Oxbridge Aspirants: Sep 2021

[funkysatsuma]

Not sure if it's too early to start this thread in Nov 2019 :)

DS would like Cambridge Economics as the first choice. Would like to know where can we get some help to prepare for the ECAA test - appreciate any pointers/links. Thanks in advance

Thanks. Yes I’m hoping when we visit the whole set up with the colleges and their varying admissions requirements might make more sense. What a performance! With the other unis he’s interested in, he just sends in his personal statement etc and it’s a yes or no for the conditional offer and be done with it.

One advantage of applying to Cambridge is that you can submit a supplementary personal statement, freeing up some space in the original one to include some non academic stuff. Durham expect you to include some extra curricular info, so your DS's musical talent will be very helpful there. I believe DD crammed in a line or two at the end of her PS, but there wasn't enough space to expand on this. Cambridge acknowledges that your application is going to 5 universities and lets you tailor your PS to their courses in the supplementary statement.

Thanks, that’s really helpful.

I do find it a bit annoying that, in this day and age, it looks like the most respected choirs at Cambridge are still all male and boys. I’m sure there are all female choirs but they’re not mentioned on the websites in the same way as your all-male Kings College Choir or the St Johns one or their spin-offs such as the Kings Men, etc. Also, there’s one college that goes to some lengths to state anyone should have a go for choral scholarships, regardless of school, sight-reading ability or previous experience, but then, in the “let’s hear from our current choristers” section, decide to only feature “Trojan from Eton”. I’m sure it’s more inclusive than this, but I can see how this would be off-putting to students coming from schools that don’t have consort choir opportunities, etc. Sorry, I’m ranting today.

I had a choral scholarship (although not at Oxbridge). Competent sight-singing is pretty essential, and bring able to read Anglican psalm pointing would be a bonus, although that can be picked up when they start. Check the time commitment of the choir at each college, because they do vary.

Hello, just came across this thread and checking in. DS is still quite undecided about exact degree options but is considering both Natural Sciences at Cambridge or engineering. I can’t help thinking that until he decides where to focus, that he is going to struggle to build up the knowledge and background reading to support a strong PS. Having said that, he is throwing himself into a number of things where he is passionate (space related mostly, which leads me to think engineering will be his final choice). I’ll be hanging around here, if I may, while he figures out his direction!

Anyone whose DD is taking A level Maths in y12 in a state school might be interested in this one-day course for girls in Cambridge. It’s free and there might be help with travel costs.

Also, for really keen mathematicians there’s this six week course over the summer in Oxford. £1500, but there may be full or partial financial assistance including travel costs.

I don’t know anything more about these courses other than what I’ve read on the websites. Applications are open but close soon.

We've had a look at the alternative prospectuses for the different Oxford colleges. We also took into account the Veggie/Vegan Norrington table, as DD wanted a college that was vegan friendly, and the distance out of town. Probable candidate at the moment is Mansfield. Has anyone experience of this college?

Has anyone else's child been accepted onto a short Cambridge residential? Not a summer school one but one that takes place in term time?

No-one else?

He was nominated by his school, he is on Cambridge HE+ course. One of the residentials is aimed at first generation to go to uni, that doesn't apply to Ds so he isn't on that one but he has managed to get on another one to a specific college.

DD1 is doing HE+ but can't make the residential as it clashes with her D of E gold expedition. Hopefully the research and poster will be useful for her UCAS form.

Thanks pour we are hoping it still goes ahead due to some Cambridge colleges sending people home for Easter if they can, term ended 13th March. Luckily his college residential isn't one of them, yet.

I think there is a residential at the end of March, Ds's is in April.

Ds has a summer school booked at another university so I am praying that the Cambridge one, if cancelled, does not get moved to that week.

I thought I would share some free webinars that are happening in the next few weeks and months (multiple dates available for each) , might be a help to students:

Writing Personal Statements - Oxford and Cambridge: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/personal-statement-workshop-oxford-and-cambridge-tickets-101843183704

Writing Personal Statements - Arts and Humanities:www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/personal-statement-workshop-arts-and-humanities-tickets-101840858750

Writing Personal Statements - Social Sciences: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/personal-statement-workshop-social-sciences-tickets-101841544802

Writing Personal Statements - Maths and Sciences: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/personal-statement-workshop-maths-and-sciences-tickets-101842513700

Admissions Test Strategy: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/oxbridge-admissions-test-strategy-workshop-tickets-101849508622

Succeeding at Interviews: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/oxbridge-interview-workshop-tickets-101848411340

Introduction to Oxford and Cambridge- Y10 and 11 and Parents - www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-oxford-and-cambridge-y10-and-11-students-and-parents-tickets-101851364172

Hello - I haven't been on mumsnet for quite a while, so this might not be relevant anymore, but I saw some worries about applying to Oxford with dyslexia etc upthread. I'm a current student with a specific learning difficulty (dyspraxia) and I'm willing to answer PMs about the provision for disabled students/ students with SpLDs if anyone is wondering about that sort of stuff

I’ve just been reading a post on the Oxbridge 2020 thread that Cambridge is allowing students who fail to get their place based on predictions, the chance of sitting the autumn exams and taking up a place in 2021.
Obviously the whole admission system is going to be a little chaotic for next year or two. It certainly it doesn’t help the 2021 applicants’ chances. Decisions, decisions ....

@Millylovespuddles .. The Cambridge offer holders earned those offers on far more than predicted grades which are only one part of the selection process. My DD is one. Having gone through the rigours of selection and being chosen, I think its jolly decent they get chance to prove themselves in the arena as it were.As I said on the other thread, 2021 might see far fewer overseas applications. No-one at this stage knows whether things will be easier or harder for the 2021 cohort. I am sympathetic to the predicament but its not the rug pulled from under your feet that this year’s cohort are having to deal with.

Although I now realise you mean teachers predictions for moderated grades, duh! Sorry!

Hello! Is there anyone out there?!

Are our dcs still on the Oxbridge trail? I really don’t know what to advise dd. Will there be entrance exams? Will there be interviews? Will there be twice as many applicants (if Current Yr 13s have another bash) ?

Hellooo! Anyone out there with DC applying to Cambridge? Have they done their personal statements yet and does anyone know how long the Cambridge “supplementary statement” is?

Also, is anyone worried that there may be many less places for 2021 because of the fact that this year’s students who miss the grades are being offered the chance to “retake” in the Autumn for a guaranteed deferred place?

For instance, in the smaller colleges, the intake for the course DS wants to do is, “one to two students per year.” So it only takes one to defer via the Autumn exams and there will be no places left!

I hope they can clarify the position soon. At the moment things are looking pretty unfair for the year 12s.

Yes I hope so Irma. I was looking at the stats and for this course, a small college like Trinity Hall, might get say, 6 applicants for 1-2 places on this course, based on the stats for the last five years. But if those places have already gone before any 2021 interviews have even taken place, what will happen? Would they be told they are being re-allocated to different colleges and interviewed there? Or might they be automatically pooled from the off?

Hi IrmaFayLear and brrrruuh

DD still going for Oxford. She is currently mid drafting her PS. Latest feedback from her teacher was "too gushing" and "this makes me reach for the bucket". Well thanks for that. DD thought she was being honest and passionate........ she is now a bit down to say the least.

However, she also had a mock interview and said that went quite well. It highlighted that she needs to read around her subjects more extensively, and that she needs to think about things in a modern context. She is going for History, and her teacher gave her some really challenging questions around BLM and it's historical contexts. She now has a reading list of 20 odd books for summer .

Are we worried about next year? Yes. We feel they will be disadvantaged by those who defer, and those who wait to apply from this year. Also the unknown with regards to exams next year. Will they be in a better or worse position than this year's cohort. Will this year's cohort have better grades as they are assessed, will next year's exams be put back?

How on earth do you choose other universities without visiting them? I am trying to get some threads up and running for MN's insights to the most popular uni's.

My dd has an offer from Cambridge for MML and worked long and hard on her PS. Don't forget you have to submit examples of work as well. The PS should really focus on super-curricular stuff and extended reading and research around your chosen subject. The sports/dance/swimming/part time job stuff is really not of much interest.
Having said that, her interview didn't really touch on her PS at all!

How exciting for your DD Baaahhhhh. Chipping in on DD experience as Cam History offer holder for 2020 and apologies she may well be swelling the ranks in Autumn exam series, fingers crossed not ! There will I expect be much much more expert input but its nice to hear as many experiences as possible isn't it ? As you DD is obviously very smart to be aiming for Oxford the course content is going to really matter ( duh) and they do vary , DD ruled out a number of runners when she looked into it and had to eg do a Modern paper , or the course was heavy on group/coursework and your DD will probably then be able to narrow down the field. Unlike Kaveman's DD , my DD had forensic examination of her PS, SAQ ( I don't think Oxford do this?) and 2 submitted essays in her interviews. Only a few minutes was given to the unseen source given before interview. Supracurricular stuff; she talked about this the other day saying how pandemic really wouldn't have impacted much if it had been last summer; mainly what she'd read and why , what she thought of it. Podcasts and TV series , ditto, unaffected and probably more time to spend on them in lockdown. Re robust teacher comments; character building, better than no interest at all ( probably)!

Baaaahhhhh three of my DC are recent Oxford History graduates and I would say with confidence that gushing is not going to go down at all well in a personal statement.