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

Inchy maybe she just needs to toss a coin for the remaining pair?!

Haha

As far as I recall , the next steps are

1. Make absolutely sure the application is in and accepted by UCAS by the deadline
2. Make sure any aptitude test is booked and confirmed by the deadline

3.Do test

1. Wait to see if invited for interview.

Sorry if I sound simplistic and obviously ....
Others will be more informed than me - take note of them

This is Oxford experience only - the other (very good) universities either IIRC either sent out offers ( or rejection) or in one case asked for a piece of written work , but that was clearly done and post UCAS submission.

She has chosen a college. Hallelujah. Not even by tossing a coin, but by rational comparison. She'll be a scientist then She now just needs to decide if she wants the 'help into oxbridge teacher' from the local private school who is supposed to be supporting them have a look or not.

Excellent Inchy!

Thanks Basilisk. I’ll demand to see some proof then that it’s in! I’ve now developed a fear that her college will forget to do their bit. I’m sure they won’t, but I’m always good at finding a thing to worry about!

Good luck to all applying this time round - dropped youngest last Saturday and vividly remember all the angst with applications!

Hi everyone. Exciting to hear of people getting offers already! DS's form is doing the rounds at school and he seems unsure when it will be considered ready to go.

We have visited Cambridge, Warwick, Durham and Bath (Maths), and will leave Bristol until (if ) he gets an offer.

I have been trying to persaude hin to do Durham's TMUA exam. They did a pretty good job of selling it at the open day: you sit it early and get results quickly, and you don't have to decalre it if you do badly. Cambridge's STEP seems brutal by comparison; you can lose your offer at such a late stage.

Anyone else grappling with MAT/STEP/TMUA?

STEP looks awful.
dd is doing all three, the MAT and TMUA are both because she says Warwick give lower offers for good MAT and TMUA scores which would hopefully help differentiate it sufficiently from Cambridge if they were to offer. STEP she will need, if she gets a cambridge offer.

We are breathing more easily as UCAS have acknowledged dds application. Going out for dinner tonight to celebrate a small milestone.

Well Done Kitten’s DD for getting the application sent. Enjoy your well deserved celebrations!

I don’t know anything about the various maths and Step tests, DD just has the LAT on November 2nd.

DD received her 2nd offer today - this one from Newcastle

First offer - Exeter!

awesome! Well done Lobster and Hubbles dc.

How on earth do they focus with the excitement and checking of track? do offers come by email, or just on track?

Track should email them to say that there has been a change so endless checking is not needed.

that’s really good to know! Thanks knitting :)

Durham's TMUA exam

It is not Durham's - they don't administer it and they are not the only university to use it. Warwick, for example, are now allowing TMUA in one version of their offer.

TMUA has the benefits that the results are known sooner. But STEP has more in common with university maths and thus more beneficial in the long run. A good score in TMUA would mean that STEP score don't matter for Warwick etc but taking STEP would still be useful.

DS just had an offer from Bristol - Physics 😀😀. also has been asked to an interview for Manchester next week. Exciting times ahead

Congratulations on offers and interviews Hubble and Jabbott, it’s all so exciting!

Kitten I think dd got an email about a change to Track about an hour after she’d already seen the offer by logging onto Track! So I think she’ll still be checking regularly (although not as compulsively as I would be if I had her login!)

I keep badgering ds to check but no offers yet!! Although his tutor told him today that he is on track to get offers form everywhere ( hopefully!)

dd has her SAQ form now. It came via email within 24 hours of her application going in. So if your dc is applying to Cambridge they need to watch that it doesn’t go into junk.

here’s a question - the SAQ has a section for something like a mini personal statement. For maths do they read it?

yes they read it, in the same way they look at everything available to them - that's what I like about the Oxbridge application system, I believe they take everything into account and look at the overall picture.

But as I understand it you don't need to put anything in the additional SAQ box (my DD didn't and got an offer). I think its useful if you want to say something specific about the course or style of teaching that you didn't want to put in your PS may be because of the other courses you were applying to. But don't think you need to fill it in if you have nothing relevant or useful to add - don't just repeat what in the PS.

That's really helpful thank you User, we had read anecdotally that they didn't look at the ps for maths, just their grades. There is so much false info out there.

Hmmm, DD subject was humanities so admittedly maths/science could be different

I think DS will use the SAQ to explain why he wants to do natural sciences as his PS is very physics orientated. That doesn't help with maths though. And that is subject to him actually sending off his application in time.

I would maybe suggest using it to explain why they want the teaching methods (small group/individual supervision) although I expect most people will be saying the same.

The part of the form in the SAQ where they fill out the subjects and topics they’ve covered is really unclear. No idea whether she is supposed to list modules, what’s contained in the modules, whether FM gets listed seperately (how can it when they don’t know which modules will apply to maths or fm?). dd has had to give up and wait for school guidance. She can’t find any examples that apply to modular subjects.

SAQ just applies to Cambridge and not Oxford, right?

yes, lucky Oxford candidates!