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!

Since until very recently Oxford had additional tests and Cambridge didn't, I'd argue the opposite was true until a couple of cycles ago but that now they're pretty much even. Although I think I'm correct in saying that there are more applicants per place for most Oxford courses which (if an applicant is conscious of that) adds stress, although I have to say I haven't particularly drilled down into current data.

That said, I'd hate the STEP thing hanging over me!

For example Medicine had the same number of applicants at both unis but Oxford had approximately half the number of places. I was astonished when I saw those numbers. One tends to think both have the number of applicants for the same number of places.

Perhaps it varies and NatSci and Engineering at Cambridge have more applicants per place? I was surprised about Medicine though. I'd expect Oxford History to have more, Oxford Classics more etc. It would be interesting to directly compare current numbers. The Medicine thing was 2012 so might now have altered as well

So yes, looking at Errol's data link and having a look at the Oxford Admissions Statistics and dividing and adding etc in my head - literally back of a fag packet stuff while cooking - it looks as though Cambridge has 580 applicants or so for History for roughly 210 places and Oxford has 857 applicants for 202 places. I haven't included joint schools. I'm interested to compare lots of numbers now that Rianna has raised the question but supper is distracting me and then we're watching The Apprentice.

Apparently the HSPS emails have gone out for DD’s college today ....... but she won’t look! She’s too scared! Aaaargh!

Lililili, I can understand that feeling, hope she manages to have a look.
Wonder whether girls have applies to the same college ?

Nothing here yet. DD failed her driving test for the second time - sounded like she was a bit unlucky. Examiner even commented to her that apart from the mistake (caused by lack of experience and driving decision making - unlucky it happened on the test by the sounds of it) that he failed her on her driving was very good. She’s now pretty distraught and basically thinking she’ll get nothing and can’t even learn to drive properly. She already has chronic tinnitus and I’m getting severely worried about the pressure she’s putting herself under. The only upside of today being that the new RE teacher (also her head of year and form tutor, with whom she hasn’t really hit it off) gave her 100% on her essay! Oooo and they say the toddler years are the hardest....I’ll take her manic 2 year old brother any day!! 🙈

Should add that her tinnitus is not at all related to loud music - it started with an ear infection exactly a year ago and never went away.

Well done to wiifitmama for your DS.

I'm sorry lumpy about your DD, tinnitus must be awful to have to deal with. Year 13 is such a full on year, we did it with DS last year and have got DD this year, although this Oxford malarkey is a whole new experience.

I'm pleased with DD's attitude to the whole process actually, she's refusing to get too sucked into the 'be all and end all' concept. She'd like an interview because she loved the feeling of togetherness in college at UNIQ and would like a few more days of this ideally. Some of her UNIQ friends have received interview invitations already, albeit different colleges and slightly different courses.

Anyone waiting for Cambs Vet Med interviews ?

Thanks everyone. Neither he nor I are actually worried about the interview. For maths, they do maths in the interview - his favourite thing to do so he is not bothered! As to interviews and meeting adults etc, he is totally and completely comfortable with that and always does well in those situations. His (state non-selective) 6th form did get someone in the other week to do mock interviews with the (very very few) Oxbridge candidates. He felt fine about it. Getting the A level grades and STEP grades will be a whole other stress though!

She has an interview! So pleased and relieved!

That’s great news Lililili

Thank you. I guess if your daughter hasn’t heard yet it can’t be the same college? I think they contact all applicants for the same subject on the same day. She has been told the interview will be either on Mon 3rd or Tues 4th and they will write with more details ....
Good luck to your daughter.

Ok well the numbers do prove interesting. Rianna, I took up the gauntlet. Comparing the Cambridge 2017 admissions round and the average of the last three published years at Oxford (2015, 2016, 2017) the relative success rates for a few easy to compare subjects are:

English Oxford 26% Cambridge 27.8%
History Oxford 23.6% Cambridge 30.6%
Theology Oxford 33.1% Cambridge 42.9%
Classics Oxford 39.7% Cambridge 45.9%
Geography Oxford 22.6% Cambridge 27.7%
MFL Oxford 35.2% Cambridge 44.6%
Law Oxford 17.9% Cambridge 18.9%
Medicine Oxford 15.3% Cambridge 19.2%
Maths Oxford 14.3% Cambridge 17.7% (big surprise to me that one)

and the winner is....

Engineering Oxford 24.7% Cambridge 14.5% (well done Errol DD!).

www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/sites/www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/ug_admissions_statistics_2017_cycle_4.pdf

www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/Oxford%202018%20Annual%20Admissions%20Report.pdf

Anyhow, I just can't really see on what basis Oxford applications are 'less stressful', especially when you crunch the numbers and compare them directly to Cambridge numbers. Bar the STEP of course, which sounds horrible.

Coleoptera the boys were sent the source to their own e-mail address the morning they were due to arrive (by 6pm), but given where we live the rest of the day was mostly spent travelling. Londoners had an extra few hours to work on it. As for any poor Scot trying to make his or her way down through the hills and glens for hours on end with no wifi....

I am being really dopey ollie
Your dd has an interview already doesn’t she! And heard today? Or yesterday? My dd is applying to a hill college ...

Natural Sciences (cobbling together Biochem, Biology, Chemistry and Physics at Oxford) are even stevens: Oxford 22.9% Cambridge 22.4%.

Congratulations to all DC who got interviews
so far. Another interview invite here for Biology at Christ Church Oxford. Anyone else’s DC applying to this college?

Lumpy : soo annoying she failed her test , as you’re right , it can undermine cofidence . I failed on such random things ... but that’s a who either story .tinnitus sounds super irritating :-(. I hope it will pass soon .

Oxford vs Cambridge : Cambridge invites more people but even if you get a place , you have to wait for step results .
My son did the mat , he did well , so if the interview doesn’t go horribly wrong he should be offered a place . He’s done the step already , high mat score ,a stars , extra curricular , olympiads and stuff , if they don’t want him they don’t deserve him says mum .

Ladies my son might be good at maths but I’m not - I’ve just heard oxford invites less to the interview ? Those were rumours ? Still you know for sure in January which is an advantage

evenstrangerthings - time to set up a new thread!

Those numbers are interesting goodbyestranger, thank you. Surprising in places as you say (Maths), less so in others (Classics etc). I can't see any difference in difficulty or stress involved in gaining a place at either being honest, but I'm certainly not the expert. And I kind of mean that factually and emotionally!

Here's hoping for more interview news for folk today, good luck.

I'd be grateful for a new thread too.