Aiming for Oxford/Cambridge universities for my daughter

LannieDuck

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

I had been cherry picked as was a ruthless political debator and student activist in my youth regularly going toe to toe with mp's.

However after spending a couple of days at the college at their expense I realised I was too forthright and working class rebel...

You'd have fitted right in at my college (Margaret Thatcher's old college!). In my year we had one of the most left-wing commie-activists I've ever met. And the Oxford Union is full of forthright people with political ambition.

LannieDuck

DomRavioli wrote: »

As someone who had an unconditional offer to Cambridge back in 2003, I chose to study at UMIST for a number of reasons, mostly because I don't feel like I belong with those kind of people.

What kind of people? I went to state school and now work in the public sector.

LannieDuck

merrydance wrote: »

He also seemed to have more one to one tutouring.

Yes, this is one of the great parts of the Oxbridge system - one-to-one tutoring with experts in the subject. Oxbridge really teaches you how to form (and hold) an argument in a subject in which you are relatively inexperienced when faced with someone who is very knowledgable. It's a skill that has a huge number of uses in life.

GoldenShadow wrote: »

It doesn't do as much for the CV as some might think

It does, actually. Both myself and my OH have had a very positive reception by would-be employers to having Oxford on our CVs. My OH esp since he works in a non-academic industry. (I work at a PhD level in a scientific-field, so it's not that unusual among my peers.)



(Apologies - I really should have multi-quoted my last couple of posts.)

lostinrates

I had a post removed that included an apology? Novel.

Gloomendoom

There seems to be an awful lot of erroneous assumptions made about the backgrounds of students attending Oxford, Cambridge or indeed any of the the top ten UK universities.

amistupid

LannieDuck wrote: »

You need to be self-motivated to enjoy your time at Oxford, and you need to love your subject.

That applies to any university student, if you're unable to work unsupervised and don't enjoy the subject you're studying, then higher education is not for you.

[Deleted User]

amistupid wrote: »

That applies to any university student, if you're unable to work unsupervised and don't enjoy the subject you're studying, than higher education is not for you.

Reminds me of what my old tutor said "Ringo, you're not a bad geneticist for a computer scientist"

My heart wasn't with in for most of my Genetics undergraduate degree. I didn't realise how practical it was, and I'm hopeless in a lab. I was an inch from a 2:1, and i'm sure if I'd really enjoyed the subject I would have done better. I did a Masters in a crossover subject between biology and computer science and walked the CS exams. I'm pretty sure i'd have achieved a 1st in computer science - but 17 year old me really liked Genetics (Curse you Jurassic Park!).

Wish I could go back and tell myself to pick the A Level subjects I was good at, not the ones that I thought sounded 'interesting'.

So - my advice is do what you're good at AND enjoy.

Fireflyaway

My cousin attended the local comp and still went to Oxford university afterwards. She worked very hard and got the grades she needed and obviously came across well in her interviews. her mum is a stay at home mum and her dad works in finance. They are not wealthy or well connected - just regular people.

I don't believe that being in year 9 is too early or too late. It depends what she wants to do and how her attitude is, as much as her grades.

pollypenny

Lots of pupils from the comprehensive school at which I taught for twenty years went to Oxbridge.

However, I still have the feeling that OP's inquiry is more about himself than daughter.

Encourage her to do her best, see how she does at GCSE, then consider her future, together, when choosing A-levels.

Running_Horse

Gloomendoom wrote: »

There seems to be an awful lot of erroneous assumptions made about the backgrounds of students attending Oxford, Cambridge or indeed any of the the top ten UK universities.

I grew up in Cambridge and know the culture of both town and gown. Unless they end up in the top 1% or grew up in a particular background, there is no way I would push my child to study there for reasons of prestige. I have taken them punting and walked around the colleges to implant the idea of aspiring to be a student at a young age (seven), but would only want them to study there if it was genuinely the right thing for them. The OP should let their child find their own path with support and guidance, but no pressure whatsoever.