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Higher education

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

Original poster

Oxbridge 2015 #2

999 replies

Molio · 27/11/2014 19:14

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 Grin.

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

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Figmentofmyimagination · 18/03/2015 14:10

Hocus you and me both! You are not alone.

And all my DD's other offers were at or above AAA, so effectively she has no insurance.

Well she does have an "insurance", but it is AAA.

AgnesGrey · 18/03/2015 15:31

Figment - exactly where we are - AAA or bust Grin Wine

HocusUcas · 18/03/2015 19:53

Figment - good to know we are not alone !

Original poster
Molio · 18/03/2015 20:00

Yup, here too. Although DS is wondering whether to 'insure' with A*AA at the moment and just hope for someone to be mega indulgent when the time comes....

What I saw first hand last year with the previous DS and his cohort has only served to unnerve me more than I'd already be unnerved, as a constitutional thing (I'm quite easy to unnerve). Apparently random marking, apparently random re-marking - just wacky stuff. Anyone doing a MFL A Level should be pretty sanguine though, because I think an order has gone out to increase the A* percentage dramatically (needless to say, DS3 is not doing a MFL :( ).

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AtiaoftheJulii · 18/03/2015 20:31

I'm hoping the mfl thing is still going next year!

HocusUcas · 18/03/2015 20:53

Molio, it doesn't take much to unnerve me either. I just try to remind myself he could be firming A*AA and then I might have to put myself into hyper sleep. Anyway this scottish island is a good idea, although you may have to pop back over the border periodically, Molio, so as not to contravene DS's Edinburgh offer Smile

Decorhate · 18/03/2015 20:59

Two AAA offers and one AAA here. No pressure then! I think dd is fairly confident she can get AAA barring any catastrophes on the day. But would really love her first choice which is AAA. So we are starting some tutoring which I am normally not keen on but if it does the trick...

alreadytaken · 19/03/2015 07:17

HocusUcas with a child currently at Cambridge who had the stupidity that is science practical marking to worry over I understand the concern over an A but if marking is badly off all students will be missing their grades. It will be 2 As for science this year. Cambridge is very good at picking out those who exceed their offers. Naturally you worry that your child wont be one of the majority but the probability is that they are Grin Of course if they are one of the minority they may still get a place as some who miss grades do get in. If not they will get snapped up somewhere else and once over the disappointment possibly have a better time there. I suspect the most successful of my child's year post university will be someone who didnt get a Cambridge place but is now doing great things at another university.

It's aways worth having two offers even if they are at the same level. Universities may take different attitudes to missed grades depending on how many other applicants missed grades.

Original poster
Molio · 19/03/2015 08:03

But already taken the worrying thing about the marking in humanities last year was the apparent randomness. The absolutely top students in several subjects getting marked right down - as far as a U or a D - and the exam boards digging their heels in, even after a second appeal. And then others (including DS - not a 'top' student in the context of the school) whose re-mark went up a ludicrous and unexpected 18 ums to the upper end of the A*s while other students within the same subject stayed put, or went up a tiny amount. And in his best subject, the one he's now doing, one paper was marked down hugely, despite the photocopy showing that the essays were just fine. It really is a very odd landscape out there, and not homogenous in any way, though I agree it should be.

Agree too that the pressure at Cambridge and Oxford shouldn't be underestimated. But what do you mean about the science practical marking at Cambridge? Just curious.

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Original poster
Molio · 19/03/2015 08:10

Also, although I don't know about the general picture across the university, there was certainly one well known Oxford college last year which didn't admit any students who missed their medicine grades, leaving the cohort extremely short. I think nothing can be taken as read. So we should all carry on worrying! Lots to worry about!

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HocusUcas · 19/03/2015 10:37

The absolutely top students in several subjects getting marked right down - as far as a U or a D - This is exactly the sort of thing I read which fuels my natural worry gene.
Anyway thanks for your post already taken - just hope DS works hard and effectively enough and that he is not an anomaly I guess.

Original poster
Molio · 19/03/2015 11:08

Hocus there was quite an uproar last year so perhaps the exams boards will scrutinize things better this year and not get so hoity toity. Has your DS got his HAT score back? - DS2 retrieved his from the bowels of his inbox the night before results, ready to brandish it if need be.

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Decorhate · 19/03/2015 17:55

Molio, I assume AlreadyTaken is referring to ISAs etc. They are what are causing Dd angst at the moment. She is worried they are scuppering her chances of getting an A*. Apparently the mark scheme is very rigid & grade boundaries are high.
Your comment about medicine at Oxford has done nothing for my peace of mind! Although dd has a slightly lower offer for insurance I know she will be gutted if she misses her place at Oxford. Though tbh I feel she was very lucky to get an offer. I was surprised & I think she was too

Original poster
Molio · 19/03/2015 18:41

Yes ISAs of course. Sorry, that was me reading the 'had' as 'has' - hence my query.

Sorry to cause you angst too Decorhate but this particular college seems to have taken a very hard line last year - but then I don't know the individual cases/ marks/ schools/ BMATs etc so perhaps their field was weak to begin with (although it's generally a very competitive college so one would have thought they'd get the pick of the bunch). Anyhow the corollary is that that college is currently light on numbers, so may be desperate/ much more lenient this year!

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HocusUcas · 20/03/2015 08:06

Molio I spoke to Ds last yesterday evening and he hasn't asked for his HAT score, but, given the Easter holidays are almost upon him he suddenly thinks it is a good idea! The college said he could request feedback before April, so he will ask for it this evening or over the weekend. I assume he just asks the college for it (I only say this because he said a different outfit administers the HAT). Anyway - he will email the college and ask (and let's hope it brandishing-worthy Smile. )

Anyway, good luck to all. It's all starting to get a bit real isn't it ?

cathyandclaire · 03/05/2015 17:01

Hi all, hope your DC are surviving the stress of revision and getting the grades. Dd needs A AA and getting the in an arts/ essay subject is scary. Can I please ask the historians for help? DD is doing aqa making of modern Britain and isn't scoring highly enough in her practice essays, the knowledge is there but apparently the teacher says an A* requires a certain magic... Without being able to say what that isConfused
Does anyone have any exemplar/ great example essays, to see what she's missing? Her school changed board recently and she's only found a couple on TSR.
Scarily the school has a history of students missing Oxbridge offers having dropped grades in history.

MillieMe · 03/05/2015 17:23

I feel your pain cathy although my dd didnt apply to Oxbridge she still needs to get A*AA to get to in to her first choice. The one subject that is bugging her no end is history too. Shes with OCR American civil rights. Last year she got a remark for history from a middle B to a middle A so she don't feel confident, its so subjective. We hired a tutor few weeks ago, working on exam techniques. She wishes she never took the subject in the first place only took it as contrasting one to she she can write as well as do sciences.

Decorhate · 03/05/2015 17:53

Is getting a tutor feasible/worthwhile? My dd also needs an A* but it doesn't matter which subject. I found a tutor for one subject as she was getting very variable marks but now she says she doesn't want him. Hope she doesn't regret it on results day...

cathyandclaire · 03/05/2015 18:11

Like your DD Decorate, she can get the A* in anything but with arts subjects it's all so subjective, it's a roll of the dice. She had a tutor for a few sessions but he said her essays were fine, so she doesn't trust him, she (probably rightly, as he's a senior examiner) thinks her teacher's marking is more accurate.
BUT he's totally unhelpful
Good luck to your DDs

Decorhate · 03/05/2015 18:39

I'm amazed that anyone gets A*. My dd is not exceptionally able IMO. Really hope she pulls it off though after jumping through so many hoops to get an offer. And it would be nearer & cheaper than her insurance choice!

MillieMe · 03/05/2015 19:06

We had this tutor from last year AS got him 7 weeks before exam. We've had to use him again as dd history teacher is very crap to put it mildly. She struggles to mark the essays even when she does the feedback is rather nuncy only highlighting spelling mistakes but nothing on how she could improve to get to the higher band.

Original poster
Molio · 04/05/2015 13:03

I must say that I think the teacher's comment that an A* 'requires a certain magic' is downright unhelpful - much more likely to cause a student to be too off the wall and thereby risk their grade.

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Woody47 · 05/05/2015 23:24

The science practicals are absolutely ridiculous DS scored 36/40 ie 90% on his physics one and if previous years are anything to go by that equates to only 80% UMS on that AS module.
However I think on the 2 main modules the UMS works the other way round and you can get full UMS quite a bit below 100% raw score.

BrendaBlackhead · 07/05/2015 07:21

I agree, adding "a certain magic" is likely to cause a student to veer off the mark scheme. I think consistently "hitting the nail on the head" is the way to go. It's a shame that there's not much room for showing that extra bit of knowledge, but as I said on another thread the trouble is that students were going in with one size fits all essays that could be tailored to fit but written brilliantly (possibly by someone else).

Original poster
Molio · 07/05/2015 08:20

I'm sure that's right about consistently hitting the nail on the head, for A2. There seems to be something curious about a department where the teacher is a senior examiner for one of the boards, gives out nebulous and unhelpful advice and where there's a pattern of dropped grades for history resulting in Oxbridge offers being withdrawn. I'd be very nervous/ unhappy.

cathyandclaire I've seen a couple of scripts where the score was 100% (not AQA) and I'd say Brenda was right and the teacher misleading.

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