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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Oxford open day

148 replies

Lovemusic33 · 25/06/2019 13:29

Hi, hope I’m posting in the right place.
My dd has been asked to go to oxford open day next week with several other students. Dd is in only in year ten (sitting GCSE next year) and has Aspergers, most of the other students who are attending at six form students. Dd is very bright and predicted mainly 8’s and 9’s in GCSE so her teacher feels it would be good for her to join them for the open day just to get an idea of where she could go in a few years. She’s very excited about going. I have just received a letter from the school asking dd to pick 3 subjects so she can attend talks on those subjects. I’m now worried that she will be left to attend these talks on her own. Should I be asking her teacher if he plans on staying with her? Her Aspergers can cause anxiety and disorientation.

Has anyone else’s child attended? Is it pretty easy to navigate?

OP posts:

BubblesBuddy · 01/07/2019 19:09

Oxford require English Lit OR English Lit & Language. They recommend History for this course or a language.

Peaseblossom22 · 02/07/2019 17:23

Oh no , having prevaricated we are now going to the Oxford Open day on Thursday , Ds is very laid back hasn’t done much prep and is keen on ‘getting a feel’. To be fair he is hugely focused on subject talk but has no idea what else to focus on or which colleges .

We will hope to go to Pear Tree P& R as my parents live about an hour away. How many colleges should you look at , so far Balliol and St Catz have been mentioned as he wants a largish college and is applying for English he’s also into drama .

Any tips ?

Original poster

Lovemusic33 · 02/07/2019 22:31

Peas hope he enjoys it. I'm hoping that they will recommended colleges as we is dead set against staying on at 6 form at her school, I told her going somewhere else will prepare her before going to uni (Going somewhere different from her peers).

Dd will be taking English language and English lit A level, she's predicted level 8 English GCSE but target is 9, so she may look at history A level.

OP posts:

SilentSister · 03/07/2019 10:45

I'm hoping that they will recommended colleges

They won't. You choose one, you get a randomised second, and may even be pooled to another. Don't get hung up on the college, the subject is the important thing.

goodbyestranger · 03/07/2019 10:53

SilentSister you don't get a randomised second college allocated other than in science subjects.

SilentSister · 03/07/2019 11:45

goodbye - I only have experience of science..... what happens for History then, actually need to know .

goodbyestranger · 03/07/2019 11:57

Ok so with History you choose a college and assuming you're not re-allocated prior to interview you interview at that college and then if they want to offer you a place they do but if you're not in their top cut but they still think you're good enough to warrant a place somewhere at Oxford you get sent to another college which hasn't filled up its places from its original batch of interviewees. That college might take you or it might not (then there are other scenarios in which eg you're so fantastic that you're sent around other colleges like a crufts winner, for standardization, but you don't know this is the reason so the upshot will usually be a few weeks of gloom assuming you're not good enough for a place anywhere and will be rejected - then you get an offer from your first choice college and someone says they guessed that was the reason all along).

SilentSister · 03/07/2019 12:01

goodbye Ah, that makes sense. I never really understood the experiences of other applicants having to wait around and being sent all over the place. I also just saw on the Oxford site that you might get re-allocated prior to interview, didn't know that either.

DD1 (Oxford Science) is taking DD2 to the open day in Sept, I will make sure she is aware. She probably is, she used to do outreach!

howwudufeel · 03/07/2019 12:14

DS is going today and tomorrow. I’m not sure what preparation people are doing before they go All DS has done is read out some names of the colleges, mispronouncing most of them, and texted to say what he’s had for breakfast at the service station on the way down.

mateysmum · 03/07/2019 14:39

Lovemusic re you daughter opting for computer science rather than English, according to the ox.ac website the requirements are:
AAA with the A in Maths, Further Maths or Computing/Computer Science. So if your DD is struggling to get a top grade in a maths GCSE, I think an A* at A level might be a stretch.
Probably better stick to English.
I would also be asking if maths is the best A level choice. she should really be on track for an 8 or 9 to do well at A level.

IrmaFayLear · 09/07/2019 18:05

I know the time has passed, but it seems really selfish for Year 10s to attend an open day. Forward planning and aspiration is all very well, but it's not a race.

It was bad enough at dd's sixth form college open evening, when a parent was monopolising one of the teachers and dd hissed that the child with him was in Year 7!! (And it was on behalf of that child, too, as the father was proudly telling the teacher about the child's SATS results...)

Original poster

Lovemusic33 · 10/07/2019 07:46

IrmaFayLear why selfish? The places were already booked for year 12’s but they didn’t want to go so dd was offered to go. There’s no bragging about dd’s exam results. She’s 15 and has Aspergers so although going to uni is 3 years away it does require extra planning and research to find a uni that will support someone with her needs (she also has other conditions).

Anyway, she had a great time, found it all a bit big and the walking was hard on her legs due to her mobility issues but if she was to go there are buses she can use to cut out the walking. She was well looked after by staff and enjoyed the English talk. We will be visiting again in year 11 or 12. She now wants to go to oxford instead of Exeter but when the time comes we will look at the options and of course she may not be offered a place at Oxford or Exeter.

OP posts:

goodbyestranger · 10/07/2019 08:03

Lovemusic individual schools don't have a set number of places so bringing in Y10s to a Y12 event does add pressure to space generally, which can be a pain.

howwudufeel · 10/07/2019 09:21

I think it’s daft for anyone younger than year 12 to go to an open day.

goodbyestranger · 10/07/2019 09:27

howwudufeel in my view it could up the risk of being too dead set on the place, which can cause huge problems as we sometimes see on these threads.

howwudufeel · 10/07/2019 09:31

I agree. It’s an obsession for some parents.

howwudufeel · 10/07/2019 09:35

I also wonder if a lot of parents are used to having a lot of say and a lot of control when dealing with their dc’s school? Perhaps they are the type who always spoke to the teachers at length and demanded a lot of their time and they can’t get their heads around the fact the universities are a bit less willing to pander to them...

PantTwizzler · 10/07/2019 09:43

I agree re younger children going on open days. They are busy and packed enough as it is! As for parents dragging along younger siblings...

Original poster

Lovemusic33 · 10/07/2019 10:03

howwudd really? 😐 I have barely any contact with my dd’s School other than parents evening, I’m pretty relaxed (possibly lazy) in my parentzing, I tend to let dd get on with things and make her own pathway, I never go into school to discus my dd’s Schooling or demand any time from them. I’m just a mum who wants her dd to explore all possibilities. Dd knows how hard it will be to secure a place at a top uni and won’t be getting her hopes up. No one in our family has actually been to uni so she knows I will be proud what ever uni she goes too. I’m in no way a pushy parent or “one of those parents” and I think it’s wrong of you to assume someone you don’t know is “one of those parents”.

The open day was not booked up, there was plenty of spaces for the talks that were being held.

OP posts:

howwudufeel · 10/07/2019 10:28

I was speaking in the broad sense OP, rather than directing it at one person.

Peaseblossom22 · 10/07/2019 15:22

@Lovemusic33 I totally get why there where particular circumstances which made a visit appropriate for your dd , however you cannot book for Oxford open days they are largely first come first serve . There is the odd bookable talk but again it’s first come first serve so you would not be able say with certainty that there were spaces.

Certainly in the afternoon English talk there were spaces but I am not sure how much a year 10 would have got from it. The talk did cover content , teaching methods but there was also an assumption that most were post GCSE there was quite a lot of stuff about admissions. Oxford itself was heaving and very hot .

Not sure where you live but also look out for Cambridge college open events I think Christ’s do one for year 10s and also master classes which ds really enjoyed.

Devondoggydaycare · 10/07/2019 17:56

Really pleased to hear your DD enjoyed herself and that it's inspired her to add Oxford to her list. Perhaps you could go on some day trips or overnight stays to Bath, Bristol, Cardiff Southampton etc so she could get a feel for some more university towns. Then in a couple of years time when she hits the application stage and her real open days, it won't be as daunting to make an informed choice about where she would like to go.

IrmaFayLear · 10/07/2019 18:06

That's a good idea. Making it all about one place is a recipe for heartbreak (see the two million other threads on this subject!!!).

An Oxbridge ambition is great, to be encouraged and requires determination and support. But every single conversation should include a discussion about the odds - which are awful, especially for popular subjects.

Original poster

Lovemusic33 · 10/07/2019 18:23

Thanks Devon I will continue to keep options open, we know bath quite well and have visited Cardiff, Exeter is her 2nd choice so will will visit there at some point, all of these are closer to us than Oxford. She deffently hasn’t got her hart set on Oxford but she did really like it there and would like to apply when it’s time.

OP posts:

goodbyestranger · 10/07/2019 19:24

If all would be Oxford applicants went to the July Open Days in Y10 then Y11 and Y12 the whole thing would be unsustainable. Mine went in Y12 only like most other DC. I'm still very unsure as to why some applicants think they're so special they need multiple goes. It's fairly self-important tbh. My DC were almost all helpers at these events, once there - they really are aimed at Y12s. These students give their time for that cohort, not for those who're taking the mick.

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