Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Oxbridge Entry 2015

999 replies

Roisin · 01/09/2014 17:45

Do we have a thread already?
ds1 has decided to definitely apply to Oxford to do Biochemistry. He will probably apply to St John's.

OP posts:
MadameJosephine · 19/10/2014 22:35

webwiz my DS just has to count his classmates tomorrow too and then the SAQ will be ready to send. He's had several reminders too - one at 3am this morning!

MrsBartlet · 20/10/2014 06:53

DD still doing her SAQ. I think it done but just not sent yet as she was ill yesterday.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 20/10/2014 08:51

DD's physics pre test is on November 5th, so glad they can do it in their own setting, so a month on for interviews then?

I'll be so glad when this is over!

AllMimsyWereTheBorogoves · 20/10/2014 11:39

Oxford interviews held during these times. You don't always get a whole lot of notice.

The Student Room is useful as there will be applicants there sharing information all the time and when the first letters/emails start arriving there will be jubilant/resigned/frantic students posting the news there and you the applicant can keep an eye out for the first mention of his/her college/subject.

AllMimsyWereTheBorogoves · 20/10/2014 11:40

Sorry, I see Atia has already posted that! Student Room tip still stands, though.

RandomFriend · 20/10/2014 14:31

Thank you Atia and AllMimsy for the interview times link.

When should DD expect to hear whether or not she is invited for interview? I need to book her a flight....

RandomFriend · 20/10/2014 15:50

In case anyone is trying to follow the process, for some subjects the next step is to submit written work:

www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/written-work

Quenna · 20/10/2014 16:44

My DS has done as open application to Oxford as he visited severAl colleges and liked them all so wasn't really bothered which one. He has got the BMAT (?) or is MAT (?) on the 5th Nov I think....the extra test for maths applicants.

Original poster
Roisin · 20/10/2014 17:17

I sometimes wonder whether ds1 chose his subject (biochemistry) because there is no pre-testing or submission of essays or anything ;-)

OP posts:
MadameJosephine · 20/10/2014 17:46

My DS has applied for joint Maths and computer science at his other choices but just straight computer science at Cambridge because he couldn't bear the thought of taking STEP and I don't blame him, the whole thing is stressful enough without adding another hurdle

RandomFriend · 20/10/2014 17:50

I have just worked out that DD will have to submit quite a few things. This is going to be a busy half-term for her!

isabellaDWJ · 20/10/2014 21:32

@MadameJosephine have heard horror stories about how difficult STEP is. DS is considering applying for maths gulp. Luckily DD is not! Does anyone know how much notice Cam applicants get?

MadameJosephine · 20/10/2014 21:39

Isabella I'm so glad he decided against Maths, I've heard Cambridge give out loads of offers for Maths and just let STEP sort them out, so many miss their offer because of STEP :( best of luck to your DS if he decides to apply, he's very brave!

boys3 · 20/10/2014 22:20

Isabella , if that is notice for interview at Cambridge, last year DS1 got his invite five weeks ahead of the actual interview date.

secretsquirrels · 21/10/2014 09:17

isabellaDWJ I presume you mean next year as the deadline is gone for this year? They seem to interview for Maths most applicants who score an average of over 90% UMS on their AS modules.
They make offers to many more students than they have places as MMJ says. In some colleges this is a ratio of 3 to 1, others less. Lots of stats on the website.
The Cambridge colleges vary as to how quickly they send out interview dates. DS got his date long before some others. For Maths as well the colleges vary how they interview. Some do an exam (yet another) followed by an interview and others do 2 interviews. The details of how Maths interviews are done college by college is also on the website. DS chose his college using this information as he is stronger on exams than he is on interviews.

Molio · 21/10/2014 12:20

Random you'll have to decide whether to go ahead and book a flight for her to arrive in Oxford the evening before interview (the college will provide accommodation) and possibly have a wasted (but cheap) ticket, or to wait until you know for sure. But that won't be until a week or so before the interview date, regardless of her need to book travel, and tickets might be far more expensive by then. Is hers one of the subjects which interviews a reasonable proportion or one of the subjects which interviews only a few? - the Oxford website has the info.

isabellaDWJ · 21/10/2014 21:51

secretsquirrels yes for next year! and will certainly have a hunt thanks for the pointers. is your DS applying now?

MadameJosephine · 21/10/2014 21:58

Oh fgs! after a week of saying he wasn't going to write a second personal statement (against my advice i must say) for the SAQ DS has had a last minute change of heart so he's writing it at the moment and will submit it either later tonight or first thing in the morning, nothing like cutting it fine!

webwiz · 21/10/2014 22:46

oh dear MadameJosephine that is a bit last minute. DS sent his in earlier this evening and I was glad to see the back of it. He just has to choose which essays to send in now.

MadameJosephine · 22/10/2014 08:14

SAQ was sent last night thank goodness. Nothing left to do now but wait...

welshpixie · 22/10/2014 09:29

Webwiz I think my DD agonised more over which essays to send than anything else. When she was looking for an essay to send she realised she had not written a full essay for History since last January fortunately she is doing the IB so used her History IA.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 22/10/2014 10:13

DD is a serious rower and has managed to get herself a visit to Balliol's boathouse today, meeting their women's coach. She will love it, just kind of wish she was waiting until after she knows whether she got in iyswim?

My mum did maths at Cambridge (Girton) in the days when women could go to Cambridge, do their degree but never be award their degree because they were women. Angry So if anyone's DD goes to Cambridge from this group, please could they get their degree from my mum too?

secretsquirrels · 22/10/2014 10:15

isabellaDWJ No DS applied last year. I've posted in some detail earlier on this thread. Suffice to say he got an offer, got 4 x A* at A level but just missed the required grade at STEP. He's now very happily at his insurance university alongside many other Cambridge Maths candidates who did the same Grin.
Our last year was dominated by STEP. He spent more time on that than all his other subjects together. Mainly because he had to do it all at home as none of the Maths teachers at his school was able to help him.

Littleham · 22/10/2014 12:56

You are all way ahead of me.

I have just asked 'what essay?' She says she is submitting one soon, so I hope she knows the deadline!

Is this an essay she has already done or does she have to write a new one?

welshpixie · 22/10/2014 13:16

Littleham usually it would be an essay they have done for school and not specifically for Oxbridge.DD's college asked for 2 essays that had been marked and less than 2000 words. She has no marked essays lazy teachers so has had to send in ones without marks,and is now crossing her fingers that they are OK.