Oxbridge 2020 (8th thread)

[DadDadDad]

A thread to continue discussing entry to Oxbridge in October 2020 (less than nine months away ). All welcome, although this obviously will be of most interest to those with DS or DD holding an offer, and wanting to find a bit of support.

All too soon, 13 August will come over the horizon. Until then, ask questions... share experiences... discuss news and stats... write a poem... (we did briefly have some poetry on a previous thread).

With huge thanks to @HugoSpritz and predecessors for previous threads.

[DadDadDad]

I should have added I have a DS who has an offer of AAA for a humanities subject at Oxford. Please remind us what they've got you in here for.

[sandybayley]

Checking in.

DS1 has an offer for Chemistry at Oxford. A star A star A . Feeling a bit twitchy about him meeting his offer but it's within his reach I hope.

Can we really be on Thread 8 already? Wonder where we'll be by August.

DS1 hasn't actually accepted his place yet even though all 5 choices have now offered. Not sure exactly what he's waiting for.

[muttonjeffmum]

My daughter has an offer for Cambridge to study HSPS. She needs A* and 2 x A's to secure the place. She seems quietly confident at the moment having got A's in her mocks and is just getting on with her studying, working and nights out.

[FingernailNibbler]

My daughter has an offer from Cambridge to study MML. She needs A* AA to get in, which is the standard humanities offer. She isn't worried, but I am. She has noticeably slacked off since the decision. She needs to attend an offer holder day at second choice to highlight the stakes and focus on the goal.

[Torchlightt]

DD also needs A*AA for a Cambridge humanities subject. Not feeling optimistic.
DadDadDad - jealous that your DC "only" needs AAA.

[GinWorksForMe]

Checking in, thanks for the new thread DadDadDad My DS has Maths offer from Cambridge, 2 x A*, A and 1,1 in STEP 2 and 3.

[DadDadDad]

jealous that your DC "only" needs AAA.

Sorry! I think that's standard for Oxford humanities. Given his predicted grades, I've been probably a bit blasé about it. Although with we've had some stressful outbursts here this morning with his History coursework which if I took at face value means he going to fail, he won't have time to revise for his mocks, it's all a disaster etc.

[NotTheLangCleg]

Thanks for new thread.

I’ve name changed since prior threads. DD is also Oxford humanities, 3xA. Right now she’s working hard but has become a bit of a hermit to do so which I don’t think is the most sensible strategy either. And she has no clean clothes because “laundry is ridiculously low in my priority list right now” (No I won’t be doing it for her.)
Parenting is never plain sailing with teenagers, is it?

[HuaShan]

Thanks Dad. DS has an offer for Maths, Oxford 2x A* A

[bpisok]

Checking in - DD has an A*AA offer at Camb. 🤞

[PantTwizzler]

DS has an A A A offer for Engineering at Cambridge (though he grumpily claims it’s really A A A A as he’s already got an A). He’s predicted all A* but his latest report said he is performing at 2 grades below prediction in Chemistry. We had a similar issue with DD1 and history this time last year (I have seriously relaxed older DC) but she managed to get what she needed for her offer.

Nibbling fingernails and crossing fingers here... it’s a long time until August.

[PantTwizzler]

@NotTheLangCleg my DD literally chose to start ironing her school uniform as exams loomed... serious displacement activity!

[hobbema]

Thanks @DadDadDad, thread 8!! However the Oxbridge 2021 thread has ALREADY started so think we are models of restraint!!
Reminder; DD who is a DT History, Cambridge. A*AA. Mocks after half term. Offer Holder Day coming up. Working hard but not full pelt .
Every now and then I remind myself that Goodbye has had 8 rounds of this...

[JulesJules]

D1 has an offer for a History joint from Oxford, standard offer AAA

One of her friends has an offer for Chemistry at Oxford @SandyBayley and another for HSPS at Cambridge @muttonjeffmumPSc !

She's currently stressing about mocks (Feb) and about the early start of A levels - they only go on study leave the day before her first paper.

Her second choice has also offered AAA, which she thinks means she'll have to go for her third choice (ABB) as insurance.

[JulesJules]

She's been invited to an offer holder day, with sessions in the morning for students and in the afternoon for parents - but it would have cost about £500 for just me and her to go - trains and an overnight stay - so decided against. I'm hoping they'll send any info she needs.

[NotTheLangCleg]

my DD literally chose to start ironing her school uniform as exams loomed... serious displacement activity!

Mine has finally come up with paying a younger sibling who should be starting some GCSE revision to do her laundry now.

And she’s just cancelled attending a party tonight with a boy she’s seen a few times, to get more work done. “He’s pretty but we’re headed in different directions so it’s a waste of my time.” I’m hoping she didn’t put it quite that way to the poor lad...

Jules You’ll hear anything essential without attending, I’m sure.
Did she stay at that college for interview?

[JulesJules]

@NotTheLangCleg yes, she was there 5 days for interviews. She's not bothered about missing the offer holder day, think she mainly wanted to go to the Ashmolean again, tbh

[Dearover]

Mine is another Oxford AAA for humanities. She is in a similar position to Jules as the only lower offer she currently holds is for a university poles apart from Oxford. She's secretly hoping the the Scottish unis will finally spring into action and be generously low to tempt her to pay for 4 years.

[Hoghgyni]

I wonder what the reaction of Oxford or Cambridge would be if you dared to make them your insurance place?

DD was offered ABB by Durham if firm or AAA otherwise, matching her offer for PPE at Oxford. It would a high risk strategy to still put Durham as insurance and I imagine you would end up sharing a room in a college if you were lucky enough to be allocated accommodation on an insurance place.

[NotTheLangCleg]

I know a boy with Imperial and Oxford offers, and a higher offer from the former, who wants to put Oxford as insurance. His parents are reputedly furious about this plan.

[BasiliskStare]

Well @daddaddad - Ds had ( History ) 3 x A ( Oxford ) which is ( relatively low - but should be achievable for capable students ) but then no STEM to worry about - but he had to have gone through interviews etc so other testing and apititude tests , so he had been through things. But after initial euphoria with place , have to get the grades

[Pepermintea]

Hello all. Just checking in here. Ds has an Oxford offer for maths AAA. Not firmed it yet as he's not quite decided about his insurance place.

[AChickenCalledDaal]

Hi all. Good to see everyone. For the record: DD1: Maths, Cam, A A A plus Grade 1 STEP II and III.

@GinWorksForMe and anyone else facing STEP with no school support, may be interested in this online course I just found amsp.org.uk/events/details/6998.

[MarchingFrogs]

I wonder what the reaction of Oxford or Cambridge would be if you dared to make them your insurance place?

Surely there must be some international applicants, at least, for whom even Oxford or Cambridge would be a second or even lower preference after e.g. the Sorbonne, something Ivy League, etc? Except in those cases, the UK university would still see that it was the applicant's firm choice on UCAS, but not that it was not their first choice (because that would be applied for via a different system).

I'm sure they'd get over it eventually.