Oxbridge Applicants for 2017

[HamletsSister]

DS has done his exam (Oxford, History) and written his essay. Now, the waiting begins.......

Anyone else?

Well I asked because when I had supper with DSs1, 2 and 3 in Oxford last week having dropped off DS4 the conversation turned naturally to interviews and DS2 - very sociable also - informed us that he'd known for sure that he'd 'nailed it' when he came out of his last interview, on the grounds that he'd really enjoyed it - apparently the eye contact and body language was great and it was just a really good conversation. That was for History too. So on that basis, she's in!

He takes the biscuit, DS2....

Thanks goodbye. I am taking it he wasn't the one who said 'nailed it' and punched the air as he left. it's just 2nd interview sounded a tad too relaxed., at least it wasn't all over then.

No, that was a boy in Lincoln, the year after (what we now know to be) DS2's finest half hour. History doesn't relate whether air puncher got in.

Well I don't know about the applicant, but the mother is knackered. Checked into hotel at 4ish yesterday. DD said "um, do you have two passport photos in yr bag by any chance - I think I forgot to tell you this.". Hotel reception googled "snappy snaps" and called us a cab. Phew!

And so this morning dropped happily at college. Walked half a mile towards coffee. Checked phone - "mama, photos in yr bag", scouts paced back, got to porters, checked phone "oh, it's ok, the person said you're not the only one and took a picture on his phone". Oh joy .

Bloody roller coaster eh! She was happy at 5.30. Haven't heard since. Another int. tomorrow, will find out about a third tomorrow pm. She seems to be having a whale of a time. Just no signal in the Jnr common room.

More wine

Am I the only one whose child did the interviews on their own? Flew down etc.. To others reading this do not take this as normal.

No mine was on her own, well her grandparents delivered her to the college but she flew home after spending 3 nights at her chosen college. Had a ball and would go up tomorrow if she could. She made lots of new friends and enjoyed just hanging and chatting to whoever was in the common room. She is by her own admission an introvert so I was initially worried. Unfortunately, she was told there are just 8 places for the 42 they interviewed

The alpha uber confident one did. This I a bigger milestone for the baby. Long story!

DS travelled 12 hours by train, crossed London on the tube and went on the train again. He would have been furious if we had insisted on taking him.

Hamley If I could like your post I would have.

Good grief, please let your kids grow up. Let them thrive.

kua I combined collecting another DS after the end of the Oxford term. Some of us need to watch petrol money. A London based daughter also came up to Oxford and two other sons are there until Christmas so we could all have supper together. Don't be so prescriptive: one size doesn't fit all.

It beats me why some people on MN thinks theirs is the only way. Jeez.

Actually that's sounds defensive on my part whereas I'm not apologetic in the least. I hugely enjoy the company of my grown up DC.

Yes but HamletsSister I think you said you went with your DS from the North of Scotland to Edinburgh on the first leg - that probably still counts as mollycoddling.

I was trying to make a point that at the age of uni applying, they should be making it on their own. That said , we obviously care where they go, but ultimately it is up to them.

Well I did it on my own at 17/18 and longed to have parents who were more supportive.

roses supportive absolutely, hand holding..

I can't see your mm post.

Logistics dictated that DH drove DD to Cambridge and then on to sheffield, and also for her Southampton day. She made it to Manchester alone though. Apart from Cambridge, it was fine to bring a parent, I think she said more had than not.

There are no brownie points for attending interviews unaccompanied.

No special maturity awards for applicants making their way on public transport.

As it happens I didn't take either of my two because of work commitments plus they both went with mates.

But I fully intend to hold my DD's hand all the way to her audition at RADA this morning ( all 20 mins on the tube) and I'm even going to wait for her in Waterstones cafe. Because I can and I want to.

If you can drive them, why not?! Often it's cheaper than getting the train anyway.

Lurking on The Student Room I have seen, however, a few major mollycoddling comments. One girl had assumed (assumed!) she and her would be provided with a double room at her Oxford college. She was soon disabused of that idea. Then another college stated that they had an absolute ban on parents accompanying their dcs over the college threshold during the interview period due to bad past experiences which included parents sitting outside the interview room and psyching out other candidates. I can believe it, too, having been to various chess tournaments when ds was younger. Boy, some parents can be mean .

I was trying to make a point that at the age of uni applying, they should be making it on their own.

Why? It depends on the type of journey involved. I'm an adult and I certainly don't enjoy having to make lots of changes of trains, the stress of making tight connections etc. I don't enjoy making a journey by public transport if it takes twice as long as driving there would.

Would you seriously advocate making your children take a 6 hour journey by coach, perhaps feeling exhausted by the time they arrive, rather than driving them in 3 hours? Arriving at interview less tired could actually make the difference between getting an offer and not. (And I say that as somebody who did have to make a 6 hour journey by coach to get to my interviews... I did get in, but I felt utterly exhausted all the the way through the interviews.)