Aspiring barrister tells teenagers to aim high
AN ASPIRING barrister from Merthyr heading to Oxford University after receiving top grades in her A-levels has urged other young people to aim high.
Megan Howells, from Penyard, achieved two A*s in law and English, and two As in history and Welsh Baccalaureate at Coleg y Cymoedd, and will study law at The Queen’s College at the University of Oxford.
The 18-year-old is the first in her family to go to university.
Megan’s mother is head of consumer operation at EE mobile operating firm and her father works in the civil service.
She had previously discounted Oxford as she didn’t feel she was good enough to gain a place and would have trouble fitting in, but after being invited to be part of the Seren Network after excellent GCSE and AS results, she reconsidered.
“When I started Year 12 I was thinking about places like Bristol as I thought Oxford and Cambridge were out of reach and I didn’t think I would be good enough to get in.
“But over the course of the year I felt more and more confident, and when I received three As and a B in my AS exams, I began to believe that I could aim for Oxbridge.
“The application process was very challenging. The Ucas deadline for Oxbridge is earlier than other universities, and after that I had to pass an admissions test before being invited to a three-day interview process at the university. The Seren Network was a really big help, especially my hub coordinator Stephen Parry-Jones, as he gave me a lot of guidance while I was writing my LNAT essays.
“I was fairly confident in my A-level results, as I knew I’d put the work in and had been studying as I went along since the beginning of the academic year. I still can’t believe I’m going to Oxford though.
“It’s such a great feeling to finally achieve my goal. When I first visited Oxford, I told myself that I wouldn’t fall in love with the place, but I couldn’t help it – I was almost run over by several bikes while looking up at the amazing architecture, and now I’m going to be living and studying there.”
Megan was invited to join the Waleswide Seren Network after gaining four A*s, five As and two Bs in her GCSEs at Bishop Hedley Catholic High School.
The Network was formed following a report by Oxbridge Ambassador Paul Murphy, former MP for Torfaen and now Lord Murphy, who was appointed by the Welsh Government to examine the decline in Welsh applications and admissions to Oxford and Cambridge. There are now more than 2,000 students on the Network across 11 different hubs. The Network aims to increase Welsh representation not just at Oxbridge, but at the Russell Group and Sutton Trust 30 universities, by providing information, advice and guidance, as well as workshops, lectures and visits to some of the UK’s top universities.
Megan said: “My main ambition is to be a barrister, as I’d love to help people who can’t help themselves or don’t have a voice. I know it’s a really difficult road, but I’m up for the challenge and am excited to start the next chapter in my life.
“My parents are really proud of me, and they’re ecstatic that I’m off to Oxford. I’m the first in my family to go to university, and I’m so glad I aimed high and will be going to one of the best universities in the world. Seren played a very important part in that, and really helped me to push myself and believe that I could achieve my potential.
“My advice to any Welsh students thinking of applying to a top university is to go for it. Even if they think they’re not good enough or they won’t get in, there’s nothing to lose and you never know until you try.”