What was your Oxbridge DC like when they were 15?

[boobashka]

Just wondering if I should be encouraging my 15 yr old DS to look into exploring an Oxbridge degree. He's able, in the top sets for everything at his very average state school. He works hard, is articulate and quite competitive. He's an all rounder with a particular interest in science. He's interested in a career in engineering. I just don't know if he would be capable of an oxbridge degree. I don't want to put any undue pressure on him but equally I want him to achieve his full potential. If you had a child who went on to attend Oxford or Cambridge what were they like at 15? Many thanks 😊

@2bazookas sounds very much like my boy He's got a very full life esp after the last 2 years of restrictions. He's really happy and I don't want to put any pressure on him so I'm glad to hear that there's no rush.

@Wanderlusting89 There hasn't been a time in living memory when Oxford has "really only accepted private school kids"

If it's an engineering degree he's keen on, have a look at Strathclyde. My DD is reading biomedical engineering and strathie has one of the best departments in the country, the best in Scotland as I understand it.

@Lessstressedhemum I went to Strath myself so have a huge amount of respect for it. Think he'd do well there

Biomedical engineering sounds amazing too- the world will be her oyster with that @Lessstressedhemum

Very focused and motivated. Used to come home from school and study/churn out past exam papers every night for 2-3 hours, plus more at weekends. I've honestly never seen anyone work so solidly but he didn't seem to get stressed by it (I think the fact that he had a strict routine that he'd imposed on himself made him feel very prepared whereas if he wasn't working hard, he'd have been worried about exams. He actually enjoyed exams 😂)

He's doing his phd now, and he's still very focused/works hard, but he manages to have a good social life as well.