Harrow/Eton/Winchester Entry 2027

[Num1]

Hi all,

Just thought I would start a thread for Entry 2027 for the above.

My DS has had the invite for the Harrow Test in Jan 2025, has anyone heard back for Eton or Winchester?

i appreciate its just a waiting game, but am asking out of curiosity.

Yes, offers.

Re invites to second round, the house system of Eton and Winchester is similar, as long as I know.
Each house can handle a maximum of 30 boys to interview. So 600 boys for Eton (20 houses x 30 boys) and 300 boys for Winchester (10 houses x 30 boys) to be invited for interview, but probably less than these figures.

The odds are not good are they. All very worrying, and hard to stay optimistic

NiftyAquaSwan

As a fam

NiftyAquaSwan

sorry, hit post a bit prematurely!

We do not have as much experience as some on the Harrow Test. We have been advised around interview with making sure DS can demonstrate enthusiasm for something he wrote on his CV in a natural consistent way. I appreciate that is kind of obvious, beyond that they suggest they are trying to find his ‘passion’ and help him come across that way.

WRT the entrance exam, no idea really.

What date is Eton expected?

Solasum

Hi, DS just the interview offer email for the Eton interview.

Best of luck everyone.

Congratulations. My DS got it too. Good luck for the interview!

@Solasum
Bright boys should get multiple offers even among top-tier schools. For example, one of my friends' son got seven final offers from all excellent schools (Prep said that's crazy, and we won't do it, though...)
So, the actual acceptance rate, not places but offers to all candidates, would be much higher, I think roughly double. Good luck!

Wow, seven offers. What a dream

Hi, got a second round to Harrow, Wincehster, Eton. Any idea what to expect in the interview of Winchester? It’s supposedly an hour long. Can anyone share their views on Win Coll recently. I read some mix posts but my gut feeling is very positive. Thankyou

I’m not sure but Eton and Harrow.. they never suggested a House master. Winchester on the contrary involved us in choosing and visiting a house. That gave a very personalised, rather homely feeling to the whole experience. It makes an impact on the child when they know who they will be interviewing with.

Hi DearBiscuit,

Although my DD did not make the Winchester second stage, the HM he would have been interviewed by did go through with us what normally would be expected.

A picture or painting would start the ‘discussion’, where they will try and assess the usual capabilities of your DD.

They will be looking out for the over-prepared and want genuine answers rather than stock responses. The length time is entirely based upon how comfortable the HM is on gauging the child.
Again this purely based upon the individual HM comments during a visit.

@Num1 Thank you for sharing!

I hope my question won’t cause offence but did anyone receive a no from Eton? Just trying to gauge whether they’ve offered way more interviews compared to previous years due to the introduction of vat, and a fear of not having enough acceptances. Asking because everyone we know seems to have had a yes which includes a VERY wide range of abilities

Sorry, I meant DS!

I think they might have received less applicants than usual this year due to the introduction of VAT and therefore have offered to a wider range of abilities. I don’t know of anyone that had received a no, but only know a couple that have applied.

Hi Kitkat189,

Whilst I do not know exactly, on the Eton open day the Deputy Head of Admissions mention that approximately 600 boys make it to the Second Stage from the 1200+ who apply.

They may have adjusted this due to VAT, but the above schools really do not have an issue filling spaces.

In my mind, it is a bit like asking if the Golden Triangle (London, Oxford and Cambridge universities) giving more interviews if they raised tuition fees by 20%, they wont struggle to fill courses.

Perhaps your DS is in a group of high performing applicants!

Im wondering the same. From our school, everyone who applied to Harrow and Eton got an invite. No offence but there is definitely wider range of abilities. Charter house on the other hand have been more selective, may be there are more applicants this year.

im sorry to hear, if that was your first priority. Thankyou very much for the update.

I appreciate your interesting update. One question: Do you know the case that the same boy was invited by Charterhouse but not by Eton? Im my opinion, they are in the different leagues, and even if Charterhouse was very selective this year, the mentioned case never happens.

Also, I remember our prep said Charterhouse has been oversubscribed these a few years. Does anyone know any good news?

I haven’t heard anyone from our school who was declined from Eton/winchester/harrow, which is very interesting to be honest.
CH could have been over subscribed. I heard the same for Harrow though. Also not to forget, CH is not very rigid on entry points, so they might have heavy volume of applicants.

Thank you!

Just had a chat with DS Prep Head, this year Eton have had over1400 applicants and 600ish have been invited for stage 2.

Applications have gone up, not down.

No way to gauge the accuracy, but he is close to Director of Admissions.

Thank you for updating. Isn’t the usual figures like 1300-1400applicants out of which 600 are called in for the second round. I remember registrar saying the same.