Oxbridge applicants 2018

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I've hesitated before making this thread as I don't really like the whole making Oxbridge out as a special case when there are lots of amazing universities that are just as good for individual courses. However, it is a different application process with a lot happening by January should they get that far and irl I don't know anyone else's dc applying to talk to them about it. I expect most of us are in that situation. At the moment I rely on dd and the occasional foray into student room to learn what happens next.

So welcome all parents of Oxbridge candidates - a thread to chat over what's to come and to support if our kids find they have to steer in a different direction.

Application forms due in in a few weeks

Hi Hubble - nothing happened here on mock interviews here either. One has been promised ..... The best advice I've heard (for scientists at least) is to practise working through homework problems/ formulae out loud. As in, they're looking to see how you arrive at an answer (right or not) & that's what they'll be testing at interview. Plus relevant challenge/ Olympiad papers. DD is working on her EPQ, which is something relevant to talk about I guess.

dd has had a group conversation about interviews and what to expect, she is in the state sector. Given there is only a couple of weeks before the interviews start I think its a good thing, but must help to enhance the disappointment of anyone who doesn't get an interview.

Okay Goodbye. Yes I can see the point of wating except that for DS.s course you are lucky to get a week's notice and if he is called to interview there will be 3 as he is doing a combined course.

Thanks everybody. Perhaps worry about it if and when he gets an interview.

May I offer some advice which my DD learned during her plentiful interview Practice at her private school and actual interviews and which may help those with DC doing maths or science? First her interview consisted totally of answering problems so all the other practice was completely unnecessary! Equally important, she is a child who is used to only answering questions in class when she knows the answer and she had to learn to take a stab, think out loud, make a guess based on what she knew that might be relevant. That did not come naturally to her but once she understood it was what she needed to do it gave her confidence which was a good thing because her questions were (sexistly I thought) about things like formula one cars which she knew nothing about, but by applying basic principles she had great fun answering them and despite not being a Le to get to the ‘right’ answers she won her place. I think especially for girls this is a skill which doesn’t come naturally so thought it worth mentioning.

thank you for the advice, Working!

DS' public school is giving very good support. he alteady had first round mock interviews (x2) by school subject teachers last week. Tmr he will have another round conducted by external organizer, we have to pay for it at around £100. Then his school already iterated that they can self arrange more mocks with their teachers if they feel the need!

Hubble two of my DC had four days notice!

He's lucky if he's at a school where they have the resources to do PP and E interviews - count his blessings.

Ds was at a very normal, ex in special measures, comprehensive, and now at an excellent sixth form so things are very different in the way university is discussed. The best advice we have had is from our neighbour who did maths at Cambridge. He said he was asked a question to which he didn't immediately know the answer so he said ' I don't know but I know how to find out' which seemed to work ( he's now a coding millionaire......)

My DD is at a state school. She has a mock interview arranged with the Head. He’s already informed her that it won’t be much like an Oxbridge interview as he’s never been to or seen one, and it won’t be subject specific either.
Basically just practise at being asked questions. Not sure exactly how useful it will be, but at least they are doing something I suppose.

Thankyou Working that sounds like good advice - I’ll pass it on to DD.

If yôu have another school locally state or independent which does have experience of getting pupils in it may be worth calling them to see if they could help with a mock interview.I know that ds' independent will often help with practice interviews in these circumstances and also have heard on the grapevine that the high achieving state school next door will also do the same for pupils at schools with less experience .

Oxbridge applicants at DS's state school were invited to our local independent for mock interviews along with presentations and general advice. We didn't have to pay for this and the interviews were excellent.

No Goodbye. He will have 3 to do at uni . Only be able to fit in one at school if any. But I won't worry too much at this stage as no intervuew yet.

At dd's school interview prep seems to depend on what you're taking!
Humanities applicants have had seminars and mock interviews, dd nada... She's talking to the head of MFL tonight to see what they can do. As a family, we have zero experience of uni interviews - I bet many others are in the same boat!

What are your dcs interview schedules like? Dd's day looks pretty gruelling - 9.05 start, 5.45 finish - three interviews, two tests.

DS finished the applicants day and interview with Manchester yesterday. Interestingly he said the interview was more formal and tough than the one with Imperial! He was being asked a lot of questions about his PS and EP! He could handle it and was told that an offer will be sent to him within these two days.
But one down side of yesterday was DS found the building and facilities of his course being bland and not appealing to him. While, he believes the quality of the teachers there is high though (as Manchester ranks very high in his course).
Now I really hope he could get the offer from Imperial and the interview chance with Oxford, as seems his desire/preference towards Manchester has shrunk down!

Good luck to everyone and fingers crossed to those still waiting. @Working has it spot on as that was DD's experience. She was asked to solve a problem where she needed certain pieces of information - annoyingly I knew a lot of the info as it was general knowledge but DD didn't! So she told them the things she needed and they pushed and probed at her to try to get her to work them out for herself based on existing knowledge/best guesses. Apparently, they wanted to see her thinking "out loud" so they could assess how she approached these problems. The other one started by asking her to write out the periodic table [worth brushing up on that one!] They were looking at her approach; she worked down the groups I think (not a scientist at all!)

DS just received email from Sheffield confirming giving him an offer, in 2 hours' time after his Skype interview! really efficient!

That really is efficient, well done to your DS!

Excellent news!

Candidates start receiving invitation today. Good luck everyone.

It must be a nervous time for everyone involved.
I remember years ago, this was the time I went and buy my first suit :)

That’s really cool Risotto :) well done to your ds, that’s the way to do it!

Dd has an interview. Hooray. Happy days! It’s nice timing too, in the afternoon so no travel woes hopefully.

It arrived a couple of hours ago, so they do send them after hours. They have to fill in a form that needs a parent signature if they are under 18 then has to be sent back by email. Fortunately we have a scanner. I guess a photo would fulfil the criteria.

Pleased to hear it Kitten, Good luck to your DD!

Fabulous news!! Coffee??? Still waiting for ds to hear. Some of his friends have heard but they are different colleges and courses.

deffo coffee :) I’ll pm you tomorrow with expected timings. I hope your ds is ok, it’s hard to see the invitations going out, but as you say they are done by college and course.

dd happy. She has an interview for engineering at Cambridge. She says she thinks most people get interviews, but I heard they only interview about four fifths of applicants, or maybe less? I don’t know. I think she’s trying not to get her hopes up by saying she doesn’t have a chance