Ahead of the game
Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators
-
Fatandfifty
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:55 pm
Ahead of the game
Thanks for your offerings everyone. I am looking to know the kind of lateral thinking books these unis use to find the truly gifted i.e. tell me about a banana type books. Any advice would be appreciated.
-
T.i.p.s.y
I don't know what these banana books are. 
I'm not sure Oxbridge are always looking for the truly gifted but for the very bright who really know their stuff. But if they are looking for the truly gifted then trying to prepare for any number of bizarre questions sort of defeats the point because that would be a coached applicant and not a gifted one.
I suspect they are looking for someone who can intelligently argue their case and not give up on a question which cannot be answered.They just want to see how you tick and really want you to prove how much you want to study a certain subject by the efforts you have made to immerse yourself in work experience or events relating to such.
I'm not sure Oxbridge are always looking for the truly gifted but for the very bright who really know their stuff. But if they are looking for the truly gifted then trying to prepare for any number of bizarre questions sort of defeats the point because that would be a coached applicant and not a gifted one.
I suspect they are looking for someone who can intelligently argue their case and not give up on a question which cannot be answered.They just want to see how you tick and really want you to prove how much you want to study a certain subject by the efforts you have made to immerse yourself in work experience or events relating to such.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/So-You-Want-Oxb ... 0955079713
The interviewers want to see how you cope when you get stuck or meet a new idea - are you flexible? Can you think on your feet?
The interviewers want to see how you cope when you get stuck or meet a new idea - are you flexible? Can you think on your feet?
-
Loopyloulou
- Posts: 878
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:20 pm
If you're wanting to get to Oxbridge these days then take it as read that public examination results must be excellent. Also be aware that Oxford and Cambridge have their own entrance exams in a number of subjects, which must also be passed - you need to familiarise yourself with these, and good teaching will help. But the final test which must be passed is the interview.
Where the interview is concerned there is no substitute for a real passion for the subject; otherwise you need a stroke of luck.
An example of the latter is an applicant for Spanish at Oxford, whose application form showed an extra-curricular interest in music, and who was able to talk sensibly at interview about the Gomeran whistle. Perhaps this is the sort of person who really deserves a place? But if you don't want to rely on luck you need to prepare. For example a maths applicant might read up about the Riemann Hypothesis (there are some surprisingly accessible books around), or another Clay Prize question or any one of a hundred other things, and then choose an appropriate college with a don interested in that area (in this case number theory - this is where well-informed teachers really come into their own). At interview you can then demonstrate a real interest in the subject, and flatter the don that s/he's the reason you really want to go to that particular college. Prepare well and you're in! Another example is a history applicant who at 16 entered a prize essay competition with a dissertation on William Lovett, for which he spent his summer holiday doing real original research - again much thanks must go to the teachers who pushed him in that direction (Eton as it happens); but the few weeks spent on that certainly paid off a couple of years later.
Intelligence, hard work, and a bit of cunning are what is needed - not the old boy's network, 'though some inside knowledge, however gained, can make all the difference.
Good luck!
Where the interview is concerned there is no substitute for a real passion for the subject; otherwise you need a stroke of luck.
An example of the latter is an applicant for Spanish at Oxford, whose application form showed an extra-curricular interest in music, and who was able to talk sensibly at interview about the Gomeran whistle. Perhaps this is the sort of person who really deserves a place? But if you don't want to rely on luck you need to prepare. For example a maths applicant might read up about the Riemann Hypothesis (there are some surprisingly accessible books around), or another Clay Prize question or any one of a hundred other things, and then choose an appropriate college with a don interested in that area (in this case number theory - this is where well-informed teachers really come into their own). At interview you can then demonstrate a real interest in the subject, and flatter the don that s/he's the reason you really want to go to that particular college. Prepare well and you're in! Another example is a history applicant who at 16 entered a prize essay competition with a dissertation on William Lovett, for which he spent his summer holiday doing real original research - again much thanks must go to the teachers who pushed him in that direction (Eton as it happens); but the few weeks spent on that certainly paid off a couple of years later.
Intelligence, hard work, and a bit of cunning are what is needed - not the old boy's network, 'though some inside knowledge, however gained, can make all the difference.
Good luck!
Loopy
Well there is no choice. Defense is a public, no choice good. You will be defended whether you like it or not.T.i.p.s.y wrote:Yes well those liberals are happy to take, take, take and offer no service to others!
As my father fought in the WWII (and then was exiled and tortured during a pointless Civil War) I find laughable and rather insulting the suggestion of equating CCF young boys activities to those of the people that did fight in the WW2.
sj355
-
KES Parent
I find your attitude to the CCF laughable and insulting, and you are certainly profoundly ignorant about it. There are no "young boys" in it - maybe you are confusing it with the Cub Scouts - and some of the activities undertaken by the oldest cadets in Sixth Forms are no different to the ones young men at the beginning of their careers at Sandhurst, Cranwell or Dartmouth Naval College will be doing.sj355 wrote: As my father fought in the WWII (and then was exiled and tortured during a pointless Civil War) I find laughable and rather insulting the suggestion of equating CCF young boys activities to those of the people that did fight in the WW2.
This is not the place to get into a competition about What My Dad Did During The War, but it is highly likely that most of us on this forum had fathers or grandfathers who fought in World War II, although possibly not in the Civil War as this took place in England during the 17th century. I know my father would have been immensely pleased and proud if he had lived to see his grandsons in CCF uniform.
So Sixth formers are not young boys. OOOkI find your attitude to the CCF laughable and insulting, and you are certainly profoundly ignorant about it. There are no "young boys" in it - maybe you are confusing it with the Cub Scouts - and some of the activities undertaken by the oldest cadets in Sixth Forms are no different to the ones young men at the beginning of their careers at Sandhurst, Cranwell or Dartmouth Naval College will be doing.
Get a grip; it is not the place of comparing CCF with WW2 soldiers which is laughable and insultingThis is not the place to get into a competition about What My Dad Did During The War
sj355
-
runningmum
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:27 pm
I did not know that; what is their excuse?runningmum wrote:Dear sj355
It is not possible to obtain offers from both Oxford and Cambridge for undergraduate study and hasn't been possible for as long as I can remember - just look at the Ucas website.
However my offer was for an MPhil in Economics hence we are not talking about an UG degree.
sj355
-
KES Parent
