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

@Knottylox no, we've not had that sort of message at all from DD's independent school. They have done 100% live lessons which has been intense and everyone is just hanging in there until term ends next week, but the outward message is business as usual, and UCAS for the whole school, oxbridge or not, is to be completed at the end of September, and we have predicted grades.

I have been following the press about pushing exams back a month. But I thought it was still speculation at this stage though and certainly none of the major public schools have said don't take holiday in July yet.

@ElephantAndButterfly Dd at one of the major public schools

Very late response to 77seven and choir observations. There are some great mixed choirs and opportunities for all genders in Cambridge many releasing CDs and touring. Have a look at Pembrook choir led by Anna lapwood (who presented young musician this year) My state educated DD with school choir experience only has a choral scholarship at one of the trad colleges, they have two choirs - one mixed one male/boys. If your DC are interested I would recommend giving it a go.

Knottylox my understanding is that E&M is competitive because lots and lots apply due to the very easy nature of the course - so super high academics aren't the critical thing, more the cut of the jib. Ignore other girl.

The kind of mindset which makes a high class athlete could be good in the E&M context though, tbf.

DD got an average of 76.5, her friend got 68.1. I've just got her copies of the Undercover Economist & Poor Economics from the reading list, both of which I'll read if she doesn't get in. Encourage her to dip into The Economist for management reading.

@Knottylox what is E&M?

@Knottylox I have PMed you.

Economics and Management.

@Knottylox - I'd tell her to give it a go. What I do know from DS1's school is that there is often no way to predict who gets offers. This particularly applies for the most competitive courses like E&M but also for others. Every year there are surprises, both good and bad.

She has to go into the process with a good understanding of the odds but also with a positive outlook. Not easy to achieve of course.

I'm with Sandy. There is no formula to who gets offered a place & she will learn from the experience.

Thanks every for being really supportive. I think we will have another chat tomorrow. I think it’s a mindset thing. She feels very confident in her second choice because no one at school is applying for that one but it’s not truly what she wants to do.
@ hog yes I have bought her the undercover economist and poor economics too.
76 + is a great score. She has recently sat a mock TSA so just waiting for the results!
Have other schools started TSA practice?

I'm not sure what the relevance is of there being or not being another candidate for a particular university / course from the same school? Do universities really go, Ooh, we've already offered one place to that school, so even if this applicant qualifies, as a separate autonomous being, for a place, we have to turn them down?

Marching Frogs there may be something in it where the same college is chosen for the same subject and the school in question is a very high profile independent.

There is no formula to who gets offered a place

I mean, there is a tiny bit of logic going on as to who gets an offer and who doesn't, Hoghgyni, it isn't in reality the 'lottery' which MN often likes to claim.

Schools generally discourage more than one student applying for the same course at the same college.

So, knottylox, your dd will not be going “up against” her deadly rival if they apply to different colleges. How can the school possibly anticipate how many E&M offers they will receive? They sound rather misinformed about the procedure.

I think the idea of deadly rivals within a school is a bit unhealthy. Better to distract yourself with the idea that there will probably be scores of even deadlier rivals at other schools!

I've seen the deadly rival thing in action over and over again and if the student who perceives the deadly rival to be a deadly rival doesn't get in and the deadly rival does, it seems to make the disappointment significantly worse. It's a really bad mindset - worth shifting.

@goodbyestranger - I don't think it's a lottery but there are so many variables that it can be very unpredictable who'll get an offer. It only takes a bad TSA, difficult interviewer or off day for a strong on paper candidate to miss out.

I think the schools who have lots of experience of Oxbridge applications have a sense of whats likely in terms of offers. DS1's school had four each year for 3 years up until this year. I think it's less this year though, maybe 3. Won't know until the destinations are published later in the year.

@IrmaFayLear Dds school does have quite a number of Oxbridge offers every year which has stayed relatively similar year on year. They have said the chances of 2 being admitted to the same course is very unlikely although it happened last year. More-so now given the directive to widen the access the numbers admitted from Indies is lower . Cambridge offers were significantly lower this year.
Add into that any Autumn retakes this year who may also be applying and deferrals making potentially fewer places available.

TSA practice in school? They got reminded that they needed to enter for the correct test by the deadline.

Dd had a chat with her tutor yesterday about future plans. She said she was having a bash at Oxbridge. The tutor said that did dd realise that there were plenty of good universities for her subject and dd said yes, she was also keen on Durham or Exeter and the tutor then said there was no need to focus solely on the top 18 . (18? Is this the number of Russell Group universities? ) She then asked dd if she was eager to get away from home as she didn't want to apply to the local establishment.

Dd did not consider it a useful conversation! Made me a bit cross as I said that not everyone was clued up and a good candidate could be discouraged by this unambitious tutor.

Haha yes quite Hoghgyni.

Our school has certainly had two admitted to the same college for the same subject not long ago - both were pooled in from other colleges, so it was a fluke that they ended up at this third college, but the tutors took them both. That said, it's not an indie.

Irma I'm sure the same conversation is being held in schools & colleges across the country. Do you think they record it & have it available to download?

@ goodbyestranger no mine hasn’t had TSA practice in school. They were asked to sit a mock TSA for standardisation purposes so it wasn’t her school arranging it. I understood it it’s normal practice. I wondered if other schools were offering TSA practice as we haven’t but I know a couple of other schools offer this.