Oxbridge Trip
Report by Mr Johnson, Head of Academic Challenge
Eleven Year 12 pupils who are considering applying to Oxford or Cambridge travelled to Cambridge University last Wednesday to tour some colleges and talk to academic staff about the admissions process and life at a Cambridge College.
This is an important part of RHS's support for its Oxbridge candidates, as it gives them a feel for the college system, which is one of the distinguishing features of both Oxford and Cambridge.
After some free time in which pupils were able to explore the colleges or faculties of their choice, we made our way to my former college, Pembroke, for lunch and a tour of the college with my former tutor. I picked Pembroke partly for the quality of its food and it did not disappoint!
After leaving Pembroke, we made our way across town to Magdalene College to meet former RHS pupil Aoife Rew, who is currently studying veterinary medicine there. As she toured us around her college, it was a fantastic opportunity for current pupils to ask questions of someone who has successfully made the transition from RHS to Cambridge. We even caught a glimpse of a photo shoot for the university rowing team outside Magdalene's Pepys' library!
Our final stop was St Catherine's College, where we received a talk from their admissions tutor about the application process. It was great to be able to get some insights into applying to this notoriously competitive university.
Overall, the trip was a huge success and there was much discussion on the bus home about which college everyone preferred.