Heck, even if you are stressed out about extracurriculars and are starting to hate elite college admissions, read this!
In a bit less than five weeks, undergraduate applications for the 2021-2022 academic year will be due at Oxford and Cambridge (or Oxbridge, as the two are commonly called together). Despite what Harvard and Stanford may try to tell you, there are no more storied places in the English-speaking world to study. Both universities are more than 800 years old and are synonymous with some of the brightest minds in human history.
And yet, they are much easier to get into than Harvard, Yale, Stanford, or even some state schools.
Oxford’s acceptance rate is 17.5%, while Cambridge’s is 22%. Those numbers are a bit betraying, however, as only people with the ability to apply to either actually apply. Also, you only get to apply to one. However, that’s still better than the 4.4% we see at Harvard or the 6.6% at Yale, and the application process is much more straight-forward.
The Application
Both Oxford and Cambridge, like practically every other university in the UK (and most universities in the world) eschew caring about extracurriculars. Instead, they care about why you want to study whatever it is you want to study. These places attract serious scholars, and want to know that you’re passionate about your field.
Therefore, everything is about academics.
For Americans, you’ve got to have 3 AP tests with scores of 5 to be competitive for most Oxford programs. Cambridge ups the requirement to 5 such tests. Additionally, you’ve got to have high ACT or SAT scores, but anything in the top 2 percent will cut it. No worries if you have a 1550 instead of a 1600.
One quick word, however. You can apply before you take the tests. Therefore, if you’re due to take AP Calculus your senior year and have all As in your math classes before, then they will still look at your application. We’ll talk more about that in a minute.
Additionally, you need one personal statement and one letter of recommendation. That, plus a ~$30 fee, lets you apply to one program at either Oxford or Cambridge, as well as four other programs around the UK.
Unlike most other universities in the UK, where that would largely be the application process, Oxford and Cambridge do tend to have a specialized test for each degree program. You can take these here in the US, and registration is pretty easy. From there, if you do well, you’re invited to interview. The interview will be over Skype or Zoom, and it will be almost entirely focused on your interest in the subject.
Applying for a math course? Expect to talk your way through some math problems. A history applicant may have to discuss some documents and their bearing on world events.
In fact, this is the only time that extracurriculars matter – if they are directly related to your field of study, you can mention them as proof of your passion. Otherwise, no one cares.
Worried about finding ‘a hook?’ At Oxford and Cambridge, as well as most UK universities, your passion for your subject is your hook. Though, to be fair, the fact that you’re an American helps.
Oxford and Cambridge don’t try to ‘build a class,’ but instead figure that enough smart people, passionate about their subjects, will make for a much more interesting group of people.
Assuming your interview goes well, you’ll hear back (depending on the program) sometime over the winter months. If you get in, you’ll get one of two types of acceptance. The first, an unconditional acceptance, is by far the better. This is the ‘don’t screw up’ acceptance. Just don’t do anything stupid your senior year and you’ll be fine.
The much more common one is the ‘conditional acceptance.’ This will lay out exactly what test scores you need to prove that you deserve your place. Typically, they will be in terms of AP exams, but SAT subject tests and IB exams are not uncommon, either.
Studying at Oxbridge
Studying at Oxford or Cambridge is an experience that is tough to compare to anywhere else. Like I said, you study in your degree field, so you won’t be wasting time on general ed. In fact, 90% of your courses will be in that field. However, Oxford and Cambridge have some interesting combinations, like Physics and Philosophy, that mean you can mix things up somewhat.
A term you’ll seen thrown around a lot is “College.” To understand this, you’ve got to bear in mind that Oxford and Cambridge are more than 800 years old. Over time, colleges were founded to provide for the tutorial, housing, and other needs of students. The university provided lectures and signed off that the degrees were valid.
Colleges, Tutorials, and Paying for It All
What this means for you is that you’ll join a College. Think of it as a cross between a Greek organization and a House from Harry Potter. You’ll likely live and eat in your College, and many of your friends (especially those from other degrees) will be from your College. Your smaller classes, especially your tutorials, will be at the College level, while your lectures and the actual department of your degree will be at the university level.
Tutorials are one of the things that makes studying at Oxbridge so unique. Each term, you’ll be assigned a tutor, who is a faculty member in your area. He or she will sit down with you every week or so, as well as no more than three other students, and discuss papers you each have written for the tutorial. This means that you’re getting an incredible amount of critical feedback for everything you write. For STEM fields, it is just as easily done with a problem set. It is very intense, but it is the hallmark of an Oxbridge education.
None of this is particularly cheap, however. Oxbridge does charge the highest tuition outside of the United States. It comes out to about $65k per year of attendance, including tuition, room, board, college fees, and travel. There is some financial aid, but the reality of it is that an Oxbridge degree is an investment.
It does get a boost, however, from the fact that it only takes three years to earn an Oxbridge degree.
Beyond Campus
Both Cambridge and Oxford are idyllic settings for three years, but the actual terms are rather short. While you’ll still be housed and looked after, and you’ll be expected to do some work while on breaks, both universities encourage students to travel freely.
And travel you will be able to do! While the UK may have exited the EU, moving around Europe as an American (once Covid-19 is over) is exceptionally easy. Rail and bus discounts, as well as inexpensive hostels, mean that you can see much of Europe. Combined with ample reading weeks and time away from term, you may find yourself wondering why more people don’t adopt a ‘study hard, travel hard’ mentality.
That Degree
There’s one thing worth mentioning about Oxbridge degrees. While it is still an undergraduate degree, due to tradition, they are called “Masters of Arts” degrees once it’s been seven years since you’ve graduated. Of course, no one will count it as a Masters degree, but it should make finding people to network with a bit easier with that in mind.
Other than that, an Oxbridge degree is great. Employers love them because the tutorial system means that they have smart people who can think on their feet. Other universities love them because they know how thorough Oxford and Cambridge are when it comes to teaching. And the vast majority of their grads love them because they got to focus on whatever it is that they want to study.