Shrewsbury School review by University of Oxford student.
Unfortunately, for modern languages, the A-level course is rather limited in its content. There was very little literature and basic grammar is scarcely a requisite. Fortunately there were only four boys in my upper sixth French set and there were plenty of extra curricular opportunities available for any pupil at the school. For example, a weekly Friday seminar on French literature, French society events including visiting professors from universities, French film nights, French television nights twice a week, oral sessions with native speaker, the production of Samuel Beckett's "Fin de Partie" and Moliere's "l'Avare". For those applying to Oxbridge, there were weekly grammar sessions and weekly criticism classes. These were all readily available and optional out of the hours of the normal school day. More generally, the school did not regard either the arts or the sciences as its particular strength, but aimed to provide high quality teaching in all departments.
Thinking forward to university application began at the beginning of the lower sixth. There were.... Get the real inside story on college counseling at Shrewsbury School as experienced by former pupil and University of Oxford student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on college counseling
They have contacts at most of the major universities and feel perfectly comfortable picking up the phone and advocating for a student to get accepted somewhere they feel is a good fit for that student. However, these counselors are certainly not magic bullets. They cannot guarantee that a student will get into an Ivy League university...
For those wishing to move on to Oxford or Cambridge, the provision is second-to-none. In the months running up to application and interview, every subject faculty offers classes (often run by former Oxbridge tutors) exploring further areas of their subject as well as offering advice on personal statements, interview technique and more...
I entered the school at the age of thirteen, the age at which the school.... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to Shrewsbury School by former pupil and University of Oxford student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on admissions
For the interview, dress conservatively. Try to be very clean and put together. Also, I was a tour guide for two years and at the end of every tour, we were asked to evaluate the candidate so if you think the tour is not apart of the process, you are very wrong. Ask questions and be interested. Also, tip for the parents: the kids speak on the tour. Do not ask their questions for them...
Most younger siblings have an easy time in the admissions process. I can only think of one case of a younger sibling not being admitted. About half of the students who entered with me had come from public schools. The remainder came from private K-6 schools, or had transferred from other New York private schools The Elizabeth Morrow School and St. Bernard were two of the larger feeder schools...
There were very few moments where I felt the school lacked on facilities and resources. The food to start in my first few years was not of a particularly high standard, but by the sixth form, this had improved dramatically. There were housemasters, matrons and numerous other people to talk to in difficult times (personal tutor, older pupils, sanitarium nurses etc.) At no point did I feel as if there was none I could talk to to help me get through any problem I might have had.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at Shrewsbury School as experienced by former pupil and University of Oxford student — Login or Sign Up to access full review