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?

• Do you have any links to resources for (preferably free or low cost) specific NSAA practice? DS2 can only find one specimen paper and two past papers. Thank you.*

My DD did the engineering aptitude test in its first year, when there was just the one specimen paper. That was all that seemed necessary- as far as I'm aware the intent of these aptitude tests is that they should be accessible with firm grasp of Yr 12 A level content in the relevant subjects plus maybe some ability to think outside the box a bit (e.g be able to use more than one concept at once on a novel problem type of thing) and that they should not require a lot of special prep (let alone tutoring). I think she found it quite fun, not something to stress about, and presumably must have done ok. I'd hope the NS one is in similar vein.

@TheFirstOHN I would suggest looking at the ENGAA / ECAA / BMAT / TMUA for extra questions - but there may be some overlap between NSAA/ENGAA/ECAA. The 2018 papers should be available at some point!

hobbema - I am a dad, but not of a potential applicant. Not quite what you’re looking for probably!

hobbema
Oh oh oh, to touch and feel Victor's goolies; vast and hard (There was a bloke in our year called Victor).

Thank you for the suggestions Pallando

ErroltheDragon thank you, that is useful advice. He feels confident about his knowledge but has heard that the NSAA can be a bit of a speed test, so he wants to practise his exam technique closer to the time.

😂😂 I shall tell DS1 that he has lots of rude mnemonics to look forward to, TheFirstOHN and hobbema! DS1 keen on Medicine at Cambridge though decision to apply ultimately rests on BMAT results in September.

Is the choice of the early sitting new for this year at Cambridge? I know Oxford is still only going with the October test.

www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/tests/bmat

Website does not say they do not accept August BMAT at Oxford merely refers to fee being higher.

Sorry - my mistake. August BMAT for graduate entry only.

Yes it's printed in bold on the Pre-Clinical page of the Oxford website OKBobble, at the top, so it looks like they mean it! I see that Cambridge is very clear that it won't look at the later test if any applicant takes it twice, and will also take a dim view of anyone taking it twice, quite apart from ignoring the later test. Oxford puts more emphasis on the BMAT though, so I suppose it wants everyone to take it under the same conditions given how critical it is to shortlisting decisions - and they interview fewer per place than Cambridge.

It isn’t the first year that Cambridge have accepted the early sitting. Applicants who took the test in 2018 for 2019 entry could take either sitting.

Yes Goodbye - as I mentioned in my following post Oxford accept the August BMAT for graduate entry only not undergraduate so probably will not apply to most people joining this thread

Dd was rejected last year (I can’t be doing with the wishy-washy no offer approach), and absolutely loved the Oxbridge threads. She used to regale me with her favourite posts. Mind you, it did make her realise how non-pushy I am .

As ds is doing UNIQ this year (as dd did last year) I guess he’ll probably apply. But we haven’t had a serious response from him about university choices - his current answer is Hawaii!

Well done on getting 2 UNIQ places in one household. Which one has he got a place on?

It’s just because we live in a very deprived area. Both children go to selective schools. And given that Dh and me are tolerably well qualified even by the standards of over-educated Mumsnet, I’m not entirely sure that my dc are the kind of children UNIQ is aimed at.

Embarrassingly I’m not entirely sure what he’s doing - maths, maybe statistics? He’s not very forthcoming.

Someone I know in similar circumstances applied for maths but got maths & stats as their second choice. We're not in a grammar area though to have any selective schools. My DC doesn't know anyone else who got a place. What did your DD apply for?

DD got History.

My DD and DS go in different directions to school. DS goes to a school in a reasonably leafy suburb. DD's area is... not so leafy. Several of my DD's friends got places for a variety of subjects, probably because of the deprivation in the town.

Re Cambridge colleges my DS did lots of online research and applied to the one he thought would suit him best. After interview he was pooled and offered a place at a very different college (he had never seen). You don't miss what you never had, I think. Also, we're in Scotland so he hadn't been to any open days etc (probably quite late even deciding to apply). Scottish advantage was having exam results for Highers to put in his application.

One of the things DD was told at the UNIQ summer school was not to worry about which college to apply to, because ultimately Oxford wanted the best candidates, not the ones who simply happened to apply to the more unpopular colleges. Certainly DD chose one college (can't remember which now), but was interviewed at Jesus. Other people on her course were interviewed at the college they chose but were then pooled to another after their interview.

That makes sense for the more nervous end of the applicant spectrum Matilda but for those going forward with strong grades etc who fancy eg a deer park or some other feature of a particular popular college, it makes no sense not to choose, despite the risk of being pooled.

Yes, but it definitely took the pressure off. DD felt she could choose the one she actually liked best precisely because she wasn't worried about gaming the system.

And she wasn't very nervous, because she always saw Oxford as a very long shot.

I see that Matilda and actually read (I think wrongly) what you wrote as the advice being to go for an Open Application rather than to 'go big'. The latter makes complete sense but I don't see any real advantage in the former - except possibly for applicants who are so incredibly academic and other worldly that they don't weigh up the pros and cons of recessed lighting in bathrooms etc etc (ie not my own DC who are very interested in recessed lighting in bathrooms etc).

Yes, I was saying 'choose your favourite' (bit like choosing schools ).

Actually, they were told explicitly that there was no benefit in open applications - but by the same token, there weren't any negatives to it. The preferred candidates will be interviewed - even if not at the college of their choice.

Our sixth form discourages students from applying for the same course/college combo. I think if 2 or 3 all decided they wanted to do Natural Sciences at Trinity that they would advise at least one to make an open application.