Scroll down
We’re thrilled that Hattie, Laura, Grace, and Lily, from Year 13, have recently been offered places at Oxford and Cambridge University.
Alongside this, we’re proud to say that a number of our Sixth Form students have received exciting and prestigious offers from a number of brilliant Universities. You can read about some of those here.
We recently caught up with our four Oxbridge students to hear more about the application process, finding out about their offers and their hopes for the future.
Here’s Part 2 of our interview. You can read Part 1 here.
Were there any teachers or mentors at RMS who particularly influenced or supported you during the application process?
Hattie: The History and Politics Department has been hugely influential on my application process and beyond. Miss Picton particularly has been unendingly helpful in supporting every aspect of my application and far beyond this. Her guidance and advice with the competitions that entailed a large portion of my application was invaluable, and her ongoing encouragement of my love of History has given me the confidence to pursue opportunities and interests that have shaped who I am today.
Laura: All my teachers were really supportive, so I’m really grateful to them, from giving mock interviews to reading through my personal statement.
Lily: Mr Barr and Miss Cooper (the Classics department) were amazing and have always supported me for which I am very grateful.
Mr Barr took time out of his schedule to help me prepare for the interview, was always willing to give valuable advice and insight, and I would really like to thank him for believing in me even when I wasn’t sure about my capability
- Lily, Year 13
Miss Duce as Oxbridge Coordinator made sure everything was on track and really familiarised me with the application process so thank you to her as well.
Grace: Mr Barr and Miss Cooper in the Classics department were especially helpful with my personal statement, and Miss Duce was also very helpful in overseeing the whole application process.
Photo: Grace is looking to study Archaeology at Oxford.
What do you hope to achieve academically or personally during your time at Cambridge/Oxford?
Hattie: I look forward to continuing to develop my love of History and the skills associated with this. Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to develop further the research that I have completed, and work towards publishing this. Regarding personal goals, I look forward to having the opportunity to develop professional networks and skills and pursue the steps required for my ideal career.
Laura: A degree? And have fun!
Lily: I want to push myself to improve my academic abilities as much as possible, but I also want to use my time at university to explore and expand my horizons as well, i like trying out new clubs/societies and meeting new people who all value learning. Being somewhere like Cambridge is incredibly exciting to consider.
Grace: I hope to learn more about archaeological methods, like radiocarbon dating, and to become more confident presenting to people.
What advice would you give to future students who aspire to attend Cambridge/Oxford University?
Hattie: The main advice that supported my application to Oxford was to get involved in extra/super curricular opportunities as soon as possible.
The perfect way to develop a real passion for your subject is to involve yourself in competitions and events both in and outside of school
- Hattie, Year 13
There are always plenty to find online and not only did I find they helped strengthen my application, but they also helped me find my niche within History – only strengthening my love for the subject!
Laura: Always worth giving it a go! You can’t get in if you don’t apply.
Lily: Don’t be afraid to push yourself and go for it – at the beginning of Year 12 I wasn’t sure about whether I could or should apply, but if you feel it might be something you would like to consider, give it a go! After all, the only way to find out if it’s possible is to try! I would also recommend taking part in as many super curricular activities (extra work to do with your subject area) as you can once you finalise your choices.
Photo: Lily is looking to study Classics at Cambridge.
Grace: I would say to practise holding academic discussions about your chosen subject – you’ll get more comfortable talking about it in an analytical way, which is very important in the application process.
Beyond academics, what extracurricular activities or interests do you plan to pursue at Cambridge/Oxford?
Hattie: Given my plan to pursue a career in politics (specifically as a Special Adviser in Constitutional Policy), I’m hoping to get involved with multiple political extracurricular activities – including hopefully helping run election campaigns! It would be great to find a crochet or cooking society too!
Laura: I’ll try to join an orchestra and I will keep swimming competitively.
Lily: Music has always been a huge part of my life inside and outside of school, so as well as continuing with that more generally, I want to apply for a choral scholarship at university. I think it would be fun to try something completely new as well, such as rowing!
I have seen that the college that has offered me a place has a Drama and Deception society, which sounds really fun!
- Grace, Year 13
Lastly, what does this accomplishment mean to you personally, and how do you plan to celebrate?
Hattie: I still find that I’m struggling to put into words what this accomplishment means to me – having known that I’ve been working towards this as a goal for 11 years, to finally see it realised is incredibly special and I feel very proud. Regarding celebration, I’ve been very lucky to celebrate with my family and as one of my favourite activities I’ve been doing lots of cooking – and I expect I’ll likely treat myself with a few history books!
I'm really happy to have gotten an offer, so I went out for pizza with my family to celebrate the end of mocks and my offer!
- Laura, Year 13
Lily: I celebrated by going out for dinner with my family, which was lovely. I’m really proud of myself for completing the application process successfully, and it has given me another reason to push myself to achieve the best results I can.
Grace: I think it has helped me feel more confident in my academic knowledge and in preparing for university work – all my friends and family were very happy, and I am excited to start this new journey.
Congratulations to Hattie, Laura, Grace, and Lily. Their hard work and dedication have earned them an incredible opportunity to continue to shape their future beyond RMS. We wish them all the best as they embark on this next chapter at the end of this year.