Advice

Over the next week, prospective students from across the country and, indeed, across the world, are coming for interviews at the University of Oxford.

But what can you expect if you are coming for an interview?

Here, a selection of current students at Jesus College at the University of Oxford provide some top tips on how you can prepare.

Ayesha, first-year medicine student, from Blackburn
 

After years of study, late night cramming and deadlines, donning your graduation gown is a proud moment for any university student.

The hard work and sacrifice is over because you’ve got a degree and that guarantees you a well-paid job at the company of your dreams, right? If only it was that simple.

What are the first steps that aspiring student publishers should take?

There isn’t a set template to follow for a student-led publishing house, but there are a couple of vital steps. The first thing is to raise capital to finance the publishing house in its initial stages – small publishers do everything themselves, from the editing, the print runs and boxing up books. There’s also the requirement to pay authors in advance and register books on the Nielsen book scan system, so it’s easy to see where the money goes when starting out.

As a second-year student nurse, I've managed to survive year one of three. It's been, well, interesting. I've seen more naked bodies than I ever thought I would. I've sat in on an autopsy as the mysteries of death are explained. I've celebrated with patients as they receive good news and cried with their families as they struggle to come to terms with bad news. 

Being a student nurse is a badge of honour. People look to you for hope and they admire and respect your skills. Sounds great, right? Well, have a read of my nine tips to see if it's the right path for you. 

Several myths about student life seem to be erroneously entrenched into the minds of pre-university hopefuls and scathing "grown-ups" alike. I intend to drop a few bombshells upon these falsities as well as, hopefully, quell some of your worries

1. Fast friends

We see it on-screen time and time again. You move your boxes in, knock on your neighbour’s door and that’s that – your future bridesmaid, the godmother of your imaginary children and your future business partner happens to be living right next door.

The US, UK, Canada and Australia are four of the most popular countries for students to go to university. They are home to some of the highest-ranked universities in the world and the countries themselves are attractive destinations for students in terms of quality of life and employment prospects. 

Imagine the process of becoming a lawyer drawn out as a map. At one end, the mystical land of fully qualified legal professionals; at the other end, you, standing outside your college or university door.

Applying to study medicine is notoriously competitive, so it’s crucial that you stand out from the crowd. To help you secure that med school place, here are some top tips on what admissions tutors look for.

1. Make the most of your medical work experience

Work experience in a hospital, GP surgery or care home is a key part of applying to study medicine, and how you reflect on your experiences will prove to admissions tutors that you could make a great doctor.

Fresher’s week is an undeniably important time. It’s the first stepping stone in your journey as a student. Before you discover Kafka and the importance of Kinematics, fresher’s week is about learning how many shots your budget can be stretched to and how to work a washing machine. Having successfully survived fresher’s week myself, here are my top 10 tips to make your first moments easier and more enjoyable.

Your time at university will fly by and be over before you know it – just ask any graduate. How you use this period can help build a strong foundation for the rest of your life. I’ve spent the past 12 months interviewing more than 50 of the UK’s most successful students, who offered their advice on how to succeed during this period of your life. Here are 10 of their top tips.