Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-3

[Baaaahhhhh]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4016760-Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-2

New Thread !

[kitnkaboodle]

Hello all. De-lurking to say hi as DS has just gone in to sit the Oxford PAT today. Applied to Keble for Engineering - a very very long shot! He has just sat the October A levels which was all very stressy (especially doing the Oxford application in the middle of them!). He has struggled a lot with anxiety issues the whole of his 6th form, but went in today relatively calmly, so I am very proud. Physics his best subject so fingers crossed - for him and all other candidates this morning. 🤞

[IrmaFayLear]

Hello again!

Good luck to today's test takers!

Dd said there were loads in the hall yesterday, and teacher remarked that twice as many are applying from the school as last year . The HE/Oxbridge Coordinator was rubbish and allowed - or at least didn't intervene - when several applied to the same college for the same course. It shouldn't matter, but if I had been in the job I would have advised against this to be on the safe side.

[goodbyestranger]

Posted on the old thread without realizing it was defunct.

It's definitely better to submit something done in the normal course of the syllabus, whether timed or not, rather than a special essay set for the pupil and marked with an eye to an Oxbridge application. Coursework (or a section of coursework) is fine.

[goodbyestranger]

Is your own DD one of those affected by multiple applications to the same college/ subject Irma?

[IrmaFayLear]

Luckily not. Dd did not pick a particularly popular college - although I have spied a couple of rivals on the student room ! (All with 130 grade 9s of course...)

[DahliaMacNamara]

Oh, I'm staying well away from the Student Room. Lurking here has been enough for me up to now.

[Revengeofthepangolins]

Hello @kitnkaboodle, welcome to the throng. I saw on the Oct A level exams that it has been a rather torrid period for you - I hope things settle down now. When do his results come out!

[Tenpastseven]

Good luck to all test takers today. I find I've been checking in rather often the last couple of days, feeling a bit clucky about all the DCs mentioned on this thread.

[Tenpastseven]

@DahliaMacNamara I think my inability to get my head round the structure of the student room speaks of my antiquity. I can't get my head round it so am leaving it alone too.

[kitnkaboodle]

@Revengeofthepangolins thanks! He gets A level results on December 17th . In a nutshell, he has good GCSEs, a good personal statement and should do well in this PAT test (put it this way - he hasn't walked out yet!!). But his A level situation is iffy. Who know how he'll do, but he really really wanted a shot at this PAT if nothing else. We will have to add other UCAS choices after Dec 17th and before Jan 15th!! Was going to spend November visiting any university towns that he isn't familiar with, but - hey ho. We have a few weeks peace now (quite looking forward to lockdown!) but December/January is going to be fraught again ...

[kitnkaboodle]

So my DS is a 'year 14' applicant. Does anyone know if that will be weighted against him compared to the more normal Y13 applicants??

[fabtasticmrpox]

@Tenpastseven

Good luck to all test takers today. I find I've been checking in rather often the last couple of days, feeling a bit clucky about all the DCs mentioned on this thread.

Me too.

Dd is in such a good mood, I think a mixture of having the test out the way and actually some belief that she might have a chance. She did make a pretty funny mistake with the french translation. She couldn't remember the word for queen so used ruler - changing it to feminine. She has since found out her substitute word means menstruating girl.

I'm now to look round the student room !

[WarmAndco3y]

Thank you @Tenpastseven! Glad I’ve found my crew!
Not that I’m addicted to the thread or anything...

I know what you mean Re:TSR. I do check in, once in a while, but I view it more for the DC and they seem to be using it appropriately for them.

[WarmAndco3y]

@fabtasticmrpox, that just made me lol!!! At work

[IrmaFayLear]

Reminds me of when I asked dd's French exchange boy, in my best Franglais, whether he was jokey at school. The poor boy turned vermillion and when I consulted google translate it turned out that i'd asked him if he were a flirt . He must have thought that I was a really mad old bird

[LaundryFairy]

I had never heard about there being an issue with multiple applicants from a school to the same course/college until I read about it here. DS is at a (reasonably good) state school, but no mention of this in the whole application process. Can someone explain why the multiple applicant thing an issue if Oxford just pools good applicants if some colleges have too many?

[Pumpkintopf]

Satsmadness she may have done better than she thought-hope so!

DS went off to the NSAA this morning saying he just wanted it over and done with now. Am waiting with bated breath to see how he feels it went - 2 mins to go 😳

[hopelesschildren]

Well, dd txt it went quite bad, ran out of time. She is usually a good judge how she has done an exam.

[Pumpkintopf]

What was she sitting hopeless?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

Thanks for the new thread!

Then they are contextualised, so are they better than average for her school?

@Revengeofthepangolins and @JulesJules this doesn''t look good for dd - she was at the top girls grammar school in the country where I imagine lots of students got a straight run of 9s. Dd hasn't said anything but I'm worrying it will affect her chances.

[Baaaahhhhh]

Dd rang, she seems quite happy with the HAT. She said the source wasn't too long, although very complicated, I think she said it was Ming dynasty family lines. She wrote a lot, didn't get to the conclusion, but her tutor wasn't too worried about that. Tick .

[bendmeoverbackwards]

She still hasn't finalised her written work to submit

@Jalfrezi what do you mean by submitting written work? Dd hasn't said anything about this.

[bendmeoverbackwards]

Well done to your dd @Baaaahhhhh that sounds good. Dd messaged me to say it was fine too.

[kitnkaboodle]

My DS is out of the PAT. As usual he 'doesn't know how it went', but isn't upset/angry/baffled, so I guess that's pretty good!

[goodbyestranger]

I wouldn't think it would be a huge problem LaundryFairy, except possibly for applicants from big name independents. Even then, if Oxford really wants someone, they'll take them. The only applicants who'll have problems with things like this are those on the margins.