Here are 5 must-read books if you are applying for any Chemistry related course at Oxford. They’ll give you the fundamental knowledge you need to do well in the interview and will look great on your PS.

The secret to Oxbridge success is reading, reading and more reading. I hope that if you’re going for a place at Oxford or Cambridge you truly love your subject. So reading lots of books and articles should not be a difficult task. Here are some crucial books, magazines and papers that will get your brain moving.

A Guide to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry, Sykes, Pearson

This is part book, 3 parts textbook. It is a bit of a tombstone but if you can get through it you’ll have all the knowledge you’ll ever need on questions relating to organic chemistry, and trust me, you’ll have plenty of questions focused on this subject matter. It’s not just the knowledge that is important here though. The terminology in this book is like a who’s who of words you need in your vernacular. At the same time, the book will get you thinking about these subject areas in the right way.

Mathematical Methods for Science Students, G. Stephenson, Pearson

This is another textbook of fundamentals that, if read, will make you stand out from all the other applicants taking these tests and interviews. Mathematics is a huge part of all sciences and social sciences. You need to be able to handle complex calculations and considerations with ease. If you aren’t good at numbers then this won’t be a subject for you, but this textbook will take anyone with some understanding and give them the tools needed. An absolute must-read.

Inorganic Chemistry, Shriver and Atkins, Oxford University Press

Another building block for future fun. You may not be filled with joy at the prospect of reading this book based on the title but inorganic chemistry will be at least half of your first year studies at university. This is a book that will support you for the duration of the first year and for the modules to come thereafter.