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 think it could be a throwback to his Berlin roots as his paternal grandmother is Jewish and her older sister was a Professor at Berlin University before she was gassed."

I wonder how many more brilliant minds were lost that way?

Hello Ponders. I think my sister is influenced by the possibility of her DS spending a year in Heidelberg if he goes to Manchester. I don't agree with her at all about Imperial- I think it is excellent for science.
The Berlin thing is a bit creepy. I visited and there was a hole in the ground with glass over it and if you looked down there were empty bookshelves to remind of the time they burned the books in the University library.
Saw my own dear DS today - he is so happy where he is and finding his own independence, and I do think things work out.I am just a bit worried about the heightened terrorist threat in London though. I don't want him to be bombed or brainwashed. Luckily he is friends with a nice little group and is sensible.
The IRA kept bombing things when I was a student. It didn't worry us that much- indeed it would have been thought defeatist to let it worry us.

Good luck everyone for modules/mocks/pools/offers.
Back to school tomorrow and all the girls will catch up -the last year of seeing the snowdrops under the chestnut trees in the grounds- DD will be taking a camera.

Very impressed by how Minerva and Athena work tirelessly on TSR supporting the students-even on Sunday. They deserve a medal.

Peteneras what happened about your DS and all the Eton Scholars? Did they all get in to Oxbridge? Will they be the PM/judges of future years? Just asking because you didn't post. Is it because you think we wont be happy for them?
Thats not so.

You're right funnyperson - of course we'll be happy for anyone who's DC has received an offer!

For us, DD was rejected by Oxford so I havent been on here since before Christmas but I popped back to see how the Cambridge candidates have faired.

At DD's school its been a mixed bag for both Oxford and Cambridge - some great candidates didnt get places but it always goes that way.

But the nerves of the girls in the pool are shot to pieces! Several picked up over the weekend, but some still in there... so on that note, my thoughts are with those whose children are still in the pool today - good luck!

Hi, thekidsmom - sorry to hear that. Yes, I'm afraid our lot is NEVER a happy one. Is your dd going to ask the college for feedback? Sometimes people find it helpful.

I think the feedback comes automatically? The note we had said we'd get feedback unless we'd ticked a 'no feedback' option at some point.

Plus we get ELAT results back in the next few days, if I remember correctly, and that just might say it all!

But we've moved on - we now think that Bristol is the best university in the history of the world ever and that's what we're thinking about!

I will add we've been here before with DS so we know we get over it! I do think DS had all his offers in by this equivlent time though - different subjects work differently, I guess

Dunno whether you get quite enough feedback automatically...ask if not. Few colleges go solely on the pre-interview tests. ELAT especially is an exam, really.

Bristol is indeed a fine university...

Thanks for that - will wait and see if we get enough idea from the feedback...

what about TSA, sieglinde? is that the main criterion for selection for interview for PPE? (someone said that tutors don't even look at applicants' UCAS forms until they know who they'll be interviewing)

Ponders, college tutors vary on this (TSA) and on much else. Some trust it much more than others do. And even a stonking mark in it won't make them want to see you if everything else is wonky, so it's always multifactorial. You need at the very least a solid set of predictions, a good group of GCSE A*s, and a personal statement that seems to demonstrate crazed commitment to the subject...

While you're there sieglinde...is there an increasing expectation that students will be taking 4 A levels? At my son's school they recommend that 3 is better to ensure top grades if you can and to leave time to read round the subject in more depth (and play cricket/football/go to the pub cultural events) but there seems to be an ever increasing number of 4 a level students...

He got his 3 A*s, did a heck of a lot of reading, particularly on philosophy which was new to him, but felt he didn't get the opportunity to show /didn't succeed in showing this interest and might have been better off having kept up a fourth subject to A2 even if he maybe dropped to an A in one or two of them...

Tis done now but I have a third fifikid coming up in the ranks who will soon need to start thinking about these things.

She wants to do something like psychology she told me in car just now - that's your DDs field isn't it funnyp. I know nowt, zilch, nada about such things...

Lawyer, married to lawyer, no science subjects between either of us nor two oldest DCs apart from Maths....

Have just been rung by DD who has been telling me all the school news. Big day as all the girls sharing outcomes/feelings/congratulations/commiserations etc/ They have known each other for a very long time. Quite a gruelling day by the sound of it too, facing each other and the teachers.
Lots and lots who were deserving didn't get offers, so rather sad in some ways. Only one surprise of those who did get offers who might be considered an 'outsider' Otherwise all delightful girls and it is rather nice thinking of them falling over their costumes in their nativity plays and now off to be doctors at Cambridge or lawyers at Oxford or whatever.
DD is feeling happy and sad for classmates. The classics class is very very quiet and low. No one in to either Oxford or Cambridge for classics. Thats sad as it is a very lively intelligent class and super teachers. Many many pooled candidates, especially for sciences, all on tenterhooks and unable to concentrate.
Some of those who didn't get in are tending to blame the teachers. In a way it could be a disadvantage applying to read a subject done at school because there might be over reliance on teachers to provide Oxbridge guidance.
DD's subject is not taught at school so she had to do all the reading and understanding herself. This was possibly an advantage she thinks. Theholly do pm me for psychology advice if you like and I will tell you what I know.
But to be honest many of the girls who haven't got in are outstanding and will have read loads and are intelligent and articulate so I really don't know what is wanted. Best ask the tutors on tis thread.
DD feeling lucky - although, strangely, most from her rather weird and quirky friendship group have got in.

Sorry - that sounds as if they got in because they are weird and quirky. In fact it is only I who think they are strange -they are actually a very friendly lot not at all obsessed with academia or indeed Oxford and Cambridge and, oddly, this is the only difference I can think of - none of them expected to get in because they thought the 'populars' would.

At the boys school the 'populars' have all got in as usual. No surprises there. Standard. There is a formula they follow which seems to work.

Carnage at Nephew's school this year though, especially in the sciences and economics. Nephew still waiting to hear and also doing maths A level modules poor kid.

Hey funny - sounds as if lots applied from your daughter's school? Is it the norm for the bright girls to be encouraged to have a go? What sort of proportion would you say?

I ask because that was certainly the case at DD1s school but I've heard comments at DD2s school to the effect that teachers aren't particularly encouraging or optimistic about the girls chances when they are approached. Of course it could be that they are being realistic and it is gossip from disappointed parents which i'm hearing but it does seem to be the case that over the last couple of years only about 5 to 10% of the year even apply to Oxbridge.

Holly, don't let her do the psychology A-Level . I see no trend in my subject for four A-Levels. It would be thought to favour the independent sector. No harm in it, of course, but 3 predicted As one of whihc is an A* will do. Message me privately if I can be of further help.

Funnyp, grim news from the classics class. When you say 'deserving', what do you actually mean? What do you mean by 'populars'?

Fififi it is the parents and girls who tend to be motivated to apply, once they have their gcse and AS grades. The girls are all quite modest so they don't spend years thinking about it.
I don't know how many applied- nearly 50 perhaps - and approx 25 have offers-mostly from Oxford- but they are all 10 a star at gcse types. 40% of A levels taken last year had A star at A level.
I wouldn't say school grooms them though.
However school is very well organised.
They are not encouraged to have a go. Discouraged if anything. But supported (in terms of getting the application together and in on time) if they decide thats what they want to do.
No coaching happens.

It is grim news from the classics class- DD loves classics and this is partly down to amazing teachers.

Deserving means the girls have outstanding grades, work hard, love their subjects, read round, are quick to learn, do a lot of extracurricular academic stuff.
Popular means they are deserving as above plus prefects/school plays/debating team/MUN/musicians/loads of friends, will get prizes.

They might not interview that well as though confident they are not very arrogant or talkative girls. Sorry for the long post.

Fifi its a good idea for your DD to find out a bit more about the subject through work experience perhaps?
She could write to local psychology departments- academic and NHS- and spend time there after gcse's and/or As levels. Thats what my DD did.
No need to do psychology A level but I gather maths (for the statistics) and biology do help.
There is a common syllabus in all degree courses but the degrees vary a lot for example Cambridge PPS is very different to Oxford Experimental Psychology and Oxford also do PPP so as ever a bit of homework needs doing to find out what suits.
There are 'introduction to.....' books which are useful. DD also got hold of the undergraduate reading list (on the website) and read a couple of the books in the summer to see what she thought. Then she read some more 'fun' books like 'the phantom brain'.
There were some PPP posters on this thread earlier who know loads.
DD joined the BPS and the RI and went to their lectures- again to see what she thought , partly because I was a bit anti at first.
DD socialised A LOT and never let the academe take priority over happiness. This is where her non uni dad might have come in handy. Though the lack of desk, stationary, attachment of any importance to studies and sheer non-awareness in that house was very worrying at times.
Good luck- at least you have a rest before the next child goes through it!

Betelguese.
It's not that easy and straight forward to get A grades at A level, particularly if you are going for 3 or 4 straight A's
DS2 got 1 A star and 3 A's and was one of only 15 (the college has 1650 pupils in years 12 and 13)who had 4 A's at least in his A level results from his 'outstanding' state 6th form college in Surrey last summer.
The youngsters can only do the exams put in front of them and he worked extremely hard for these grades.
There are plenty of people that miss their first university choice (think Tony Blairs eldest and Oxford) because they drop a grade so it's not a done deal until that certain day in August.