From Drama Rehearsals to Oxford Interviews

Jan 30, 2025

Upper Sixth Form student, Oscar Luckett (Vanbrugh), takes us on his incredible journey from drama rehearsals to Oxford interviews, as he secures a place at Oxford University to study Philosophy and Theology. Balancing A-Level drama, an Oxford application, and the pressure of multiple interviews, Oscar reflects on the challenges and triumphs of the process. From completing his entrance exam just before a performance to the overwhelming joy of receiving his offer, Oscar shares the highs and lows of applying to one of the world’s most prestigious universities.

 

Perhaps I made my life a little more stressful than needed when I decided to apply for Oxford University with only a few weeks to go before the October application deadline; much later than I would recommend is sensible. Right in the midst of rehearsals for my A-level devised drama performance, I wrote a personal statement and prepared a piece of written work for submission. On the morning of my opening performance in Gormenghast (at The Old Fire Station in Oxford) I completed the PhilAT entrance exam – you might say I enjoy a bit of drama on and off the stage!

Once sent, I could do nothing but wait for an email confirming whether I had evidenced enough potential to be invited to interview. I was delighted to be called to three interviews with two different colleges, Christ Church (also known as “The House” due to its having a cathedral), and Oriel. I was less delighted to find myself, again, completing these on the days of the performances of The Box of Delights here at School. Between performances, I completed two philosophy interviews, one with each college, and one theology interview in which I spoke with a professor from each of the two colleges. Oxford interviews are not something for which you can revise since it is not subject knowledge that is of interest. Rather, the interviewers are assessing your ability to learn, your interest in their subject, the way you think, and whether they consider you to be the kind of person who they could tutor up close and personal for three years.

While waiting in the Round House for the Teams call to begin, I was nervous to say the least. Once I began speaking with the professors, it soon became a very enjoyable and stimulating experience. Each interview tested a different aptitude and the third was especially challenging since it required me to evidence my ability to learn and apply the basics of an entirely new philosophical discipline on the spot. In terms of preparation, I was fortunate to be able to engage in several mock interviews, some arranged by School and others arranged personally. Those theatrical performances came in useful because several of my fellow actors had studied at Oxford and were able to put me through my mock interview paces.

I would highly recommend that anyone contemplating this process prepares in a similar way so that you can confidently engage in rigorous conversation about your chosen subjects. I will be studying Philosophy and Theology, subjects that I chose because I enjoy thinking about deep questions more than finding definite answers. The more black-and-white nature of some other subjects holds less appeal for me, but Philosophy and Theology explore theories and concepts which alter the way you live your life which I cannot wait to explore further. Christ Church College seemed an obvious choice. When I attended the University Open Day in October 2024 my journey began there. I was smitten by the quad which was incredible to behold. It felt like someone had taken every description of a classic Oxford college and, using them as blueprints, built Christ Church to be the college of colleges. I was particularly taken by the cathedral and the dining hall which possess an incredible majesty. As a fan of Inspector Morse, I couldn’t ignore the connection between the place and my imagination.

On 14 January I was, perhaps, a little distracted in my last mock exam by the knowledge that an email would be shortly arriving in my inbox. Soon after the exam, I opened my emails having spent the morning preparing myself for disappointment. To say that I was, and am, over the moon is a great understatement. I read the email four times before allowing myself to believe it and then raced off to tell the necessary teachers…eventually, I remembered to send my parents a quick message too. I honestly cannot wait to begin in October, though there’s the small matter of completing my A Levels first.

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Mr Waldron, specifically, because if it wasn’t for his logical arguments in favour of applying I would never have made it past the first hurdle. His support and encouragement have guided me through the application process and I am most grateful to him for that.

 

From Drama Rehearsals to Oxford Interviews