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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 :(

OP posts:
RandomFriend · 02/12/2014 02:01

I think jeans are fine for history, and indeed most subject, molio. He will fit in perfectly. It might be different for some subjects, for example, law.

The lecturers are used to seeing students in normal student clothes.

The key thing is that the clothes should be whole and the student should be clean. Someone on the previous thread was mentioned that her DS liked ripped clothes and didn't like to wash very often - in such cases, a new outfit and a shower before setting off would be in order!

RandomFriend · 02/12/2014 02:03

We are also thrilled with the interview invite, and not expecting anything to come of it.

welshpixie · 02/12/2014 05:57

Congratulations Molio and Random. I missed 2 days and this thread went wildGrin
On the clothes front I watched some of the mock interview videos online and what I noticed is a lot of the time the students were placed on a sofa. That is fine if you are tall, but my DD is not very so trousers are going to be a must.

Roisin · 02/12/2014 07:39

Yes, that was me Randomfriend. I think ds1 may wear smart jeans with a proper shirt, which is about as smart as it gets for him. He's nervous enough as it is; me chattering about dress choices really isn't going to help. The important thing is that his clothes help him to feel confident, comfortable and relaxed.

uilen · 02/12/2014 09:32

I don't use a sofa for interviews because girls in particular often seem a bit awkward and uncomfortable on sofas. I remember when I was interviewed that there was a girl in a short skirt who was afraid she was showing too much when sitting on her interviewer's sofa.

(Again - even if I were interviewing Molio's son, what he wore would obviously have no impact on academic decisions. And I totally concur that being relaxed and mentally prepared is far more important than running around to buy clothes or get hair cuts.)

RandomFriend · 02/12/2014 10:11

Smart jeans and a proper shirt is perfect, Roisin.Smile .He has to feel comfortable and this is not the occasion to introduce formal dress. It simply isn't necessary for an academic interview.

When DD went for an open day, she said there was a huge variety in what people wore. Some people in jeans, some in smart trousers, some girls in dresses and one in a denim mini-skirt who apparently stood out a bit.

As for haircuts, uilen, DD is eager so she will get one, but I wouldn't be pushing anyone to do that. She also wants to get her hair dyed. I have refused to pay for dissuaded her from that. I am trying to convince her to wear her glasses rather than contact lenses, but no luck with that!

RandomFriend · 02/12/2014 10:13

uilen do most of the girls come in skirts or trousers? DD is packing both as she will be there for four days. Four days! what on earth are they going to be doing for all that time?

MarianneSolong · 02/12/2014 10:28

Cambridge can be freezing cold in December. (Winds from Siberia.) My advice - though it's just an overnight stay - has been to pack stuff that's warm.

uilen · 02/12/2014 10:56

Yes, focus on being warm, especially for overnight. College rooms (depends on the college) can be quite cold. Both skirts and trousers are fine and we see a mixture of both.

MarianneSolong · 02/12/2014 11:05

I'd also point out that although neither Oxford nor Cambridge can boast about the multicultural nature of their intake, some female applicants will undoubtedly be wearing trousers for religious/cultural reasons.

welshpixie · 02/12/2014 13:59

Uilen, that is good to know about the sofas, saying that 3 out of 4 of her interviewers are male. She had a mock interview that went well the only comment was not to wear dangly earrings Confused I don't think she owns anything else.
Weather wise it is about -3 here and with the wind chill about -8, so Cambridge is looking rather balmy.

Hardyleodicean · 02/12/2014 14:06

Note to self remind DS not to wear dangly earrings Grin

MarianneSolong · 02/12/2014 14:35

It's all beginning to seem wildly superstitious. Don't mention 'The Scottish Play'. Avoid dangly earrings. Remember the sofa ploy. Etc Etc

An attempt to control something which ultimately is about a meeting of minds which is not something we can affect or influence. Certainly not at this stage of the proceedings.)

My daughter's school is on about 'wearing business dress.' The sixth form uniform is 'business dress.' It doesn't actually resemble what - in my mind - real business people would wear. Somebody described the 16/17/18 year olds as looking like estate agents. (I would much rather she didn't go off wearing the kit she wears to school, and I'm not sure she or any of her mates are planning to.)

RandomFriend · 02/12/2014 15:07

"Business dress" sixth-form style is fine too - it is something they are familiar with and it looks more than smart enough.

I think the point about the sofas is that girls wearing short skirts might feel less comfortable and hence might underperform in the interview. By the time they are in the interview, they should be concentrating on the questions and not thinking about clothes/haircuts/earrings. That is only possible if they have dressed in a way that they feel completely comfortable with once they are in the interview situation. For me, that means advising DD that the skirt should not be short just in case she has to sit on a sofa, and not too much makeup/hairdye etc, as academics often tend to use less of that sort of stuff.

BrendaBlackhead · 02/12/2014 15:12

Not quite on the subject, but what some young people (hark at me!) think is business dress is quite weird: perhaps they watch too much of The Apprentice and take a few tips from the female candidates on there who dress in preposterous outfits with even more preposterous amounts of make up.

uilen · 02/12/2014 15:13

Makeup, earrings, hair dye, hair styles are not issues.

(And it is a sweeping generalization to say that academics often "use less of that sort of stuff". Don't you think that they see enough students to be familiar with pretty much all styles of makeup, clothes, hair styles?)

Decorhate · 02/12/2014 19:09

Do you think its better to travel the day before & stay overnight somewhere nearby if they have to be there for noon? It's probably an hour and a half to drive from here or could get a train. But that involves London at rush hour. Just slightly nervous of leaving it till the morning after the problems getting to Birmingham a few weeks ago (severe delays due to accident which shut the motorway)

Decorhate · 02/12/2014 19:11

My dd just had the good news email this afternoon btw!

Raidne · 02/12/2014 19:12

Decorhate, ds has to be there by 10am so we are definitely heading there the night before! Smile

MadameJosephine · 02/12/2014 19:19

It's all getting very real now. DS is upstairs ironing his shirts ready for travelling down to Cambridge tomorrow (smart black jeans and a clean collared shirt is his outfit of choice). He's in the middle of his mock exams at the moment so he has to go in to school tomorrow for an exam and then he'll be catching the 12.30 train. He has accomodation in college tomorrow night and then 2 interviews on Thursday. He's starting to get nervous now and told me today that he's resigned himself to the fact he'll probably have a panic attack and it'll be a disaster. I'm trying to stay positive but unfortunately it is a distinct possibility :(

whereonthestair · 02/12/2014 19:22

Hi. Another view from the other side, although in my case it's DH who interviews. In 20 years he has commented once on clothing and it was someone in a ball dress ( she got a place but not because of or despite her clothes). If it helps he stresses about what to wear to be approachable, and usually wears black jeans, a top and a jacket, but he is getting on a bit.

whereonthestair · 02/12/2014 19:23

Oh and dh has given a place to someone who had a panic attack in one year too!

HMF1 · 02/12/2014 19:32

MadameJosephine good luck to your son on Thursday, I hope he is able to do himself justice at his interviews. I think we just have to hope that the people who are doing the interviews are skilled at helping them to do their best & put them at ease to start with.

Littleham · 02/12/2014 19:40

Good luck to your son MadameJo. Deep calm breathing!

Well done to your dd Dechorate. Overnight sounds like a good idea to avoid London rush hour.

Luckily my dd is not at all stressed about what to wear but I will mention that it might be cold. She does have a sore throat though. visions of flu

MadameJosephine · 02/12/2014 19:42

Thanks where that's good to know.

HMF1 that's all I'm hoping for, that he can do himself justice. I know I'm biased but he is a very talented and clever boy, I just hope he can show them that and then if they don't offer him a place he can be assured it's because its not the right fit rather than because he fell apart at interview

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