Success stories #2: Maya Ravichandran
Our new blog series, Success Stories, interviews students and alumni from Oxford and Cambridge. High school students often struggle to imagine what daily life at these universities is like, what successful applications look like, how such students spend their time, etc. To help with that, we are bringing you interviews with current students and graduates, helping you discover these universities from an insider’s perspective and gain tips from students who successfully passed the admissions process.
In the second edition, we interviewed Maya Ravichandran from the US, an alumna of both Oxford and Cambridge University.
Aspiro: Hi Maya! Thank you for accepting our invitation to our Success Stories Series. Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your educational background?
Maya: I am from New Jersey, USA. I did my BS in Computer Science at Rutgers University, my MSc in Advanced Computer Science at the University of Oxford (New College), and my MPhil in Therapeutic Sciences at the University of Cambridge (Trinity College). Since graduating from Cambridge, I have been working in the US as an AI Engineer at Regrello, a Series A startup, building generative AI products.
Aspiro: Following your undergraduate studies in the US, what made you decide to continue your studies in the UK?
Maya: I was fortunate to receive the Marshall Scholarship, a full scholarship offered by the British government to approximately 40 US Citizens each year for two years of graduate studies at any university in the UK. I thought this program would be a great opportunity to further my interests in computer science, AI, and the biotech industry, attend some of the world’s leading universities, build my network, make lifelong friends, and expose myself to a new culture and a variety of enriching experiences.
Aspiro: After your first master’s degree what made you decide to continue your studies in Cambridge, and how do the two universities compare?
Maya: I had two years of funding to study in the UK, and was looking for an interesting opportunity to pursue after my first master’s at Oxford. Given my longstanding interest in the biotech industry and entrepreneurship, I thought the MPhil in Therapeutic Sciences would be a good next step and allow me to broaden my skillset. The city of Cambridge is also a leading biotech and innovation hub within the UK, and I thought it would be an ideal place to study this field.
For the large part, Oxford and Cambridge provide similar educational experiences. Both are world-leading universities with excellent academic departments. Both have a college system, medieval architecture, formal dinners, and signs instructing you to keep off the grass. Aside from that, I think the stereotype of Oxford emphasizing politics and the humanities, and Cambridge emphasizing STEM, holds up. Both universities have outstanding humanities and STEM departments, but I felt I met a larger number of passionate scientists at Cambridge, which I enjoyed as someone who studies STEM myself.
Aspiro: If you spoke to a student who is struggling to decide between Oxford and Cambridge, what advice would you give to them?
Maya: Both universities are amazing, and you cannot go wrong with either. If you need to choose between the two, I would first suggest deciding based on your academic interests. If one university has a particular program, institute, laboratory, etc. that is a better fit for your interests, choose based on that, as well as based on any funding you might receive. If Oxford and Cambridge seem equally strong in your academic area, I would suggest choosing Oxford. I think Oxford provides a more fun and traditional social atmosphere, the city is more beautiful and architecturally harmonious, and the surrounding countryside has more cool places to visit. These all make a difference in how much you enjoy your time at university.
Aspiro: How did you find your university experience in the UK as an international student? Did you feel included and welcome?
Maya: I had an amazing time studying in the UK. I felt very welcome as an international student, and I found the universities to be diverse and multicultural, filled with people from all over the world. As an example, in my college accommodation consisting of a house of 6 students, each of us were from a different country, and we all got along very well. The postgraduate community in particular is heavily international, although the undergraduate community has many international students as well. I found that other students were welcoming and very interested in making new friends. The one thing that it took a bit of getting used to is that at Oxbridge, you’re often not allowed inside colleges other than your own, and there are security guards stationed everywhere. While that can be jarring, luckily, students are eager to show others around their college as a guest, and it’s a good excuse to hang out.
Aspiro: Any tips to prospective applicants who would be keen to pursue a journey similar to yours?
Maya: Having a clear plan and vision for what you want to do is important. First, get a general idea of what your overall academic and career goals are. Then, think about exactly where you want to be in 5 years, and make a plan on what specific steps you will take to get there. Once you’re armed with a plan and the determination to succeed, you are more likely to rebound from failures and achieve your goals. If you don’t know what exactly you want to do yet, I would suggest exploring several of your areas of interest until you have a general idea of your plans.
