Students set Oxbridge Record
Posted on Friday 1 February 2008
33 students have won places at Oxford and Cambridge Universities for entry in 2008
Cambridge 24 Oxford 9 in College's University Challenge
Students from Farnborough Sixth Form College are celebrating their best ever success in admissions to Oxford and Cambridge Universities. This year 33 students from the College have won places, exceeding the previous best of 23.
College Principal, Dr John Guy, said, “We are delighted that these two prestigious universities seem to be recognising the significance of a sixth form college education.”
“Admissions tutors frequently tell me that they appreciate the greater independence and maturity of our students – they leave us with a greater understanding of what it means to be an undergraduate”, Dr Guy added.
This year, Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge has accepted four students from Farnborough.
“That’s enough to make up a University Challenge Team!”, said 17 year old Serena Spink of Hartley Wintney who, along with Rebecca Wild, 18, of Fleet has been accepted to read Law at the College.
Rebecca added, “The interview process was really tough and I feel proud to have been offered a place and it is amazing that four of us from Farnborough will be in the same College”.
Cassia Hare, 18, of Basingstoke, who has won a place to read Veterinary Medicine said, “I really didn’t expect to get in to Cambridge because the interviews were so tough but the practice interviews at the College were really helpful and that increased my confidence”.
Alex Huttunen, 18, of Fleet, who will also go to Sidney Sussex College, is one of four Farnborough students to be offered a place to read Mathematics in 2008. He said, “Although you can never tell, my interview at the College went really well and I found I was actually enjoying being challenged on all aspects of the subject!”
Dr Guy said, “The Cambridge University Mathematical Tripos is renowned throughout the world and it is a wonderful tribute to the staff at this College that so many of our students have been selected for admission this year”.
He praised particularly the work of the College’s Director of Careers and Guidance, Helen Diffenthal, who has developed the Oxbridge preparation programme at the College. For a number of years, Mrs Diffenthal has been an invited observer at Cambridge admissions interviews and she is an adviser for the English Literature Admissions Test at Oxford University. The College has developed strong links with the two universities and there is an established programme of support for potential applicants which begins in the Spring term with visits to the College by Admissions Tutors from both Oxford and Cambridge.
Mrs Diffenthal said, “I’m constantly seeking new ways to support our students in their applications to university. This year we are extending our Oxbridge development programme to interested year 11 students in our partner schools so that they and their parents can meet admissions tutors from Oxford and Cambridge”.
