Oxbridge 2015 #2

[Molio]

Continuing Roisin's thread.

I've even succumbed to TSR, having sworn I wouldn't. Still no news here and haven't heard of news from any other source in the same subject at the same college but being very uncool tbh as the reality is that rejection after an interview would be much kinder for DS than a no ab initio. Massively cheered by a late afternoon offer from Bristol though. I thought I was chilled, I'm clearly not .

Fingers crossed for everyone still waiting and hoping. It's very hard to see them disappointed, is the problem :(

Physics is a late interview though RBOTP, so loads of them haven't heard (none at DS's school anyhow). Still nothing here, but we've just got in from the cinema and I've looked on TSR and atm I can't spot any news from his college for his subject, although TSR is leaky at this point (perhaps all those with interviews for his college/ subject don't do TSR?). Still, time's marching on. DD2 got an interview invite on a Saturday (which she found in Junk on the Sunday) but I think I might take the w/e off.... Am I now the only one waiting to hear, and affecting cool at home?

DD finally heard this afternoon, but it was a no. She's disappointed, and I am sad for her, but also relieved as I think she would have got quite stressed about the interview, and I think there are other universities that will suit her better.

It has been nice to dream about it and at least she gave it a go..

Good luck to all those with interviews!

Molio
I think I said upthread that I only knew my DS's college / subject interview offers were coming out when I saw it on TSR . Until I had seen that there was no news. Sometimes no news is good news . Crossing fingers for you . If your DS's school mates haven't heard I would take that as a good sign . I hope you can have a good weekend.

Curious , Well done , congratulations

Blue String ,
What a lovely post. . I feel for your Dd As I am sure she would have liked an interview . However , it is not, as I have posted before the be all and end all . DS has interview but I pretty much think he has a mountain to climb with slippery leather soles on. It's almost like do we comfort them now or January.

What I find hard about this process is that I want to have a magic wand to make everything "OK" for DS. I can't . He's (just) 18. But , I want - as when he was little , to be able to fix things for him. I think it is a thing for parents as well as the DCs to come to terms with that . Am I being naive (My DC is eldest BTW so not been through this before)

Congrats Ryansbeat and Iamcurious.

Commiserations to Bluestring - a lovely, positive post.

25+ yrs ago, I was devastated when I failed to get in to Cambridge (I had an interview). It was about the first thing I had ever not succeeded in, so it came as a huge shock and I sulked for a couple of months! So we keep stressing to ds that it's not the be-all-and-end-all, that the application statistics are tough, whichever way you loom at it... Roll on Jan when it's all over!

Great link to TSR, thanks - now there's a busy place

Just wanted you to know Bluestring that I really do feel for your DD. As others have said, Oxford is not the be all and end all by a long shot. However, it's so tough to see them disappointed. But they have all done hugely well to even be considered by Oxford/Cambridge. I'm a firm believer of everything for a reason and I am sure that she will do brilliantly wherever she goes.

Hi all, just thought I'd echo what I said last year on these threads: feel free to pm me for any Cambridge or MML info, recent graduate and happy to help if I can. Best of luck to all DC!

BlueStringPudding, sorry to hear your dd is disappointed but, as you say, at least she gave it a go. Of course most dc with interviews will be dealing with disappointment in January anyway! I have played down the whole thing with ds and he would be happy with any of his other four universities. I'm sure your dd will do really well at one of her other choices - good luck to her.

Sorry bluestringpudding - that is disappointing. Like Raidne says most of the rest of us will probably have the disappointment in January. Dd has decided she would rather be let down then than get an offer and then not get the grades as happened to someone in the year above her this year.

Sorry to hear your news BlueString. She can be very proud of herself.

Congratulations to the dc's of Ryans & Iamcuriousyellow.

Shall be glad when interview is over. My daughter is doing some reading to prepare herself - but is not enjoying it, which makes her a bit on the grumpy side! But next weekend she is away, seeing her older sister and going to a gig featuring her favourite band. So at least she has something non-academic to look forward to.

BlueString, I'm sorry your daughter didn't get the news she wanted.

Sorry to hear your DD didnt get an interview bluestring. Its a terribly stressful time and difficult to renember the positives sometimes. Its an acheivement in itself to be considered 'oxbridge material' but they can't possibly accept everybody so some of us will inevitably be disappointed. I am already bracing myself for bad news in January but in the end all of our DC will end up studying at a good university and doing well, we should all be very proud.

I am already bracing myself for bad news in January

I may regret asking this, but how bad are the odds from this point on? Does anyone know? I'm telling dd that on account is she allowed to fall in love with the place!

Of course it varies a lot per subject, Littleham - some subjects interview up to 80% of their applicants, others far fewer. And of course the "real" numbers of applicants and places are very different.

The Oxford site describing entry in 2013 said that 57% of all candidates applying to Oxford were shortlisted for interview. Over 36% of those shortlisted for interview received offers of a place at Oxford. So overall the odds are 1 in 3.5 (ish) to get an offer post interview, but again this will vary.

The good thing seems to be that the admissions people appear to be trying very hard to ensure that the right people get the offers, irrespective of the college they applied to.

Good luck to everyone - I've been a parent on both sides of the equation - DD1 read English at Oxford and loved it (though still remarks on the fact that it was the hardest she has ever had to work ever) , two years later DS1 was rejected after interview for PPE and instead went to Durham and loved it (and still remarks on the fact that it was less hard work than school, certainly for the first two years). DD1 is still trying to find her dream job in theatre/TV production, DS1 has a training contract for law already lined up to start in two years after his GDL and LPC exams.

Meanwhile DD2, who I posted about on here this time last year, was invited for interview at Oxford for Human Sciences, having been pushed by school to apply, but turned it down because she and we realised that the preparation and stress would be too much for her (she has suffered from Chronic fatigue for four years). Instead she concentrated on her Alevels, firmed an offer from Durham for Natural Sciences and achieved 3 A s and an A at A2, and an A for her EPQ. Durham were more than happy to defer her offer to 2015, she resisted "suggestions" from school to make another Oxbridge application, and she's having a gap year now which I hope will allow her to put her health first and recover from her CFS, and build up her strength and self-confidence.

Sorry, that was an essay. The message I think is that Oxbridge is really oversubscribed with almost all the applications coming from very bright young people. Not all of them can be accepted - but wherever your DC ends up I am sure it will be the right place for them

Sorry not sure what happened with the bold, I think the *s in my post must have done that.....

It's usually a ratio of three interviewees for every place Littleham. The percentage of applicants called to interview varies significantly between subjects but once they're at the interview stage that's pretty much the standard number. As ever, there can be exceptions!

Sorry for your daughter's disappointment bluestring.

We found out on Thursday DS1 has interview at St John's , I have been without WiFi no s t of the time since 3 interviews in the morning & a written test in the afternoon. They have offered overnight accommodation on the 8th for interviews on the 9th. Does anyone else have DCsq who have stayed at interview. Anyway flights are booked, smart casual clothes are sorted all that's left now is the worrying. It's down to how he does on the day,, at least he has others to fall back on. Code lunch k to everyone's DCs.

HMF1 Well done to your DS ( Code K - reading you )
What subject?

Well done to your DS HMF1 I've been looking out for a post from you. We have sorted out the smart casual clothes as well and DS is even having a haircut!

lol at the haircut.
If DS is lucky enough to get an interview next year, will be pleased they happen in December - in Movember we have been co-exisiting with a startling moustache....

I feel such a huge sense of relief after the tense wait for interview invites that I'm just grateful for DS to get 'his chance' - his words; not even thinking about what may happen in January. Offer odds were indeed 36% last year, which actually equates to 1 in 2.78 interviewees , significantly healthier than what I mistakenly believed was 1 in 5 (this was at application) up until a couple of days a go - the relief !
Interesting stats if you're interested... www.ox.ac.uk/about/facts-and-figures/admissions-statistics/undergraduate-admissions-statistics