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

Yes, after she’s taken the first round of exams then she has the option to learn Greek.

The beauty of the course is it’s so broad - languages, literature, history, philosophy, philology (the study of language), art, architecture, theatre - so there’s something for everyone.

I also like the structure of the course - exams half way through your second year, and then at the end of the fourth year, which means three summer terms in Oxford without exams, whereas a lot of courses have only their second year free of exams.

Does anyone know anything about St Anne’s? My DD has been re-allocated there for her interview. It is not one that she managed to look at on her tour. TIA

marmite St Anne's is a college which has recently completed a major building project and is now a beautiful site with lots of sparkling new local stone buildings. The brutalist accommodation block is still there, if you like that sort of thing, but it's a really, really pretty college. The back gate opens right opposite the University Parks, so it's relatively central for an old women's college.

Thank you Goodbye. I think she has seen that YouTube video. Looks good. Can't wait to get on with it all now. Does anyone else feel like they are in limbo?

Thought people might like to read this.
www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/study-here/undergraduate/applying-jesus-college/interviews?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

Thank you Anna that is such a warm and supportive piece, I rather fancy applying myself!

For what it's worth it was my daughter being interviewed three years ago. She burst into floods of tears on the way to the coach station. Her coach was late then she spent hours wandering around Cambridge in the dark, eventually arriving too late for supper.

She said her room was very cold, and she was too nervous to have breakfast. One of the two interviews she described as a 'car crash' and was convinced that one of the tutors believed she had lied about having read Engels, because she hadn't read the particular bit of Engels they kept on questioning her about. Rather than eat the lunch the college would have given her afterwards she fled to the nearest Subway and arrived home, saying there was absolutely no hope whatsoever but that there was no big deal because she had hated the place.

(Now in her third year and very happy there.)

Lovely to hear that Anna! I think after all of the build up and weeks of waiting the nerves can build to a crescendo. That's why I am staying in Oxford for the interview days so I am available for a hug or a sandwich!

Thankyou Anna for your lovely posts.

Marmite what dates are you in Oxford? I can't be there with DD (teacher) so might need an on call emergency sandwich provider if it all goes pear shaped!!

Lobster we are there from Sunday the third til Wednesday or Thursday* depending on how many colleges want to interview. Is that when your DD is there? Happy to help if so.*

Don't know why I went Bold!!

Fantastic news here -DD has an interview at Wadham, her choice of college. She will be going on her own, surely that's the point as she will be staying in the college, meeting other candidates and students and really getting a feel for Oxford life.

Thankyou Marmite,
DD will be there from Tuesday 5th until Thursday or Friday.

Well done to your DD Lucycat. Which subject? My eldest DC (DD1) went to Wadham. Dorothy Wadham lived in our village and directed all operations from a few hundred yards away from where I'm typing at my kitchen table. Incredible achievement. As far as I know, DD1 was the first person from the village to go to Wadham, male or female, even though Dorothy favoured local DC. It's a beautiful college. Good luck to your DD.

Wad is a v fun college - they just hosted/organised a fab queer week (and have a cute welfare dog!).
Liked your post, stranger.

Thank you stranger - she's hoping to read English and liked the vibe at Wadham when we visited, she's really into LGBTQI rights and feminist issues so Queerfest sounded amazing. Coming from an inner city sixth form college of over 3000 students she is a bit concerned Oxford be too small 😜

But having 2 other unconditional offers certainly takes the pressure off!

Lots of posts now!
Dd has received an Interview at Oxford. History and Ancient History at Corpus Christi. Well done to those kids and commiserations to those who missed out.
If it all goes pear shaped at the Interview she has luckily received an offer at UCL. Over a month of nothing from UCAS then 2 offers in 24 hours .

Well done to your DD Hoof. I hope she's a bit more mellow now. Corpus is another very beautiful college. I've got one there too. Best quad ever.

Bit staccato-y that, sorry!

Still the PAT crowd to go - good luck.

Best quad ever, stranger? Tom Quad wants a word with you.

So interview prep going really well. We now have flu and a giant boil on the nose!!

oh no Hubble :(
I’m becoming utterly paranoid that dd is going to,come down with something on the day of her interview. She’s gone out with friends for the day, lots of public transport traveling. I’ve issued her with hand gel

My DD &I looked at St Annes on the Open Day. It seemed a lovely college and the accommodation in the later years looks amazing.

Thanks Dancing! I didn't actually go to the Oxford open day so it is good to hear what it was like from others.

Thinking back - again I'm not sure how useful it is - my point would be that the relationship between parents and their 17/18 old sons and daughter varies very widely. Some parents will see it as their job to be very involved. Others - a diminishing number? - will think it's wise to stand back.

But there is always a temptation to try and micro-manage things, whether this is via the provision of hand gel, text messages, or deciding to take a three day holiday in the place where the 17/18 year old is staying.

However, all sort of things do not go according to plan and aren't micro-manageable.

My suspicion is that most of the mishaps are irrelevant. If the young person has interest and curiosity and ability in the subject they want to study and during the course of the interview(s) they convey this, it is really all that matters.