0 £0 repayment. £26,000 275 25 £2

• If you ever earn below the £25,725 £30,000 4,275 385 £32 threshold, repayment will stop. • If you do not repay your loan after £35,000 9,275 835 £70 30 years, the debt is cancelled. £50,000 24,275 2,185 £182 Student Loan Repayments

Debt Earnings Monthly repayment

£20,000 £35,000 £69.50 £50,000 £35,000 £69.50 £1,000,000 £35,000 £69.50

Source: MoneySavingExpert.com Cost:

£12,000 A person with a degree earns this much more a year than someone without each year

£27,000 Is the average annual starting salary of a recent Oxford graduate

Data Source: Gurney-Read, J. (2015) Oxbridge graduates ‘earn double £200,000 Russell Group premium’ The Telegraph. Retrieved from www.telegraph.co.uk. Data taken from and the Boston Consulting Group. The University of Oxford Courses Oxford Courses

Archaeology and Anthropology History Biochemistry History of Art Applicants ’t have to Biological Sciences Human Sciences choose just one subject, Biomedical Sciences Law lots of these can be Chemistry Materials Science combined at Oxford Classics (adding up to nearly 250 Medicine courses) Earth Sciences Modern Languages Economics and Management Music Engineering Science Oriental Studies English Language and Literature Philosophy Politics & Economics Experimental Psychology Physics Fine Art Theology & Religion Geography www.ox.ac.uk/courses Why Oxford?

World-class teaching

Excellent facilities and resources

Financial support in the World Wide range of extra-curricular options ( World Rankings 2019) Excellent career prospects

Broad range of courses The University of Oxford - Organisation

Humanities

Mathematical Physical and Life Sciences

Medical Sciences

Social Sciences

www.ox.ac.uk/study Oxford Courses

Oxford’s distinctive • Small groups of students with their tutor, system means that every discussing a topic in depth. student at Oxford has a • Students face rigorous academic chance to meet with an challenges. They learn: expert in their field of study • approximately once a week. to present and defend their opinions • to accept constructive criticism • to listen to others • to think for themselves • Encourages and facilitates individualised learning in a way that just isn’t possible in a lecture. • Tutors can also provide additional academic support if a student needs it. Oxford Courses - Timetables Chemistry • About ten lectures (9am and 10am) • One or two tutorials in college with set work completed in own time • Two afternoons of laboratory work (11am to 5pm) • A problems class e.g. a mathematics class in the first year

Geography • Lectures in the morning • Seminars/practical classes in the afternoon • Tutorials: at least one college tutorial a week, and some college-based classes.

History • First year - five lectures each week, at least one essay a week, regular tutorials with tutors to discuss work, independent research. • Second & third year – choice of lectures, tutorials, additional faculty classes. • Third year - independent research thesis. • Generally students are very much in charge of their own timetable throughout. Finding the course that suits you

Are YOU Would YOU find predicted our teaching the right grades? style engaging? An Oxford degree is full-time. Most of our students spend 30-44 hours each week studying. Courses are mainly assessed by exams although depending on your subject, may Are YOU ready Do we offer a also be through projects, extended for the course YOU essays or dissertations, and there might academic would enjoy? be an oral exam. challenge? Life as a student at Oxford Financial support Video links

Settling in- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=433n54llsec Oxford as a city- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwIt68PVM_o Perceptions of Oxford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgDVIpMUbLw Sport at Oxford- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ5eSv58bxU Workload at Oxford- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDIr4a5Q9hg Developing independence- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1o-X43fpqU Oxford Colleges Financial support Picking a College • Location

• Size and age

• Accommodation

• Facilities Financial support Picking a College Open Applications and Re-allocations

• You can make an open application by choosing campus code 9 on your UCAS application. Your application will be assigned to a college or that has relatively fewer applications for your course in the year you apply. In 2016, 19% of applicants made an open application.

• In 2016, 33% of successful applicants got an offer from a college they didn’t specify on their application. …how do I make the choice?

WhatOpen is application? important to How do I make theme? choice?

Open application? What’s important to me? What kind of student flourishes at Oxford?

• Strong fit with tutorial teaching system • Ability in & passion for subject • Enquiring / questioning mindset • Analytical / logical thinking style • Self-motivated & reads outside classroom • KS4 (GCSE) academic record

• Not about personality type / confidence • Not looking for “all-rounders ” Application Process Application Process Academic achievement

Admissions Interview tests

UCAS teacher’s reference Written work

UCAS personal statement Contextual data and extenuating circumstances Types of contextual data which Oxford and Cambridge uses include:

• An applicant’s school’s performance at GCSE • An applicant’s school’s performance at A Level • Whether an applicant has been in care • Whether home address falls into certain categories of ACORN, OAC and/or POLAR3 postcode data

Extenuating Circumstances Form (Cambridge only). For Oxford, extenuating circumstances should be highlighted in the reference from your teacher/s Personal Statement

• Part of UCAS application

• 4,000 characters (including spaces) or 47 lines of text

• The same one goes to every university you apply to

• Evidence of your preparation for university-style education

• Deadline for Oxbridge and medicine-related subjects: 15th October (15 January everywhere else) Structure

Why do you want to study this course? • Current studies 80% Academic • Outside reading including • What has inspired you? super - Super-curricular • What have you read, watched, visited or listened curricular to that has inspired you? • Why was it interesting? • How do these support and compliment the course you are applying for?

20% Extra- Extra curricular • Try and focus on transferrable skills Curricular • Selection criteria for other four universities Super-curricular activity ideas SAQ- Cambridge

• Email address from UCAS form: check your junk mail! • Topics covered within A-level units • Cambridge-specific personal statement • Options within certain courses • Photograph Admissions Tests

• Most tests are sat in early November

• Most of Oxford’s courses require applicants to sit an admissions before interview

• Testing academic knowledge as well as how students approach new and difficult problems

• Have a look at past papers

• www.ox.ac.uk/tests Admissions Tests Admissions Tests- Thinking Skills Assessment (90 minutes) Every motorist pays the same amount for road tax, regardless of how much they use the roads: someone who covers as little as 1,000 miles pays the same as someone who covers 20,000. This is unfair. Road tax should be scrapped and the money raised by an increase in the tax on fuel. Making this change would ensure that those who use the roads more would pay more. This would not only be a fairer system, but could also bring in more revenue.

Which of the following statements best illustrates the principle underlying the argument? • A - People should receive free medical treatment only if they cannot afford to pay for it. • B – People who travel to work every day by should pay a lower fare that those who travel only occasionally. • C – People who earn more than double the average wage should be made to pay much higher charges for dental treatment. • D – Television channels should be paid for by subscription so that only those people who watch them should be made to pay. • E – Telephone charges should be higher for business customers than for domestic customers because they are using the system only to make money. Top Tips for Admissions Tests

1. Know what the tests look like (Length, sections, marking) 2. Practice under timed conditions 3. Skip questions you get stuck on and come back to them later 4. Use the question paper for your workings 5. If you are unsure of an answer, eliminate options that are clearly wrong – and guess sensibly if necessary Written Work

• Must be received by College in November • Arts/Humanities subjects • Think about your interests • A piece of marked work submitted as part of A-Level • May be discussed at interview • www.ox.ac.uk/writwork Financial support Interviews – what are we looking for?

• Academic ability and potential to succeed • Self-motivation, commitment and enthusiasm for the chosen course • Ability to think independently and critically • Subject-specific selection criteria • Will go beyond your current knowledge What we are not looking for…

a smooth performance

a good public speaker

extra curricular activities

why they selected a particular college Summing up Do the research • Course choice is the most important decision – research thoroughly, and think you their personal interests Engage and explore • Be proactive in your learning – current studies and also interests relevant to your intended degree • Supercurricular engagement Results • Work hard to do as well as you can Practise • Discuss your academic interests • Past/example admission test/assessment papers Any Questions?

Website: www.wadham.ox.ac.uk Email: [email protected] @WadhamAccess @wadhamoxford Oxvlogs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm1tS9orums Geography - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_c6ItcSCmg Biology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LxcwMSQav4 Graduate Oxford- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0qVMjfvyfU