By Mina Benham
A few years ago I was sitting there thinking the same. Someone like me can't apply to one of the top universities in the world. But then an access officer visited our school and told us stories about students from all sorts of different backgrounds who had got in. They hadn't all been to private school, they didn't all have parents who had gone to uni, they weren't all white, rich kids, there were people like me too!
And when I started to look into it, I realised studying at this place would be a dream, it had the potential to change my whole life. So I took the giant leap and I worked hard too. I knew I was up against kids who had been prepping for this their whole lives. I needed to prove myself. So I read and read and read, all through the summer, knowing it would be worth it and when it came to interview it was, I had so many things to talk about.
My tip for you, is if you can imagine studying at Oxford, if you love your subject, if you love the idea of being mentally challenged then don't be put off. It was the best decision I have ever made, I have made the best friends, had the most stimulating classes and know I am part of something truly special here and you can be too!