Parent of oxbridge candidate-peersupportneeded

[funnyperson]

OK so my DD is applying to Oxford for entry in 2011 and has a 75% chance of getting rejected so I am told by the Oxford website so I reckon a new thread would be helpful for us parents who may end up with joy or grief but in any event need to keep sane enough to support our loved ones. Any tips on maximising chances of success at this stage?

I'm not sure about postgrad fees but I expect they'll go up one way or another. They're not quite the same as undergrad fees though, from what I understand they can vary depending on the uni. I've also applied to LSE and St Andrews, and St Andrews is significantly cheaper than LSE for tuition. It depends on the course, as well, some cost more than others.

Your snowman sounds fab, funny!

Betelguese you continue to totally awe me with how you have supported your son. I really wish your family continuation of the success and happiness which clearly owes a lot to you as well as to DS.
My DD has hypothyroidism but that is not as complex as diabetes.
Betelguese I am a practising doctor and medicine is my first love and I have a number of postgrad qualifications and go to regular postgrad medical meetings so I do get my intellectual debate- I only read the books I mentioned in that post for fun really and to try and understand the recession and perhaps help the DC.
But since you mentioned you are an LSE alumnus perhaps we could meet up and I would love to chat about the basic concepts of economics and about your phenomenal parenting with you, because DS friends are now down and are saying the same things as you about Oxford.
Which online school did you find for DS at sixth form?
I think the other thing which comes across is how un self- centred you are and how committed and optimistic which is amazing.
Big hugs.
The carol service was magical. The girls sang and played and read beautifully. The last one after 14 years of schooling.

Parent alert the TSR Oxford rejections thread mentions some UCAS track rejections are beginning to come through and decision letters posted out from today. I have my fingers and toes crossed but also smelling salts and hot chocolate to hand. You can all scorn me for being loudmouthed and starting this thread if I creep sadly away into a corner.

fingers crossed for you and DD funny

Yup, Betelguese is certainly a very committed parent.

It is a horrid time for parents. I remember coming home from school the day I found out I had got my Oxbridge place and finding my mother slightly the worse for wear on sherry. I hadn't realised how worried she'd been about the whole thing. In my eighteen-year-old naivete I'd just known I'd get in.

Eek! Post has arrived earlier than usual this morning and no envelope for DS1...does that mean he's not got in ( no acceptance letter)? or maybe his college hasn't yet posted out its letters?

Oh gawd.....and i thought I was being a little calmer about it all....

Ahh, learnt about lurking on TSR forums from you guys - seems from there that only one or two colleges sending out letters yesterday...does that fit with anyone elses understanding on here....

Holly don't forget the post has all gone tits up due to weather so please try not to worry

DD has been offered a conditional place at Wadham College Oxford!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unbelievably relieved. Phenomenal result. Really really grateful to God. Very very happy and relieved and hoping they havent got the wrong person/family etc.
Thank you so much all for helping to keep me sane throughout otherwise I am sure my neuroses would have frozen her up.
Really impressed by the quick turn around at Wadham with the letter arriving this morning.
Very very very very happy. lets hope she gets the results.
Good luck to everyone else- we are off to celebrate -still cant quite believe the good fortune.

congratulations funny and funny DD. Fabulous news, what are they asking for?

Congratulations funnyperson and dd!

Good luck to others waiting - some colleges won't have sent letters yet, and rejections get sent on the whole the same day as acceptances.

Oh congratulations to your DD funny! That is wonderful news

Holly, don't worry, post is useless at the moment, like mumoverseas says.

Congratulations, Funny, and well done to your DD.

My son got an email saying that his UCAS status had changed but when he went onto UCAS to find out the result he was informed that the website is unavailable until Monday due to routine maintenance.

Post arrived this morning but no letter from LMH.

We'll just have to sit tight for another couple of days. I think the anxiety is lessend by the fact that the further we get from the interviews the more he is convinced that he 'screwed up', but it would be good to resolve the uncertainty.

Good luck everyone.

RRocks

Ohhh well done funny's DD. How fantastic - have to say all your posts from the interview outfit buying through arriving for interview and your DD's thoughts on the interviewing process all sounded very positive to this reader....

Many congratulations and have a lovely lovely Christmas

fifi
xx

Well done Funnys DD! Not a sausage here! I keep swinging from 'well why shouldn't DS get a place?' to 'there's no chance he'll get a place!' Would just like to know one way or other!!

Absolutely phenomenal. The news is still sinking in. Thank you all for your congratulations which I will pass on to her. I have to say that she read some of your posts before going up and it all helped her to feel supported and encouraged and grounded. A lot of work over a long period went into this- together with the determination that as a family we would aim high and would pull out the stops; partly because of the significant disappointment over DS last year, even though he landed on his feet in the end. If I can pinpoint anything I would say -very well organised school-DD had read a lot around her subject- the college and tutor 'fitted'-DD was not phased by a challenging first interview as she had been pre warned by DS- neurotic mum had support from mumsnet.
Good wishes and fingers crossed for everyone. The snow is very heavy here, I think we were lucky the post came through.
Lots of sympathy for those waiting as I was in a state of mental paralysis which it has in fact taken time to come out of. More than anything the interview process helped both her and us get to know the college more and the lovely memory will help her through the next stage of her exams.

Also cant help thinking this was a close call.

Aww funnyp, in the nicest possible way it probably was a close call....I'm sure for almost everyone the short listing for interview is a close call and the making of offers is a close call - a lot of very bright very able very dedicated children are in the pool....but your DD was able somewhere, some how to show an edge. That's what you need to concentrate on and celebrate.

equally I must remember those words if it's not good news for DS - his teachers think he would make a great Oxbridge candidate, he too has worked very hard and developed (all on his own through individual reading) a very real interest in philosophy which is a new subject for him and from what I've heard the tutorial way of teaching would be very "him" - but if somehow that didn't all come across on the day then he won't get an offer but it will have been a close call.

Good luck to everyone - Monday at the earliest now for the rest of us I guess...

Holly, I've been the person on the other side of the table for ten years.

Of ten places, the first five or six are easy peasy and not remotely close, and everyone tends to agree about them. It's just really blazingly clear. Where it gets hairy is the last 3-4-5, where there can often be disagreemnts and disparities. Hope your ds is among the chosen! If he is truly all you say then he most likely will be.