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?

Betelguese LSE does not segregate.
Have colleges segregated students at events? On what basis?

No what I meant was that this boy thought that students of different nationalities (which he described rudely) didn't mix well at LSE because they didn't share the same jokes (banter) and social interests (drinking and rowing).
I think other young people outside London have the same fears.
This young man was brought up in the countryside.

The fears are not justified because LSE isnt like that.

Betelguese the trouble is that young people like my friend's son may well be part of a future establishment. I wouldn't be surprised if D Cameron and companions think the same way which is why going to the United Nations or G20 is such a shock for them.

They do have rich kids from abroad at boarding school so I have never understood why the predominant opinion is so insular.

LSE is a great place to study economics and politics because of the open mindedness, the willingness to exchange ideas, and the cross fertilisation from all parts of the world.

I am a bit scared of it but thats because I know nothing about economics and am average at maths. I'm also quite intimidated by very strong political viewpoints. The teaching of political and economic analysis must be interesting there.

You are right about that which is why Oxford has the edge. Do you think that LSE is better for a postgrad degree then?

I mean you are right about students not coping with too many influences at once -

Though I loved doing medicine in London. Fantastic experience.

Betelguese you yourself mentioned previously that works have been written about why some societies fail to progress. Aid is used as a political and a trading tool these days. The government see it as their role to protect the country's wealth, not to decrease world poverty.

A crush or even a crash course in world poverty might be useful but I would even say the impact of the UK division of wealth is going to be huge within the country unless the government take major steps to protect the needy.

But they won't. They are relying on a return to Victorian philanthropism to protect the poor without the philanthropic ethos of those times. The rich have a bling culture these days. More is given to those who have much.
This includes education at every level. Children's centres are being closed and the little playgroups shut down and no one knows how to stop this policy for which no one voted.

Had a wake up call today as mock exam results are coming in and the DD is needing encouragement and support.
I wish I were a naturally sensitive mum. I always appear to be looking the other way and then the children/young people remind me that they need far more support and encouragement and love than I had realised. Like a sort of 'teen alert'.
My mum used to have a sort of 'exam routine' and during exam time the house was clean, tidy, calm, and food was always regular and extra nice and we were let off household chores.
But what about the time between the end of mocks and the exams in May/June? What should a good mum be doing?

Other than food, & letting off chores during exams, there's not much else you can do, funnyp (not quite sure what they expect in the way of "support and encouragement and love" other than you smiling sweetly, feeding generously, & creeping away while they revise!!! ) Between now & May/June it's up to them, surely?

DS2 is in the middle of actual A2 modules atm. He got 100% in his 2 previous Politics modules, & in one of the History modules, but he seems a bit blase about these

He got his rejection email from LSE today...as expected. For his course the figures were approx 460 applications for 20 places (much worse than Oxford actually) so he's not too bothered.

Hasn't heard back from Exeter yet, but as it stands he'd be quite happy to go to either York or Sheffield (departmental open days next month...)

100% WOW How do they do it?
DS got 100% in a history module and was rejected by Oxford so my sister kindly told me that the 100% was a banding thing. I don't believe her. I think 100% is mega amazing especially in an arts subject at A level.
So is it York or Sheffield then? With possibly Exeter?
Not going to LSE is probably a relief as London prices are awful.
Are you going on a road trip to York? The daffs on the city walls will be out in March.
Good luck to DS for the modules.
DD got a B in one of her mock exams and came bottom of her group for that exam and it was awful because I didn't realise she had come bottom and there was a bit of a dreadful moment when I said Oh dear. The girl who came top is having a gap year and had time to revise for mocks instead of going through UCAS. But there is time to revise. It is no good them peaking too early.
I think this year there will be lots of really intelligent people at uni all over the country because of the tuition fees thing.

I have no idea how they do it but OTOH I have seen quite a few posts on TSR citing 100% in Politics so maybe they all got it

100% in an essay subject does seem pretty impressive...(says she with her D grade A levels)(from 1969 though!)

Yes, York & Sheffield thus far - York open day is the Wed before half-term, DS has kindly said I can drive him if I like; Sheffield is the Wed of half-term. He may have friends going to both though in which case he will probably want to go on the train. We'll see. I agree about London prices and I was a bit worried about him being so far away & lacking street smarts. If Exeter make a comparable offer we'll have to rethink (it's also very far away...)

eeek about the B & coming bottom - which subject? is she ok about it? will it give her a helpful nudge in the right direction?

I hope it gives her a helpful nudge. She needs to get her sleep cycle sorted.
My radar is well and truly on.
I have to somehow support without being in any way nagging or helicopterish or too laid back.
I am therefore going to bed. Good night. Enjoy York.

Are any of the Oxford professors still around? I've got a letter from Oxford (applied for postgrad) but I won't be home until tomorrow to read it and I'm going crazy. They told me my application would be assessed as part of the January 21st deadline set and decisions would be made around the 18th of March - my application went in at the beginning of December/end of November. Logically, the letter is probably to say they're assessing the application now, surely? But I've managed to convince myself they've already decided to reject me, or that it somehow got assessed in the earlier group by mistake and they've decided to reject me.

I know I'm being ridiculous and getting carried away but please can someone with knowledge come along to tell me to get a grip and they are not sending out rejection letters at the moment, or that they are, so I can calm down and stop worrying about it.

Dear comealongpond- you poor thing. Until an Oxford professor comes along or until tomorrow (only a few hours to go now) calm down and stop worrying. Whatever is written in the letter will not be altered by your worry. Good luck with the postgrad application. Fingers crossed for you.

DD went to a UCL invite-only open day today. The end of a two stage process. All 30 students there were told that as they had attended they would be getting offers. DD is thrilled though says it helped her confirm her view that Oxford is better for her and to feel more certain that she wants to go to a place with tutorial teaching. Interesting.

Hi, ComeAlongPond. I'm one of them. I hope you've opened your letter, but if not it's highly unlikely to be a rejection as early as this, unless it's telling you that you failed to include a valuable piece of information like a reference.