Why did you decide to come to Oxford?

Oxford is obviously a place where you can pursue your academic interests to a very high standard and where you know you will meet great people from all corners of the world. But I also had simply fallen in love with the dreaming spires and chequered lawns while visiting friends at St John’s.

What have you done since leaving Oxford?

Immediately after graduation, I interned with a policy Think Tank in London. Since then, I have returned to Germany and worked as a business strategy consultant with a focus on clean energy technology and ecological sustainability, first through a boutique consultancy, and as of last year as a freelancer. I also went on a three months road trip from New England to Alaska, which was a fantastic experience.

Looking back on your time at Oxford, what would you tell prospective applicants from Germany about applying to and attending Oxford?

My advice is, please try – if you are seriously contemplating Oxford, chances are you must already have much of what is required to obtain a place. It is worth putting a lot of effort into your personal statement, where you can elaborate on your focus on your area of interest in various ways, not just excellent grades.

Oxford has a lot to offer. You will meet amazing people from all walks of life, who at graduate level are all genuinely passionate about their research. Take time to make friends and talk to people, you will learn a lot from them. At St Antony’s, people also knew how to throw a good party. It will not affect your academic performance if you let your hair down once in a while, on the contrary. So, take advantage of the magic that makes Oxford special, be that attending Evensong with a world-class choir in New College, or rowing through the morning mist on the Thames, or the opportunity to talk to Nobel prize winners. It makes for wonderful memories once you have graduated.

Do you feel that attending Oxford was the right decision for you?

I feel it was a privilege to be educated at Oxford. At Oxford, everything is geared towards helping you pursue your studies to the best of your ability, which made studying very satisfying for me. The rigour of the programme and the close contact with my tutors and professors also helped me improve my critical thinking, the conciseness of my writing, and my structuring skills. Most importantly, I am still in touch with the wonderful people I befriended at Oxford, and they continue to inspire me. The dreaminess of Oxford continues to make me smile when I think of it, and I sometimes return simply to make use of my life-long library rights.