Category: University Admissions

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Cambridge University: Murray Edwards College

Founded at a time when there were roughly 11 male students for every female student at the university, Murray Edwards remains one of two female-only colleges at Cambridge (the other: Newnham).

History

Founded as New Hall in 1954, the college has benefited from the philanthropy of various institutions since its conception. In 1962, members of the Darwin family donated their home, ‘The Orchard’, and, in 2005, alumna Rosalind Edwards and her husband Steve Edwards donated £30 million, securing the college’s future and changing its name to honour the first president, Dame Rosemary Murray, and their benefaction. The college’s buildings (architected by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, known primarily for their design of the Barbican in London) combine classicism with modernism, but have been met with mixed reactions: an anti-modern art group once graffitied footsteps walking over the dome of the college.

Inside Perspective

The jewel in Murray Edwards’ crown is the ‘Women’s Art Collection’. Comprising over 600 works by around 300 artists, it is the largest collection of female artists in Europe. However, unlike a ‘conventional gallery’ these artworks are hung all around the college, providing its students with the opportunity to study and socialise beneath them. The college’s active JCR (Junior Common Room: common room for undergraduate students) is also involved with the collection, as well as running quintessential Oxbridge social events. A treasured tale of Oxbridge history, students once invited one thousand people to a party at the college, which filled the entirety of Fountain Court. Featuring an illuminated fountain and waterways, and flower displays in summer, this is a central spot for studying as well as rest and recuperation. The college’s dining area, colloquially called ‘the dome’, is also home to a rising servery, upon which DJs sometimes play during special events.

Notable Alumni

Murray Edwards’ most notable alumni is the astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell: whilst a PhD student at the college, and a researcher as part of the university’s radio astronomy group, she discovered the first four pulsars. Other alumni include Claudia Winkleman (TV presenter) and Joanna MacGregor (concert pianist). Honorary fellows include the artists Eileen Cooper and Maggi Hambling, and the composer Thea Musgrave.

Rankings

In 2022, Murray Edwards came 27th in the Tompkins Table, out of a total 29 colleges, with a score of 63.9 and 20.8% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Murray Edwards at the University of Cambridge.

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Cambridge University: Magdalene College

Perfect for those favouring the ‘traditional’ Oxbridge experience, Magdalene was deliberately built in opposition to the town centre, therefore secluding its then students from the commotion and temptations of town.

History

Founded in 1428, Magdalene College has an august history of alumni, buildings, and traditions. As with many Oxbridge colleges, there have been numerous twists and turns in its architectural and managerial developments over the years. However, its motto, garde ta foy (Old French for “keep your faith”), coined by Thomas Audley (Lord Chancellor under Henry VIII), remains firm and is fondly used by students today. These students number roughly 400 at undergraduate level and 200 at graduate level, making the college one of the smaller at the university. Magdalene’s buildings account for its undeniable charm, and central to this is the Pepys Library, containing original manuscripts of the namesake’s diaries as well as thousands of books suiting the diverse academic needs of the college’s members.

Inside Perspective

Magdalene’s hall is unique in that it is the only Oxbridge college to rely solely on candlelight. Highly effective, especially in winter, this reminds its diners of an earlier time. The college, in its modern-day figuration, both cuts across major roads in Cambridge (Chesterton Road and Magdalene Street) and extends along the river. This stunning juxtaposition benefits the pragmatic needs of its illustrious boat club as well as the aesthetic needs of all its dwellers. The pronunciation of the college’s name is a source of confusion for many, with “Mawdlin” being correct. It’s sister college in Oxford contributes to further confusion, being spelt without the final ‘e’ (i.e. Magdalen College) but still being pronounced the same.

Notable Alumni

Notable alumni include Bamber Gascoigne (TV presenter, known for University Challenge), Clemency Burton-Hill (broadcaster), John McPhee (writer), John Simpson (journalist), Julian Fellowes (screenwriter), Katie Derham (TV newsreader), Sir Michael Redgrave (actor), Monty Don (television presenter and writer), and Samuel Pepys (diarist and politician). Between 2012 and 2020, Magdalene’s Master was Rowan Williams (former Archbishop of Canterbury), and it’s previous fellows include C. S. Lewis (author and theologian).

Rankings

In 2022, Magdalene came 18th in the Tomkins Table with a score of 67.49 and 28.5% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Magdalene College at the University of Cambridge.

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Cambridge University: Wolfson College

Situated in south-west Cambridge, Wolfson College is a less traditional college, catering for mostly postgraduate students but also ‘mature’ undergraduate students, identifying itself as being particularly cosmopolitan and friendly.

History

Originally founded as ‘University College’ in 1965, the impetus for the college’s inception was the rising tide of graduate students pursuing research at Cambridge in the wake of World War Two. In 1973 the college was renamed as ‘Wolfson College’, recognising the monetary contributions of The Wolfson Foundation, a large UK charity that finances excellence in the arts, humanities, and sciences. The college adopted ‘Ring True’ as its motto. As of 2015, fifty years after its inception, the college was host to approximately 650 full-time students, 200 part-time students, 123 Fellows, 79 Emeritus Fellows, 22 Visiting Fellows, 33 Honorary Fellows, 1 Bredon Fellow, 83 Research Associates, and 300 Senior Members.

Inside Perspective

The college admits mostly postgraduate students but also ‘mature’ undergraduates (aged 21 and above) with around 15% of its students studying for undergraduate degrees. Its location in the southwest of Cambridge makes it perfect for those students keen to escape the city (leafy suburbs and the charms of Grantchester are only a short sojourn away) but also for bookworms who will benefit from being close to the University Library. In keeping with its less traditional identity, the college hosts formal dinners but the wearing of gowns is simply encouraged (rather than being compulsory) and the absence of a ‘high table’ means that fellows and students sit together, sharing in scrumptious food and scholarly conversation. Students from across Cambridge migrate to Wolfson for their popular live comedy night, nicknamed the ‘Wolfson Howler’. Performers for these events include fledgling student comics alongside internationally-recognised names; in recent years the Wolfson Howler has been graced by Dane Baptiste, Ed Gamble, Fern Brady, Phil Wang, and many others. The college is well suited to students longing for more than just libraries and bedrooms, boasting a large performance venue (which houses multiple concert series), a conference centre, and extensive gardens situated across ten acres. The college has one foot in the past and one in the present, and this manifests in its architecture: for example, the thin slices of granite that comprise the main building’s entrance hall were originally used for London Bridge.

Notable Alumni

Notable alumni of recent years include Carrie Lam (Former Chief Executive of Hong Kong), Eric Monkman (University Challenge team captain and competition finalist), and a plethora of internationally-recognised politicians.

Rankings

In 2022, Wolfson came 21st in the Tomkins Table with a score of 66.4 and 27.6% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge.

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Cambridge University: Christ’s College

Christ’s College is just a stone’s throw from Cambridge Bus Station, and yet there is a sense of magical quiet when you enter. Gorgeous gardens hidden behind Restoration-period architecture speak of the scholarly depths of this esteemed college.

History

Founded in 1437 as ‘God’s House’, the college has been described as ‘the first secondary-school training college on record’. In 1875, Christ’s College Rugby Football Club was founded by the father of modern anthropology, Alfred Cort Haddon. Today, the college houses the Master, Fellows from a myriad of disciplines, and approximately 450 undergraduate and 250 graduate students.

Academic Prowess

The Tompkins Table (created in 1981) is an annual ranking reflecting the average undergraduate grades of students across all colleges. On aggregate, Christ’s came first during the first twenty years of the table’s existence. Statistics aside, Christ’s has a reputation for the very highest academic standards.

Inside Perspective

Unlike many other Cambridge colleges, Christ’s buttery is separate from its hall, and this serves to heighten the sense of occasion when its students join together for formal dinners. After the annual Scholars’ Dinner, students hold hands while dancing around the Mulberry Tree at night. Only 5 Cambridge colleges can boast of a swimming pool, and Christ’s College is one of them. Known as the ‘Malcolm Bowie Bathing Pool’, and dating from the mid-17th century, this is considered to be the oldest outdoor swimming pool in the UK. The other four colleges with swimming pools are Clare Hall, Corpus Christi, Emmanuel, and Girton. The Marguerites Club, one the oldest surviving College societies, was originally only open to sports captains, but is now known as a drinking society that recognises sporting excellence more broadly. Christ’s College Association Football Club has won the inter-collegiate competition more than any other college.

Notable Alumni

Through history Christ College’s former students have risen to the top of many fields, but particularly famous alumni include John Milton (poet and civil servant), William Paley (clergyman), Charles Darwin (biologist, geologist, and naturalist), J Robert Oppenheimer (theoretical physicist), Simon Schama (historian and TV presenter), Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury), and Sacha Baron Cohen (actor and comedian).

Rankings

In 2022, Christ’s came 1st with a score of 76.4 and 46.1% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Christ’s College at the University of Cambridge.

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Embracing Openness to Further your Growth

This is a personal account of the importance of being open to new ideas at university and beyond.

What Does it Mean to be ‘Open’?

According to the Big 5 Personality Traits – the leading psychological theory of personality, also known as the OCEAN Model – ‘Openness’ can be defined as the trait of seeking out new experiences and being receptive to different views and people. The other four aspects of personality are ‘Conscientiousness’ (being organised, reliable, self-disciplined), ‘Extraversion’ (confident and enthusiastic engagement with others), ‘Agreeableness’ (the extent to which you prioritise ‘social harmony’ over individual needs), and ‘Neuroticism’ (sensitivity to negative emotion).

 

As with the other four personality traits, ‘Openness’ can be broken down into constituent dimensions. Roughly speaking, these include being attentive to inner feelings, imaginative, sensitive to aesthetics, intellectually curious, challenging authority, and pursuing variety.

 

The beauty of the Big 5 Model is that scoring 0, or 100, or anything close to these ends of the spectrum, is not ideal. For example, a person with no imagination is, rather obviously, unlikely to ever move forward in life, but on the other hand, a person who lives out fantasies in their head the entire time is unlikely to ever get anything done! There is no ‘perfect score’. Rather, every person has a unique matrix of personality traits.

Are You Really That Open?

A statistical analysis based on a sample of c.30,000 people revealed that the average score for Openness is 73. Many people who believe themselves to be open are in fact only open according to a limited definition of the term.

 

Arriving at university, I was eager to meet new people and revel in the arts and humanities. However, there were immediate limits to the misguided conception of my own openness, stemming from the fact that I had already crystallised in my mind the exact nature of the career that I wanted to pursue. Accordingly, I needed to understand exactly how each piece of material that I was being taught was going to manifest itself in my career.

 

This is Problem #1. Whilst it is hugely beneficial, perhaps even necessary, to have an idea of the career that you would like to pursue, and in some sense are already pursuing, you must resist this idea turning into a concrete finish line. The career, profession, world that you will enter in three or so years’ time will not be the same as it is now.

Transferrable Skills

When I was tasked, during the first term of my first year at university, with researching the role of goblins in Korean folklore, I could not comprehend how this material would ever feature in my future career and research. On the one hand I was right, in that I have never used and almost completely forgotten all of the information which was taught in this module. However, the skills that I honed during these weeks (dealing with texts in foreign languages, using images as primary sources, researching previously unstudied topics at the vanguard of human knowledge, using cutting-edge software to notate my findings, etc.) have stayed with me ever since. Sometimes ‘transferrable skills’ are taught as modules in their own right, but most of the time when we are honing such abilities we don’t even realise it. To ‘get to the top’ in almost any profession requires you to think well, write well, and speak well. If you find yourself improving in any of these three areas while completing a task, you can be sure that you are in the process of becoming a more capable and dynamic individual.

Everything is Connected

Everything is connected, you just might not know it yet.

 

Over the course of my undergraduate degree, I came to better understand the influence that new ideas and seemingly irrelevant ideas were having on my academic and personal formation. However, I was, what I now understand to be, left-hemisphere dependent. By this I mean that I was inclined to view things in isolation, draw perceptual boundaries around the material gleaned from different areas of my life, and fail to recognise that everything is connected.

 

This is Problem #2. Do not be blind to the infinite undercurrents and invisible connections between the problem you are working on and the wider world.

 

Many, if not most, universities require students to complete a dissertation as part of their undergraduate degree. This can be anywhere in the region of 5,000 to 20,000+ words and is often completed during the final year of study. My dissertation concerned a seminal Cuban figure of whose works I thought myself relatively familiar. I studied his output, studied what others had said about him, and responded with personal insight. For the record, these were all valuable points of departure.

 

However, the feedback that I received noted that the dissertation draft was somewhat superficial and lacking depth. So, for my second draft I went away, added further facts and figures, and expanded on some of the shorter paragraphs and sections.

 

However, again, the feedback that I received commented on the surface-level nature of my work. I was recommended to go away and ‘research areas such as aesthetics and postmodernism’. Dutifully, being relatively high in conscientiousness, I went to the library and borrowed books on these two topics. I drafted two new dissertation abstracts, one concerning the role of aesthetics in the work of my chosen figure, and the other concerning postmodernism in the works of my chosen figure. The only (large!) problem was that I knew very little on either of these areas. Confusion ensued, and I was back to the drawing board.

 

It was only during my master’s degree that I fully realised what my undergraduate supervisor was actually encouraging me to do. He was not asking me to change the focus of my research and write a philosophy dissertation, but he was encouraging me to stop viewing my figure in isolation. We are all shaped by the cultural, linguistic, philosophical, and psychological currents of our time and the developments throughout time that has led to them. Previous modules, such as my first-year module on the long nineteenth century, and my second-year module on new directions in twentieth-century thought, did not exist in isolation. Rather, they served to equip me with a holistic and informed understanding of why the world exists as it does today. Everything is connected.

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step

For many students about to start at university, making friends is the most daunting task. For others, it is the fear of receiving poor grades, not being sure what to do after their agree, or even learning how to cook! For me, I was most unsettled when confronted with an intellectual field with which I had no prior familiarity, such as with aesthetics, such as with postmodernism, and such as with the Korean goblins. In these instances, remember the Chinese proverb ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. An undergraduate degree is not a PhD. At this stage in life you are not expected to be a world expert. Rather, you are learning how to deal with difficult concepts and integrate them across various domains of academia and life. The three or four years that is customary to complete an undergraduate degree provide you with the time to explore the nooks and crannies of your discipline, but also its connections to others. Learn to relish being lost and outside of your comfort zone. Whenever you are confronted with an entirely new topic, set of ideas, or seemingly infinite mountain to climb, remember that everything is connected – attack each and every side of your degree with openness, and the map of your life will emerge.

Contact Think Tutors

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors’ elite tutors or mentors can equip you with the tools to make the most out of your time at university. Our tutors have first-hand experience of the leading educational institutions in the UK and around the world. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter and thrive at university.

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Cambridge University: Sidney Sussex College

A wisteria-adorned stone wall is famous for separating this charming and intimate college from the hustle and bustle of Cambridge’s thriving city centre.

History

Founded on Valentine’s Day 1596, Sidney Sussex College is known as the newest of the old colleges. In chronological order of their founding between 1284 and 1596, these ‘old colleges’ include Peterhouse, Clare, Pembroke, Gonville and Caius, Trinity Hall, Corpus Christi, Magdalene, Christ’s, King’s, Queen’s, St Catherine’s, Jesus, St John’s, Trinity, Emmanuel, and Sidney Sussex. Since 1768, there has been a flourishing of colleges including Homerton, Downing, Girton, Fitzwilliam, Newnham, Selwyn, Hughes Hall, St Edmund’s, Murray Edward’s, Churchill, Darwin, Wolfson, Lucy Cavendish, Clare Hall, and Robinson.

Undergraduate Study

At Sidney you can study the full range of undergraduate degrees available at the University of Cambridge. These include ASNC (Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic), Archaeology, Architecture, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Classics, Computer Science, Design, Economics, Engineering, English, Geography, History, History and Modern Languages, History and Politics, History of Art, HSPS (Human, Social, and Political Sciences), Land Economy, Law, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medicine, MML (Modern and Medieval Languages), Music, Natural Sciences, Philosophy, PBS (Psychological and Behavioural Sciences), Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion, and Veterinary Medicines. That being said, certain subjects at Sidney tend to be more oversubscribed than others, and Think Tutors have the inside track on how to increase your chances of acceptance at this prestigious college.

Musical Prowess

The college is renowned for its choir (The Choir of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge) who sing for a number of Choral Evensongs and Latin Choral Vespers throughout the week. Generous choral scholarships serve to celebrate the musical talent of students, who also have frequent opportunities to make professional recordings and tour internationally.

Notable Alumni

Through history Sidney Sussex’s former students have risen to the top of many fields, but particularly famous alumni include Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector), David Owen (Foreign Secretary), Sir David Lidington (Minister of State), Stuart Corbridge (Vice-Chancellor of Durham University), and Carol Vorderman (media personality).

Inside Perspective

Colloquially known as ‘Sidney Sainsburys’, Sidney is loved for its location in the middle of town, just a couple of metres from Sainsburys! However, the food at Sidney Sussex College is regularly voted by students as the best of any college, and bi-weekly ‘formal dinners’ provide an excellent three courses in august surroundings for about £10. There are a large number of student societies, specifically at Sidney, that cover most academic, musical, sport, and other interests. The Sidney Sussex College Boat Club has performed exceptionally well in recent years, winning the Marconi Cup in 2020. The college’s history society, known as ‘Confrat’ for short but ‘Confraternitas Historica Dominae Franciscae Comitis Sussexiae’ in full, is reputed to be the longest-running student history society in Europe.

Rankings

The Tompkins Table is an annual ranking reflecting the average undergraduate grades of students across all colleges. In 2020, Sidney Sussex came 16th with 27.62% of its students achieving a First. In 1st place, 46.1% of Christ’s students achieved a First, and in last place, 29th, 16.91% of Lucy Cavendish students achieved a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Sidney Sussex College at the University of Cambridge.

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Conservatoire Admissions

If performance is your passion – whether that be music, drama, or arts production – then could a conservatoire be the best place for you?

What Is A Conservatoire?

The word ‘conservatoire’, coming from the French, refers to a ‘music school’ or institution of higher learning which primarily prepares its students for lives as performers. All courses at conservatoires have a strong performance or vocational orientation, meaning that they serve to equip students with the skills to thrive in the performing arts industries.

How Does A Conservatoire Differ From A University?

While studying subjects such as music or drama at university may also lead to careers in the creative arts, conservatoires focus on the practical elements of performance while university courses tend to focus on academic skills. For example, if you are an avid instrumentalist – whether that be a virtuoso violinist, budding opera singer, or otherwise – who is set on pursuing a career as a soloist or orchestral musician, then the practical training you will receive at a conservatoire is second to none. However, if you view yourself as more of an ‘all-rounder musician’ – for example, someone who is interested in composing, performing, and writing about music in equal measure, or someone who is very open to the idea of working in a non-performance field after their degree – then studying music at a university might be the best thing to do. There is no right or wrong answer. Many world-leading soloists studied at university and many students who studied at conservatoires go on to have eclectic non-musical careers. However, the institution and course that you choose will still play a large part in shaping the course of your life. It is therefore worth thinking about very carefully!

How Many Conservatoires Are There?

There are 9 conservatoires in England and Wales:

 

  • LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art)
  • Leeds Conservatoire
  • Royal Academy of Music
  • Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
  • Royal College of Music
  • Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
  • Royal Northern College of Music
  • Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
  • Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

 

Naturally, conservatoires are not a uniquely British phenomenon. There are a huge number of world-leading conservatoires around the globe, some of which you may have already heard of, such as the Julliard School in New York, the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, and the Paris Conservatoire in France.

What Might An Average Week At A Conservatoire Look Like?

This varies hugely according to specialism, course, institution, etc. However, as an instrumentalist studying for an undergraduate degree, you are likely to receive a 1-1 lesson with a world-leading professor, chamber music coaching, multiple performance opportunities, and academic sessions covering history, theory, and other topics.

 How Do I Apply?

‘UCAS Conservatoires’ (formerly known as CUKAS) is an online portal which streamlines the application process and works in a very similar way to the UCAS University admissions system. If you are unsure whether a conservatoire or a university is the best place to be, there is a beauty in that applicants can apply via UCAS and UCAS Conservatoires simultaneously, receive their respective offers, and then make an even more informed decision further down the line. Most conservatoires, especially for performance-centred courses, will require shortlisted applicants to attend an in-person audition, where the talents and potential of prospective students are measured by a panel of faculty members.

How Can Think Tutors Help?

Applying to a conservatoire entails a minefield of decision making. How do I choose between conservatoires and universities? Do I apply to both? Are my performance skills at the required level? Which conservatoire do I pick? Do I need a consultation lesson? Which professor should I approach? What about grades..?

 

Fortunately, Think Tutors are ideally placed to guide you through this stage of your life. Whatever your dramatic or musical discipline, our elite tutors and mentors, with their first-hand experiences and inside knowledge, are ready to help you make the right decisions. From instrumental teaching to life coaching and career advice, contact Think Tutors today to find the answers that you need.

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Studying Music at Durham University

Located within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Music Department at the University of Durham provides historic, inspiring, and world-leading training for a life within and beyond music.

PATHWAYS

Studying Music at Durham (on the BA Mus course) is a stimulating and wide-ranging undertaking that leaves no stone unturned. As a student in your first year, there are 6 compulsory modules (Analysis, Composition, Ethnomusicology, History, Performance, and Techniques). These serve to equip you with the foundational tools for creating and understanding music across genres and throughout time, that can then be pursued further in the form of optional modules in years two and three.

ANALYSIS

Key concepts of Baroque and Classical styles underpin the first year and serve as a point of departure as your progress throughout your degree. The specific focus of second- and third-year modules can change from year to year, but in recent years have centred around the music of Beethoven and Stravinsky, the power of the symphony, and new directions in time and rhythm.

COMPOSITION

Composition is the domain which tends to take students by the most surprise when they arrive at Durham! The ‘new’ approaches of composers such as Messiaen and Shostakovich featured in A-Level and IB syllabi are blown apart upon hearing the indeterminism of Cage and Feldman, the spectralism of Grisey and Murail, and the New Complexity of Ferneyhough and Finnissy. Students are challenged to write for instruments that they are unaccustomed, as well as encouraged to push what it possible on the instrument(s) they call their own.

ETHNOMUSICOLOGY

From Australian didgeridoo to Balinese gamelan, Brazilian samba, Central African pygmy, Chinese guqin, Japanese shakuhachi, and Zimbabwean mbira, you can study them all at Durham. The ethnomusicology modules provide a rigorous approach to understanding the variety of musical practices and concepts encountered around the world, introducing you to diverse methods of describing, notating, and recording music that departs from what we might usually hear on a daily basis.

HISTORY

A broad introduction to Western music from the seventeenth to the twentieth century in first year is followed by optional and specific explorations, such as ‘Music and Politics in France’ and ‘Music in Italy 1850-1950’, as you progress through your degree. Many students use the history modules in first- and second-year to shape the dissertations that they will write in their final year. Accordingly, the breadth of musical options available at Durham is balanced by the opportunity to develop your specific interests over the course of the degree.

PERFORMANCE

While it is never compulsory for reticent students to have to perform in front of other students (and can ‘drop’ performance after their first year), eager performers are never short of performance opportunities at Durham – whether these are ‘in class’, for college/departmental recital series, or as part of the immense number of ensembles across the city. Over 30 music societies exist and cater for students interested in A Capella, choral singing, classical, jazz, pop, rock, stage, and world music. There is also financial support for performance tuition throughout the degree.

TECHNIQUES

The ‘bane’ of some students time at Durham(!) but also the secret love of many others, the ‘Musical Techniques’ modules offer rigorous training in Renaissance and Baroque counterpoint, four-part harmony, the composition of Classical forms, orchestration, etc. Unlike some other universities, these modules are mostly optional, and teaching is often provided in small groups and on a 1-to-1 basis, giving students relatively unrivalled opportunities to learn from world experts but at their own pace.

FACILITIES

Colleges aside (which all provide chapels, practice rooms, and performance spaces), the Music Department caters for the full spectrum of acoustic and electronic interests among its students, giving them the opportunity to use these at their leisure. Facilities include, but are not limited to, a Concert Room (two storeys of seating, 5:1 sound system, large Genelec loudspeakers, AV facilities, large projection screen), Lecture Room (high-quality stereo sound system, AV facilities), Music Technology Suite (Mac and Windows OS audio workstations, music technology software, resident technical support), Practice rooms (soundproofed, acoustically treated, Steinway grand pianos, digital pianos, drum kits, bass and guitar amps, PAs), Studios (music production equipment spanning from the early analogue era up to current technologies and computer-based software), Recording Studio (soundproofed, acoustically treated, state-of-the-art equipment), Audio-visual Documentation and Analysis Laboratory (for multi-camera and multi-track audio editing), and Music and Science Lab (portable physiology response kits, electroencephalography system, recording and playback equipment, audience response capture devices, acoustically controlled listening environment).

RANKINGS

In recent years, the Music Department at the University of Durham has been ranked as the best in the country and is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. In 2024, it placed 6th in the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide and 6th in the Complete University Guide.

CONTACT THINK TUTORS

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors’ elite tutors or mentors who has studied at Durham is an excellent way to gain an advantage in the application process for university. We enhance performance through careful preparation and confidence building, offering guidance on Durham colleges, crafting personal statements, submitting musical work, and more, leaving no stone unturned. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter the Music Department at the University of Durham.

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University of Oxford: University College

University College Grounds:

 

Overall, the grounds at University College, Oxford University, are known for their beauty and historical significance. The college’s architecture and landscaping create a picturesque environment that reflects the rich history and tradition of the university. The Front Quad, the main entrance that is adorned with flower beds, the Chapel, which beholds stunning stained glass windows, and the Fellows’ Garden, a secluded area that provides a tranquil respite from work and study.

 

Admissions Statistics:

 

According to available data from 2019–2021, 69% of University College’s intake was state-educated versus 31% from independent schools. Furthermore, 55% of those admitted were female versus 45% male. Between 2019 and 2021, the college received 881 state applications, admitting 198 (representing a 22% success rate), as well as 373 independent school applications, admitting 88 (representing a 24% success rate).

 

University College Notable Alumni:

 

University College boasts an illustrious roster of distinguished alumni. Its network spanning a multitude of fields and leaving an indelible mark on society. In Politics and Governance, the college counts among its ranks former prime ministers such as Clement Atlee and Harold Wilson. Likewise, in Literature and the Arts the college has nurtured brilliant minds like Percy Shelly, C.S. Lewis, and Max Hastings. In addition to Stephen Hawking in Physics and Cosmology.

 

Inside Perspective:

 

Studying and living at Univ College is hard to fault. The college’s unwavering commitment to student welfare is unquestionable. With a steadfast focus on ensuring that students have the opportunity to reside in college accommodations throughout the entirety of their degree. Putting the usual disclaimers about college reputations and stereotypes aside, Univ prides itself on being (or so it claims) both the oldest and the friendliest college in Oxford. As aforementioned, it also boasts a remarkable number of notable alumni. If a fun, friendly, famous college in the centre of Oxford is what you’re interested in, then you’d be hard pressed to find a better match than Univ.

 

Should you Apply?

 

If you are looking for a college that ticks almost every box, then Univ is an excellent choice for you. Other colleges may scoff at their claim to belong to the oldest college, but no one will deny that Univ members think it is the best! In a realm where the positive far outweighs the negative, it is an indisputable truth that University College stands tall as an exceptional choice. Where limitless opportunities and unparalleled satisfaction await.

 

Contact Think Tutors

 

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors’ elite tutors or mentors is an excellent way to gain an advantage in the application process for university. With tutors who are experts in Oxbridge admissions, we enhance performance through repetition, careful preparation, and confidence building. From guidance on halls, to interview practise, private tuition with us leaves no stone unturned. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter University College at the University of Oxford.

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University Admissions

The University of Oxford: Worcester College

In respect to the Norrington Table, Worcester does reasonably well, often scoring in the midfield in terms of the number of firsts awarded to its students. That said, the college places a premium on student welfare, and one gets the impression that many students at Worcester enjoy a slightly more balanced experience.

 

College stereotypes aren’t always symmetrical with reality, but it is fair to say that Worcester has a reputation for being an academic idyll—a place where garden parties and study sessions happily live side by side. If you are looking for spacious, verdant surroundings in which to live the life of the mind, then look no further than Worcester.

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Worcester College Admissions Statistics:

 

According to available data from 2019-2021, 79% of Worcester College’s intake was state educated versus 21% from independent schools; and 60% of those admitted were female versus 40% male. Between 2019 and 2021, the college received 2,261 state applications, admitting 266 (representing a 12% success rate) as well as 853 independent school applications, admitting 70 (representing an 8% success rate). In short, Worcester is the most oversubscribed college in Oxford admissions.

 

Worcester College Notable Alumni:

 

The college’s notable alumni include actresses Gemma Chan, Ellie Kemper, and Emma Watson, as well as noteworthy figures like Rupert Murdoch, Elana Kagan, and Anne-Marie Slaughter.

 

Inside Perspective:

 

There’s no denying that Worcester is a lovely college. It is a happy and supportive community, balancing academic achievement with personal development and social enrichment. It’s fabulous having such a large site (26 acres) that is close to the city centre, the train station, supermarkets, and also the trendy areas in Jericho. The college’s facilities are quite extensive, including some of the best sports grounds at Oxford University. The college even has its own lake. There aren’t many downsides. However, for some, the college might be (comparatively speaking) a little laid back, and it’s slightly to the west of the city centre (but not by much), so there are some who find this inconvenient in relation to the location of certain elements, like the examination schools.

 

Should you Apply?

 

Despite how wonderful Worcester is, you should think long and hard before applying. It receives so many applications and has such a low acceptance rate that you may be taking unnecessary risks by applying.

 

Contact Think Tutors

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors’ elite tutors or mentors is an excellent way to gain an advantage in the application process for university. With tutors who are experts in Oxbridge admissions, we enhance performance through repetition, careful preparation, and confidence building. From guidance on halls, to interview practise, private tuition with us leaves no stone unturned. Please contact us if you are interested in finding a tutor to help your child enter the Oxford college of their choice and succeed in their studies.