When did you know your children were Oxbridge material?

[trollopeater]

At what age?

*may have met

I was definitely clever enough (too marks across the board) but I had no desire to go and I really don’t think I’d have had any chance of getting in as I wasn’t passionate about my subject in the slightest and also not passionate about going there.
I was from a working class background too which in the 90s really was a barrier.

So what I mean to say is “Oxbridge material” is not just clever.
It’s knowing and genuinely loving a subject (or knowing the system and to read up and learn to fake it).

I don’t think it is a lottery with pre testing for many courses now. A level predictions isn’t enough. It takes more but not necessarily a huge amount of prior knowledge and learning above and beyond A level. Interviews help them decide who is likely to do well in their system. Schools tend to be one dimensional when they look at DC. It’s purely attainment. Reality is that gaining a place isn’t just pure results. It application of knowledge and how you respond and think in an interview. That’s why schools get it wrong.

Having gone to Oxford — not UK, from a failing school in my home country with uninterested, harassed teachers and parents who left school at 12 — I guarantee you no one classed me as ‘Oxbridge material’ until I applied, by myself, and was invited to interview.

I didn't! Nor did his headteacher,. He knew and he was right.

Pretty rubbish of the HT Brumcherub.

Probably when I realised their confidence and arrogance outweighed their objective ability.

Probably textbook "Oxbridge material" here (two of my friends from school with similar grades went to Cambridge), but as I wanted to be a primary school teacher, it didn't seem a practical choice to me. So I chose a nice small Uni up north and qualified in three years. So, with all the exam results and cleverness and academic-leanings, I'm clearly not!

OP, what does Oxbridge material mean to you?

My DS went through school doing reasonably well but as a quiet child he blended into the background and wasn't really noticed. When he did his GCSEs he beavered away and got mostly A* with a few A grades, and when he went into 6th form he started to get pressure to apply for Oxbridge.

He decided to apply just to see how he would get on, and he got an interview but no offer. In his A levels he got all A stars which is higher than the standard Oxford offer for his subject...so I guess that means he just wasn't Oxbridge material!

However, he is very happy at his RG uni and doing extremely well, so I can't see it affecting his life much!

Don't know about Oxford Material, but DD gained 12* at the local academy, was able to access things like Villiers, UNIQ and Nuffield which gave her opportunities to learn more about the subject she loves. No teachers pushed her to apply to Oxford, neither did we, it was something she wanted to do and outreach coming into school gave her confidence to think she was good enough to apply, she did everything herself and we supported her. She is now in her first year and seems to be holding her own at Oxford. Good for her (proud mummy)

12 A* (oops)

Sorry, OP, but your post does sound like a humblebrag. What is the point of your question?