Oxbridge Applicants 2019

[evenstrangerthings]

The 2018 Oxbridge Applicants Thread was started at the end of August last year, but with many students now sitting internal school exams rather than public AS exams, many will have Year 12 results in hand and some will be starting to prepare for applications to Oxford or Cambridge University.

Let's support each other in supporting our kids through this process, which may involve extra exams, multi-day interviews and extra application statements.

Do feel free to join the thread, even if your DC is on the fence about making an Oxbridge application. It would also be great to hear from those who have been through the Oxbridge process before!

Coleo why doesn't she ask for clarification about essays and deadlines from her college as quite an open 'dear college, could you please clarify who should be submitting essays, when people will be notified that they should be submitting them and what are the deadlines for these essays'

Honestly, Coleo, please just ask the admissions office at their chosen college(s) for clarification. You could start by saying that other kids at school have been saying... and they want to make sure they do it correctly. You won't sound presumptive and the ones I have met have been lovely.

Interesting reading the debate about numbers applying. DDs are/were at a selective state school. Each year around 12 - 15 apply to Oxbridge (around 10 - 12% of the cohort) with perhaps half getting places, but obviously this varies by year group. The school is in the SW of England. I wouldn't say kids are starry-eyed about it, but they recognise that Oxbridge degrees are highly prized and they are on the whole quite aspirational students.

The DD who is now studying at Cambridge is definitely in a minority as far as home location goes. Most of her colleagues are from London. They were moaning about living 15 minutes from a Tube station. DD remarked that she lives a mile and a half from the nearest bus stop. The walk there is on unlit roads without pavements and a 60mph speed limit. The bus goes once an hour in each direction and stops running at 6pm. London mates stopped moaning! However, DD is the only one in her friendship group with a driving licence. It's a necessity round here, but obviously not in London.

DD's college claims to have around 75% of its students from state schools, so I don't know where the misconceptions have come from about privately-educated students having such an advantage.

coleoptera My daughter is in the process of photocopying two essays and providing cover sheets for them. She has applied for HSPS. I think the college will email your DD when they want the work submitted, if they want any. In my DD’s case this was about a week after the SAQ and the deadline for submitting the work is 8th November. However I see no harm in contacting the college to clarify as they all seem to have slightly different processes. I hope that helps.

Hi @Minapaws
I’m sorry I didn’t answer before. It’s all new to us really, but my DD fell in love with the HSPS course when she discovered it. She is doing A levels in Politics, History and English Literature and already has Maths A level. She’s in the process of getting work ready to send off to her college now. My DD visited 2 colleges, and spoke to students and admissions tutors at both. It was a good way to get a feel for the place and course.

Same A levels as DS (in year below your DD.) Good luck to her.

Thank you!

Dd is working on her SAQ. Apparently most leave the additional ps blank? If not, what sort of info are they looking for? She thinks she covered it on her UCAS application.

Most do leave it blank.

dd wittered on about some very specific experience that she had that was relevant to the course offered at Cambridge.

How do folk read the information on my attached photo, with regard to written work? I'm possibly thinking too much.

Both essays completed within the same two week period or less? Or each essay taking no longer than two weeks to complete, if that makes sense?

DD has another offer, York. She'd be extremely happy to study at York and the grades are highly achievable at BBB.

Feel free to call me stupid!!

I think it's each essay taking no longer than two weeks to complete as they then talk about adding in an additional longer essay if they wish.

It does seem a bit ambiguous. No harm in contacting the college.

please just ask the admissions office at their chosen college(s) for clarification. You could start by saying that other kids at school have been saying... and they want to make sure they do it correctly. You won't sound presumptive and the ones I have met have been lovely.

Yes... except not 'you', your DC!

Dd is working on her SAQ. Apparently most leave the additional ps blank? If not, what sort of info are they looking for?

I posted upthread about what my DD added - it may be relevant if the Oxbridge course isn't quite the same as what they're applying for elsewhere.

SAQ being worked on here tonight too, by DD. She's got an offer for York in already, A A A .

Just I read it same as OYBBK - i.e. not your EPQ or some other long piece off coursework.

But just check if you're not sure. If you're reading in two ways, other people will be too, and maybe they'll make it clearer next year!

dd wittered on about some very specific experience that she had that was relevant to the course offered at Cambridge.

Am guessing at what she wrote about and giggling about you describing her as wittering! Hope she's settling in well

She's settled in really well :)

Thanks both, I read it the same way as you guys, it was DD that read it two ways, and that got me thinking!

York have just converted DD's offer to unconditional!

That's great Justanothermile :) is it unconditional if firmed?

Thank you Kitten, yes it is indeed.

Taking Oxford out of the equation though, it was one of her two favourites, so she'll see this as a positive and take confidence.

She's definitely not the sort to slacken off with an unconditional in the bag, I'm sure that you can imagine!

That's the way to view it, ignore the bribe, enjoy the confidence boost :)

Dd trying to upload a photo for her saq usng one from her phone. Managed to reduce the overall file size but how can we check it is 840x700 px ? Or will a portrait one usually be ok?

I dont know Liz but be aware it will end up.as.her student Id

You lot might like this from The Times today:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-do-you-pass-an-oxford-interview-the-answer-s-obvious-qdht0kls2?shareToken=95c9cdb72d3e73671bffac4e86ff2950

I seem to remember reading something not dissimilar a bit before DD was applying, possibly from Cambridge - much the same applies, I think.

I wish my DD had been warned about the photo. They use the Camcard all the time and she thinks (with some justification!) that her photo is awful. Not that I’ve said that obviously!

I dont know Liz but be aware it will end up.as.her student Id

Oh that's a good tip! Will tell ds to make sure he's happy with his hair just in case