I am currently doing an undergraduate degree, and have a course average of 95%. I am looking into applying for masters courses with a desire to go on to a PHD, and would absolutely, absolutely love to apply to Cambridge and Oxford. I did my first undergraduate at Cambridge 20 years ago so know the city well, as well as the collegiate system. I will also apply to Leeds and Manchester as they would not be too far from where we are currently.
We currently live 30 minutes away from DD’s dad. She will be 11 when I would be starting my masters, so would be moving in to year 7. The secondary schools near me, and near her father’s house, are poor. The one we are in catchment for now has had three student stabbings over the past two years, and has an inadequate ofsted rating. There are two 11+ entry grammar schools nearby, but dd is not academic and so is unlikely to pass the 11+, so I want to move for secondary anyway.
Dd’s father is blasèe about seeing her-he regularly cancels his days, moves them or brings her home early. He has never paid maintenance , does not contribute in any other way, and works 2 days a week. Would you move if you got an offer from Oxbridge? I’m so worried that we would move for the masters and then I wouldn’t get on to a PHD, but my job opportunities would open up by having it, it would be a wonderful experience, and we could always stay on in Cambridge or Oxford and I could commute to London for work. I feel like I am doing something so wrong!