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

@CoolKittens - to be fair Durham is never a safe back up option even in a 'normal' year. Last year plenty of DC got rejected,
even those who went on to get Oxbridge offers. It is really unpredictable as to who gets offers and who doesn't. Some of the Scottish universities (Edinburgh and St A) also throw up weird decisions.

Good to know @sandybayley !

A friends DD who was due to be starting at Cambridge this year and who applied post A- levels, had now been asked if she would consider deferring and basically they are welcoming as many deferrals as possible.

I feel bad for DS as he is working hard. He’s finished his EOQ which has been a mammoth 15,000 words undertaking. He’s entered several essay competitions. They did online exams after Easter and so he has the “provisional” predicted grades. However, first week back, they have the added stress of a formal exam week to replace the exams they should have had after Easter (because they said the online exams weren’t sufficient). So they’re all revising now, even though many of his friends have just finished the medical exams (DS not applying for medicine, think god). So they’ve had no summer break really, which they really needed as a whole term of home schooling was intense and isolating. He’s done his personal statement. But I’m not sure what to say to him really. What’s the point if there’s no places left?

@JustRichmal

I don't know how the deferring for a year is going to work in the science topics. For these subjects even a gap year was frowned on, because a student had done no maths for a year. Some will have had a gap of 18 months in their maths if they are deferred until 2021, without having completed the A level syllabus in the first place. Is being a certain standard in maths for going into science at Oxbridge important or not?

Maybe they'll do refresher courses. They may well already have different maths options set up - DDs Cambridge MEng ('hard maths' more essential for that than for sciences other than physics) had a 'slow' and 'fast' maths option in the first term. The destination was the same just a different pace. They've always had overseas students coming in with different qualifications, some with gap years after having to do national service etc. The supervision system allows for more personal tuition too of course.

Now they have withheld the release of the BTEC results because they are concerned that these grades have not been inflated by teacher assessment (due to the fact that assessment is ongoing and coursework-based). In other words, those who have chosen the BTEC routes are at a relative disadvantage when applying to unis compared to those who took A-levels because BTEC grades have not been inflated by 40%! Plus, how can they apply now when many / most if the courses will be full?

Don’t Durham (usually) make offers to the kind of kids who would have the grades to apply to Oxbridge?!

@ClarasZoo - not necessarily. Durham are a bit of a law unto themselves. No guaranteed offers even with the highest predicted grades. Read through last years threads and you'll see!

I'm not sure which subject your DD is applying for @ClarasZoo but Durham have a habit of matching or exceeding the grades from Oxbridge offers. DD dropped Durham when they offered her a college which was the exact opposite of the one she had asked for and when a FOI request established that there would be absolutely no wriggle room if she missed her grades. Meanwhile, as Sandy says, Edinburgh turned her down on her 18th birthday as we were looking around the Oxford college which had offered her a place. The whole UCAS process is full of surprises.

@Hoghgyni

I'm not sure which subject your DD is applying for *@ClarasZoo* but Durham have a habit of matching or exceeding the grades from Oxbridge offers. DD dropped Durham when they offered her a college which was the exact opposite of the one she had asked for and when a FOI request established that there would be absolutely no wriggle room if she missed her grades. Meanwhile, as Sandy says, Edinburgh turned her down on her 18th birthday as we were looking around the Oxford college which had offered her a place. The whole UCAS process is full of surprises.

Ah ok- DS has one A level this year and taking three next year. Cambridge won’t take that A level into account but I was hoping Durham would and he might only have to get AA!!

In our experience, comparing the way in which DD has been treated compared to her friends who met their Durham offers last week, Durham have adopted an extremely clinical approach throughout the whole application process. They take no prisoners, but having said that, they have a great reputation once you are there.

Hoghgyni DS3 just sent an email to the History department asking if they'd have any wriggle room if he insured and failed to meet the offer. They said no! None! But it saved wasted time on a FOI request :) (Bristol on the other hand said yes they would, pretty much, so he insured with them).

A while back I found a useful list of bursaries and scholarships pretty much for every UK uni and now I have no idea where it is! Can anyone point me to it? Are there ever any international scholarships for full fees paid? Just wishing!

We tried asking nicely first and were told that Durham PPE wouldn't release the info!

If I may join. DD is hoping to apply post a level. So she has just been through the year 13 debacle. CAGs were not what she was hoping for as school internally moderated - so it will be autumn exams, UCAS and entrance tests all at the same time. Looks like we have the best of the issues for year 13s and year 12s. She's already got a gap year coming up so no idea what happens if she doesn't get a place at a uni next year or if asked for defer.

Is one able to make a FOI request in advance?! In order to know places available and what the attitude will be towards people with achieved grades from this year. Obviously they don’t know yet, but you wouldn’t join a queue and stand four hours for a theatre performance with two seats available. And likewise kids don’t want to agonise over a PS, take entrance exams, sweat through interviews, only to find out that the whole thing was a farce and it was “Sorreeeee !! fully booked!”

@IrmaFayLear - I don't think you can ask for information in advance. The act gives you the right to request information held by a public body. If you submit a request and the information is not available or doesn't yet exist they'll respond to say that and that will be the end of your request.

I don't know that for sure though so don't quote me.

I was joking, really. I just think the yr 12s (when do we call them 13s?!) deserve some transparency.

I reckon they become Year 13s on 1 September. DD is back on the 2nd and DS2 on the 3rd.

I have DS1 during A Levels in 2021, and DS2 sitting GCSEs in 2021.
My worry is more for DS1. The profile of the turmoil facing current Y12s needs to enter the public consciousness - including unis, government and Ofqual to stop the inquiries posed by existing Y13 deferments reducing 2021 places, How we can we organise and galvanise The plight facing current Y12s. I will actively support any efforts, but not sure how/where to start.

Iniquities not inquiries

@portico

My sentiments exactly!!
I just don’t get the feeling ‘anyone’ realises there is some angst building up.

WarmandCo3y

I am glad I’m not the only one

@portico my worry too although trying to downplay it for dd. Until we know what exactly the situation is though we are powerless

You can see breakdowns per subject and college on the Cambridge website so you can see- they usually offer 10 places and 8 come. This year they have offered 11 and (guessing here) 10 will get in. So next year there might be 2 fewer places, so 8 instead of 10... you can search for every college and subject...