I’D LIKE TO STUDY ENGLISH LITERATURE
I am in grade 11 and would love to study English language and literature abroad at a reputed college. Is this a realistic dream?
A Wanting to follow your passion is indeed laudable but is equally important to ensure your skill sets match your enthusiasm. For this I would recommend you sit for a credible psychometric test and have the results interpreted by a professional.
Studying English language and literature is thankfully not merely an indulgence but has a fruitful career attached to it. Learning English language can land you jobs in writing, the traditional print periodicals to the emerging digital content. It also opens doors in advertising copywriting, media related writing and marketing content creation.
It is believed that while arts and humanities dominate Oxford, sciences rule Cambridge. Oxford boasts of the biggest English department and library – Bodleian Library – in UK. It is also important for you to recognise that whilst both Oxford and Cambridge are ranked as the best universities in the world their English department, though extremely prestigious, falls behind St. Andrews, Durham and UCLA. It is however the unique teaching style – and the privilege of having 1:1 teaching and mentoring that differentiates these two august institutions from the rest. Both universities are seeking the brightest and best students and in doing so, do not place a limit or quota on the number of international students. Either way you would need an IELTS in the range of 8-8.5 to stand your own against your peers and be able to challenge and debate with your tutors.
To help you with your admissions to any of the top ranking institutions it is critical that your school grades are excellent as they reflect not only a strong academic foundation but also a disciplined work ethic. Your enthusiasm and passion for the course must reflect itself in the personal statement. The fabled interview for either of these universities is extremely demanding and will warrant you to read on a wide range of subjects and go through extensive preparation
Don’t necessarily assume that because the course is taught at Oxford or Cambridge it is suitable for you. Over time your interests and enthusiasms will evolve and change so be sure to study the content of the program offered by each University and ensure it has room for flexibility.