Oxbridge 2020

[GinWorksForMe]

Is it too early for an Oxbridge 2020 thread? I'm feeling in need of some hand holding through this process...

DS1 is going to apply to Cambridge for Maths. Doesn't know yet whether to name a college or put in an open application, so any tips gratefully received. We have visited two (very different) colleges and been to a Maths Open Day. It's unlikely we're going to have the opportunity to visit many more colleges as their open days seem to be on Saturdays and DS1 has a paid job Saturdays and Sundays.

Anyone else applying for Oxbridge for 2020 entry and want to share the journey?

Just found this thread, will go back and read from the beginning. DD1 is going to be applying to Cambridge - History. We are going to the Open Day on the 5th July and the week after she is going to a Bootcamp (!) in Norwich about applying to Cambridge. State non-selective school. The process certainly seems to have quirks/idiosyncrasies - will welcome any hand holding.

Not a frequent visitor to MN and have just found this thread as well. DS hoping to apply to study Engineering at Cambridge. We’re going to the open day on 4th July so hope to get a feel for whether it’s the right place for him. Currently at Grammar School and studying Maths, Physics and Economics at HL, English, Music and Japanese at SL (doing the IB). One of the attractions of the Cambridge course is that he’d be able to continue studying Japanese as part of his engineering degree but not many of the other unis he’s looking at allow this. Any thoughts on how we can cover this in the PS? Apologies if this has already been covered - only a few pages into the thread!

Truelove

My DD is a 2nd year Cambridge MEng.

They can do a supplemental PS section for Oxbridge, that's probably the place to put the bit about Japanese in if it's not relevant elsewhere. DD used it to explain why, although her main PS was all about electronics and robotics, she wanted to do General eng. if it was the Cambridge 'generalise then specialise' course.

I'm not sure how much language they can do - I know it's an option in yr2, I don't know if they can do more thereafter. One of her friends did an initio Japanese.

Thanks ErrolTheDragon. That makes sense re the supplemental PS. He wants to do the General engineering course as well as he’s not entirely sure yet about specialising but is leaning more towards mechanical and civil engineering. The course sounds perfect. Out of interest, where else did your DD apply? He refuses to look at Durham (DD1 is there currently) but other options are Warwick and probably Bristol, Exeter and Nottingham.

Her other 4 choices were for electrical&electronic engineering - Southampton, Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham, in that order of preference. She wasn't tempted by any of the other gen. eng courses (in particular not Durham tbh, which I think isn't known as a strong engineering uni), and also didn't consider imperial or UCL because she didn't want to be in London. Bristol elec eng looked good but let itself down at the open day.

Interesting re Bristol. We’re planning to go to an offer holders’ day (if he gets an offer) rather than pre-application. He’s also discounted Imperial and UCL for similar reasons to your DD. He’s thinking of doing an open application but I suppose may change his mind after the open day.

Hi all. I've missed the boat with this thread and can't catch up! I have a DD who has been offered a place to read Classics at Oxford but my goodness AAA grades seem elusive right now. My DS is thinking about applying for Engineering, probably at Oxford because "I've heard it's easier". My DC don't seem to get too invested in the process... DS is bright but dyslexic and writing the personal statement is going to be torture for him. I'm going to start a separate thread about engineering because I'm clueless.

My DS is thinking about applying for Engineering, probably at Oxford because "I've heard it's easier".

Does he mean to get an offer, or the degree itself? Oxford's is 'Engineering Science', I'm not sure how that differs from General Engineering elsewhere.

Errol -- he thinks the offer will be lower. Not sure if that's accurate. We have strong family ties to Oxford so that also makes it the path of least resistance.

Well a quick google reveals that both Oxford and Cambridge require AAA so I'm glad I've answered my own question... He's taking Maths this summer so that will give us an idea.

For Cambridge, the A stars are likely to be required for physics and further maths, and the A for maths ... and if the applicant is taking more than 3 subjects then the offer is very likely to be that plus another A in the 4th subject. I don't think oxford does that. Applicant to acceptance ratio is ~25% for oxford eng. and ~15% for Cambridge. So, a bit easier but not easy!

However, there are many other very good engineering courses elsewhere, with varying entry requirements so there's plenty of choice for a spread of 5 (as mentioned just upthread)

Thanks for the clarification. I've been reading the older engineering thread so that gives lots of info regarding other courses. There are certainly lots of options.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-48336059

My neighbour whose Y12 DC goes to a very top independent said they'd gone en famille to Cambridge to talk to an admissions tutor (sounded like a 1:1!) who'd said the same thing - they're looking for a sea change in admissions there too.

We are also rather late to this , visiting Oxford on a Thursday but feeling very overwhelmed by info . We live near the other place so know it well , Oxford seems pretty confusing .

Ds focused on the subject talks but pretty clueless on colleges. Also the programme etc very conflicting . The subject dept programme says please try to come in afternoon as mornings very busy. The programme says do subject in morning , colleges in afternoon .

We did the college selector but his subject is a big one so it’s not much help so we thought a newish one , and an old one ?

peaseblossom we are also Cambridge based looking at Oxford tomorrow. We visited 5 colleges at Easter which DS rejected and now he has another shortlist to check out!

Again mainstream subject (history). Has your DS looked at the Alternate Guide to colleges - I will see if I can find the link.

apply.oxfordsu.org

Yes we have looked and also did the college selector but I think one of the problems is that living near Cambridge you feel you have s pretty good feel for the colleges and he is never going to have that for Oxford which is part of the attraction in a way. Can I be nosy and ask how your ds discounted colleges and where he has looked, we are looking at English and so far have definitely thought of St Catz ( next to English) but also suggested have been Balliol and St Peters and Wadham. We plan to go back over Summer if he wants to and he wants to focus on academics this time I think

Don't let your DC get too focussed on college choice, since they may be pooled. Certainly it's fine to have a preference but as a parent probably best to try to stay a bit neutral and emphasise the good points at this stage iyswim.

He felt the ones he looked at were probably a bit on the small side (other than Balliol). He had been suggested a few by a teacher as he thought he might like a more relaxed feel. However he has decided to look at some larger ones.

We appreciate he may end up anywhere if pooled etc but he does feel you might as well apply to where you want to start off with because if you don't put it down you might not even be considered for that college but if you do at least it is definitely considered.

He looked at Corpus Christi, Oriel, Jesus, Somerville (too far out!!!l It obviously isn't and he as a Cambridge-ite is used to cycling everywhere anyway), went into ChristChurch for a couple of minutes too and was out off by people online saying too many tourists looking in your window, Balliol (did like but knows that again as the Harry Potter college it gets a lot of attention).

We will be looking at New, University, Magdalen, Exeter if we have time. History department actually just has am talks, access to tutors by the look of it.

That's a sensible attitude.

Is it better to do the main subject talks or the college ones?
Ds is sociable , has a fear of ending up isolated in a clique likes to meet lots of people , good at drama enjoys sport at a social level rather than serious.

Shortlisted( we won’t get to all obviously but as possibles ; St Catz, Balliol, St Peters and New

@ErrolTheDragon what are the good points? On the one hand it’s obviously hugely selective and an opportunity that few get to experience. There is the tutorial system etc BUT so many people seem to be miserable and stressed and regretting it etc that I am a bit ambivalent as is ds. I think he fiesn’t Quite know what to make if it , there is so much emphasis on applying etc etc but then when people get there they are pretty negative and regard it as an ordeal to be survived...

Peaseblossom22 DD4 is applying because she's seen just how much her siblings enjoyed it. Plenty of students love Oxford.

Goodbye , your postivity has been hugely helpful on Oxford and has been one of the factors making me think that it can’t be as bad as people say . I do think you tend to hear, in all spheres, from the naysayers rather than those who are just happily getting on with life. DS is massively curious intellectually, and a polymath, IB might have suited him better, always up for a conversation , loved the idea of tutorials but I think is perplexed by the fact that there are so many people telling him that Oxford means no outside interests compared to elsewhere because you will always be working !