Oxbridge info/ support thread 2014

[lismore]

Does anyone else with a DC applying for Oxbridge this year feel like having someone to share the highs/ lows/ questions- if so, please join in!
I have a DS who has just applied to Cambridge- our family has no Oxbridge background and he's at a state school which gives absolutely no advice so definitely feel at a bit of a loss how to support him.
I think he's incredibly brave even trying, especially as 80% get rejected unfortunately.

horse - sorry your DD wasn't successful (my DD likewise has her heart set on Cambridge and has a last chance winter pool interview on Friday)

If you apply to Cambridge or Oxford again it'll have to be for 2015 entry - there are no opportunities for applying to them through clearing ( or the 'trading up' part of clearing ) this summer.

yy to maturity...

I applied for direct entry, was rejected by college A (which I now know wouldn't have suited me at all), then fished by college B who offered me a place for the year after - a deferred place. I accepted, and made plans for a gap year pronto.

Looking back, I was scarcely old enough when I did go, after a year growing up a lot, so I was practically a toddler when I would have gone

Yes, you'd have to take a gap year.

Rejection letter this a.m.

Not sure how DS feels yet, as he wasn't very compos mentis in the morning rush, but I suspect he might take a year out and reapply -- possibly to Durham as well this time, as he really liked the idea of the collegiate system.

Sorry to hear that lancelottie. I guess more of these letters will be arriving for those still in the pool very soon. It's been quite a stressful few days in there - and that was just for the mums!

Hi Lancelottie - sorry to hear that. I will pop home shortly to check the post I think. We've still heard nothing but I fear the longer it goes on the less likely it is to be positive news.

So sorry to hear that Lancelottie - .

DD received her rejection letter yesterday and was very down but already today she seems brighter and is now looking forward to planning her future options. She has decided that she will apply to Oxford or Cambridge to her Masters

Good luck Purple x

So sorry for your DS Lancelottie, . I was so sure the steam engine chat was the clincher.

Oh, I'm quite touched that you remember DS and his steam engines. Thanks all for the sympathy.

Sorry to hear your news Lancelottie.

Fwiw I think that reapplying to Durham as well would be a really good idea for your DS. I remember reading something you wrote about him before Xmas, and you could have been describing my DS! Very bright, issues with organisation...

DS has ADHD and his psych suggested Durham to him, as she thought it would suit him perfectly. It's nice and small, with a caring, protected environment afforded by the collegiate system. I think they rated top nationally for their pastoral care. She was absolutely spot on, he did feel it was right for him - but realises that it would be daft to turn down an Oxford offer.

Hope your DS is OK when he gets home tonight, and best of luck to him.

DS has ASD, Cake, and enough extra needs to warrant a full-time statement. Pastoral care is definitely important to him (and Durham is vv lovely).

He seems pretty philosophical about it; it's DH who's gutted!

DS is upstairs redesigning the seating plan for a city bus; apparently this has some obscure relation to 'work'.

I've just realised that could be read as 'He has ASD and cake'. Now that is actually rather a good idea.

My DS has cake too Definitely a good idea.

Is cake ever not a good idea?

Any news yet, Purple?

Um...

Coeliac? Even then there's gf cake.

Cake solves most things chez nous. It seems to have killed off DS2's chickenpox.

Congratulations to all those getting offers:)

My commiserations to those rejected, but I refer you all to my 1st reply to this (the 1st reply to the op) . It really does just mean that this isn't the right place for you right now - having met up with the eldest and her friends over Xmas they are all having a brilliant time and doing well at many different unis. Dd still thinking maybe she'll consider an Oxbridge MA lol.

Hi Cake - nope, no news at all

Congratulations to those DCs with places.

For those in the pool or rejected, my DD was in the Cambridge pool four years ago and we didn't get a rejection letter for two weeks. I did post this a while ago but might be of more direct interest now www.theguardian.com/education/2012/jan/10/how-cambridge-admissions-really-work

She went to her next choice and has never looked back. She loves being in London, loves her course, has had brilliant internships, including one as part of a research project at a London teaching hospital and is now under the wing of a Professor with a funded PhD as well as Masters all lined up. It has all confirmed she wants to be a research Scientist and though the Cambridge college suggested four years ago she should reapply for Masters and that was her intention then when it came to decide she didn't really entertain it. Of course she may well go there in the course of her career but then she may go anywhere that has the funding and opportunities, which could well be another research university /institution.

At the time she wasn't that upset but even if your DCs are, there really are other brilliant universities that will also give them brilliant opportunities.

Agree with Shooting
Both DS's were rejected by Cambridge & Oxford respectively 4 years apart.
Both went to Nottingham, DS1 got an engineering masters first and DS2 did economics and got a 2:1.
They both got graduate jobs where some members of their intake were Oxbridge graduates and never really looked back after their rejections. Both got A level results which would have secured their Oxbridge places had they got an offer.
Both loved Nottingham.

I'm sorry your DS didn't get in Lancelottie

For those who did get offers I do want to say congratulations again. The DC are very very lucky to get offers as lots of academically perfectly able people don't, and they will have a wonderful time. Other university graduates will get fantastic or even better jobs, but they won't have been to such magical places, or written nearly as many quickly-marked essays.

The price to pay is feeling guilty about getting in when others don't, and for the DC and the family having to downplay how amazing it really is to those who don't go there.
Another effect of getting in to beware of is that DC can become arrogant about getting in and, particularly after a while, can develop the belief that those who study there really are academically and socially superior to everyone else, including siblings, which can lead to worrying alienation from family.
Thus there are many advantages to not getting in, particularly as other places can offer a broader, more contemporary and less colonial outlook on the modern and real world.

So DD had her second interview at the all female college yesterday and they were really friendly, and I really liked the place ( not that my opinion counts!). But it will be mid to late next week when she hears if she was successful - so the waiting continues!

I think it's just made her want it more, and the disappointment will come twice if she gets rejected. We know all about how going elsewhere is fine as both her brother and sister got rejections from Oxford ( one about to start law school the other about to start a masters at imperial - successful lives both) but I don't think that is going to lessen the blow for this DD in particular - the course is so perfect for her.......

I'll let you know the result - this thread will probably be dormant by the time the result comes through! ( it's been great having other mums to chat to on this - thanks all)

Fingers crossed for your DS, Beck.

Does anyone else still have a DC in the pool?

I meant DD, not DS. Too early for me!

BeckAndCall I do hope your DD gets an offer and that she gets to know sooner rather than later.
I don't think the thread will be dormant by then, I will keep popping in. It's been very helpful knowing others going through the process.