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That Oxford Girl: A Real Student's Guide to Oxford University
Ever wondered what it's like to study at Oxford University? Former student and famous blogger Tilly Rose, a.k.a. 'the Oxford girl,' gives you all the insider tips on what to expect at one of the world's top universities. Follow Tilly as she steers you through everything - from applying to Oxford, choosing a college, and preparing for interviews, to college life, the different societies and student events on offer, and coping with study commitments. This is a fun and accessible guide, paced full of quirky illustrations and beautiful photographs of the colleges and the city itself, giving you a truly unique insight into what it's really like to be a student at Oxford University.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2018
29 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 24, 2018
Every University should do this! A fantastic little guide to prospective students (or parents, or people just curious about Oxford) about the University of Oxford.
The author describes her journey to become a student at Oxford. She explains how the admission process works, and how to best increase one's chances to be accepted there.
She explains the structure, that it is actually 38 different colleges under the umbrella of Oxford University.
Where the book really shines, though, is in the author's descriptions of the "nitty-gritty" of life there. The way classes are held, the exams, and the fantastic social life. With the dormitories, balls, dining experiences, and shenanigans, one really cannot help but think of Harry Potter's "Hogwarts"!
A take-away from the book, and one of the main reasons that it should be offered to all students thinking about attending university (anywhere) is the wonderful way the author manages to encourage prospective students. Rose has little side essays throughout the book (called My Story) that offers encouragement to students who think themselves not "worthy" or capable of attending university. She is very persuasive!
As for myself, I have always dreamed of visiting Oxford. Both for the history and the experience. The author explains that visits are allowed, and how to go about scheduling one for the different areas you are interested in. And she gives advice on things to see when you do visit.
Finally, the photographs are lovely. They really make you wish you were there.
All in all, a great little book. I read it in one sitting. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about attending any university. And to anyone thinking or dreaming about visiting Oxford!
The author describes her journey to become a student at Oxford. She explains how the admission process works, and how to best increase one's chances to be accepted there.
She explains the structure, that it is actually 38 different colleges under the umbrella of Oxford University.
Where the book really shines, though, is in the author's descriptions of the "nitty-gritty" of life there. The way classes are held, the exams, and the fantastic social life. With the dormitories, balls, dining experiences, and shenanigans, one really cannot help but think of Harry Potter's "Hogwarts"!
A take-away from the book, and one of the main reasons that it should be offered to all students thinking about attending university (anywhere) is the wonderful way the author manages to encourage prospective students. Rose has little side essays throughout the book (called My Story) that offers encouragement to students who think themselves not "worthy" or capable of attending university. She is very persuasive!
As for myself, I have always dreamed of visiting Oxford. Both for the history and the experience. The author explains that visits are allowed, and how to go about scheduling one for the different areas you are interested in. And she gives advice on things to see when you do visit.
Finally, the photographs are lovely. They really make you wish you were there.
All in all, a great little book. I read it in one sitting. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about attending any university. And to anyone thinking or dreaming about visiting Oxford!
August 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this! It was very helpful and reassuring, with a lot of tips about being a student there, as well as a detailed section on applying for any prospective students as well as just good-to-have info about the city! Easy to digest, beautifully presented and did make me feel less nervous about starting in October so 5 stars definitely due!
October 23, 2024
A bit dated and I am probably not the target audience, but a fun read that takes me back to my time in Oxford.
December 7, 2025
A book that can inspire! It covers many aspects of studying at Oxford, like classes, activities, and the application process. Valuable the little details from her personal experience. Also it is full of pictures and colors - a pretty interesting design!
June 30, 2020
An ARC was provided to me for free by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really cute and short, but informative, book about being a student at Oxford University! I really wish more universities had a book like this.
This was a really cute and short, but informative, book about being a student at Oxford University! I really wish more universities had a book like this.
October 2, 2018
I didn't know Tilly Rose when I requested the book in NetGalley, but after rading, I'm quite sure I'm going to continue her journey in Oxford with the web page and the instagram.
That Oxford Girl gives a fun and cute perspective of the process of applying to Oxford University. It also gives you a little tour of Oxford, the places that you can visit, the different colleges there are,... It talks about so much that I think this book is almost essential if you are curious about this college and about the city. And also, it's the perfect guide to the place (and more enjoyable than the ones you usually use when your on holidays).
That Oxford Girl gives a fun and cute perspective of the process of applying to Oxford University. It also gives you a little tour of Oxford, the places that you can visit, the different colleges there are,... It talks about so much that I think this book is almost essential if you are curious about this college and about the city. And also, it's the perfect guide to the place (and more enjoyable than the ones you usually use when your on holidays).
December 25, 2022
very informative with cute graphics/designs - makes me want to go so bad! the order of the chapters is a bit odd though - why not start with admissions and then move on to life at oxford? wouldn't chronology be more logical? ending with admissions also makes the book end on a low/stressfully which i guess motivates you into action but it would be nicer to conclude with exciting things to look forward to, surely? i suppose telling you about the uni helps you decide if you want to apply first but if you bought the book its fairly certain that you're decided, no?
May 9, 2019
Oxford Comma-tose
Slight but fun. Gives a lightweight sense of actually attending Oxford and also explains a few details I’d wondered about in murder mysteries. Helpful glossary. Unfortunately, for an Oxford graduate in English, Tilley makes numerous appalling grammatical mistakes, for which there is simply no excuse, so I knocked off one star. Her tutors would be ashamed.
Slight but fun. Gives a lightweight sense of actually attending Oxford and also explains a few details I’d wondered about in murder mysteries. Helpful glossary. Unfortunately, for an Oxford graduate in English, Tilley makes numerous appalling grammatical mistakes, for which there is simply no excuse, so I knocked off one star. Her tutors would be ashamed.
June 25, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read and review this book.
This is such a good non-fiction book to take with you for when you want to visit Oxford. It is informative about the places to “sight-see” in oxford, as well as about the history of the city in general. I took this with me when I visited oxford and it gave me some knowledge about the Bodleian Library that I didn’t know before.
This is such a good non-fiction book to take with you for when you want to visit Oxford. It is informative about the places to “sight-see” in oxford, as well as about the history of the city in general. I took this with me when I visited oxford and it gave me some knowledge about the Bodleian Library that I didn’t know before.
October 30, 2018
Great book about being a student at Oxford. It was an interesting read with lots of great information. It speaks to all the questions that a new student to the campus could have. I really think it'd be great to get other schools to have this type of information available to new students.
June 11, 2019
Wish it had less on the application process and more on academic life, but on the whole, a good guide - especially since Oxford is so damn secretive about every aspect of its existence and there is Zero information on the web.
August 23, 2023
3.6 Wow. This book had so much amazing information. The way it was set out was really easy to read. The first part was a bit boring but necessary. However, the second half was just top-level information. After reading this, I have more information that I have ever had before about Oxford Uni.
June 9, 2019
Kind of charming. Good for the armchair traveller.
December 26, 2019
Generic. Nothing much new that I already know about.
January 20, 2020
Such a fun book! Packed with great insights of what it's really like to a student at Oxford University.
January 3, 2021
it's not a rational decision for me to give a five-star review. But it does help you understand how everything works at Oxford University.
June 19, 2023
Good, practical guide to visit, apply and transition to an Oxford student.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2025
…does this count as an actual book… no… but will I count it anyway? Absolutely.
These next two months are going to be insufferable for my friends 💕
These next two months are going to be insufferable for my friends 💕
August 15, 2019
A genuinely good and insightful look into what it is like to apply, be accepted to, and figure out how Oxford University works once you get past the seemingly inconceivable and are actually accepted there. As long as I can remember I always wanted to go to Oxford, and rather tragically when I finally finished school and was given the whole world at my fingertips, I chose a school that was closer to home. Oxford is exactly as I've just described - the whole world at your fingertips. It feels so messily complicated, but wonderfully so. Now, I haven't read Tilly's That Oxford Girl blog, and I'm not really planning on it, but I still found joy in reading this book anyway. It covers a lot of topics in a very short page number. Everything from choosing which college to choose to traditions to sports to advice to interview processes, she really gets it all. I was unbelievably jealous the entire time I was reading it.
Because it's not terribly long, and she does cover a lot of ground, it does feel at times like we are only scraping the surface of the intricacies of Oxford University. She mentions a lot that going to school there and reaping all the benefits of this wonderful school require a lot of time management and hard work, which I do not doubt in the slightest. Though she spends quite a bit of time talking about all the exams and prep you must do to succeed, it almost felt like as long as you did this one thing (passing exams), everything would be grand. When, in fact, passing exams would be one thing, but that one thing is comprised of 123847 other things. Obviously Tilly did go to school here, so she's way more of an authority on it all than I am, but that was my observation in reading this book. At the end of the day though, it's a super quick read (about an hour, less so for a fast reader like myself), and it's a good introduction that really does make Oxford look less daunting. Every few pages or so she would elaborate on her own experience, which is one of the most valuable thing this book does. If you were to consider applying there, I would definitely recommend reading this. It's not extensive, but it will ease your mind - and in a super casual tone that will make the crazy idea of applying there seem completely plausible.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Because it's not terribly long, and she does cover a lot of ground, it does feel at times like we are only scraping the surface of the intricacies of Oxford University. She mentions a lot that going to school there and reaping all the benefits of this wonderful school require a lot of time management and hard work, which I do not doubt in the slightest. Though she spends quite a bit of time talking about all the exams and prep you must do to succeed, it almost felt like as long as you did this one thing (passing exams), everything would be grand. When, in fact, passing exams would be one thing, but that one thing is comprised of 123847 other things. Obviously Tilly did go to school here, so she's way more of an authority on it all than I am, but that was my observation in reading this book. At the end of the day though, it's a super quick read (about an hour, less so for a fast reader like myself), and it's a good introduction that really does make Oxford look less daunting. Every few pages or so she would elaborate on her own experience, which is one of the most valuable thing this book does. If you were to consider applying there, I would definitely recommend reading this. It's not extensive, but it will ease your mind - and in a super casual tone that will make the crazy idea of applying there seem completely plausible.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2023
Thank you, K. I would never have got here without you. <3
October 14, 2018
This was a really enjoyable book!
I read it all in one sitting I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of applying to any college and for anyone who loves oxford.
This book describes the authors journey to become a student at oxford.
She explains her journey in great personal detail and I totally loved it.
I read it all in one sitting I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of applying to any college and for anyone who loves oxford.
This book describes the authors journey to become a student at oxford.
She explains her journey in great personal detail and I totally loved it.
October 16, 2018
Description
Following on from the success of her internationally famous blog, Tilly Rose shares her unique insight into the student experience at Oxford University. She covers subjects such as applying to the university, a guide to choosing your college, the different societies and events offered, and elements of studying and community.
Packed with full-color photos (as featured on Rose’s widely followed Instagram account) and quirky illustrations, this a fun and easy-to-read guide to the Oxford student experience
Review
Looking at That Oxford Girl, anyone could think that the book was made for the voyeuristic. For those who’d like to take a peep into the glamorous world of elite college life. I can say confidently that I’m one of those people. So that’s exactly how I went into the book; ready to ride with Tilly Rose’s ups and downs as she shares her secrets and memories of navigating the alluring Oxford University.
Yet as I made my way through the book I could help but reflect on my own college experiences instead. Oxford University is a world away from the small college I went to, but the experiences she drew on were so much like my own. Like Tilly, I remember college as a time where I could be silly with my friends, start and finish essays in a single night, and wonder how I tricked people into thinking I was smart enough to even do college.
That Oxford Girl isn’t just a book for those who aspire or are attending Oxford, but for anyone going to college. They can follow in the footsteps of Tilly and be inspired to make memories of their own, take chances, and aspire to push themselves academically. College is such a unique and fleeting time, reading Tilly’s experience made me both nostalgic and regretful. I’m happy for the memories it brought back, but for also reminding me about all the missed opportunities.
For any freshman who wants to take advantage of their college life, That Oxford Girl is definitely the book to inspire you.
Following on from the success of her internationally famous blog, Tilly Rose shares her unique insight into the student experience at Oxford University. She covers subjects such as applying to the university, a guide to choosing your college, the different societies and events offered, and elements of studying and community.
Packed with full-color photos (as featured on Rose’s widely followed Instagram account) and quirky illustrations, this a fun and easy-to-read guide to the Oxford student experience
Review
Looking at That Oxford Girl, anyone could think that the book was made for the voyeuristic. For those who’d like to take a peep into the glamorous world of elite college life. I can say confidently that I’m one of those people. So that’s exactly how I went into the book; ready to ride with Tilly Rose’s ups and downs as she shares her secrets and memories of navigating the alluring Oxford University.
Yet as I made my way through the book I could help but reflect on my own college experiences instead. Oxford University is a world away from the small college I went to, but the experiences she drew on were so much like my own. Like Tilly, I remember college as a time where I could be silly with my friends, start and finish essays in a single night, and wonder how I tricked people into thinking I was smart enough to even do college.
That Oxford Girl isn’t just a book for those who aspire or are attending Oxford, but for anyone going to college. They can follow in the footsteps of Tilly and be inspired to make memories of their own, take chances, and aspire to push themselves academically. College is such a unique and fleeting time, reading Tilly’s experience made me both nostalgic and regretful. I’m happy for the memories it brought back, but for also reminding me about all the missed opportunities.
For any freshman who wants to take advantage of their college life, That Oxford Girl is definitely the book to inspire you.
November 18, 2018
I was expecting this to be more of a memoir and personal but I learned about Oxford.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.
May 19, 2019
A informative read about Oxford and life at Oxford. I believe Tilly Rose had the right idea when she wrote this book. This concept can be applied to write about life at every college/university - sort of a 'informal' guide to 'what-really-matters' to those who enter campus life.
Pros:
Lots of fun facts about the college and the campus and life
Useful information about the various campuses within this esteemed university
How-tos, (whats/whys/whens too) of the admission process as well as academics
The author's personal memories/stories interspersed within the rest of the book charmingly
Photographs that let us visualize what she talks about easily :) .
Cons:
That informal tone that was charming also seemed a bit overdone at times, kind of like texting rather than writing for an actual book - not always - but a little more than I expected for a book talking about Oxford.
Overall, a very useful, cool book though; and one that could be a prime example for similar books from other universities.
Disclaimer and Note: this review is a little delayed, as it sat in bits and pieces for too long as part of my notes. It still is but better late than never, right? Thank you to NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book.
Pros:
Lots of fun facts about the college and the campus and life
Useful information about the various campuses within this esteemed university
How-tos, (whats/whys/whens too) of the admission process as well as academics
The author's personal memories/stories interspersed within the rest of the book charmingly
Photographs that let us visualize what she talks about easily :) .
Cons:
That informal tone that was charming also seemed a bit overdone at times, kind of like texting rather than writing for an actual book - not always - but a little more than I expected for a book talking about Oxford.
Overall, a very useful, cool book though; and one that could be a prime example for similar books from other universities.
Disclaimer and Note: this review is a little delayed, as it sat in bits and pieces for too long as part of my notes. It still is but better late than never, right? Thank you to NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews