Aspire Applying to the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge (collectively known as Oxbridge)

Mythbuster Oxford is only for geniuses (or genii) Oxbridge wants highly intelligent, interested individuals You can find aspects of your subject challenging, and still apply

Mythbuster 2. It’s only worth applying if you have 9 A*s (or equivalent) at GCSE Oxbridge expect you to have some As and A*s at GCSE, but they don’t require a fixed number Obviously the better your GCSEs are, the more your application will stand out

Mythbuster 3. Oxbridge is for posh people Oxbridge is determined to counter this stereotype Rising proportion of state school students – around 60% Keen to encourage applicants from ethnic minorities and all income groups

Mythbuster 4. Oxbridge is boring – all the students do is work Definitely the biggest myth of all! Work hard, play hard College and university sports, drama, music, politics, journalism Unrivalled choice of activities and facilities

Mythbuster 5. You need a lot of money to afford Oxbridge You only pay tuition fees back once you have finished your degree and are earning above a certain threshold There are a range of bursaries and scholarships available from the two universities, and individual colleges, to help students with low household incomes Oxbridge graduates typically earn higher salaries (along with other top Russell Group graduates)

Why apply? Intellectual stimulation Tutorials Be taught by the best Interesting students College system World-class facilities History Job prospects

Key attributes for the Aspire programme Intelligence Lateral thinking Love of learning Hard-working Articulate Independent

Aspire Timeline Summer Term 2018 Autumn/Spring Term 2017-18 Students choose course Meet with Senior Tutor (Rowena Hammal) and Aspire Adviser (subject specific) Reading and preparation Enrichment activities Apply for summer schools Summer Term 2018 Write personal statements Reading and preparation Meetings with Senior Tutor and Aspire Adviser Enrichment activities First practice interview Admissions tests practice References written by teachers

Summer Holidays 2018 Reading and preparation Summer schools

Autumn Term 2018 September 2018 UCAS applications submitted Applicants to Oxford or Cambridge must submit UCAS form by mid October, register for any admissions tests (BMAT deadline is earlier), and complete Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ) for Cambridge Student preparation for admissions tests and interviews November 2018 Admissions tests and BMAT taken at the start of the month December 2018 Oxford and Cambridge interviews in the first three weeks

2019 January 2019 Cambridge winter pool (a small number of additional interviews of pooled candidates) Oxford final decisions by mid Jan Cambridge final decisions by end of Jan August 2019 A-Level exam results – confirmation of whether conditional offers have been met

Enjoy the journey