Kids have just said they want to apply to Cambridge university, what do we do?

[frozendaisy]

Just as the title says really.

Bit of a bolt out of the blue. One us year 10, one year 8.

We have always said, one step at a time, so concentrate on GCSEs, or even just this week's homework.

Not private schooled, fairly bright with hard work top grades, rounded outside interests, part time jobs and volunteer work. Just as a background.

Do we start looking at entrance exam tutors?

Most colleges offer most subjects - but not all do. It's a bit of a gamble. A college that offers four or six places a year for Engineering (for example) may seem like a better bet than a college which only offers one or two - but it may attract far more applicants.

My advice would be to visit, ideally on an open day, and pick the college on two main criteria:
1.) Do they like the feel of the place? DS thought he'd like the grand colleges like Magdalen or Christchurch but when he visited, he much preferred the tiny ones
2) Do any of the dons at the colleges they like specialise in a niche area of the subject that really interests them. If so, their sample work or statement might spark interest, or their interview might engage at a deeper level. This worked for me decades ago and it worked for DS too. We both chose colleges based on the tutor's interests intersecting with our own real passions.

As others have said, it's worth seeing if a college seeks to improve or maintain their sporting or musical status, if your child excels at one of these. An excellent choral or organ scholar or rower might be popular at a smaller college that would welcome the impact they'd have.

What does carry weight?

Yes, having outstanding GCSE’s and all A* A level predictions, a brilliant headteacher reference and head boy/girl status is no guarantee. Many incredibly talented students with all these attributes are turned away and there is an element of luck at interview. The Oxbridge entrance exam result is very important. Expectations need to be managed and it is important to remember there are many other fantastic options out there.

We have a close family member who interviews at Oxbridge - personal statements hold very little weight in their subject. They want to know if the candidate is academically up to coping with the course so interview plus entrance exam results v important. My understanding is this information helps help to sort out the very good from the good.

all of this

• it's important to look at course design and content relating to the subject they want to study and not be fixated on one particular university. with physics lab facilities/specific resources they are interested in is also relevant. After doing the research, they might decide they want to go somewhere else!

Child rejected from Cambridge after interview. First cull of candidates is before interview, then the others are offered interviews. Then you either get an offer or a rejection. For DC at the time it was a 1 in 5 chance of getting in. At interview it became a 1 in 3 chance. That was 3 years ago and for that specific course. Hope that helps.

My cousin went to Cambridge. It didn’t do him any favours. He found it very difficult to make friends, as most of his peer group came from a different background. His time at Cambridge left him with mental health problems and he had a breakdown.

The motivation should help them get through the slog of school. If you look on their website it will tell you the A level subjects and grade requirements for each course. Excellent academics plus genuine interest in the course are key. Remind them that there is also a randomness to these things as there are more people who are clever enough to get on the course than there are places, so they will need to get excited about other universities as well.

@Lilacdew @BubbleTheTea thank you.

Bit of a bolt out of the blue. One is year 10, one year 8.

They may or may not still want to in due course. They (and you) should keep an open mind - if they do apply to Cambridge it'll be one of 5 choices and fortunately we have lots of excellent unis.

We have always said, one step at a time, so concentrate on GCSEs, or even just this week's homework.
Very sensible at this point.

Not private schooled, fairly bright with hard work top grades, rounded outside interests, part time jobs and volunteer work. Just as a background.

Great!

Do we start looking at entrance exam tutors?

Good god, no. In the sixth form I suppose a would-be mathmo might want some support preparing for STEP exams if the school/college doesn't.

Support them in engagement with their areas of interest in whatever ways are appropriate - it sounds like you do. My dd is an engineer so my dining table occasionally became a robot manufactory. FWIW, she wasn't an 'all a stars' type - cambridge stem students can be asymmetrically talented. Something a PP said Realistically they will need to be able to achieve top grades while coasting at GCSE and doing minimal work at A level to then be able to step up to the level required for Cambridge uni work.
absolutely did not apply. In fact, some of the bright students who come unstuck at Cambridge are those who have been able to coast, who haven't developed good enough study habits and who may be thrown by suddenly finding themselves average within their cohort rather than effortlessly top of the class. She actually didn't even think of applying to Cambridge till after AS went well (2016 old format) - then after getting the offer thought long and hard about the pros and cons vs her second choice. She went in the full knowledge she'd have to work harder and be middling within that cohort - but she'd learn more and was up for the challenge.

Re college...sure, if they end up applying they should choose one they like but don't get too fixated, quite a lot are pooled. DD had been adamant she didn't want a women's college... did a 180° spin and found all sorts of positives when she was pooled to one!

Watching with interest.
My ds has also said he wants to go to Cambridge (probably because family members have been there and talked about how great it was).

He’s in year 7, bright and works hard. He was top of his year in several subjects in recent tests.

He’s very much and all rounder-likes sport and music as well but doesn’t stand out in either. He doesn’t even have a subject that he is particularly passionate about yet-he’s just very curious about everything which I think is great.

I’ll carry on saying ‘that’s nice, let’s just concentrate on current work’ for several more years as I know a lot can happen between now and year 12!

Encourage to work hard and support in terms of materials/quiet times some evenings and over the weekend so they have time to do their schoolwork. I'd avoid a tutor, they can either get the GCSEs and in turns A levels on their on merit or not. If they can't get on their own merit, then they could struggle at Cambridge.

One things for you to know, is that it's considered an expensive uni to go to, but we were talking to a student there last year and their rent was far lower than what our DD was paying by over £300pm, so in terms of support, you could be less stretched.

Nearer the time, they might find there are better courses for them at Oxford or other high level universities. Going into doing A levels it's worth encouraging them to look at different uni websites to see what courses are available and, indeed which modules interest them within those course, also going to have a look at a few, even if only ones closer to home to get a feel, ask questions etc.

A lot of negativity on this thread but think the right advice is coming out the woodwork ie. Be encouraging, focus on getting great exam results and fostering a genuine interest in the subject (these universities really don’t care about extra curricular, it's alll about being able to nail your degree). Oxbridge is desperate for non-private school kids and make way more effort with outreach than lots of other top unis so great if they are state educated.

People saying - oh it's awful there, I know someone who went and had a breakdown etc - very unhelpful! I know tonnes of people who are Oxbridge educated (including myself) and still firmly believe that it's by far and away the best higher education in the country - you just get way more teaching than most other places. I will say that for science/maths you do want to make sure they are up to it academically (ie. If they are struggling with the concepts at A level it's going to get tricky at uni) but that's very much cross bridge when come to it. It's also getting less snobby every day, and most of the people I know who went there just had a normal/fun time doing the same stuff as everyone else at other places.

Ultimately a degree from Cambridge is going to set you up for life amazingly, so if they want to go for it then let them. Worrying about stuff like the college system can wait til Y12.

depending on the course Oxbridge may not be the best. Yes to eg PPE at Oxford (not protective eqpt btw) but there are other high end Unis who may be better. Durham, St.Andrews, Bristol, Glasgow, edinburgh etc. then there are the US Unis eg Harvard who offer bursaries.

fairly bright with hard work top grades,

I have several friend who are Oxbridge graduates, and have worked with a considerable number over the years. I think you need to be academically more than 'fairly bright' to thrive in that environment. I'm not saying people shouldn't chase their dreams, but it will take more than hard work to get into, do well and be happy at Oxbridge. Is it worth having a chat with their teachers about whether it's a realistic option for them?

all this is anecdotal but the people I know who have made it through have done well at exams but ultimately their extra curriculum activities are what’s done it. and that’s tricky to get for natural science for under 18’s.
wildlife trust do rangers for teens and May support some voluntary work as he gets older
if your near eton or tring their natural history museums do stuff. Oxford natural history museum is fantastic but I don’t know if they offer much.
Cambridge have a natural science club they do by post, I will try and find a link.
get him involved in as many voluntary things like counting dolphins on the ferry trips, any local environment centres that run holiday clubs?
Field study centre do courses and week activities.

it’s all stuff for the cv and for the interviews. It’s also never going to do any harm in developing a well rounded young person even if they change their mind.

Probably not for maths and physics though for most of those. Imperial, Manchester, Warwick ...

However, when the time comes another uni may well be better for an individual depending on character, learning style, preferred environment (eg some definitely want London, others rule it out ... mine wouldn't consider imperial).

But of course during the next few years they might develop an interest in other subjects - ks3 doesn't necessarily get kids thinking about eg economics or engineering.

Good for them!

See if they are eligible for any access events, for Cambridge or other top unis. This will help them get used to a uni environment, figure out what they want, and build confidence.

Keep encouraging them to read (or listen to podcasts / videos etc) around their subjects. Talk to them about the subject, ask them questions, see if they can explain things to you or argue their position.

Very strong evidence of massive interest in your subject way beyond the curriculum. Strong evidence of independent learning style and aptitude for critical, lateral, logical and analytical thinking.

This is excellent advice. Pupils from states schools can access some summer schools, open days, Uni-led organisations that aim to demystify Oxbridge and make state school pupils feel it is for them, not just for rich, public school educated applicants.

This is particularly important for pupils who may be the first in their family to attend uni. There are summer school and even pre-uni year long access courses to prep state school applicants from backgrounds that have no tradition of sending pupils to Oxbridge, so they are on a more equal footing.

Keep encouraging them to read (or listen to podcasts / videos etc) around their subjects. Talk to them about the subject, ask them questions, see if they can explain things to you or argue their position.

As @MMMarmite suggests, this is pretty much the best thing you can do. But never do it with the implication it's to help them get into Oxbridge. Just do it anyway. Foster an atmosphere of curiosity, zest for learning, critical thinking, ability to express ideas and process increasingly complex material. Make this a natural part of family life, not part of an Oxbridge plan. Loads and loads and loads of brilliant minds fail to get into undergrad Oxbridge colleges. They thrive at other unis, they go on to do post grads there (or with any sense - get fully funded to post-grad in US ivy leagues). Oxbridge is not the be all and end all.

Cambridge do no care about this sort of stuff.

As I say anecdotally they seem to. And there was an admissions officer on here recently who said the same. It’s about having something to talk about in the interview, something that sets you apart from all the others who apply with fantastic grades

Completely agree with this.
worse way, they end up a well rounded young individual with great experiences.

It’s quite a lottery. Dds friend is genuinely super bright 9s in everything / girl in stem / amazing cv showing relevant interest / state school. Didn’t get in. Please don’t build up their hopes up and make it the be all and end all. Breezily supportive is the best approach

Dd was invited on the access trip to Cambridge as she had good GCSEs and came back adamant it wasn’t for her. Fair enough. Dh was sad he loved it there