Rupert Balfe (1st year)
What does a typical day studying Law at Keble look like?
Studying Law at Oxford generally is quite a structured task, and you won’t get an enormous amount of choice as to what you study until your two optional modules in 3rd year (or 4th year if you have a year abroad). Nevertheless, the core modules are very broad which enables you to really delve into the areas that interest you the most and there’s always something to enjoy – for instance, many first-year lawyers enjoy the Criminal Law paper (though, personally, I found Roman Law to be the most intellectually satisfying).
In each term (there are three terms in each academic year at Oxford) you will study 1.5 papers (for instance, I’m currently reading Tort Law and half of Contract Law). Thus, in most weeks I will have one tutorial, but every other week I will have two. On occasion, we also convene for problem classes (perhaps around three each term). This means that there is not an enormous amount of actual face-to-face contact time and that most of your study is self-directed. So, coming back to the question; I spend most of my days reading textbooks, cases and journal articles to prepare for a tutorial essay which is due the day before my tutorials. This provides an incredible amount of flexibility to fit in other extra-curriculars, as well as to choose where you want to read – Keble Library, one of the Bodleian Libraries or even out in the quad on a sunny summer day (though we don’t get as many of those in Oxford as I did in Australia!). I usually try to take a couple hours out of my days for myself and this can be easily accommodated in my schedule – usually, I’ll head for a run around University Parks which are right opposite Keble, but I might also walk into town for a coffee (about three minutes away).
Why do you like studying law at Keble?
I chose Keble because it is a relatively large college (around 150 first years gain entrance each year and the law cohort for my year is 9) and this gives me plenty of opportunity to interact not only with my subject group, but also with those studying different degrees. The tutors are also incredibly friendly and complement the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the Keble community at large. Keble library also has a diverse array of law books in our dedicated law section of the library which is a nice spot to study if you prefer working with hard copy books as opposed to accessing them online. Keble also boasts the Harris Law Society which hosts events with some of the top law firms which is great to get involved with. Finally, there is a vast array of sports teams you can join, such as tennis, rugby, rowing and netball.
Personal statement advice
The most important thing, in my opinion, is to show why you truly want to study law. You don’t necessarily need to be set on a career in the law, nor do you even need to have studied law before (and you certainly aren’t expected to have studied it). The best approach is to show a baseline level of understanding/interest. This can be done in any number of ways such as by reading books, writing blogs, visiting the courts, talking to lawyers, mooting, debating, etc. Ultimately, the tutors will be looking for someone with the attributes of a law student, such as critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. Therefore, the best approach is to find examples of past experiences that illustrate this (they don’t need to be law related) and to explain what you took away from them – show, don’t tell! For example, I went to the courts when I was in Australia, and I noted this in my personal statement before explaining how it brought my attention to the jury system and I then went on to read about the pros and cons of a jury system as well as potential alternatives before coming to my own personal opinion that the jury system should be keep in place in favour of trial by judge alone. Thus, this is, I suppose, a relatively broad approach to the law. Equally, you might like to focus on a particular area, such as human rights, contract law, criminal law or land law. The tutors want to see that you can focus on the degree for the full 3-4 years and that you’ll enjoy every moment (except maybe not tax law J!).
Admissions test advice
The LNAT is certainly a scary part of the admissions process, but as is true with anything else you’ll ever do – practice makes perfect! The test can also make you less confident because of its difficulty, but you should remember that the average mark on the paper is only about 50% (20/40 multiple-choice questions correct). I would recommend creating a vocabulary bank with any difficult terms you come across as this will make the passages in the multiple-choice section much easier to understand and will ensure that you’re prepared when test day finally comes. There are plenty of free resources online and there’s absolutely no need to purchase any extra books or online courses which might be advertised to you. In terms of the essay, there is really not much you can do – the topics are incredibly varied, and it is nearly impossible to predict what might come up. Be prepared to think laterally, but also note that it is not really the quality of your argument that is being assessed – it is the structure and flow (predominantly at least). I would personally recommend providing two arguments in favour of your side and then one on the other side (with an appropriate counterargument to that point), but there are many alternative structures that also work! In fact, one of my friends has a technique of going directly against what they actually believe, and they find that this increases the quality of their arguments – perhaps that is also worth a try.
On test day, make sure to take some deep breaths and just do your best. Remember that this is only one tiny part of the larger admissions process, and it won’t be the be-all and end-all. Read the questions carefully and make sure to plan your essay before just jumping into it!
Interview advice
At the end of the day, you should treat the interview as a relaxed conversation (an exchange of opinions if you will) between you and someone who you might be potentially living with at Keble and working with over the next 3-4 years. They will be assessing the quality of your opinions but are also interested to see your personality and whether they can see themselves working with you. It is important to show that you are prepared to defend your views, but that you are also prepared to back down and make some concessions where appropriate (as any student should) – this is, of course, a difficult balance to achieve that I can’t provide too much extra advice on. It is important to know your personal statement well, but it is also not going to be the focus of the Keble law interviews – they tend to provide you with a scenario and ask your opinion on it. After that they will vary the scenario slightly many times to see how your views develop in the face of new challenges. Try to enjoy it and remember that they aren’t trying to trick you. If at any stage you feel overwhelmed, didn’t quite catch the question or need a few seconds of thinking time then just ask and they’ll be happy to accommodate!
Before your interviews, you might like to go for a walk to clear your head, go to the shops, get some food or read over your notes – again, different strategies will work for different people and just because someone is doing something different to you, doesn’t mean your approach is ‘wrong’. I personally made sure to get a good night of sleep and then woke up early to get a coffee before my interview as it was one of the first in the morning.