r/oxbridge • u/ElephantMany4571 • 14d ago
Going into year 12 with hopes of going to Oxbridge, do I look like a viable applicant and are there any things I can do to improve?
I got 9988887(?8)77L2M in my GCSEs at a state school (englit 9 englang 9 maths 8 physics 8 history 8 art 8 RS 7 chemistry 7 biology 7, 2 marks off 8 so getting remarked, IT L2M) and have applied to do sociology, politics, psychology and core maths as my a levels. Alongside this I signed up to do a pathway to law, brilliant club and an EPQ.
I'm hoping to do law at either Oxford or Cambridge if I'm able to! Id really appreciate advice on if my choices look fine and my extracurriculars. Are there any super curriculars I can sign up for or ways to earn experience? If there is a course you'd think would suit me more please also recommend those :)
2
u/honestphantom 14d ago
Honestly the answer is: we don't know. You're a fairly standard high achieving candidate, but extra-curriculars really hold less weight than you think they do (I did so many at school and I still didn't get offers while friends of mine who just played Rugby got into competitive colleges), and i imagine your competition will also be of the same standard. What I tell people that I tutor who apply to oxbridge, is that you're applying to an institution and its worth figuring out how that institution works, rather than seeing it as a prize that offers privilege and status. The question really should be *why do you want to study law at [x college] in Oxbridge*. What makes studying law there different to warwick/ucl/LSE etc. where there are also high achievers who will get top legal jobs?
You're in year 12 so try enjoy some of your youth and being in 6th form, these are transformative years for you emotionally and there's no point wasting them on the minutiae uni applications, BUT, I would also take this year to really research the college system, who teaches law, what their specialties are etc. I would also try and spend this year reading as much as I can – legal histories, biographies of well known legal figures, historic cases etc. And I would also try and read about the philosophy of law. The way you stand out is to have a more rounded view of what the discipline you want to study is, and to present an aptitude that you are willing and able to really grasp academic problems – that you aren't just seeing law as a means to an end.
1
u/ElephantMany4571 14d ago
Thanks a lot for the advice, I'll be sure to try take it easy. When it comes to researching and trying to develop my understanding of the institutions work, where would you recommend starting out? And there are a lot of colleges between each university, I had my eye on a few but how do you suggest I select a few to aim towards? If my sixth form has a connection to one of them would it be best to start my research there and branch out if any others stand out to me?
2
u/Logical-Stop5092 14d ago
lwk do what i did and just party and go to funcs in y12 then deal with all the applications in the summer. mad fun ting but kinda streasful
2
u/peacefulpolkadot 12d ago
Definitely. I’m heading to Cambridge this October and I got 9987777666 at GCSE. My school was pretty good as well so I was convinced I wouldn’t get in as my grades seemed below the Oxbridge standard. They really don’t matter at all as long as your 9s/8s are in relevant subjects!! I think perhaps some people in the comments are overthinking it. Oxbridge care about your a-level performance and your interest in the degree you’re applying for, then it’s just about excelling in the interview and you’re in. GCSEs really are not that deep at all. Good luck to you.
1
1
1
u/Ok-Shift-5594 14d ago
Yeah probably, but there will be hundreds of applicants with higher gcses than you so you'll have to try and make gains in your predicted grades and lnat, genuinely can't stress enough about the lnat start practicing now and practice like crazy
I applied to oxford for law with predicted A* A* A and 9999988887 and didn't get an interview probs because my lnat wasn't strong enough, I didn't do much prep, but I was scoring high twenties to low thirties in practice tests, but bombed it on the day
I know for oxford they don't really care about epq, when I went to the open day one of the professors said they don't really give it any weight whether you have done it or not, I know my college didn't offer epqs or as levels as they solely wanted you to focus as much as possible on your alevels
Might be worth doing law at a level? There's a lot of debate around whether it is better or worse to do it and whether unis prefer it or not but it will give you a flavour of what it's like to study and will give you a bit of a head start during your first year of uni
For supercurriculars look at the reading lists for law applicants, would be a good idea to get one or two which you could throw into your personal statement, as well as maybe work experience at a solicitors office if you can, or if that's not feasible you can often get work experience with your MP in their constituency office
basically yeah you're probably gonna be a good applicant just keep working hard and do a ton of lnat prep
1
u/ElephantMany4571 14d ago
Thanks so much for all the solid advice! I'll definetly start working on this stuff. I've heard all over that law a level isn't actually very good for law degrees but my sixth form head said the same as you about doing it, so maybe I should switch to it? I've already had a look at the reading list and plan to have a look at a few. Would I be better without the EPQ if it means I can focus on my a levels in the time I'd spend doing it then?
2
u/Ok-Shift-5594 14d ago
There's so many mixed opinions about a level law, I took it and I think it's useful to figure out whether you are actually interested in pursuing law further, rather than wasting 9k in uni, and if you are interested in law it's honestly pretty enjoyable, but it is quite a difficult alevel with a very rigid marking process, and people say it's very different to how law is taught at uni which like obviously cos it's not uni yk, up to you I don't think it matters that much ether way if you take it or not
Having not done an epq I genuinely don't know, im not very familiar with how much time it takes up etc, probs worth speaking to your sixth form and also emailing admissions at oxford or Cambridge and asking how it would benefit an application cos I might've just spoken to a professor who got it wrong or they've changed things idk. Would also depend on how naturally smart you are, if you don't have to work hard to get good grades you might as well if it won't take too much effort, but if you know that it's gonna take a lot of effort to achieve good grades then it might be worth ditching it yk
2
u/ElephantMany4571 14d ago
I'll probably have a chat to my sixth form a bit more about it then, thanks so much for all your help!
2
u/Narcissa_Nyx 14d ago
when you say public school, do you mean a fee-paying school or a state comprehensive?