Hiya!
My name is Alex, I am a first year History student at Merton College, and a proud Manc ambassador for the Oxford Northerners Society. Being from the North (and yes, before anyone starts, Manchester DEFINITELY counts as Northern) and being the first person in my family to go to university, applying for Oxford was not the most obvious route for me, and probably wouldn’t have been the one I took if not for the amazing support I received. I was lucky enough to have a few incredible teachers who encouraged me to apply and helped guide me through the process once I knew that I had secured an interview.
Although the application process was rewarding, there were many challenges to face before I received my offer. Not least was actually understanding what was being asked of me! I felt at times that there was a secret Oxford language that no one had shared with me – even though many of the outreach events I attended were really valuable, phrases like ‘read critically’ or ‘think more broadly’ didn’t really mean anything to me, and at the time I thought ‘how can I succeed at this if I don’t even know what I need to do?’. Although I felt comfortable with my taught content, I had no idea how to approach what tutors like to call ‘supra curricular activities’, and felt quite alone in this. So, I’ve put together a little list of tips and advice for all you Northern applicants, so hopefully you’ll have more of a clue than I had!
Preparing for entrance exams:
In most subjects, faculties will ask applicants to sit an entrance exam around a month after the application deadline (late October/early November). Whilst this is only a part of what they consider, entrance exams are important because it shows the tutors how you answer questions (how you structure ideas, engage with any prompts like sources, how you analyse, and your writing style). I think the most important thing to remember here is that, like with any exam you’ve sat before, no one is expecting a perfectly crafted essay or paper and are most interested in clarity of thought and explanation.
BEFORE: because my teachers – although really enthusiastic – were not familiar with the exam process, I found that I had to rely a lot on online resources. I’d say to any student prepping for the exam that it’s a brilliant idea to make the most of past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports which are all available on the university website. In my experience however, you don’t want
to start too early – there are only so many past examples available, so it’s best to wait to attempt them over the summer or in September rather than much earlier than this. It's worth asking your teacher, even if they are unfamiliar with the exam, to mark any practice papers, especially for essay-based practice where you need a second opinion.
DURING: even though it can feel daunting in a timed exam, it’s a good idea to spend some concentrated time considering any sources that have been provided, reading the questions thoroughly, and making a detailed plan. I made sure, throughout my entrance exam, to focus on guiding the examiner through my ideas and thinking and this was hugely helped by knowing where my essay was going from start to finish. Speaking of clarity, try not to get bogged down in impressive vocab or fancy phrasing – whilst its good to get subject-specific terminology into your answers, the tutors aren’t going to think more of you if you wedge an eight-syllable word into your response! Write as you normally would for schoolwork; you will feel most confident and clear in your own voice.
Preparing for interview:
ASK QUESTIONS!!!! SERIOUSLY!!! If something is unclear, please please ask someone – whether that’s to teachers or current Oxford students – and even during the interview, if you're unsure about a question then it's so much better to get clarification than to take a stab in the dark. Knowledge is power, so ask as much as you can about anything during the application process – and don’t forget us in the Northerners' society, we’re more than happy to help!
READING: for me, this was the most stressful part of the process. I felt like I had to read hundreds of dense academic texts when this really isn’t the case. Read what you enjoy, and not what you think you should be reading! If you aren’t enjoying a book and are not gaining insights from it, then don’t force yourself to finish it – you will appear more enthusiastic and knowledgeable if you are speaking about topics you love and understand. It is better to find four books that really enhance your opinions than forty that don’t. As for what you should be doing when reading, for me, ‘thinking critically’ came down to ascertaining what an academic’s argument was, what proof they were using to back this up, and whether this seemed convincing compared to what I already knew, and other books on the topic. It may also be a good idea to read around your other subjects, even if you’re not applying for these, as it can be useful to consider the links between them, and tutors could ask about what other work you are doing too!
At the Interview:
BE HONEST: you may feel like you need to play a part to ‘fit’ with what the ideal Oxford student is – this is ABSOLUTELY not the case. Oxford students are from all different backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences, so you shouldn’t feel pressure to change who you are either in the interview or outside of it. You have been selected because it is clear that you’re capable and passionate, and this will be most evident when you are your authentic self, discussing topics you love in the way that you normally would. Use the opportunity to let interviewers and your peers get to know you as a person and as a student, and you should get to know them too!
MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS ON YOURSELF! There is a lot of free time between interviews and, whilst it’s a good idea to read over your subject notes, you can’t expect yourself to devote every free minute to revision! Oxford is a beautiful place and exploring it with fellow interviewees will give you a taste of what student life is like – and if you’re happier and calmer, you will interview better. Especially for all our Northern applicants, if you’re coming from far away, then long travel times and getting to know your new surroundings will be tiring, so you don’t want to burn yourself out by adding the pressure of long study sessions.
Overall, I found the experience of applying really valuable, even before getting an offer. You learn a lot, thinking deeply about your chosen subject, but also developing as a person, and learning things about yourself, like how you work under pressure. I would tell anyone who is considering applying – even just a little bit – to give it a go… you never know where it might lead!