Oxbridge Applications 2019 (Part Three)

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Today is a big day for many... time for a new thread too

Ain Latin and Maths is fab - D in history is bloody unlucky /diabolical - never mind it’s january and she has until May/June to push up - as I’m sure she has she needs to ask what went wrong in History - and message to your kiddo best of luck but if you can can get A then you can up your grade in History can’t you x

Rich parents buying houses... donating money to get a place these have been referred to as ‘I’ve heard’.

I know it's not your point PantTwizzler but I find it really interesting that any comp does Latin. That's a great set of subjects. If it provides any reassurance several of mine were.. er.. inconsistent in mocks. If she's got an incentive she'll be fine. My only real bit of advice would be to see she doesn't concentrate too much on History when she decides it's time to concentrate. Although having Maths as one of her options spreads the risk a bit I'd say, in that she seems to have nailed that already.

hollytom I'd call it bollocks rather than Chinese whispers.

I agree, Bowchicawowow – when we're discussing Oxbridge applications, these issues are highly relevant. It would be foolish to pretend they don't exist, or that they don't have an impact on some applicants, including some discussed on here.

PantTwizzler, mocks aren't always a useful indication of how pupils will do in A levels. Given her other results she's clearly very talented. The important thing is to get feedback on how to improve in History and then get her teacher to mark lots of practice essays for her - if she can bear to do practice essays.

Thanks for the swift and kind responses. I am very pleased for her that two of her subjects are going so well and tbf she has worked hard for them. But I am worried about the history not least because she feels pretty invincible with the offer under her belt, plus stonking GCSEs (apart from her best subject, English, in which she got 8 and 6 because of poor exam technique). So she isn’t really going at history with the necessary vim.

Yes, goodbye, it’s quite an unusual comp. But still a comp and very much struggling with budget cuts.

Ha! I was trying to be polite but yes goodbyestranger you are correct.

It's only January PantTwizzler. Don't get out the Vim yet!

Our comp does Latin. And offers Mandarin and Russian as twilight subjects.

ds had the opposite. He chose Computer Science but it got cancelled, as did Music A Level and a bunch of other subjects. Sad for the few students affected.

We've had that too LittleSpace. Textiles gone and there was a right out ding dong over dance. It's such a shame that funding is having such an impact.

There are lots of people who buy houses in catchment areas or give friends or family’s addresses to schools in order to secure their dc’s place at a particular school. Is it really that much of a stretch to believe the same people wouldn’t buy a house to get their dc a guaranteed interview?

That's impressive too mumsneedwine. At least the absence of Latin at DD4's grammar will allow her to apply for the ab initio course while doing three other subjects she really enjoys at AS level.

A level. They dropped ASs like hot potatoes.

Bowchick - I found the info for Oxford contextual data.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/decisions/contextual-data?wssl=1

An interview is 'strongly recommended' if:

	They have received a contextual flag for at least one prior education measure
	<strong>and</strong>
	They have received a contextual flag for at least one postcode measure 

So buying a house in an underprivileged isn't going to get anyone a guaranteed interview.
If you've really heard of someone who tried it, they're pretty stupid not to have googled the guidelines before shelling out their dosh.

Why don't we just celebrate the successful applicants and stop being cynical. Is it so hard to believe that they have got in on merit? The suggestion that their parents paid for their place or pretended to be under-privileged when they were actually rich, is quite honestly insulting. It is mean spirited to be honest.
Yes Hingle I need to work harder at staying away!!

I don’t personally know anyone who has done it! I have definitely read about it though because it stuck in my memory. I know that if my dc gave their grandparents address (either set) they would come up as a contextual flag but I wouldn’t do it in a million years because it’s cheating. That’s why I remembered it.

And Hubbleisback I think things are changing now but in the quite recent past the system has been grossly unfair. I can’t see the problem in discussing that.

Also, I don’t know North London well at all but I understand that there is a huge tutor culture there which simply doesn’t exist in other parts of the UK. It’s ridiculous to think that kids who have had the benefit of super tutors costing £100 an hour haven’t had any kind of advantage in getting into university.

Good Morning People !
Peace ! The reality is more complex than a few sentences. There’s a huge social inequality in the uk more than in most other European countries.State and private school system is one result of this.
And the intake at Oxbridge has also always only reflected this society.
Now they want to correct this a bit. What can I say . I think getting more diversity etc is a good thing as it changes the perceptions of minority groups in society - which is much needed. But as I said before there’s a middle group of very hard working people who has put their kids through private school and now feels they don’t have the advantage of the castle owners and don’t have the ‘adavantage ‘ of disadvantaged people . It’s all understandable. I’ve heard the castle owners annoyed as well that their children don’t get automatically into Eton anymore for example . Btw Oxbridge numbers at Eton were down this year ( a lot of I must believe friends with children there ).
I do think generally a ‘ meritocracy ‘ is a good thing . I’m glad mine got in but my other ones are ok somewhere else and are going to do fine , I’m confident there’s plenty of good uni’s for them. Even the ‘not good ‘ones have really good lecturers in my experience. The uni you have been at might facilitate your first job , later on it doesn’t matter . And all people do all they can for their kids ( if they’re good parents ).
So yes some pay private education others will l to church for a good education , others will coach their kids , others will move to an area with a good school .
I don’t think people can buy their way into Oxbridge anymore . But yes of course privilege , confidence and a good education are an advantage so it shows in the intake ..
Ok now I start to rant so I’m going to make breakfast 🤣

If you’d asked me a few years ago, If I’d thought Oxbridge was purely meritocratic then I would agree. Especially when I was at Oxford 30 years ago, I admit some fairly eyebrow raising things happened. Then this happened, which has made me very suspicious.

DD applied for a niche course at Oxford, at an old college. Following results day she got the grades so got in.

A girl from a council estate up north got AAB and an A* in EPQ and they disgruntledly let her in.

A girl from a state comp in rough inner london, got AAB and rejected. Fair enough she didn’t meet the grades.

A girl from a £40k a year boarding school, landed gentry, third or fourth generation Oxford got AAB. After much toing and froing she was let in about a fortnight before freshers started. Her school were involved in the process as was daddy. Her remark did not go up so she remained on AAB with hardly a difficult combination of a levels.

People at even posh boarding schools can have mitigating circumstances I expect?? I suppose the discussions around things like; 'A girl in DC's class got in and I don't understand why??'' where the implication is it was not on merit jus t annoy me. Also we must not confuse the advantage of a good education with unmerited success. Innately bright children can be found in both private and state provision.

Would I consider my DS any less worthy of a place at Oxford had I had the wherewithal and inclination to send him to a private school?- no!

A girl from a council estate up north got AAB and an A in EPQ and they disgruntledly* let her in

You've left out the bit about how this was communicated to her - email? personal letter from AT at the college which had drawn the short straw? quiet chat between said AT and Chair of Governors, saying the university hadn't been able to find a way to turn this one down, but please don't let any more apply and put us in such an awkwsrd position again?

Exactly marchingfrogs. We seem to be confusing conjecture with facts.