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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:
Molio · 17/12/2015 09:07

Sorry to hear she feels down about it Cherryburn but one 'disaster' certainly doesn't mean no offer or DD3 wouldn't have got a place. She had a similar profile (though for law) and applied to a similarly competitive college and was also sent away with no further interviews utterly convinced she'd blown it. Her disaster was the second interview not the first but apart from judging her own performance completely pathetic the three tutors burst into laughter as she closed the door, which she took to be a sure sign that they agreed. It's definitely not over just because of that, really it isn't. The ELAT score will go into the mix and if she's a competition winner she's likely to be good at that stuff. It's fair to say that DD3 scored very highly in the LNAT, as it turned out. Fingers crossed and I hope the parking worked out.

MyLifeisaboxofwormgears · 17/12/2015 09:12

It is standard - they are trying to ensure that they don't get "coached" students.

Cherryburn · 17/12/2015 09:59

Thanks Molio. I couldn't utilise your parking advice in the end due to a last minute car malfunction (which did wonders for my nerves, as you can imagine) so we had to make a dash to the station at the 11th hour.

irregularegular · 17/12/2015 10:20

A couple of responses to some points raised on this thread. I can tell you for sure that in PPE at least there is no such thing as a pure "standardisation" interview. If you are definitely going to get a place at your first choice college you will not receive a second interview. You may be the first choice college's current marginal candidate - i.e., the lowest ranked candidate that the college would take from just the first round of interviews - but you could still be displaced by candidates that the college sees for second interviews.

Alternatively, as others have said, you may be a candidate that the first choice college thinks should get an Oxford place but definitely does not have a space for. This is more common than the "marginal candidate" case, but not much more common.

I heard yesterday that Durham just takes those candidates who meet their criteria according to the order they apply. I hope this is wrong, but the person who told me this is usually very well informed.

FordPerfect · 17/12/2015 10:57

DS (joint honours) ended up having 2 interviews at his first college which didn't go well and then 4 at a second college which went much better so at least he came away feeling that he had had the opportunity to show what he was capable of even if he doesn't end up with a place. Funnily enough he preferred the second college which we had looked at in the summer and had both liked as an alternative to his named one. He was exhausted but said that on the positive side his Maths has improved a lot through preparing for the entrance test and interviews.

Molio · 17/12/2015 12:01

irregularegular but not all subjects operate the same way as PPE, which is why a caveat about the difference between subjects is always useful.

Wilding · 17/12/2015 12:08

Oh God, I had a terrible interview for French at Oxford - my English interviews went OK but I did so badly in the French tests that they called me in for a last-minute extra interview to discuss it. I was so stressed out I cried and couldn't answer any questions.

They still offered me a place.

Then my A-levels didn't meet the conditions.

They let me in anyway Smile

irregularegular · 17/12/2015 15:44

I explicitly said I was talking about PPE. I don't think we always need patronise Mumsnetters by pointing out the obvious do we?

(though as it happens, the description given also applies to EM and in a less formulaic way to HistEcon - based on participation in the admissions process for the last 14 years, not myth, anecdote or extrapolation from a few data points)

I can't say as much for my Durham information however. That comes with a disclaimer.

Molio · 17/12/2015 16:40

It's just that in the past tutors have given advice based on their own subjects as though it was general, which can be misleading. On balance posters may prefer to be slightly patronized than wholly misled!

horsemadmom · 17/12/2015 19:04

Hi Irregular- DD didn't apply to Durham (she's a city kinda girl) but many from her school over the past years have been rejected by Durham and accepted by Oxbridge which has lead some to think that applying before Oct 15th flags puts them at a disadvantage.
I'm happy to be patronised, BTW. Hoping DD's subject works differently to yours vis a vis reallocation. She hated the second college.

Molio · 17/12/2015 19:11

Durham has a notable cathedral horsemadmom - it's difficult to miss it..... :) But yes, not a massive choice of nightclubs. Mind you Oxford and Cambridge are limited on that one as well (Oxford less so I believe - my clubbing days are over :().

Durham's lifeblood is Oxbridge rejects incidentally. Some schools just go in and out of favour with Durham, so it's probably the school. From what you say I'm guessing it's quite a prominent fee paying one?

horsemadmom · 17/12/2015 19:31

DD chose Oxford over Cambridge for the same reason. She's a club kinda girl not a pub kinda girl. Also doesn't like hills.
The school said on uni info night that they notice herd mentality in applications. Last year, all but 15 applied to Bristol with a (100% success rate), Durham and Edinburgh seemed to be the most random in whom they accepted.
Will PM you the name of the school- you won't be surprised.

irregularegular · 17/12/2015 19:37

Even if it works like PPE she could still have a place at the first college horsemadmom. We end up keeping the marginal candidate as often as not. I hope it works out well for her.

Dumbledoresgirl · 17/12/2015 19:56

many from her school over the past years have been rejected by Durham and accepted by Oxbridge which has lead some to think that applying before Oct 15th flags puts them at a disadvantage.

That would be awful if true. But then, if ds was accepted by Oxford, he probably wouldn't be wise to have Durham as his back up.

I'm also happy to be patronised. Some of us know nothing.

horsemadmom · 17/12/2015 21:18

From your mouth to God's ears, Irregular! DD researched the faculty in her subject at every college and fell utterly in love with her 1st choice's. She was given first choice of college by her school department (they don't allow any two to apply to the same college for the same subject) and Head of Department had already picked it out as perfect for her.
Trying to stay positive.

Brioche201 · 17/12/2015 21:52

The school don't allow? Who the heck are they to yell you where you can and can't apply to!

Themodernuriahheep · 17/12/2015 22:09

Alan Rusbridger ( new principal if LMH ) has written in his blog about the interview process for economics and management, and the selection and pooling processes.

Might be interesting or helpful for some.

horsemadmom · 17/12/2015 22:09

Clever and very successful at getting their students in . That's who they are.

Themodernuriahheep · 17/12/2015 22:12

Irregular, have you read it? Interested in your perceptions.

mouldycheesefan · 17/12/2015 22:23

DURHAM IS A CITY.

That is all.

Dumbledoresgirl · 17/12/2015 23:22

they don't allow any two to apply to the same college for the same subject

Weirdly, and somewhat freakily, I heard the same thing about a school a friend of my ds's attends. Unless you happen to live in the West Country, it would seem it is quite a common ploy.

LOL re DURHAM IS A CITY. I think what was meant was it is not a metropolis. awaits another flaming

Dumbledoresgirl · 17/12/2015 23:23

Oh ignore the apostrophe s after ds. I think it is incorrect.

Hobbes8 · 17/12/2015 23:36

I'm sure lots of people have said similar already, but there was a discussion on my FB feed the other day asking for advice for interviews. One of my friends said her husband is an occasional interviewer and they will push and push and keep asking questions until they have exhausted an argument. I would imagine that feels quite deflating, but it's actually a successful outcome to have kept thinking and answering.

horsemadmom · 17/12/2015 23:52

Dumbledoresgirl- It's just sensible not to have your candidates in competition with each other . It's not a ploy. They know the colleges very well and send upwards of 40% to Oxbridge every year. Giving good advice to students to maximise their chances is their job.
And...Not a metropolis. Nor is Coventry or Winchester.

Brioche201 · 18/12/2015 06:37

And many other schools do the same without being arrogant and controlling. Recently 3 students from the our school applied to the same oxford college for ppe and all got offers.maybe at our school it is the applicants who are clever and successful not the school?

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