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Introduction

A university degree can have great benefits.

• It can equip people with the high-level technical expertise required to do certain jobs, like Engineering and Medicine;
• a degree from a top university can open many doors later in life due to the valuable credentials one earns;
• one can mix with other talented, driven people and make invaluable life connections;
• higher education is also a useful transitional period for an individual to gain independence living away from home yet still within the security of a broader structure of an institution.

In our culture today, we are so used to taking for granted that going to university is a good and aspirational thing to aim for, we rarely take time to consider why this belief is so ingrained (it hasn’t always been) and to consider the other side of the argument i.e. the potential costs of university higher education and why one may consider alternative routes after leaving school. (YouGov: nearly half of UK public say university participation is too high).

We will explore some topics relating to this below.

50% of young people into higher education.

In September 1999, Tony Blair announced his target to get 50% of young adults to enter higher education by 2010. (Plan for huge rise in university numbers | UK news | The Guardian)

At the time it was 39%, so this marked an 11% increase (SN02630.pdf)

The rationale given for this was that university graduates had “higher-level skills” and so were more employable / had more opportunities and, therefore, by increasing the number of graduates, we, as a country, could participate more meaningfully in the “knowledge economy”.

This 50% threshold was achieved late last decade, however with hindsight, has it made life better for young people?

Why do companies prefer to hire university graduates?

Firstly, barring specialised vocational degrees, one has to think why employers were preferentially hiring people with degrees in the first place? In many cases, it wasn’t due to what was learned on the course, it was because the barrier to entry to get into the courses acted as a filter selecting the brightest and most industrious people. Employing these people is desirable as, probabilistically, they will produce the most value for the company (a company wants to maximise its value per employee). (Signalling (economics) – Wikipedia)

So, if you expand the number of people who have a degree, it doesn’t mean more people are suddenly bright and talented (as these are relative terms), instead, it dilutes the significance of having a degree as being an indicator of work-ethic and competence.

Sought-after courses at top universities get more competitive as the number of applicants increase and they can’t increase their intake much (if at all). (Has Oxbridge Become More Competitive? 10 Year Review) So, the way to increase participation is to lower entry requirements which is done by increasing the number of universities and courses available. (List of universities in England – Wikipedia)

The culture is in an oxymoronic state of the unquestioned dogma of “we must get more people into university than last year” and the real-world value to the students these courses are bestowing.

Universities and political ideology

Following from this point, nowadays there is worry that university campuses have become “ideological indoctrination chambers”, conditioning students toward radical politics, ideological fragility and conformity, the prioritisation of emotion-based thinking over critical thought and a glorification of victimhood. This hostile, censorious puritanism has grown to a point where it is difficult to reverse course.

(40% of Millennials OK with limiting speech offensive to minorities | Pew Research Center,

“Freedom-restricting harassment” of gender critical academics creating barriers to research, government review finds – The Free Speech Union,

A culture of victimhood and intolerance – spiked,

The New Puritans: How the Religion of Social Justice Captured the Western World: Amazon.co.uk: Doyle, Andrew: 9780349135328: Books,

The New Clerisy: How Thomas Sowell Predicted the Rise and Ruin of DEI Bureaucracies | Hoover Institution The New Clerisy: How Thomas Sowell Predicted the Rise and Ruin of DEI Bureaucracies)

This isn’t just a phenomenon within university student cohorts, but also amongst teaching staff. In the UK, the Times Higher Education (THE) surveys of university staff (including academics and professional/support roles) revealed a stark imbalance:

• 2024 General Election (pre-election poll): 64% intended to vote Labour, 12% Green, 11% Liberal Democrats, 4% Conservative (UK election: two-thirds of university staff plan to vote Labour)

• A 2017 Adam Smith Institute report estimated 80% of UK university lecturers identify as left-wing, with conservatives particularly scarce in humanities, social sciences, and arts. (Lackademia: Why do academics lean left? — Adam Smith Institute)

In the US, FIRE 2024 Faculty Survey (largest recent survey: 6,269 faculty at 55 major US colleges/universities):

• ~61% identify with or lean Democrat.
• ~12% identify with or lean Republican.

(Silence in the Classroom: The 2024 FIRE Faculty Survey Report | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)

Yale University Analyses (Buckley Institute):

• 2024: ~77% Democrat-affiliated, <3% Republican (overall ratio ~28:1).
• 2025: 82.3% Democrat, 2.3% Republican (ratio >36:1); 27 departments with zero Republicans.

(NEW: Faculty Political Diversity at Yale: Democrats Outnumber Republicans 28 to 1 – Buckley Institute)

This means that the “Overton Window” drifts and it is very difficult for individuals with their heads screwed on not to be taken along, to some degree, by this ideological undercurrent. (Overton window | Political Science, Origin, Examples, Shifts, & Criticism | Britannica)

Do modern jobs make us tick?

It is also worth considering our history. One important aspect of human nature is the desire to feel useful, needed and valued. For most of human history, our jobs aligned with this as we lived in small communities where each person could easily see the impact of the work they were doing as they were providing a good or service directly to that small community. (Dunbar’s number – Wikipedia)

For example there would usually be someone who was “the butcher” and he/she would provide meat to the community, another would be the seamstress, carpenter, run the pub etc. etc. One issue that many white-collar jobs have nowadays is a dystopian disconnect between the work one is doing and the value / use it is contributing to the community. (Organization Size and How it Impacts Employee Happiness | Friday Pulse, Let’s call time on the bulls–t jobs plaguing Britain’s offices, A Brief History of the Corporate Form and Why it Matters – Fordham Journal of Corporate and Financial Law)

While many may aspire to be senior management of companies, the brutal reality is that the number of these positions hasn’t increased at the rate the supply of graduates has increased, meaning many people will be on a trajectory for middle management of large corporate leviathans. A lifetime as a good (yet easily replaceable) cog. One could make the argument that trade jobs align more closely with the value and fulfilment incentives to which our brains are programmed to be most receptive; a carpenter, electrician or builder can look back on a decade of work and see all the houses they have built, now inhabited by happy families.

Debt and apprenticeships

Debt; the average student in England graduates with £53,000 worth of debt, which they will spend decades paying back. (Student loan statistics – House of Commons Library)

This is a cost and one needs to consider whether the benefits of the degree they’ll receive outweigh this cost. If you want to be a neurosurgeon then it certainly will do, however so many corporate firms today run apprenticeship schemes for people straight out of school; it does beg the question that if you are aiming for this career, will a degree in English and Film Studies from Exeter be useful in achieving this end, and will it be worth taking on that debt for? Who’s to say the apprenticeship candidate 4 years down the line could be the uni graduate’s boss when he/she joins! (Best apprentices earn £50,000 more than many graduates – The Sutton Trust)

Conclusion

The take-home message of this isn’t to dissuade people from going to university, but more to try and give the side of the argument less commonly given to enable people to make a better decision. To quote Thomas Sowell: “There are no solutions, only trade-offs,” so if you are considering university, make sure you pick the pathway where the benefits and trade-offs are best for you in your current situation and for your aspirations.

The first time I came across Academic Scholarships was through the murmuring of my friends when we were in the younger year-groups of prep school, pointing out people that were “scholars” or “in the scholars class” in Year 8. They were the academic elite of our school, which gave them a bit of an aura. (My school, Hilden Grange, was very close to Tonbridge School, so the bulk of Year 8 students would be aiming for Tonbridge as their leaver destination.)  I remember one student a few years above got the Ainsle (top scholarship) and was elevated to a “God-Tier” in the school folklore!

Based on how one is performing relative to the year group, one gets a feel for whether going for a scholarship may be on the cards (or not) but the topic only formally comes up after the Year 7 end of year exams where, based on performance in these (which were Common Entrance 13+ exams filtered for topics we had studied), the school wrote to me/my parents to say they thought I had a good shot and should consider it. 12-year-old me was a bit daunted by it due to us having to sit the exams at Tonbridge School (which was big and scary) rather than at my current school (which was small, familiar and friendly) but, after a chat with someone a couple of years older who went through the process, I decided to go for it!

Year 8 started and us scholars were grouped separately for all subjects, so for my whole of Year 8 I was in a class of 4 which led to a much more academically focused experience; it was great! What wasn’t great was how much harder all the material was! It hits you like a slap in the face; I think I went from getting high 70s % average in that end of Year 7 common entrance mock to something like 27% average in our first November Scholarship mocks! But the teachers told us not to worry as this was pretty normal as people recalibrate to the harder material and, lo and behold I managed to up this performance to get 65% average in the February mocks, which was reassuring progress compared the DEFCON 1 catastrophic trajectory I seemed to be on in November! It was the first time, really, that I had been stretched hard, academically. But the 4 of us were all in the same boat and we bonded very well that year, sharing the experience of attempting this huge academic challenge together with all the ups and downs it brings! By that point, also, being right at the top of the school, the teachers were treating us with much more respect, and we were the oldest students in the school so you felt good about your position in the micro-hierarchy of this prep school! With hindsight, Year 8 was without doubt one of the best years in my education journey!

At my school, the standard options everyone took were Maths II, Latin II and Divinity. I, however, had no interest in Divinity (ironic as I went on to study the subject at A-level!) and was good at French so I opted for French II instead. This led to a slightly awkward situation as my school had RS timetabled into the lesson schedule and, in doing French II, I needed to learn more content than was being taught in my French classes. The solution, as far as I remember, was my French teacher gave me some useful materials to work through which I think I did during scheduled Divinity classes, and we worked on it a bit more at home with my Mum. I had a few tuition classes with a native French speaker, too, for additional grammar practice.

Tonbridge scholarships come around earlier than the common entrance exams did (which may have changed now as the 13+ CE pathway is different to what it used to be). They take place over 3 days Wednesday to Friday right at the end of April. This meant that, whereas the Common Entrance lot were to primarily revise during May half term, the Easter Holidays was my revision period. I actually don’t think I revised that well over Easter; I think I just hadn’t worked out the right strategies back then for revising an ambitious quantity of work. I remember spending the first week reading through everything then on a trip to the local shops with my mum I panicked at how little I could recall from what I had done. So then we switched tactic to a more active “read, cover, recall” process which gave me more confidence. Something I have found with revision is that efficiency / effectiveness of the revision process is key. Someone can spend 5 hrs per day revising badly and learn far less than someone revising with good techniques 90 mins per day! And the only thing that matters is how well you can recall it; one could produce loads of revision notes/cards and feel satisfied at that visible output, but that is irrelevant if they can’t remember the information in the exams! During this revision period, the looming stress of the impending exams, which were perhaps T-minus 5-6 weeks away, was starting to build! The more essay-based exams were the ones I was dreading. I struggled with creative writing, too, so had come up with an ingenious strategy of planning out maybe 15 stories of diverse topics and memorising them, with the intention of being able to bend one of them or at least take bits from one of them to apply to my chosen prompt on the day (we were given about 5 prompts in the exam and we had to pick one). We’d have to wait and see if this would work.

On the day of the exam itself, I did buckle a bit under the pressure. I remember it being the most nervous I had ever been and I had to ask my mum to drive past the entrance initially as I couldn’t face going in. Once I saw my friends in the waiting area, the stress dissipated somewhat. Maybe there were about 60ish students in total, all in different school uniforms. We were sat in Old Big School (a room which has since been modernised to an art gallery I think) but at the time, it was a dark, big hall with a black floor, dark walls and high up big windows. Below the windows, surrounding the hall there were painted portraits of previous headmasters wearing gowns looking aloof and austere (in the way that 17^th, 18^th and 19^th century schoolmasters often did!). Very old school! With hindsight, I actually quite like an element of that traditionalism, but it did make it more difficult for 13-year-old me! The teachers were lovely and friendly, though, and I remember finding it somewhat baffling the juxtaposition between the friendly and casual way each department head introduced their exam and how I had built up that exam in my mind to be this hugely important, unfriendly and “un-casual” trial of academic fortitude! History was the first paper, followed by English I; two essay papers I wasn’t looking forward to. During the start of the second exam, I ended up going to the medical room as I felt unwell (but with hindsight, this was just my body’s reaction to the intense nerves, I just hadn’t experienced it before). Fortunately, with much encouragement from the pastoral care person (at the behest of my mum, it later transpired) I was convinced to go back into what was French I and Latin I that afternoon. The Friday (back then) was the day for the optional exams, so this meant that I could sit the English I paper I had missed at a time when an option I wasn’t taking was being assessed.

I remember feeling numb at the end of the exams; I was expecting this big sense of elation in proportion to the trepidation I had felt going into and building up to the exams, only it never came. I just grabbed my bag and commented to my friend that “wow it was over” who my Dad then dropped home as he lived near to me and he otherwise would have had to walk. I think the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment was a slow-build rather than an all-at-once flurry. Maybe I’m even still experiencing it all these years later writing this blog post!

As the scholarship exams finished on the Wednesday, we had Thursday and Friday off school which was great. On the Thursday we walked back into school and felt like royalty with the teachers coming out of classes to see how it had gone. There was a nice bit of pathetic fallacy with the weather being a lovely sunny day (or maybe I just remember it as such due to how I was feeling!) On the Friday, the 4 of us were at one of our houses to play and, when being picked up by my Mum, clearly the results had come out as I remember noticing my mum secretly signalling a thumbs up to my friend’s mum who signalled a thumbs up back, and so I found out then / in the car home that I had managed to get an Academic Scholarship. I got (I think) 7As, 3Bs and 2Cs. I think the Cs were in History and Maths I and the Bs in Geography, English I and one of the Latin papers (which meant that my creative writing strategy had worked as I got an A in English II!) This meant my name went on a plaque on the wall in my prep school, which may even still be there, who knows! Now there are A* grades given out, but when I took the exams, A was the highest, and unofficial “A* grades were communicated to the schools if anyone got one but not written on the official results document. Our headmaster told us he thinks one of us got an A* but he forgot who; lol, helpful!

Joining Tonbridge School as a scholar didn’t actually have that much impact. It determined how we were setted at first (but this was quickly adjusted following November mocks). There was a compulsory society called The Athena Society, which scholars had to attend, however this was quickly made optional as the content was extremely dry and I think there was some pushback (I remember the first meeting was an evening lecture on St Francis of Assisi; hardly something a 14 year old looks forward to when his friends are at home playing Call of Duty or playing sports!)

I think, if one is told they are in the ballpark for going for a scholarship, they definitely should do so! It is tough but far more of an adventure and so many good, memorable experiences that you are proud of with hindsight are difficult and/or nerve-wracking when you are doing them; that’s why they are an achievement and why you are proud! Also, doing hard things makes one more resilient. I took the exams in 2009 and I still smile at the experience today.

Toby (OH 09-14)

The unprecedented surge in the coronavirus brought the world to a standstill. However, the situation is now easing with the development and deployment of vaccines against the pandemic – 46.7% of people have already received at least one dose. The public places, markets, schools, and workplaces that were under strict lockdown in almost all countries around the world have been opened with limited restrictions. This does not put an end to the coronavirus here however. There’s still a need for practicing precautionary measures.

If you are a parent and worried about preparing your child for the new normal, here is a quick guide for you:

1. Create Awareness:

First and foremost, the health of your child is the most important thing for them as well as for you. As you prepare your child to adjust to the new normal, make sure you create awareness about the importance of following safety advice and enforce the importance of frequently washing and sanitizing hands.  Talk to your child and inform them about the threats of contracting coronavirus and the necessary measures for prevention.

While there are different restrictions in different places, if your child is allowed to go to public spaces, make sure they know that they should ideally wear a mask, keep a distance, sanitize hands, and avoid touching their face. One of the best ways to teach your child is by being a role model that they can follow. Practice what you preach!

2. Create a healthy routine:

Most schools around the world have re-opened now but many still operate unconventionally: some open on alternative days, and others run in two shifts- morning and evening. In both ways, there is the possibility that your child may not have the normal routine they had before the pandemic. Therefore, whether your child has to go to school or not, make sure you follow the same healthy routine regularly. Make sure your child eats meals on time, attends classes (online or offline), does some exercise. Keep in mind that children thrive with routine, so make sure you develop and maintain a healthy routine.

3. Listen to them:

The pandemic has brought major disruptions to daily life. Children are among the most susceptible to be affected by these disruptions. Many children who have been under lockdown have been anxious and frightened to return to school. Therefore, it is a matter of high importance for parents to talk to their children, listen to them patiently, and understand what is going on in their heads. If your child is worried about getting sick, reflect on how you think about the issue, and help them understand.

4. Monitor their mental health:

This transition is immense, especially for children. Habits gained around staying indoors during the lockdown will be difficult to retract. Children who are going to face the world again may be challenged in many ways, especially mentally. Therefore its essential for parents to check on their mental health.

The pandemic was traumatic for all of us, leading to many serious anxiety and depression problems across the population. The uncertainty regarding the situation is even more terrifying as its long-term impacts are still unknown. Studies of past pandemics indicate that symptoms related to mental health lasted for many years after being isolated for a long time.  Pay serious attention to the symptoms of anxiety and stress in your child.

5. Give more attention:

Spend more time with your child and focus on positive things rather than the negative. Try to make time together as fun as possible by doing activities like playing a game, singing, dancing or watching a movie. Make sure you keep an eye on them while they do their homework, and are there in case they need some urgent assistance. If they need some targeted academic help, or specific assistance with a problem or an essay, then consider finding them a tutor. Athena Tuition can help!

The Bottom Line:

The pandemic has been difficult for all of us to deal with, but it is the prime duty of the parents to help their children adapt to the new normal.’

Guest post from Nellie Hughes

Apologies for the hiatus; it has been a busy period!

This week, our post is regarding Medicine / Biomedical Sciences texts.

I hope this can be useful for budding medics and scientists, alike.

1. Preparing for the BMAT: The official guide to the Biomedical Admissions

The BMAT is the admissions test for anyone hoping to study Medicine or Biomedical Sciences at Oxford, and the score you get has a big impact on if you’ll be invited for interview. The best way to prepare for it is to practice, especially because the timings of the three sections within the BMAT are really tight. This was the book I used to revise, but there are loads out there.

Recommended by Sophie, who studied Cell and Systems Biology at Oxford.

2. Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

Reading a popular science book and namedropping it in your personal statement is quite common for applicants. Whilst I don’t think doing this is as valuable as lab experience, it’s still a good way to show a genuine interest in your subject. There are some books that come up often (The Selfish Gene for example), so I’d try to go for something a bit more unique to you. Musicophilia is genuinely one of my favourite books, relates to the topic within biomed I was most interested in (neuroscience), and is written by an alumnus of the Oxford college I ended up getting into.

Recommended by Sophie, who studied Cell and Systems Biology at Oxford.

3. New Scientist

It sounds simple, but critically reading a science magazine helped me to practice evaluating theories and methods. In my personal statement I honed in on one article that piqued my interest, so I read around that topic and developed thorough ideas on it. In general, reading up on current research and thinking about your opinions and criticisms of it is useful practice for scenarios you may be presented with in interviews. If you can’t afford membership to a magazine like New Scientist, try checking your local library.

Recommended by Sophie, who studied Cell and Systems Biology at Oxford.

4. Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery by Henry Marsh

Do no harm was one of the first books I read that really ignited my love for medicine. This book is a surgeon’s perspective on how critical decisions are made whilst under immense pressure. It presents a realistic view of life in the healthcare system examining both the good, bad, and infuriating moments. I would recommend this as essential reading for any prospective medical student.

Recommended by Arya, who studies Medicine at King’s College London and Senthooran, who studies postgraduate Medicine at Cambridge.

5. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

‘When Breath becomes air’ was published posthumously and chronicles a young doctor’s cancer diagnosis and treatment. It is one of the most moving books I’ve ever read and for prospective medical students it will provide an invaluable insight into the trials and tribulations that many patients will go through

Recommended by Arya, who studies Medicine at King’s College London.

6. A Brief History of Medicine by Paul Strathern

It is important to understand how far medicine has come in the past two millennia and to do so one needs to understand its history. ‘A Brief History of Medicine’ looks back on many medical advances that have provided the foundation on which current practice is based, in its appropriate historical context. I recommend this to all students as understanding the history of medicine can help you better articulate why you want to be a doctor

Recommended by Arya, who studies Medicine at King’s College London.

7. Get into Medical School – 1250 UKCAT Practice Questions

UCAT forms part of the admission process for the majority of medical schools in the UK. Therefore, it is important that students are well-versed in all sections of the UCAT, understanding technique whilst practising a lot also. This book has a plethora of questions, to be used alongside online UCAT question banks such Medify UCAT or UCAT Ninja, to help students prepare.

Recommended by Senthooran, who studies postgraduate Medicine at Cambridge.

8. Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

Outlining to students the human side of medicine, this book helps readers better appreciate the true priorities that underlie medicine. Despite all the science involved in medicine, one’s appreciation for the natural progression and reality of human life is very important, in order to have a realistic understanding of what it means to be a doctor.

Recommended by Senthooran, who studies postgraduate Medicine at Cambridge.

Round 3. Welcome!

We are Biology. We rely on Biology. Here are a range of resources for those considering studying this world-changing subject at university.

We hope you find the resource useful. We will be uploading a new blog covering a different subject each week.

1. The Greatest Show on Earth – Richard Dawkins

Great coverage of the range of arguments / pieces of evidence that support evolution by natural selection. This book gives someone a solid grounding / understanding of the crux of evolution, and can be a good springboard from which to explore further, if interested.

Recommended by Toby, who studied Biological Natural Sciences at Cambridge

2. The Epigenetics Revolution or Hacking The Code Of Life – Nessa Carey

Epigenetics is an important area of Biology as it reveals layers of complexity between the genetic code and the proteins that genes can code for. This allows for greater variation in potential protein structure from a given genome, and more avenues for regulation of expression. Since I left school, Epigenetics has started being included on A-Level syllabuses. A huge area of interest in both the biological, healthcare and investment worlds is gene editing, and the potential benefits (and challenges) it can bring. With this in mind, Nessa Carey’s more recent book: Hacking the Code of Life, seems very relevant, although I have not read it yet.

Recommended by Toby, who studied Biological Natural Sciences at Cambridge

3. Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation: Cell Hanahan and Weinberg

A thorough overview on Cancer Biology. This is an updated version of the original ‘Hallmarks of Cancer’ paper that was published in 2000. The original is a very well-known and well-cited paper, but it makes sense to read the more up-to-date one, as the frontier of science has advanced since 2000.

Recommended by Toby, who studied Biological Natural Sciences at Cambridge

4. Read up on Short-Read Sequencing (eg Illumina), Long-Read Sequencing (eg Pacific Biosciences of California) and Ultra-Long-Read Sequencing (Oxford Nanopore Technologies).

The future of biological research is likely to be heavily reliant on genome sequencing, so an understanding of the main approaches, their pros and cons will be beneficial. Short-Read is dominant now, but will it remain so…?

Recommended by Toby, who studied Biological Natural Sciences at Cambridge

5. Denis Noble, The Music of Life

In this highly accessible and readable, yet profound, book, Noble argues that contemporary biology is, rightly, moving away from a gene-centric understanding of life, and towards a more holistic picture. Living organisms are not puppets of their genetics. In fact, life emerges from a complex reciprocal interplay of DNA, cells, organism physiology and the environment. This new vision of life demands a different approach to biology, one that seeks to integrate the molecular (DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites), cellular and physiological worlds that make up the organism and respond to its environment. This sets the scene for the growing interdisciplinary field of Systems Biology, a subject transforming contemporary biological/biomedical research and bringing together biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists and engineers to build this more holistic picture, where life and its processes emerge from the orchestral interplay of its multidimensional components.

Recommended by Alex, who studied Natural Sciences and Systems Biology at Cambridge

6. Schrödinger, What is Life?

One of the most important physicists of the 20th century muses turns his attention to biology, namely to the question of how we understand life as a physical phenomenon. This highly read, and critiqued, short book influenced many of the minds involved in the development of molecular biology, which has engulfed biological research ever since. Though Schrödinger’s ideas don’t all prove true (notably, he suggested that genetic information is stored in proteins), there is a remarkable depth to his arguments, which will broaden the mind of any reader interested in the intersection of biology and physics.

Recommended by Alex, who studied Natural Sciences and Systems Biology at Cambridge

7. New Scientist and National Geographic 

For up to date new technology in the Science world and discussion points for interview.

Recommended by Josephine, who studied Biology at Imperial and Oxford

8. Carroll, S. (2005), Endless Forms Most Beautiful

An excellent introduction to the diversity of life and its genetic basis, from an eloquent writer on the subject.

Recommended by Josephine, who studied Biology at Imperial and Oxford

9. Leroi, A. (2003), Mutants 

An excellent introduction to genetics and the formation of the phenotype, illustrated with the extraordinary range of human mutations: it links together genes, cells and organismal form.

Recommended by Josephine, who studied Biology at Imperial and Oxford

10. Darwin C. (1859), On the Origin of Species

Needs no introduction! This is a long, dense read but of course a foundational text in the life sciences.

Recommended by Josephine, who studied Biology at Imperial and Oxford

11. Holland, P. (2011), The Animal Kingdom: A very short introduction 

This one is relatively close to the diversity of life strand of the first year course, or at least the zoological part of it, and provides an insightful yet accessible introduction to the diversity of animal life.

Recommended by Josephine, who studied Biology at Imperial and Oxford

Hello again, students!

As promised, here is instalment 2 of our book recommendation series!

We hope you find the resource useful. We will be uploading a new blog covering a different subject each week.

For more undergraduate application advice and / or to enquire about tuition, please call us on 0208 133 6284 and we’ll be happy to help.

1. ‘Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air’ by David JC MacKay 
   This is perhaps a little out of date now, but provides an amazing view of how the world could completely transform its energy system. Aside from an interesting overview of various sources of green energy, this book is most useful for giving a guide to estimation. It has fully explained calculations of how to scale technologies up to a global scale, and gives budding engineers a masterclass on how to estimate quantities.

Recommended by Charlie (Studied Chemical Engineering via Engineering at University of Cambridge)

2. ‘The New Science of Strong Materials – or Why You Don’t Fall Through the Floor’ by JE Gordon 
   Materials don’t get as much attention in school as they should, so this book introduces the important properties of most common materials, and how engineers use these properties to make their designs more efficient and useful. The full range of atomic scale to the structure of cathedrals is explored, to show how microscopic changes in structure affect macroscopic material behaviour.

Recommended by Charlie (Studied Chemical Engineering via Engineering at University of Cambridge)

3. ‘Professor Povey’s Perplexing Problems’ by Thomas Povey 
   A great collection of maths and physics problems of the type that might come up in an Oxbridge interview, with detailed worked solutions. Not a book I’drecommend for cover-to-cover reading, but dipping into it for interesting problems, especially during the build-up to interview season is really helpful, as it can help you see how a problem can be developed in more and more detail and how your prior knowledge of maths and physics can be applied to more challenging situations. Working steadily through these questions in the six months or so preceding interview is the intellectual equivalent of training for a marathon! 

Recommended by Charlie (Studied Chemical Engineering via Engineering at University of Cambridge) and by Luke (Studied Engineering at University of Cambridge)

4. ‘How do wings work?’ by Holger Babinsky 

Excellent introduction to aerospace engineering by debunking the common misconceived explanation for generation of the lift force. Mock interview style question included, and wonderful fodder more generally for the personal statement.

 Recommended by Luke (Studied Engineering at University of Cambridge)

5. ‘To Engineer is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design’ by Henry Petroski 

Thought provoking explanation of the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse, and a cautionary tale to remind students of the ethical responsibilities of professional engineers. 

Recommended by Luke (Studied Engineering at University of Cambridge)

The great British summer is finally here, and while everybody should enjoy the sunshine while it lasts, this is also an excellent opportunity to add to your CV and increase your future employment prospects.

You may not be looking for a job until next summer or beyond, but time flies, and starting to prepare early can help ensure that you stand out from the crowd. Between beaches and barbeques, give serious consideration to these five activities while you enjoy a summer break.

Virtual Internships

It’s a staggering fact that almost three-quarters of graduates joining the top investment banks have been recruited via internships. Moreover, at least half those offered graduate jobs at leading law firms, finance companies, and oil and energy businesses had completing relevant work experience.

Businesses willing to offer in-person internships or work experience are rather thin on the ground at the moment. We live in the digital age, though, and internships – like so many other aspects of 21^st Century life – are now virtual.

These virtual internships tend to be short and sharp, yet offer great insight into the activities which a full-time role constitutes and will make your CV more appealing.

Networking

LinkedIn research found that 80 percent of professionals consider networking to be important to career success!

Taking the opportunity to pick the brains of industry professionals will help you understand the current state of play in your chosen vocation.

Ask around your personal networks or use social media or professional networking sites like LinkedIn, to seeking out contacts who may be able to spare the time for a chat. Ask them about their careers – how they found their dream job, what made them successful, and how they have negotiated any obstacles in their path.

Volunteering

Do not fall into the trap of assuming that only industry-specific experience will impress an employer. Recruiters will always look favourably on an applicant that gives up their time to aid a charitable endeavour, and most non-profits are crying out for help right now.

Volunteer work is rewarding, offers the opportunity to make a real difference, and it will teach a range of transferrable skills that you can carry over to the workplace. For example, teamwork, time management, and communication are all honed by taking on a voluntary position.

Learn a New Skill

A CV can never boast too many additional skills. Use free online resources like Future Learn or edX to attend a huge variety of courses. Studying online can be done in your own time and will grant you skills that may come in helpful – both personally and professionally. Many of these platforms also provide digital, verifiable micro-credentials, so you have proof of the skills you’ve gained. Independent study will also show a potential employer that you take self-improvement seriously and seize any initiative.

Start a Blog

Did you know that Groupon and Huff Post started life as blogs?

Blogging is a significant element of any digital footprint. Many businesses use blogs for content marketing, so showing a flair for the written word boosts your chances of finding work. What’s more, blogging about a subject that interests you encourages research, which furthers knowledge.

A blog can also be a way to find new routes into a chosen industry. Gain enough traction, and professionals may approach you. Even if this is not the case, pointing people toward a blog is a great hook and conversation starter when you do make contact. Any employer will be impressed by independent thought and new ideas.

For more information, get in touch with us today on 0208 133 6284 to discuss how we can help.

Students!

This is the first entry in a series of undergraduate reading recommendations.

We asked our top tutors to recommend books and articles they either found useful when preparing for university admissions, or they realise would have been useful to explore, with hindsight.

These books aren’t just appropriate for Oxbridge applicants, but can be explored by anyone looking to get a feel for the subject at undergraduate level.

We hope you find the resource useful. We will be uploading a new blog covering a different subject each week.

For more undergraduate application advice and / or to enquire about tuition, please call us on 0208 133 6284 and we’ll be happy to help.

1. ‘What is History’ by E H Carr

This is a seminal book by a renowned historian. He asked some of the key questions about the subject that are often overlooked. Required reading for any applicant.

Recommended by George (Studied History at University of Oxford)

2. ‘The Idea of a University’ by J H Newman.

Cardinal Newman wrote this in the 1860s as the debate over universities raged. His redaction is erudite and thought provoking. His take on what a university should be will strike you as strange.

Recommended by George (Studied History at University of Oxford)

3. ‘War and Peace’ by Leo Tolstoy.

Great Man Theory; do individuals make history or do forces? That is a crucial historiographical battle to this day. Most people would say the true answer is both. However, you need to engage with Count Tolstoy’s unique perspective.

Recommended by George (Studied History at University of Oxford)

4. ‘The Tyranny of a Construct: Feudalism and Historians of Medieval Europe’ by Elizabeth AR Brown

The American Historical Review Vol. 79, No. 4 (Oct., 1974), pp. 1063-1088 (26 pages).

Medieval History

Introduction to an interesting debate around whether ‘feudalism’ actually existed in medieval Europe. Part of the problem with the word “feudalism” is that historians don’t have a single definition for what it means. Some even changed their definitions of feudalism over their historical careers (e.g. Georges Duby, and Joseph Strayer)! Lots more to read after this – e.g. work by Susan Reynolds.

Recommended by Sam (Studied History at Cambridge)

5. ‘Telling Feminist Stories’ by Claire Hemmings

Modern British sociocultural history

A great introduction to feminist history and dominant narratives of ‘waves’ of feminism. If of interest, see also Nancy Hewitt, ‘No Permanent Waves: Recasting Histories of US Feminism’. Overall an interesting topic to talk about at interview.

Recommended by Sam (Studied History at Cambridge)

6. ‘Explaining the gender gap: the Conservative Party and the women’s vote’ by Ina Zweiniger-Bargielowska.

See also:

• ‘The Labour Party, women, and the problem of gender, 1951-66’, by Amy Black and Stephen Brooke inJournal of British Studies 36 (1997);
• ‘Mrs Maggs and Betty: the Conservative appeal to women voters in the 1920s’ by David Jarvis, in Twentieth Century British History, Vol. 5.2 (1994).

Modern British political history

Why did women vote differently to men in the postwar period? A classic historical/historiographical debate that is easy to get to grips with, but has a surprising amount of depth to it.

Recommended by Sam (Studied History at Cambridge)

Athena’s new state-school Oxbridge mentoring programme got off to a flying start with 40% of participants gaining an offer to study at one of the prestigious institutions. This represents an increase of almost 100% compared to the national average offer rate for the universities (20.6%).

Athena offered up to 8 hours of one-to-one sessions to a group of state-educated students, free of charge. Each student was paired with a specialist Oxbridge mentor, who worked to prepare them for their December interviews; the final hurdle before potentially receiving a coveted offer. This involved expanding knowledge of topics mentioned in the personal statement, solidifying understanding of syllabus content, as well as getting students used to handling the more open-ended and stretching questions that can come up. For some students, the art of discussing their subject of interest needs to be developed, as someone may have a tendency to answer questions thoroughly on paper, but struggle to do the same when in discussion. Sessions were delivered online.

Amelia – Computer Science, Cambridge

Students fed back positively of their experiences. Amelia, an offer-holder for Computer Sciences at Cambridge, rated our scheme 9/10, saying that ‘[they] don’t really do computer science interview preparation at [her] school’. She explained that our tutor ‘helped [her] tackle problems in a method that was more organised and less scattered’ and further benefitted her to the extent that ‘when [she] actually did the interview, [she] found that the skills that [she] developed to keep chipping away at a problem gave [her] more confidence.’

Monique – Law, Cambridge

Monique, who gained an offer to read Law at Cambridge, also rated the scheme 9/10. She wrote: ‘I would say this scheme has helped me immensely to secure a better result in the Cambridge interview… I think it was great how James [our tutor] structured the sessions, so this meant that we were able to cover a lot of areas, quite thoroughly, in a relatively short amount of time. [He] encouraged me to think and try and develop an answer for myself.’

Nelson, one of Athena’s directors, said ‘It was the first year we decided to run this Oxbridge Access Scheme. We have seen both universities* pursuing this end for some time and are delighted with the success our program generated. We will be looking to expand this endeavour in future years, and we wish all participants the best of luck as they go on to start at their new universities.’

*Cambridge Access , Oxford Access