July 2015: Oxford summer school student switches career path

JamesHarding

AN A* student who secured a place at a summer school in Oxford has now set himself a different career path.

Although 17-year-old James Harding from Haslingden High School enjoyed his week in the university city, where he sampled lectures from a course in materials science, he has now decided to pursue mechanical engineering.

The Year 12 student said: “It was really good and we did the work of a first year undergraduate.

“I went to all sorts of lectures and also got to sample different aspects of university life. I saw a comedy show by the Oxford Imps and met alumni at a dinner.

“I really liked the city, the colleges and the accommodation but I didn’t like the course. I really like mechanical engineering because I like maths and physics and I also enjoy the practical aspect.

“Unfortunately Oxford does not offer the course I want to go on, so I am now looking at other places to study.”

He said the experience of spending time at Oxford and the process of applying and being accepted for a place on the summer school would be useful when he was seeking a place at another university.