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

In terms of which college to apply to for Medicine, if you read what I wrote, I did say the merit in looking at average numbers admitted was purely for social reasons. My post didn't suggest it could influence likelihood of success, indeed I explicitly said the opposite.

Jano69 thank you :) I think a book is unlikely!

To clarify, for the avoidance of doubt (also to pull rank, obviously (I mean, why not? :)), I have six DC who've graduated from Oxford (two Law, three History, one Medicine), and two about to start (Classics, grades permitting, and the other - who did undergrad very happily at Durham (a much prettier city) - a science PhD).

Oops, I mean DPhil. Someone picked me up on that last time I mentioned it.

Actually I was being sarcastic when I asked why they don’t give interviewees the questions in advance... but I guess it’s a but difficult to express that on paper (well, virtual paper).

I remember when ds was Oxbridge-ing a few years back and I lurked on The Student Room. When the results came out there was the big reveal and at least half the posters were parents!!! Now people are more open and show their parental hand, but then everyone was masquerading as “SpottyTeen99” etc and you had no idea that the true poster had left spots behind several decades since!!

Ugh parents..... so invested, just look at us .

DD and I were on the Warwick virtual open day the other day. On the tour, every single question came from a parent, it was surreal. Thankfully on a subject chat, it was all students, and the head of the dept was really interactive. She obviously was selling the course, but did a really good job, and was really getting into answering some deep and often quite quirky subject questions, which was great!

Baaaahhhhh I can honestly say that I have only ever attended one open day across all eight DC. I went to a parents' session at one, back in 2010, and have not gone again.... More than enough :)

When we went to the York Open Day during the subject talk the presenter (quite rightly) made it clear he wanted to hear questions from students. I get that parents these days are more invested than they were (my own parents showed very little interest parents n my university choices apart from driving g me to my Cambridge interview which they treated as a mini break) but I do think that that it's important to hold back a little.

If you want to see over invested parents you should check out the Facebook WIWIKAU page. It's eye opening.

What is WIWIKAU? sounds intriguing.

For ultra over invested parents go and visit the eleven plus forum. Seriously mad, a lot of them.....

Sorry OxfordRadcliffe, meant to say very many congrats to your DS on his first. Did he miss his elective? My DS said that if he'd have been incredibly pissed off to have been diddled out of that (he had ten weeks in NZ followed by a detour to Bali on the way home).

@KaptainKaveman - what I wish I knew about university- seriously bonkers

@KaptainKaveman seems a bit more justifiable for them as their kids are not even teenagers yet. Whereas our kids are adults by law when they start university

@Jano69
Thank you for that lovely welcome. It's my very first day on Mumsnet! I am so delighted you have found thestudentroom.co.uk and I would advise the mums on here to do the same. There are many experts on TSR, from Oxford graduates, Oxford students, admissions experts and two people I suspect may be emeritus professors and an admissions tutors. They are always on hand and happy to help.

As for my book, it was a labour of love. It took me 3 years to write, especially the chapter 3, making your application. Every time I tried to post it I would see a comment by Brasenoseadm and have to change everything. I also listened extensively to trolls. I used their criticism to answer questions my readers may have. It hasn't been a picnic, I can tell you, but nobody else was writing a book like that, so I had to.

Unfortunately this means trolls are a way of life for me, but it is worth it for the vast majority of Oxford prospectives, who are lovely and are happy to get any piece of advice, no matter how small.

@goodbyestranger

This is an amazing feat! With your wealth of knowledge, why don't you go on the student room (thestudentroom.co.uk) and comment yourself? Are you on there already? Or go to the Oxford parents association and help the other anxious mums on there?

Here is the link

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5893218&p=89773194&page=81&highlight=Oxford+parents+association#post89773194

Plus I am intrigued about the medical graduate, as son has just finished his first degree and is about to go on the wards. Which hospitals did your DS/DD work in? Which specialisations did he/she do? Where did they obtain work afterwards? Again you would be amazing on the Oxford applicants thread, as there are many wannabe medics.

TSR is worth a look for Brasenose updates if nothing else but is best left for students to comment. Most MN parents especially on Oxbridge threads are pretty clued up and able to help those that aren't.

thank you very much. @goodbyestranger
Son has finished his first degree (theory). He will not be doing his elective until year 5 or year 6. Bali - this reminds me of my ex husband's elective, (I went along to some of it). It was in singapore, but we took little side trips to Bali and Tioman Island...

Lol, I was not allowed to either of my sons' open days, and rightly so. It's their chance to speak to tutors untrammelled by embarrassing parents, and also to make friends.

Hi there!

Here is a chapter by an Oxford PPE offer holder, saying how she got in

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6436380

Sorry @ChimneyPot did not tag you

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6436380

@sandybayley

I will send the whole Oxford demystified book, as there is an E&M chapter (written by a very helpful offer holder) and many other chapters, one of which may be her second choice. Don't be worried about others from fancy schools. They are looking for natural talent, which even Eton etc cannot coach you for. She may well have that talent, but won't know til she applies.

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6100480

I have a question...

On the TSR forums, admissions personnel, students etc are overwhelmingly encouraging when people ask, “I have GCSE grades 777766655 and I am predicted AAB. I love history, should I apply?”
The replies are invariably, “Go for it!” Or words to that effect.

I understand the need for some contextualising, but the positivity seems either misplaced or a slap in the face for those who have worked their socks off to achieve excellent exam results.

@AFingerofFudge Good on him to have a place at Sutton Trust summer school. Would this help:

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?
t=6465960&p=88358268#post88358268www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6438818&p=88086758#post88086758

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6455188&p=88246090#post88246090

For personal statement help go to thestudentroom.co.uk
click on applying to uni tab, then personal statements. There is a personal statement builder, example ps's and there are PS checkers too.

Oh I see OxfordRadcliffe, I thought you meant he was Y6. That's good, esp as Y3 for Oxford medics must be the best year to avoid Covid related disruption. DS1 is the medic in my family and went from Oxford clinical to do F1 in one of the London deaneries. He's fixed up with his first preference job for F3 but he would no doubt prefer I didn't specify the hospital, although it's not giving away too much to say that he's staying in London. Looking forward to seeing him in a couple of weeks - his first batch of leave since the virus struck.

@IrmaFayLear If someone messaged me with no 8s/9s on TSR and asked if they could get in for history, then of course I would say no. No point in wasting their time. I have, however, heard of someone who got in with 2 x 8/9s. For medicine the average offer holder has 10.2 8/9s so if they come to me with 3, I say no as well. they don't like it, but you might as well be realistic.

@ColePorter if they would rather go to a London uni, let them go. It will be far less hassle, and they would probably be happier.

@pourmeanotherglass for vegans, Wadham is where it's at.