Heading for higher education: Record number of offers for School’s Upper Sixth

Tonbridge’s Upper Sixth cohort has received a record number of offers from a wide range of top universities worldwide.

While the last few decisions are still to be made, a total of 676 offers have now been made by universities including LSE, Imperial College, Bristol, Bath, Edinburgh, Leeds, Nottingham, Exeter, Manchester, Kings College London, UCL, Warwick and York.

More than 65 per cent of boys have received four or more offers, which is well above the national average. A number of leading universities, including Exeter, Southampton, Cardiff, York, Birmingham and Glasgow, have offered places to all Tonbridge boys who applied to them.

The picture for those applying to study overseas is also very positive. There have been more than 44 unconditional offers made by US universities, including Princeton, Chicago, Harvard, Duke, Columbia, New York University, UCLA, Dartmouth, University of Southern California, Northeastern, Minerva, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Brown. As a result, ten of Tonbridge’s leavers will be heading to the United States as Freshmen in the next academic year.

Upper Sixth members have also received offers from Delft University, Bocconi University, University College Dublin, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Ruth Davis, Head of Universities and Careers, said: “Well done to all of the Upper Sixth boys on achieving this fantastic set of university offers, which sets a record for the School.

“It is incredibly tough to get into the top universities, both in the UK and overseas, with increased selectivity and higher entry requirements across the board. Every single student should be proud of their success and we are excited to see what the future holds for them.”

As reported earlier this year, a total of 27 students (representing 17 per cent of the Upper Sixth) have received offers for places at either Oxford or Cambridge.

The latest university news follows on from Tonbridge being ranked 8th in the country (and third regionally) in Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2023, which is based on A-level and GCSE performance.

* As part of its programme of offering Sixth Formers the very best advice and guidance, the Universities and Careers Department is staging an International Universities Roadshow on Friday 12 May, in the Barton Science Centre. During this event, parents and students will have the opportunity to ask questions and meet representatives from six overseas institutions. A number of local schools will also be attending.

* Following a highly successful Universities Fair earlier this term, the Lower Sixth will be able to explore future careers during a Networking Evening, which is taking place in the Smythe Library and Gardens on Monday 19 June.

* In the October 2023 half term, the Universities and Careers Department has arranged for 20 Upper Sixth boys to visit ten US universities on the East Coast, including Harvard, Princeton, MIT, UPenn and Yale.