If your goal was to study History at Oxford, how many and which A-levels should you do, plus what else...?

Question

...should be on your CV to vastly increase your chances for admittance?

Answer 1

Doing four A-levels would increase your chances, certainly, and you would most likely need three A grades. Admission to Oxford University is competitive, hence why admissions must be made before October.

Obviously you'd need to do history and some good subjects that would compliment it. English Literature perhaps? Sociology?

Take a look at the Oxford University website at their admissions policies.

Answer 2

The average amount of A-levels is 3 but I would have thought that for somewhere like Oxford you'd need 4. Which would of course be expected to be at an A grade. You'd obviously need History, and then probably subjects like English language/literature. As far as I'm aware they tend to only accept people from an upper class family unless you're exceptionally talented at something.

Check out the website...

Answer 3

English; Economic Geography; History.

These will help particularly in the study of modern history. Keep your languages up to standard. Have you had any experience of Latin?

They may ask you to read that great book Bede's history of the English. The latin is rather anglicised but the book is fascinating.

For your CV you should mention what interests you have in learning about the world. Books on histriography, on the spread of civilisation.

They will ask you why you wish to study history. You should know you reply immediately and state your case confidently without sounding glib or rehearsed. Be prepared for a sharp response. They will want to test your confidence and at the same time to see whether you are merely repeating stuff from school.

  Can you stand up to their methods of teaching which are very demanding ? Are you secure enough in yourself to venture into an argumennt,

to be able to see positive features in an opposing argument ?

It is a very rewarding subject to read and Oxford is a very rewarding place to read it. Find out something about your interviewers or the dons at the college you wish to enter: what their areas of knowledge are. Mention these casually and watch what happens.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

Four A'levels would probably be preffered however, three at AAA and an AS level would be perfectly acceptable.

Your subject choice should reflect the subject you have interest in, but also your diversity and culture. Subjects such as psychology, media, sociology and music are a complete write off. Instead you should focus on sujects such as, English Lit+Lan, History, Foreign Languages, Sciences and Mathematics.

With regards to your CV, work experience and extra curricular activties are always smiled upon. Perhaps you could get a job paid/volunteering in a museum or gallery.

Good luck..  

Answer 5

The History course at Oxford University:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergrad...

http://www.history.ox.ac.uk/prosundergra...

Course and Entry Requirements for Oxford University:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergrad...

A levels

Conditional offers for A-level students are likely to be AAA. Providing that any specific subject requirements have been met, all A-levels are approved for admissions purposes, with the exception of General Studies.

Oxford University does not require its candidates to disclose information on the unit grades that have been achieved through their AS and A2 studies, but a candidate may include this information within their UCAS application should they wish to do so. Any conditional offer would usually be made on the basis of final grades alone.

Oxford University is happy to receive applications from students from any country in the world providing that they are studying for, or have already achieved, three A-Levels or other equivalent academic qualifications.

In General:

In order to be admitted, candidates must show evidence of an appropriate educational background and good standards of literacy and numeracy. However, the University does not have any formal matriculation requirements, and no requirement for any particular subjects or grades at GCSE, though tutors will use these grades as one indicator of academic ability.

All applications are considered carefully on their individual merits and tutors consider academic achievements, predicted grades, candidates’ personal statements and academic references as well as any written work or written test that may be required as part of the application. Candidates who feel that they under-performed at GCSE may be able to compensate for this by demonstrating clear upward progression at AS-level as well as in predicted or achieved A-level scores. You may wish to refer to this in your personal statement.

There are some specific subject requirements. Providing that you meet any specific requirements for your course, they recommend you to take those subjects that interest you most and in which you feel you have the ability to do best. Apart from the specific requirements shown, tutors are much more interested in candidates’ overall academic ability, and their potential and motivation for the course at Oxford, than the particular programmes which have been followed at school.

Competition is strong and conditional offers are likely to be for high grades. The offer may specify certain grades to be achieved in particular subjects if they have not been achieved already. On the Oxford website it states that the only essential subject for the History course is History. I would recommend that you take Maths, English and History at A-Level.

Hope this helps, good luck. :-)

Answer 6

I have five friends who have just got in for history at Oxford so I can give you some good advice.

Four *** and three A levels is sufficient but in some cases they give out offers for four A levels like AAAB but this is rare. What I did was to start by taking four A levels and when they issued me with an offer for three, I immediately dropped the fourth and made my work load ALOT easier.

However, if you feel that you'd be able to cope doing four subjects then go ahead. I must warn you that it requires much more work than doing five *** which is what I did.

For choice of A levels, my friends took two of the following as well as history:

- maths

- art

- government and politics

- ecomomics

- geography

- physics

That should show that it doesn't matter which ones you choose as long as you enjoy them and are good at them. Saying that, a mix of sciences and arts is always good to show that you're an all-rounder.

Make sure to do plenty of reading around the subject, and don't forget to quote the books/topics on your CV/personal statement.

Finally, please don't be put off from applying because of social backgrounds or whatever - They want people from all types of backgrounds and as long as you have talent and passion, then you've got a good chance! Furthermore, I know people with five/ four As at A level who didn't get in - Grades help but they aren't everything, no matter what the media tells you.

Hope that helps and good luck!