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

Provisional weather forecast for next week:

Cambridge: starting off cold and frosty early in the week, remaining cold, through the week with possible wintry showers.

Oxford: probably a milder and damper start to the week (depending on where fronts lie) but a northerly setting in and again wintry showers possible and becoming very cold.

Outlook into to the following week: Continuing on the same cold, wintry shower theme.

I’ll try to keep the forecasts updated.

Brilliant, Thankyou Kitten, That will help with the packing.

I've got multiple layers of pjs on the list thanks to Basilisk and Goodbye too!

Oooh, top tip for freezing rooms when you don’t have access to a hot water bottle - those little hottie instant hand warmers stuffed into socks. Wouldn’t go to sleep in them - well I would, but I wouldn’t want anyone else to risk them getting too hot and burning feet.

I use them for camping.

A ha ha ha Lobster! I was also getting to the clothes hiding stage when he dropped his shopping bombshell!
Thanks for the forecast Kitten, I’ll try and get him to wear a scarf for the first time in his life.

Gloves have been purchased!

Good luck to all who finally have interview dates. DD has one next week for Nat Sci. The college haven't offered accommodation despite a 9.30 start and she can't get there by public transport on the day. So we are both travelling up night before -I won't be going to the college with her so that she is as self sufficient as possible but she didn't want to go to hotel on own. Most hotels were fully booked too. I have to take a day's leave so will use the morning for Christmas shopping!

There’s going to be a lot of us Christmas shopping So Str4nge, where is good for shopping in Cambridge?

Bad kitten, The Grand Arcade has some nice shops, all the usual high street places and higher end shops on the first floor if you’ve got the budget (i haven't) and a nice cafe on the ground floor near Lush. The outdoors bit in the centre has plenty of shops too and some nice independent shops down the cobbled side streets. I adore Cambridge

Thanks Papaya :) it’ll be nice to look around a new town!

Papaya - Is the arcade in what used to be Robert Sayle ? If I remember rightly there are good shops in Rose Crescent and along Trinity St. I think also that Fitzbillies may be beckoning me.

Been lurking on this as DD potentially interested in Nat Science degree. Can those applying for these advise what A levels have your DC done? Is Further maths essential?

Weather forecast. Milder outlook for Mon in both Oxford and Cambridge, set to chill down after that with potential wintry showers.

Thanks for the weather forecast OYBBK - I've always found there to be a cold wind in Cambridge so expecting that too.
Sinkyme - further maths not necessary - DD is doing Maths, Physics and Chemistry

Not been on here for a while so just catching up. Well done to all those with offers and interviews. DS offers from Southampton and Warwick, an interview tomorrow at Nottingham, and one next Tues at Clare for engineering.

Thanks fiftyval

what are your teenagers wearing to their Oxbridge interviews? My daughter has a dogtooth check suit (trousers and jacket) which she likes, will that be ok?

I haven't even thought yet what she will be wearing. My DD is there for three days so I thought she would just take three smartish outfits. Do we need to go down the suit route?

DS now got 4 offers out of his 5 UCAS choices, including Imperial, which is very good. However seeing loads of Oxbridge Interview offers coming out these few days, while he is still waitiing, making my nerves wracked up again!

I think dd will probably wear a hoody and converse, or maybe the one smartish jumper she has. She actually seems fine about next weeks interview and apart from the prospect of an unfortunate attack of germs, her feeling fine is catching. I’m not too worried. It’ll be different on offer/no offer day in January.

Good luck to your ds Panda.

This reminds me of my own long ago interview. My mother who might have got agitated about this was having inpatient hospital treatment. She had probably told my father to worry on her behalf.

So I told him I would be wearing my favourite cheesecloth smock - over a polo neck - and jeans. My father didn't seem to think this was a good idea, but was very uncertain about anything to do with female clothing.

However, on the day before interview, I had left the house to walk down to the station to catch the train to Cambridge, and he ran after me to remind me it was not too late to change my mind and pack a dress...

I said no, smock it was.

Anyway the next day when I had my interviews, the second one with subject tutors was with two blokes. One was in running gear plus headband, while the other was in jeans, leather jacket and shades.

I knew then I had made the right call...

That’s hilarious

I’ve seen academics in suits. Mostly they look rather uncomfortable.

DD will be in jeans (nothing will persuade her out of them!) but I think I have talked her into boots instead of the usual converse and a jumper/cardigan instead of the hoody.
She will be there for 4 days so needs 4 smartish outfits rather than just one very smart one.

My only concern at this point is health related too - she's currently on day 2 of a 6 night run of the school musical, and her voice is disappearing by the minute
She insists that it will get better over the week as it was the intensive weekend of rehearsal that destroyed it but I'm definitely picturing her rocking up to her interviews and not being able to speak!
She'll have 2 days to rest it between the show and her interview, in theory, but she'll be working all day Sunday (as a waitress so some talking is kind of essential) and then school, driving lesson and her tutoring job on Monday. Not much rest time.
She won't even contemplate cancelling anything though.

AnnaMagdalene, I just read the 1st line of your post as "My mother who might have got agitated about this was having IMPATIENT HOSPITAL TREATMENT"

I thought my interpretation accurately summed up what most of us mums were needing, due to our nervous dispositions, brought about by the whole university applications process!

Mothers tongue that really made me chuckle!