When did you know your children were Oxbridge material?

bevelino · 11/04/2019 21:32

I have one dd at Oxford and another one starting this year (post A’levels), and I wouldn’t say either of them are Oxbridge material. What does that even mean?

A lot of students apply to Oxbridge but don’t get in, but that doesn’t mean they would not have done well there if they had received a place. The two universities can’t offer places to every worthy student who applies.

nutsfornutella · 11/04/2019 21:42

Is Oxbridge material different from Ivy League or Russell Group material?

I'm not being facetious- what makes Oxbridge material aside from top academic grades?

SarahAndQuack · 11/04/2019 22:26

When she vomited on the carpet in Newnham Senior Common Room. Definitely Oxbridge material - they won't replace it for years.

(I agree with others in doubting there is such a thing as 'Oxbridge material.)

Fooferella · 11/04/2019 22:28

I knew the moment he was born. He looked at me with a very Oxbridgian glint in his eye before he even opened his mouth to cry.

WatcherintheRye · 11/04/2019 22:36

The moment of conception. I certainly knew for all 3 of mine. Pity they all had other plans

Sorry, op. I think it was the phrase 'Oxbridge material'!

wigglypiggly · 11/04/2019 22:39

What is Oxbridge material? Do they have to enjoy cycling or are they somehow different to other students?

Figure8 · 11/04/2019 22:43

((Whispers))
Some don't WANT to go to Oxford OR Cambridge

(Thud)

sm40 · 11/04/2019 22:51

My parents never thought of me as 'Oxford material'. Think they fell of the chair when I told them my plans and fell off it again when I got in!
My school weren't even that convinced because I dared to get 2bs at gcse!
So am not sure there is such a thing!

BubblesBuddy · 11/04/2019 23:56

Independent schools frequently have an Oxbridge stream so they think DC are Oxbridge material. State schools identify Oxbridge possibles too. So yes, in about y9 or y12.

BeansandRice · 12/04/2019 15:50

Oh really ....

SunburstsOrMarbleHalls · 12/04/2019 18:19

There is no such thing as "Oxbridge material" both Oxford and Cambridge University are keen to dispel the preconceived ideas that this outdated phrase alludes to.

You can't possibly stereotype nearly 45,000 individuals (under and post graduates) and say they all have shared characteristics that other students who attend other universities don't.

Clearly there are certain prerequisites such as high academic achievement but all high achievers do not go to Oxbridge.

I wouldn't say that there is any single unique trait that a person must possess to attend.

If any student wants to apply and thinks they have a realistic chance of meeting the entry requirements for their chosen course then they should give it a go.

DD went to Cambridge and she is from a council estate in Merseyside, loves makeup, hair extensions and false nails and likes to watch reality tv such as Real Housewives and Say Yes To The Dress. She graduated last year with a law degree.

SimonJT · 12/04/2019 18:24

I’m not sure there really is a list of things that make someone oxbridge material, yes a lot of my course mates were privately educated, but apart from that they were very different.

But the most important thing is, does the person want to go there?

DonaldTwain · 12/04/2019 18:28

I think what the OP means but is too shy to say is “clever enough.” To which the answer is children develop at different rates. My sister struggled in primary but went to Cambridge. Probably didn’t become apparent that she was bright enough until about 13 or 14.

Flicketyflack · 12/04/2019 18:37

My husband got straight A's, a first for his degree and a Phd. He has told me he never considered Oxford or Cambridge. He went to school in Scotland and came from a regular working class family.

I would say he was Oxford or Cambridge material however the subject he studies are not great at these Uni's (he has taught students there as he works in Industry) He would recommend other Uni's.

My point is it depends on the subject!

Hollowvictory · 12/04/2019 18:39

Our local comprehensive has an Oxbridge scheme. I would expect my dd to be in it.

MsTSwift · 12/04/2019 18:43

Not sure it ever occurred to my in laws neither of them or any of their families had even been to university they ran a small practical business rest of family worked in shops and factories. Dh was left entirely to his own devices re school work (state school obv). Thinking about he did so well all on his own.

Fifthtimelucky · 13/04/2019 07:24

I don't like the phrase ' Oxbridge material ' but I knew from an early age (around a year old) that my elder daughter was extremely bright. I say 'knew' but what I really mean was 'strongly suspected' as I didn't have much to compare her with.

She was an early talker, always curious and asking questions, an early and avid reader, had very good powers of concentration, an excellent memory, and was ahead of most of her class in reception, despite the fact that she has a summer birthday.

I didn't think about Oxbridge until she got to the 6th form and we started thinking about which universities to visit. By then she had a clean sweep of A*s at GCSE under her belt. She was very anti-Oxford but I wanted her to see it (and Cambridge) for herself. I almost had to drag her screaming and kicking to an open day, but she fell in love with it, applied, and got a place.

fluorescentorange · 13/04/2019 07:31

My DD was definitely ‘Oxbridge Material’ she was A* GCSE for all 10 of them. She didn’t even stay on in 6th form she got a job as a nursery nurse and loved it, she has done this job until she began her Maternity leave 4 weeks ago.
From the age of 10 if you asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she would say a Mummy!
That is fine by me and her dad, she will be definitely an ‘Oxbridge’ style Mummy when this baby finally arrives😂

ifonly4 · 13/04/2019 08:39

I'm not sure what you can determine as Oxford material. DD has a friend with an offer from Oxford, she chose her unis based on the right courses for her (which were limited). On the academic side, she needs the same grades my DD needed for St Andrews, Warwick and Birmingham (and DD needed higher for Durham), but they're obviously looking for far more than that (and who knows what it is).

Applesbananaspears · 14/04/2019 13:51

I know my kids aren’t. My eldest is extremely bright but I just know he’s not bright enough for Oxbridge, he’s not intellectual enough with a thirst for knowledge or the motivation or resilience to be with people of the academic ability of oxford or Cambridge or to thrive in their kids of teaching. But I also know he’s an excellent Russell group candidate and will do sell and that’s where his focus is

CatAndFiddle · 14/04/2019 14:05

As others have said, it depends what you want to study, as other universities often have a better reputation for certain subjects.
However, there is a definite emphasis on academia and thirst for knowledge at Oxford. (I have no experience of Cambridge) I used to love visiting my brother when he studied there. I desperately wanted to go but my mother told me I wasn't clever enough, so I did not apply in case I didn't get in and proved her right. I went to a Russell group. It had a real party atmosphere and I was miserable there. I wanted to be surrounded by people eager to debate and 'expand their minds', instead the majority wanted to play pub golf. There is a definite culture at Oxford that you don't get at the Russell group.

goodbyestranger · 14/04/2019 15:46

Around GCSE. Also, it became significantly easier to work out where DC were on the scale after DD1 got an offer, then subsequent DC - obviously.

Busholive · 14/04/2019 17:45

I got 10 A's at GCSE followed by AAA and apparently wasn't Oxbridge material

I'd say it wasn't until after GCSE results that teachers etc. started to talk about Oxbridge. At my 6th form they used 6 A*'s at GCSE as the cut off for the Oxbridge group. I'd say it definitely wasn't until year 9 ish that you could really tell who wanted to do well. I had lots of friends that did better than me in primary school where I was fairly average but then they didn't put much umph into education later on and their grades reflected that.

Littlespace · 14/04/2019 18:00

January 2019

bevelino · 14/04/2019 19:54

Oxbridge is a lottery. I have 4 dds (including triplets), they all have 10 A at GCSE and 4 A in A’levels. 2 dds were offered a place at Oxford, the other 2 did not apply. Therefore all 4 may met the so called Oxbridge criteria.

There is no such thing as Oxbridge material and plenty of students who meet the entry criteria end up elsewhere.