Oxford and Cambridge admissions for US students?

[Anonymous]

Does an American student stand a chance during the academic interview or testing process at those universities, given that British peers will have spent the last years of their high school experience studying that particular subject or its precursor courses, in much greater depth? My impression is that AP classes don't prepare well enough.
I'm wondering if it makes sense, as a time investment, to prepare for the interview by independent study on the subject of interest, or if students would do better to look elsewhere...

Any insight is welcome, thanks.

[Anonymous]

If you're serious, I would recommend first looking at courses with a lower number of applicants. If your student is interested in a popular course, the odds are much slimmer especially for Americans. As an example, Classics much easier to gain entry to than PPE.

Your student will need to sit admissions tests for their course. Course pages on the website detail this further. Your student will apply to a constituent college, not the University. Not all colleges at Oxford offer every course.

The application deadline is quite early on 15 Oct. Luckily, UCAS (the UK's standardised admissions engine) opens in May. You can only apply to Oxford OR Cambridge, not both. You can apply to four other UK institutions to the limit of five. It's a great deal for 25 pounds.

The interviews in college can be intense but I think they're easier in person than over Zoom! Your student will have suggested reading to prepare and their UCAS Personal Statement (academic in nature) and teacher reference (also academic in nature) will be brought up in interview.

It's three years of uni, not four like in Scotland. Even with the exchange rate, still quite a good deal.

thestudentroom.co.uk has loads of information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're serious, I would recommend first looking at courses with a lower number of applicants. If your student is interested in a popular course, the odds are much slimmer especially for Americans. As an example, Classics much easier to gain entry to than PPE.

Your student will need to sit admissions tests for their course. Course pages on the website detail this further. Your student will apply to a constituent college, not the University. Not all colleges at Oxford offer every course.

The application deadline is quite early on 15 Oct. Luckily, UCAS (the UK's standardised admissions engine) opens in May. You can only apply to Oxford OR Cambridge, not both. You can apply to four other UK institutions to the limit of five. It's a great deal for 25 pounds.

The interviews in college can be intense but I think they're easier in person than over Zoom! Your student will have suggested reading to prepare and their UCAS Personal Statement (academic in nature) and teacher reference (also academic in nature) will be brought up in interview.

It's three years of uni, not four like in Scotland. Even with the exchange rate, still quite a good deal.

thestudentroom.co.uk has loads of information.


My DC will be going in the fall. There are books you can purchase on how to do well in the interviews. I bought a few for DC. I also have an international college counselor to recommend but got (DCUM) beat up last time I posted his name, so if you are sincerely interested, post back and I will give you his name.

[Anonymous]

BTW the only kid I know from FCPS who did it had 15 APs. and perfect GPA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're serious, I would recommend first looking at courses with a lower number of applicants. If your student is interested in a popular course, the odds are much slimmer especially for Americans. As an example, Classics much easier to gain entry to than PPE.

Your student will need to sit admissions tests for their course. Course pages on the website detail this further. Your student will apply to a constituent college, not the University. Not all colleges at Oxford offer every course.

The application deadline is quite early on 15 Oct. Luckily, UCAS (the UK's standardised admissions engine) opens in May. You can only apply to Oxford OR Cambridge, not both. You can apply to four other UK institutions to the limit of five. It's a great deal for 25 pounds.

The interviews in college can be intense but I think they're easier in person than over Zoom! Your student will have suggested reading to prepare and their UCAS Personal Statement (academic in nature) and teacher reference (also academic in nature) will be brought up in interview.

It's three years of uni, not four like in Scotland. Even with the exchange rate, still quite a good deal.

thestudentroom.co.uk has loads of information.

This is all true and very helpful particularly with regards choosing your major. Choose modern languages or a minor science, something unpopular and you stand a far greater chance of entry.

[Anonymous]

If you are genuinely passionate about a subject that comes across in the academic interview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are genuinely passionate about a subject that comes across in the academic interview.

They aren't looking for passion, they are looking for intellect.

[Anonymous]

What if you switch after you start? You can't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're serious, I would recommend first looking at courses with a lower number of applicants. If your student is interested in a popular course, the odds are much slimmer especially for Americans. As an example, Classics much easier to gain entry to than PPE.

Your student will need to sit admissions tests for their course. Course pages on the website detail this further. Your student will apply to a constituent college, not the University. Not all colleges at Oxford offer every course.

The application deadline is quite early on 15 Oct. Luckily, UCAS (the UK's standardised admissions engine) opens in May. You can only apply to Oxford OR Cambridge, not both. You can apply to four other UK institutions to the limit of five. It's a great deal for 25 pounds.

The interviews in college can be intense but I think they're easier in person than over Zoom! Your student will have suggested reading to prepare and their UCAS Personal Statement (academic in nature) and teacher reference (also academic in nature) will be brought up in interview.

It's three years of uni, not four like in Scotland. Even with the exchange rate, still quite a good deal.

thestudentroom.co.uk has loads of information.


My DC will be going in the fall. There are books you can purchase on how to do well in the interviews. I bought a few for DC. I also have an international college counselor to recommend but got (DCUM) beat up last time I posted his name, so if you are sincerely interested, post back and I will give you his name.

OP here. Yes, I’d be grateful if you could share the name! Why did that create a brouhaha last time?

Which one is your child attending, and did he or she have to prepare intensely for the test and interview?

[Anonymous]

I thought I read that the bare minimum SAT score they both require is 1470. But then I just googled and only found 1400. But admissions seems as hard as the hard ivies and Stanford/MIT for Americans. It’s not like McGill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought I read that the bare minimum SAT score they both require is 1470. But then I just googled and only found 1400. But admissions seems as hard as the hard ivies and Stanford/MIT for Americans. It’s not like McGill.

Cambridge requires a 1500 for sciences/econ and a 1460 for arts and humanities in order to apply. This score is a single sitting score, not a superscore.

https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/usa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if you switch after you start? You can't?

This is a popular misconception in the US so I thought it was worth highlighting the fact that your course (aka major) is not necessarily set in stone (see last section in link).I have a DC currently studying as an undergraduate at Cambridge (so I can't speak to Oxford). More than a few of DC's friends have switched courses along the way. Cambridge allows this by grating a Part I in one area of study and a Part II in another area.

https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/structure#:~:text=Due%20to%20scope%20and%20flexibility,between%20broad%20areas%20as%20well.

[Anonymous]

Is there a particular reason your child wants to go to Oxford or Cambridge? I did a junior year at one of them, and for the humanities, it's significantly different from (or different to, if you want to be British about it) the approach at American colleges & universities.

[Anonymous]

The Montauk books are helpful. Especially with regards Oxford & Cambridge.

My DH attended Oxford. He said many of the US students (of which there were not many) suffered because they were not used to the rigor expected of them, had not experienced that in their schools (private or otherwise). So that is definitely something to consider. Your kid could get in with perfect stats and then potentially, flounder. Hopefully not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a particular reason your child wants to go to Oxford or Cambridge? I did a junior year at one of them, and for the humanities, it's significantly different from (or different to, if you want to be British about it) the approach at American colleges & universities.

OP here. We are actually from continental Europe, so it would place him closer to relatives. He cannot attend a university in our home country, as higher education is in a period of upheaval there right now. It's true he's mostly experienced American education, along with native language school on weekends.

Do you mean that British unis tend to place more emphasis on independent reading and long essay forms? That's what our home country does too.