While not the beginning of the Easter Term today that we were all hoping for, we are still very excited to welcome back everyone associated with Canford and look forward to a happy, stimulating and inspiring term.
Oxbridge Entrance
An application to Oxford or Cambridge University is a major commitment and not something to be entered into lightly. The process is lengthy and demanding, though the potential gain is certainly worth the journey. These are the pre-eminent academic institutions certainly in the UK and perhaps even in the world. The access not only to extraordinary facilities but also to the expertise of the finest minds in every conceivable field will allow you to explore your chosen discipline in a manner that is exciting, cutting-edge and deeply challenging.
Canford has an impressive record of offers to Oxbridge, with 54 pupils awarded places in the past 5 years. On average in recent years, around a third of the Upper Sixth apply, with 30% of those interviewed gaining an offer.
Individual tutorials offer an opportunity for you to test your arguments against the experts – but also leave you nowhere to hide; you will be stretched and challenged
from the start.
The educational experience extends well beyond the tutorial however – your peer group will consist of only the best and brightest – offering the potential to develop
friendships and collaborations that can lead to high-calibre academic output. Beyond the academic, of course, both institutions boast phenomenal surroundings and architecture and world-class opportunities for involvement in performance, art and sport.
However, Oxbridge is not right for everybody – we are fortunate in the UK to have a wealth of truly excellent universities and in any case there are a good number of courses for which Oxford and Cambridge would not be suitable. Your choice of course must really come first – you need to be able to demonstrate a burning and genuine passion for your chosen discipline – and indeed, that passion will need to be able to sustain you through three or four years of extremely challenging work.
Oxbridge Preparation Timeline | |
---|---|
Easter Term of Lower Sixth | Outline of application process and discussion of options |
Summer Term of Lower Sixth |
Oxford Reading Party, staying in an Oxford college Update of iCAN profile; tutor guidance and support for constructing personal statement |
Christmas Term of Upper Sixth |
Finalise UCAS application by first exeat; tutor and HsM references; preparation for entrance tests in November; interviews late November/early December |
Easter Term of Upper Sixth | Outcomes notified in early January; contact with colleges for feedback |
Christmas Term post A Level | Seventh term re-application possibilities |
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