Oxford University Year 12 Trip

As someone wanting to apply to Oxford or Cambridge university, our trip to St Hugh’s in Oxford was highly informative. The general information we were given included a lot about the specific collegiate structure of Oxford, and the tutorial aspect. Students informed us about their experiences with the college system and tutorials, allowing them to build a strong sense of community and so letting them feel comfortable to join in with activities; this was unique compared to a lot of other university structures we have been told about, and really caught my attention and convinced me that Oxford may be the place for me.

Our tour around the college covered a lot of details that students would be interested in, such as accommodation, kitchens, the gardens, and the library; the last two stood out to me particularly, especially the gardens. Even for the middle of winter, they were extremely well kept, and provided such a comfortable and homely environment for what we expected to be a stressful university. The library was particularly large for a college-based library, as we were told, and had rows upon rows of books specialised for specific subjects, as well as the fact that it was open 24/7.

A great aspect of the visit was also that we were informed over how to go through the whole UCAS process and the traps that many students fall into both with the personal statement and the interviews that some universities require from students. This cleared up my misconceptions, and provided a really concise explanation of how to apply for top-end universities.

At the end of the day, we had a ‘taster lecture’ by Dr Jon Parkin, which gave us a very quick but informative overview of how a History Admissions Paper for Oxford would have been structured, in a similar atmosphere to a general lecture. Despite me not taking History for A-Level or planning to as a university degree, it was still extremely useful in terms of what traps to avoid in general admission tests, such as thinking one-dimensionally.

It was a highly useful visit and experience, and I was very glad in the way that it helped me generate an idea for my future.

Oliwer Nawrocki 12BXO