Oxbridge applications 2019 (part two).

[Justanothermile]

New thread, I hope it's okay to start one.

Good luck today for those still waiting for interview news, which includes us.

Congratulations to those already with dates.

It's making me giggle here tbh. Ds likes to think he's pretty cool, but ask him a maths problem and he flips into geek mode immediately

DS is not a mathematician but I love geeks in general!

Your description fitted my (arts side) son to a T, Puzzled.

The interviews didn't trouble him at all , but being amongst strangers for the best part of four days was hell.

Mumsnut it is really stressful to be in a new place for an important event and to have to socialise on top of that. My DD who is usually a real social butterfly decided she did not want to make the extra effort meeting new people, as the interviews’ stress was simply enough for her. Instead she went out with her friends from school who were there also but in different colleges. She did manage to meet a few new people after her interviews were done, though. I think they have done very well being there and managing with it all!

DS is still nattering on about the interviews days later. Yesterday evening he was looking up all the poems that he had been asked about, telling me about them and all about what this and that tutor had said about it all.
He seems very chilled. Bought himself a sparkly llama microwavable hottie in a fit of post-interview retail therapy and was trailing it round the house yesterday (naw, my baby....)

"Mateysmum - 2 EEs - wow imagine that! "

Oh yes, I remember those 2EE offers. They were dropped when Oxbridge dropped the entrance exams I think - which I think they did because it was thought to disadvantage those from schools which couldn't prepare students for the entrance. Does anyone else remember the reasoning at the time?

Now the aptitude/entrance exams have been back for a long while, so presumably assessed for reliability, I wonder whether Oxbridge might ever return to the 2EE offers? The admissions process is fairly rigorous, so do A level results really add much ? (Maths with Step is a different issue, I realise.) And if they did go back to 2 EEs, would that be criticised in the same way that unconditional offers currently are? (though I realise there is a difference between having to get 2EEs and not having to even take the exams!)

Meant to add - it is interesting that mocks results are considered pretty insignificant by some dc//pp here. I move in slightly different circles I think - think the teens I know of who are aiming high in the A levels, including the Oxbridge applicants, would be pretty upset/worried if they did badly in the Jan mocks.

I think particularly without AS level results these days, the students feel more 'in the dark' about the likely grades. Plus the fact that a startlingly high proportion of students miss their UCAS predicted grades. School essay and test assessments give you some indication of course (and maybe in the case of Oxbridge applicants the fact that they've passed an aptitude test!) . GCSEs rather less so, particularly in STEM, where there seems to be a huge jump between GCSE and A level.

Know one student who got an unconditional for Cambs last year for maths. She did so well in the STEP exam. Went to same 6th form college as my DD.

Can you do step before the end of yr 13 mumsneedwine? I thought it was usually after the A levels - but (as I think I've maybe demonstrated) I know very little about maths and step!

DD is relaxed about her mock results because realistically they don't affect her UCAS application, she already knows what level she's working at, given termly reports and frequent feedback from her teachers and the fact she more concerned about covering the rest of the syllabus for her subjects (tricky for English) and starting to get fully stuck into revision and practising exam techniques etc - or at least making this the priority. Obviously, she'd rather do well, but they can't be the main focus in her view. Although her school did mocks in the summer too.

I've dropped her off in Oxford, which was packed obviously and drove back so I'm a bit zonked but she was pointing out all the places she'd hung out at during her UNIQ week excitedly and wishing her UNIQ friends were going to be there (most were interviewees last week, she changed her subject slightly) - I don't think any of her school peers have interviews. She'll be fine, she quite social.

It looks a beautiful city I must say, I would have loved to had a weekend to explore.

To be honest I'm not sure ! Just know they ended up with an unconditional so might have turned into one after exam. Was talk of the college !

I think I was driving for over 7 hours in total...

We still have AS levels here (Wales) and Cambridge still ask for UMS for those schools/students that do the exams. I first was on these threads asking about these as DD had been given the dodgy advice by her head of sixth form to not put them down as one of them was not a grade she had wanted (2 x A and a B) and she thought they would discount her. She also didn't know what, and still doesn't, what her predicted grades are.
They must have been good enough though, after all as she got her interview.

Now just a 5 week wait to hear whether an offer will be made. The head of sixth from a private school who gave her a mock interview as a favour, not because she goes to that school, told her she might yet hear on Christmas Eve, but I wonder how out of date that info is.

They were dropped when Oxbridge dropped the entrance exams I think - which I think they did because it was thought to disadvantage those from schools which couldn't prepare students for the entrance. Does anyone else remember the reasoning at the time?
Now the aptitude/entrance exams have been back for a long while, so presumably assessed for reliability, I wonder whether Oxbridge might ever return to the 2EE offers?

I don't know if that was the reasoning but it may well have been. I went to a school which didn't do Oxbridge exam prep - and back then, as I understand it, those exams were rather different to the type of aptitude tests now which* I think are intended to not* require special training. I applied for Nat sci completely clueless (way before internet and helpful web pages) and frankly with a massive chip on my shoulder. No, I didn't get in... but I'm glad I tried, nothing ventured nothing gained. (And I got 3E offers from good redbricks).

I can't see any reason Oxbridge would revert to 2E offers, especially given the (justified, IMO) bad press about unconditionals elsewhere. Oxbridge doesn't need to in order to attract good students, why the heck would they? Certainly on the STEM side they do actually want people to have properly grasped their A level material as a starting point. They have the summer pool which allows a bit of discretion on the odd dropped grade.

I am sure she will enjoy the experience Justanothermile. She would seem to have a very positive attitude and will make the best of it.

And I think there's over inflation of predicted grades, regardless of results to be honest.

Something went awry with bolding in my reply there.

You have the perfect name for a seven hour journey but you must be exhausted Justanothermile.

I think the bolding was fine errol!

"Oxbridge doesn't need to in order to attract good students, why the heck would they?" (2 EE offers) I know, I suppose it's puzzling that they ever did really. Different times I suppose. I think at that time 4th term applicants were in the minority (though quite a sizable minority) - though that isn't really an explanation!

Yes a couple of pp on the thread have reported dc getting in with dropped grades.

Now that students can easily get hold of past papers, specifications etc, mocks as such are less important. They still have their place but nothing to stress about. Oxbridge interviews, (and open days for other universities), are infinitely more important and applicants need to make the most of them. For those heading to university A levels are not an end in themselves but a key to the right place!!

ds doesn't think he will get an offer but he enjoyed the experience.

LittleSpace it is always difficult for applicants to tell how well they did but It is great he enjoyed the experience. Now time to enjoy Christmas and what will be will be.

True but he was pretty sure. Very proud of him as he beat the odds to get to that interview.

But when your DC's offers are in and they have chosen their university they must work hard. Goes without saying I am sure!

Rightly proud LittleSpace.