Oxbridge Applications (Part Four)

[Aurea]

Link to previous thread -

Oxbridge Applications 2019 (Part Three) www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3474232-Oxbridge-Applications-2019-Part-Three

I see the other thread is full and am unable to find the next instalment (correct me if I'm wrong), so here it is.....

To kick things off, my DS has just firmed Trinity College, Oxford for Law (conditional AAB) and has insured Edinburgh (unconditional). He is Scottish so his qualifications are Highers/Advanced Highers. He achieved AAA in his prelims (mocks) so he's on track (fingers and toes crossed).

He went down to an Offer Holders day last weekend and had an absolute ball and met lots of lovely people. Roll on the next few months.......a small hurdle of exams first, mind.

How are everyone else's DCs doing?

Hope you do not mind me asking, but is AAB in Scottish Highers the equivalent of A*AA at A level ( typical Cambridge law offer).

It's hard to compare Scottish qualifications.

The kids here take three lots of exams over three years.

National 5s which are GCSE standard but taken at age 15. Our (state) school only offers 6 subjects so there are fewer subjects to revise which must make them easier to get a good mark.

My son achieved 6As in these exams. N.B there are no A stars awarded in Scotland so the highest grade is an A.

Highers are taken at age 16/17 and a A grade is 33 UCAS points so they are considered harder than AS levels.

My son achieved 5As and a B at Higher which is how he obtained an unconditional offer from Edinburgh, as they base their admissions decisions mostly on Highers. There are only approx 4,500 students in Scotland who achieve 5As at Higher in the same year, so it's probably considered the same as 3A stars in the RUK.

For Law at Oxbridge, Oxford require AAB at Advanced Higher which in UCAS points is the same as two A stars and an A, whereas Cambridge require AAA which is identical in UCAS points to three A stars.

HOWEVER, to achieve an A grade you only need 70% overall in the exam. The Advanced Higher exams are considered more difficult than A level, partly because you take them over just a year. Many students don't take Advanced Highers as they are comparable in difficulty to the first year of Uni in Scotland. This means, however, to attain an A grade, you need to be in the top 24% of your cohort (although only the most able students go on to Advanced Highers).

Sorry about the essay, but I hope this helps explain things.

Thanks. I had not realised there were highers and advanced highers!

Yes, to be considered for Law at Oxford you need 4As and a B at Higher and then predicted grades of at least AAB at Advanced Higher.

Do you have a DC who has applied/or is applying?

I have DC at Oxford but both are studying other subjects. I was just intrigued by the B in the offer but I now realise that the advanced higher must be the equivalent of a pre U qualification.
Good luck to your DS - though it sounds as if he already is well on the way to meeting the offer!

Ds turned down his Cambridge offer (Com Sci) and firmed Manchester. I think he's made the right decision for him

What were his reasons Atia? I'm sure he will love Manchester.

Partly the size of the department and that the Manchester course is an integrated masters (the Cambridge one isn't an automatic progression to the masters) with an option for a year in industry.

But mostly because he just loved Manchester, loved the city campus, loved the busy department, is looking forward to having loads of gigs to go to - thought Cambridge was "dead" and didn't like that the department was a long way out of town. He's the one who has to live there for 4 years, it needs to be somewhere he'll be happy!

Hi I’m still alive and all well here...son looking forward to going to university but the reality of going to miss his friend starts to sink in.

Can anyone advise on what to expect at a Cambridge masterclass?

TiA

Re what to expect at a Masterclass. DD did the English and History ones recently. 2 taster lectures to give a flavour of what to expect; she really enjoyed both, fun but challenging material. She's a historian but was really swayed by the subject matter in the English ones they were so good! A general talk on how to make a strong application ( as you'd expect, different advice for the 2 subjects) and I think an undergraduate around to talk to also. She met really nice likeminded people , esp in the History one who she has stayed in contact with. There's a talk for parents. Nothing you wouldn't get online which they are at pains to point out ( reassuring for people who couldn't attend!) .

Thank you.

ds is still using the online resource for STEP.

Exams are getting closer.

His reserve only wants an A and a B so it is a great backup if things go pear shaped.

NCed to protect the identity of those involved...

DC has an offer from Oxbridge. I’m being deliberately vague in order to get neutral views.

We have had big rows about the amount of studying vs partying going on. DC thinks it’s fine to be out until 3 am at the weekend. Spends hours lounging around on phone. Chose to take booze into school for “muck up day” and proceeded to get drunk in the park after being kicked out of school (and missing lessons). DC says they really want to go to Oxbridge but behaviour suggests not taking it too seriously. Am I the only one whose darling child is like this?! I read about students who are “really stressed” and “working too hard” and wonder what’s going on with mine. At this rate they will miss both Oxbridge and insurance offer.

I really feel for you.

My DS is not a party animal and has been working pretty hard so I really cannot advise. I guess you're in Scotland too with muck up day?

Has (s)he form for this?

Ah thank you. We are in England.

Think there's some belated teenage rebellion going on. DC wants to be one of the cool kids and (despite the school showing off about exam results) there are plenty of kids in the school who are taking drugs and going nowhere. Comp in a big city, shouldn't be a surprise. I don't think that DC is involved in that scene but general attitude doesn't indicate that needed grades will be achieved. I know there will be crushing disappointment if that happens. DC doesn't seem to have grasped the concept of delayed gratification.

MuckUp - that's rough. At the very heavy risk of armchair psychologising it might be your DC is setting up some cackhanded coping mechanisms, in advance of taking exams - better to throw it away rather than work to the bone and not get the required grades and be devastated.

I think you'll have said your piece to DC. There's nothing now to be gained from having rows. You could sit down after a nice Sunday lunch and just state your concern that it feels like they're taking their eye off the ball when they're now so close to the end. After that, don't bring it up again, because it's only upsetting both of you. If it all goes pear-shaped when results come out, then you can mourn together, and then DC will head off to another top university and have a great time, socially and educationally.

If it all goes pear-shaped when results come out, then you can mourn together, and then DC will head off to another top university

Not if it really has all gone pear shaped, possibly, though?

MuckUp, if your DC is not normally naive / conceited re the connection between input and outcome, so to speak, then yes, it does sound a bit like setting themselves up for it being a surprise to nobody if they don't do well enough (because they're worried that they won't, anyway). Or... are they really, really keen on Oxbridge? Or would they really prefer their insurance choice, but thought (knew?) that no-one would understand how this could be?

Thank you both. I think DC is very complicated and suffers somewhat from being the eldest with all the associated pressures and jealousy of younger siblings. Not very keen on studying per se but very conformist (ie basically going to uni because everyone does). Definitely hedging bets in case of failure. Hard hard work to cope with!

Oh dear MuckUp, it's a worry isn't it?

If it's any consolation, mine is definitely not in the "very stressed"/"working too hard" camp either. He's always been like that though, and I've just had to accept over the years that he doesn't study or revise in the same way that I did. I don't know how he manages to amass knowledge - it seems to slip in under the radar.

Still, as others have said, no point getting into an argument now. Best they all go into their exams feeling happy and confident. Good Luck everyone!

MuckUp you are definitely not alone - you could be talking about my DS, who is doing pretty much the same. I've got my fingers crossed he will somehow make it into Cambridge anyway but the signs aren't good. I'm way more stressed than he is now but like you I know how devastated DS will be if he doesn't make his offers

Good luck to you all for Thursday! 🍀🍀🍀

I really hope it works out for all your DCs at either Oxbridge, or at the many other excellent universities

For those with confirmed Oxford offers, there is another thread (sorry don't know how to link) 'Oxford offer holders 2019', so please join us there.

Best wishes to all!

Pleased to find this thread. Good luck for tomorrow everyone.

Good luck to everyone, I remember the tension so well last year. It was horrid! An extra special good luck to those about to open their STEP results. If they aren't quite what your dc is hoping for, try not to worry, they may well still have a place.