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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Oxbridge applications 2019 (part two).

991 replies

Justanothermile · 22/11/2018 08:33

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.

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Rianna · 10/12/2018 18:37

Interesting to hear your ( kid’s )experiences . My son is not that talkative . I don’t know what to say tbh . I’m not an American parent in a Disney film after all ...
I just wish him luck and tell him he will be ok wherever he ends up ..
About being strict . I’m not . I think my son goes to bed really late . I wouldn’t know as I go early ( Facebook tells me that’s because I’m not very intelligent ). As long as the children get up to go to school and have ok results , it’s their business. When they complain they’re tired I suggest going to bed a bit earlier . But I never check tbh .

DrMadelineMaxwell · 10/12/2018 18:41

One of DD's first (Cambridge) questions was "So, what have you done since writing your personal statement?" An interesting question to draw out any pupils who may have done x, y or z only for the PS then nothing else.

Puzzledmum · 10/12/2018 20:57

Justanothermile - I am glad your DD is having a positive experience. I think Magdalen is lovely and has it’s own deer park Wink
I also leave my DD to self-regulate, re bed time, going out, watching rubbish on YouTube etc. I think at the grand old age of 18, she should be able to do at least this by now. GrinI do not think she always goes to bed early, but when she has overdone it a bit, she simply goes and sleeps longer hours to compensate. I do not monitor her studying either, just ask if she needs me for anything and leave the rest to her. It seems to work for us.

LittleSpace · 10/12/2018 20:58

My problem is that I'm abysmal at Maths so I can't make head nor tail of any of it.

There isn't any point asking about questions and answers in the interview because he might as well be speaking in Clingon.

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/12/2018 21:48

He can tell me his questions! Had to listen to all of ds's Grin and his complaints that they were too easy. We just told him that if he'd applied for maths they'd have been suitably difficult Wink
(The test was much harder, in case he sounds arrogant!)

Coleoptera · 10/12/2018 21:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/12/2018 22:14

They seemed to be reading their questions off a sheet and weren't asking ones which flowed - so that one asked something and then the other asked something disconnected to what the other person had asked.

Oh, dd had something like this for her Oxford interview a few years ago - she said it was basically having two different conversations at once. Tricky stuff.

Last couple of days - hang in there everyone xxx

Rianna · 11/12/2018 08:17

Oxford mummies : my son tells me they have to check the board every two hours for interviews - sound stressful , I can imagine that you feel you need to go back to check when out in town .

Puzzledmum · 11/12/2018 08:42

Rianna - yes, that is what they have to do. It is not too bad, everyone does this. If they are free to go, they get told also.

Rianna · 11/12/2018 08:54

He knows his next interviews now - one today and one tomorrow. At least now he knows when is free

Justanothermile · 11/12/2018 09:00

Coleoptera, well done to your DS. You can relax now at least. From DD's experience yesterday, and as she managed to befriend her fellow interviewees, I think they were all asked the same questions. I can understand why that be so, as the interviewers probably need to make decisions based on standardised information. I understand your point re contextual offers, but the stats are still skewed vastly in favour of independents and certain grammars. In any event, your DS can only control his own outcome - this is what I've told Dd, who might be on the other side of the argument, no point in going there, it is what it is!

For DD's subject, they were told on Monday morning the time of their interviews for that day and Dd knew in the afternoon what time her interview is today and that it's the only one. As no candidate can leave until tomorrow when then find out if they've been pooled, then I think that avoids repeated checks of the board.

puzzled, it does look lovely in fairness - Dd is open minded, so I'm sure she'll be fine.

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Puzzledmum · 11/12/2018 09:15

Good luck to your DC Justanothermile and Rianna.
I am surprised they were discussing their interviews with the other applicants. My DD's group were specifically asked not to do this. I guess they can't stop them talking when socialising in the pub, of course :D

My DD knew when her two interviews were and then had to wait to see if she was to be called for anything further, but as it happened none were asked to interview again. All had 2 interviews in total (science subject).

Justanothermile · 11/12/2018 09:20

Dd didn't say, although I guess as they had all completed their interviews - there's no advantage to be gained? A bit like discussing the answers you put to the exam you've just sat?

I'm worried now - I'll check!

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Puzzledmum · 11/12/2018 09:29

Justanothermile - please do not worry. I am sure it is completely fine to do this, especially post event. I said it , as my DD mentioned it when I asked her how did the other people found the interviews (she had hers on Thursday, while the majority had theirs on Wednesday) and she said they were not allowed to discuss this. If your DD's group went out to socialise together, of course they would discuss precisely that, I can't see what else they could talk about :)

Rianna · 11/12/2018 09:50

Well yes of course they would discuss . My son won’t socialise , I’m sure about that :-).
He has an interview today at 11 and tomorrow too , both at the same college . This college is a bit further away but Oxford is small so that’s relative . I think what he dislikes most is the waiting . Will we all stay friends on here till January ? I think they will know on the morning already .

Lumpy76 · 11/12/2018 10:10

Re discussions around interviews...DD didn’t really have anyone to discuss hers with but the biochemists and those there for PPE did discuss theirs amongst themselves. The biochemists were given a formula and asked what it was...they hadn’t known but DD did (she does 2 science and 2 arts a levels) - fortunately she was diplomatic and didn’t tell them what it was. I don’t think the interviews were discussed for very long though...talk was mainly politics (Brexit), what Hilters defence might have been and lots of playing poker and risk.

Puzzledmum · 11/12/2018 10:15

Will we all stay friends on here till January ?
Rianna - I hope this thread will go on and we'll stay friends for much longer than January, as we need to support each other at least through to August (results day) Grin and then when they all start uni :). At least this is what I have noticed previous years have done. Perhaps we need to change the title of the thread (not sure if this could be done though).

Justanothermile · 11/12/2018 10:44

Yes, I hope so too. This is the only social media site at all I've mentioned anything about the application, never mind interview. I have found it massively useful to learn from the experts and share feelings that I haven't done anywhere else, even with DH, as he's much less involved with the process.

Rianna I don't know if this is helpful, but my own DS sounds like yours and I can't believe the change in him since going to university (not Oxbridge). He's so much more confident, outgoing and self assured. I honestly wouldn't have thought it possible - I thought he'd stay in his room largely and struggle. I'm so over the moon for him and relieved.

Dd has had her third interview, and it's a good job I'd told her to go early as they had changed the times and she hadn't known! No matter. She absolutely enjoyed this one. She said the setting was less formal (in an office with her on the sofa) and the interviewers were really personable and friendly and made her feel really at ease. She felt she answered everything they asked and they probed rather than helped extract answers. She'd be happy at this college too she said. She's also aware that, although she feels everything went well, everyone else are strong candidates too. I feel that's pragmatic and sensible.

Day to herself now, so she's Christmas shopping alone for a bit and then will meet up with others.

I asked! They were allowed to discuss interviews if all others had had theirs and they were careful about ensuring this was the case.

Agree though lumpy, they seem to have discussed lots of other things!

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Lumpy76 · 11/12/2018 11:49

Going away for 2 nights when it was her greatest fear and soooooo far outside her comfort zone really seems to have had a positive affect on Dd. To the point where she’s thinking of accepting the Durham offer - either as reserve if offered a place at Oxford or as first choice in the event she isn’t.

HingleMcCringleberry · 11/12/2018 12:28

Will we all stay friends on here till January?
Perhaps we need to change the title of the thread

I would say at least until January, and then for those of you whose DC have good news in January, then yes, you will be conversing with each other in the run up to October (assuming no gap years), taking in exam results, and top packing tips. For those with less good news, then naturally there will be some bowing out.

In terms of thread name, as this one reaches the 1000 mark, that may well take us up to exam time, at which point a new thread could be started, called (and I'm just spitballing/stealing here) Oxbridge Freshers 2019.

Rianna · 11/12/2018 13:13

For those of us with good news we might start a private group in January - what’s app or whatever .

Justanothermile : glad your daughter had a good experience . So had my son at the second college . Really liked the interviewer - same nationality as my husband , and interests in both subjects my son has chosen ( joint degree). Fingers crossed !

HingleMcCringleberry · 11/12/2018 13:52

Sounds a good idea Rianna!

It would be good to also keep posting on the forum, as if you have questions you can call upon the wisdom and experience of people who have done it all before (in some cases many times over!)

zxcv123 · 11/12/2018 13:56

Like many others, DS had one good interview and one very tricky one yesterday. He's annoyed with himself because he misunderstood a question in the second interview and stumbled around for quite a bit trying to approach it.

Today his phone is switched off, so no news.

I think they are all doing brilliantly putting themselves through such a rigorous process. I certainly wouldn't fancy a job interview over 4 days!

Anyone know when they are told if they are released this evening or have to stay until tomorrow?

TheFrendo · 11/12/2018 13:57

Why keep things private?

I have benefited from these public threads and am not interested in private groups.

Rianna · 11/12/2018 15:43

I don’t think my son would appreciate it if people would recognise him , that’s all .

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