The Secret to Using an Oxbridge University Admissions Consultant: The Greenhill Academics Framework

By Russell Greenhill

Founder & CEO @ Greenhill Academics

Oxford Master’s Graduate • 4+ Years Tutoring Experience

How difficult is it to get into Oxford and Cambridge?

Every applicant to Oxford or Cambridge feels fear and uncertainty about whether or not they will get accepted. As the founder of Greenhill Academics, I was in your shoes in 2018 when I was applying to study the MSc. Financial Economics course at Oxford. I saw that just 13% of applicants get in and considered whether I was worthy of even trying. I did not know it back then, but I followed a plan that I now built a framework around that can help you improve your chances of getting into these top universities in the UK.

Russell’s Oxford Journey

Russell Greenhill is the founder of Greenhill Academics and an Oxford Master’s graduate in Financial Economics. After experiencing the uncertainty of applying to Oxbridge firsthand in 2018, he developed the PROGRESS framework that has now helped over 200 students achieve their dreams of studying at Oxford and Cambridge. His personal journey from uncertain applicant to successful graduate to trusted admissions consultant gives him unique insight into what it truly takes to succeed.

So is it hard to get into Oxford or Cambridge University?

In 2024, 14% of applicants to Oxford got accepted to study for an undergraduate degree. The most competitive courses were Economics and Management, Computer Science, and Mathematics and Computer Science. In Economics and Management just 5% of applicants got accepted. Other notoriously competitive courses are Law, Medicine, Maths and Physics.

Our framework that we use as admissions consultants

At Greenhill Academics, we have the PROGRESS programme that ensures you hit every point after a gap year, to increase your chances of getting accepted. This is shared here for the first time, and will ensure you don’t miss any part of your application out.

Are College Admissions Consultants Worth it?

“You must hit every requirement of the application. There are no shortcuts. The role of the consultant, in the United Kingdom, is to make sure nothing is missed that could strengthen the application.”

Russell Greenhill, Oxford Graduate & Founder of Greenhill Academics

The role of the admissions consultant is to improve your chances of getting into Oxford or Cambridge. We do this by guiding you through the process that we’ve seen many times before. We guide you through each step of the admissions process using the PROGRESS framework, from building your profile to simulating mock interviews with graduates who have been through the course to which you want to apply.

Which courses give you the best chance of success at Oxford or Cambridge

Given your profile, research all available options to reach where you want to go. More often than not, applicants are drawn to one course that they’ve come across randomly, but haven’t even considered similar, sometimes better suited courses.

Imagine you wanted to study Economics at Cambridge. I would ask whether you’re interested in business, politics, law, or philosophy. Here are some courses that may be a fit:

We’ve suddenly gone from one course to five and your options are wide open. Once we have your profile, we tell you which courses you could be best fit for in our research report.

How to prepare for the Oxford or Cambridge interview

Some people say that the Oxford or Cambridge interviews are very nerve-wracking. They are pivotal to whether you get accepted or not because they play a differentiating factor in your application. They are famous for their idiosyncrasies. The interviewers rarely ask you about your goals or why you want to study at the university, rather they are based around the topic you are specialised in, going into depth on

We set you up with someone who has done your exact course or something very similar to what you are applying for. You will practise speaking confidently about technical topics and build your fluency in English if it isn’t your native language. You will finish with your tutor, ready to perform at your best.

When to seek a University Admissions Consultant

If you still feel lost in your application or you think you’d like to increase your chances of getting in, we are now accepting applications to apply for the 2026 intake through UCAS.

If you are scared about applying, even after using this framework, you should seek professional assistance. We take time to understand who you are and your motivations, and find a course most suited to you.

If you require help ensuring you hit all of these points, you can reach out to us for a free consultation with me here.