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Higher education

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Original poster

Anyone whose DD or DS had a disastrous Oxbridge interview....

392 replies

Supermanspants · 07/12/2015 18:41

..... and managed to get an offer?
Hideous interview today. Grilled on a topic she hasn't even covered in her A level course and based purely on a 7 page academic article she only got half an hour before the interview.
She is so down about it all.

OP posts:
hattymattie · 08/12/2015 18:47

My DD had an interview exactly like this two years ago and got an offer. I think they want to see how far they can push you, analytical thinking and problem solving skills and whether you can think on your feet. A friend who felt his interview had gone well didn't make it.

It's not over till it's over OP!

Molio · 08/12/2015 18:49

Yes to the 'went well' question too. Although mine all had more than one interview and it's fair to say that there's always been at least one interview that they felt was really testing (or straight car crash) or at least parts of an interview which were. None has ever come out saying they didn't have to think in any of their interviews and that no part of the process was stretching. Some interviews have even been vaguely enjoyable.

homebythesea · 08/12/2015 19:59

A million years ago I was asked in my Cambridge interview what I thought the main differences between the editing styles of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell were. I had to confess I had heard of neither ☺️. Still got in!

Hassled · 08/12/2015 20:07

Superman - how do you find out the interview/offer ratio by subject/by college? Google hasn't been my friend. You've all put the fear of god into me because DS is firmly in the "went quite well" camp - what has he failed to notice??!

HorsesGrey · 08/12/2015 20:27

Yes, very much so.

DS couldn't answer any of the questions, because he'd never even come across the 'thing' the questions were based on. So he made wild stabs in the dark and they sort of looked at him and said Okaaaayyy... to be honest, when he told me some of the stuff he'd come out with it sounded like he came across as a complete eejit.

He came out and texted 'well that was a * waste of time'...

So we thought, Oh, well, that's that then... but he got an offer.

Original poster
Supermanspants · 08/12/2015 20:55

Some of these replies are very cheering. Whatever happens she got an interview and survived it went down fighting Smile
She has never been challenged like that before so I'm proud she kept trying. There is no way I could have coped with it.

Here you go Hassled . . . stats terrifying Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
Supermanspants · 08/12/2015 20:58

Am sure there are many who felt interview went well Hassled and got in. I guess some kids just aren't fazed by challenging questions and perform well under pressure

OP posts:
Themodernuriahheep · 08/12/2015 21:43

Sevenday, I'm in exactly the same position as you. Especially as his college of choice interviews 95% of applications, ffs. Haven't said this to him but they were far too nice and basically asked about his personal statement. Not a sign if success, IMV. But he feels he did ok in the interview though not in the tests, so that's a good thing for his self esteem.

Themodernuriahheep · 08/12/2015 21:46

Hassled, it's how not what you answer, though obv if you are good at passionate about and know your stuff in your subject, that can only help!

Hassled · 08/12/2015 22:12

Thank you for your reassuring words. They told him he answered difficult questions well - but now I'm replaying that in my head it sounds really patronising, doesn't it? He's at a failing academy - are they telling him that in the context of his shit school? Blimey - the stuff this whole process does to your head - I am overthinking like a madwoman.

Superman - sorry to be a pest, but could you have another go at your link?

Moonax · 08/12/2015 22:46

Sympathy. We were doing this last year when DS had his Cambridge interview. He came out of it saying "not sure how that went" and was really concerned that they only talked to him for 25 minutes rather than the half hour he'd been warned about. He also said nobody mentioned his PS, and he didn't feel they asked him particularly tough questions, more ones he had to think his way through. He was quite down about it but got his offer and made it.

There's no telling really. I do know they look at the whole package and take as much as possible into account to level the playing field - so applying from a failing academy is given a better weighting than someone applying from a school or college with a strong record. Just as well, as DS was not a typical all-singing, all-dancing 12A* at GCSE candidate by any stretch and had applied after re-doing the whole of Y12.

tropicalfish · 08/12/2015 23:14

Hi Hassled,
It could be this was the link but it doesnt say how many were shortlisted per college. It also doesnt tell you necessarily how many were bumped to another college therefore losing their college choice. By spreading out the numbers between the colleges this would make the system fairer.
www.ox.ac.uk/about/facts-and-figures/admissions-statistics/undergraduate2014/additional-info/college-success-rates
I was told that the numbers are so statistically small and they are so random that you cannot say with any definitive confidence that it is better to apply to one over another. For example 11% could equate to just 2 people in real terms.
TF

Rezolution123 · 09/12/2015 03:44

Just rejoined Mumsnet after a gap. DD has gone for Oxford interview and has two interviews this week. What should I be watching out for?
She is very focused (obviously) but quite a sensitive soul and may react badly to the whole process. Just getting anxious.

Original poster
Supermanspants · 09/12/2015 05:07

I'll try again www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/apply/statistics

OP posts:
Original poster
Supermanspants · 09/12/2015 05:08

Think it has worked this time Hassled

OP posts:
Rezolution123 · 09/12/2015 06:58

Hi supermanspants I admire your confidence. Could you just give me a bit of it ? My DD has her first interview at Christ Church today. I am more nervous than she is, if that is possible. She has been given another interview at St John's tomorrow. Is that a bad sign?

GloriaHotcakes · 09/12/2015 07:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Molio · 09/12/2015 08:18

The Cambridge system and the Oxford system are very different and the weight accorded to interviews also different. Grades are significantly more heavily weighted at Cambridge, interviews at Oxford. Supermanspants since (judging by your link) your DD seems to be interviewing at Cambridge, that's even less of a reason to worry (if she's holding four fab offers at this stage then it sounds as if her grades are exceptionally good!).

Rezolution a second interview at Oxford in a subject where interviews at two colleges isn't the norm (as I assume is the case, given the subjects interviewing in the early part of this week) can only be positive, it can't possibly be negative (they don't pool weaker candidates, there would be no point). If it's a pooling interview then she's been pooled to a beautiful college. It could be a standardization interview too. Either way, it's got to be good.

Molio · 09/12/2015 08:25

And if it is standard to be interviewed at two colleges and she was told ahead of time then obviously it's completely neutral.

HocusCrocus · 09/12/2015 09:53

Hassled "They told him he answered difficult questions well - but now I'm replaying that in my head it sounds really patronising, doesn't it?"

Or, if you take it at face value, he had some difficult questions and he answered them well. Grin.

HocusCrocus · 09/12/2015 10:06

Hassled, I speak with 12 month's perspective - I would have been exactly the same as you Smile.

boys3 · 09/12/2015 12:03

Tackled DS1 on this last night - his Cam interview being two years ago and time being a great healer and all that :) It is fair to say his perspective two year later is somewhat rosier than that in the hours that immediately followed the event itself.

With the benefit of hindsight his considered measure of how well or not a Cambridge interview might have gone was that of the frequency and application by the interviewers of either / both:

"lets delve into that a little more"

or

"why don't we explore that further" with the further clarification that "we" needs to be interpreted as "you, interviewee"

He felt confident that the mathmos at his college could whip up, and indeed derive great pleasure from the process of developing, some sort of DE (delve / explore) equation, embracing also the meaningless waffle curve and awkward silence continuum if that would help the discussion. I felt however that probably would not be necessary, but thanked him for his kind thoughts anyway.

Rezolution123 · 09/12/2015 12:38

Molio,
Thank you so much for that crumb of comfort. Although I am a graduate myself I have no knowledge of the Oxford system at all. DD is bright and quite resilient but rather immature (young in her intake year). I am just worried that if today's interview goes badly she will be very down-hearted for tomorrow's interview. (Ah well, Durham is a beautiful city I am told).
She is on her own down in Oxford as the others from her school are st other colleges. She does have one other girl she can contact who is from our city but a different school.
Not sure what to say when she rings me tonight. I daren't text her in case she is in an interview. I might not even ask how she got on until she mentions it.

MarianneSolong · 09/12/2015 13:25

I think as a parent I'd just ask stuff like what the room was like, what she'd had to eat - had she been out exploring and talked to anyone else who seemed friendly/interesting. Not much point asking questions/rehashing interview stuff. Just affirming that - if she brings up the interviews - yes, they are pretty difficult things but you're sure that whatever/wherever happens she'll be happy and do well you are very proud of her.

Rezolution123 · 09/12/2015 13:44

Hi Marianne,
Thanks for that. You're right. I will stick to practical stuff like meals and train times for the journey back etc.