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.

Does anyone know when the Oxford letters rejecting you or inviting you to interview are sent out? DD did aptitude test last week and had to send an essay in (don't know if this is the norm). I know the interviews are in December.

Argh, Mitzi, no idea. I'm trying not to think about it. We're certainly not talking about it... I do find it a bit ironic that they had to apply so early just because they were applying to Oxford or Cambridge and yet we're still waiting to hear from those universities when DS has heard from all his other choices now, had interviews and so on.

I agree! Very ironic!

PurplePotato - Daren’t ask DD, she 's had offers from 3 but hasn't heard from Oxford or Durham. She has worked so hard for such a long time - I hope she gets an offer from one of them.

I think it can be any day now, mitzhi. For my DD we are expecting to hear this week or next for Cambridge.

For my older DCs, I recall we had about 10 days or 2 weeks notice for Oxford interviews. It only took about 2 weeks after the ELAT/PAT ( or whatever they were!) to hear back.

I do remember though that the dates were available in advance though - so we knew in advance what the date would be if they were called - it might be worth googling the departmental website to see what the dates are for your chosen subject.

I can't find the equivalent for my DDs chosen college at Cambridge though - we just have to wait and see!

DS has had various forms to fill in from the Cambridge college and was told that notifications of interview would go out between 15th and 29th November, so we could still have a wait there. I think the colleges vary even within the same subject.
He's had offers from his 4th and 5th choices but nothing from Warwick or Durham yet.

Last week of November usually.

Also, in response to hellsbells, I have a clever state school DS who is a medical scholar at one of the old Oxford colleges and though he does have to work hard, and the terms are intense, he still manages a very robust social and extra curricular life - he's extremely happy and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

My DS was told that it'll be the last week in November before he hears about a possible interview.

What, if anything, are your DC's schools doing to help prepare them?

DS's school (state) does pretty much nothing (one 20 min interview in September by Biology teacher shared with another boy- not aimed at Oxbridge, just his subject). No admissions test prep. No guidance or data from any previous applicants etc. No extra classes / reading lists etc. I have heard that some schools offer all of this and hope that DS isn't at too much of a disadvantage.

He and a friend (both applying for same subject at Cambridge) are trying to help each other and interview each other but they obviously have no experience between them.

Good interview practice is helpful but what they need to remember is that the college wants to hear how they think and not necessarily the right answer. They want to hear how you would approach the question, how you apply what you know, how you think.

What, if anything, are your DC's schools doing to help prepare them
Zilch.
The same for entrance exam (STEP). Which is why he isn't too optimistic of getting in, even if he got an offer.

Hi Fairdene. Thanks for your reply. I hope your DS is getting on well. As a medical scholar are his terms longer than normal? Oxford as a place is lovely. I know DD won't get much guidance from school although her school is a good state school. I think they had 1 leaver go to Oxbridge last year and 1 go to do medicine elsewhere. They do get a lot that go to RG and other good unis though.

I'd be surprised if most people haven't heard on interviews by the end of next week, tbh, not the last week in November.

If you stalk on thestudentroom you"ll notice that some people already have their interviews and others have been told to expect to hear in the week of 18th - ie next week. Although my DD's chosen college hasn't given out any specific info at all.

Interviews are starting to trickle through at my DdS school now - for both Oxford and Cambridge, variety of colleges, variety of subjects. But most haven't heard yet - but my DD has been told (by her chosen college's admissions officer) that emails will start to be sent out tomorrow .......

Well, I've had a slightly panicked email for DS's school saying that he/we/they really should have sent better supporting evidence of his SEN to the college and would I like them to sign something today...

We're really on top of this lark.

'from', not 'for' his school.

With proofreading like that, the child's doomed.

Still no news here... and another one at a school where there is no help with preparing for the interview. Fingers crossed for everyone.

Oh, interview! Email this morning. I'm not sure when as DS said he didn't have time to read it properly, grrrr.

Congratulations to your DS PP! No news expected here until the last week of November....

PurplePotato oh good news.

DS was told he would hear between 15th and 29th November and that notifications could go out at any time even for the same subject.
Actually it might be harder when they get a date because then the nerves will start to kick in.

I don't mind doing a telephone mock interview if anyone's doing politics or music But really truly I'd say that any general tips on interview techniques would help. The main thing I think that they look for is how you work through a problem that's too difficult for you (so not knowing the answer is normal!) and how motivated you are by your subject. So having something to talk about passionately is good. It can be anything they've done in that subject at school or outside. They are used to seeing people who haven't been coached. I got in with no prep as I applied in my gap year.

No news here either. DS comes home every day and searches through the mail! Some at his school have interviews so now everyone is getting nervous.
I'm slightly worried as others seem to have sent things through to their college and ds hasn't sent anything! I hope he hasn't missed an email!
Great to hear your good news PurplePotato. I hope we get lots more soon!

Interview here for Cambridge! Can hardly believe it! How essential
does anyone think that interview practice is? DS is on a gap year, but am sure his school would help him all they could, if asked. Good luck everyone else!
Purple, is your DS going alone, or will you go too? I would love to go, but want to do 'the done thing '

Thanks everyone. And thank you glorious, for the offer. DS is not music or politics unfortunately. I think school are going to give him a practice interview before he goes, so hopefully that will help, and he has two other real interviews before then, so should be in the swing of things. On the day he has a half hour test, then three interviews - I guess if they really mess one up, having three means they get a good opportunity to shine in another...

mindgone, great news! I would love to go too, but I think he would prefer to go alone, and he is very independent and good at getting around the country on trains and buses. So I think I'm going to save my time off work and maybe visit another time if he likes it and if he gets an offer.