Oxbridge 2020 (6)

[Justneedatemporaryname]

New thread ready for when the old one gets filled up!

DD didn't have anything asked about her PS at all either (science)

Thanks Hugo I am extremly proud of her just for applying.

DS got asked a lot about his PS - HSPS Cambs.

I do think certain schools must groom their kids in polished speaking and these kids will certainly feel less intimidated by the process as a whole.

Continued good luck to all who have not yet passed.

@TerfinUSA99, the girl from France may have been my charge (not DD, but student I've been mentoring).

Which college are you talking of? My charge only interviewed at her chosen college - where 21 were interviewed for 8 spots. Not sure if any of those 21 came from other colleges, but as I say my charge was not sent to another college for further interviews.

She had a humongous document sent to her by email a few days before interview. 25 pages she was supposed to read, digest, further investigate ready to discuss interview. First I'd heard of this approach, more often you are given a document fifteen minutes before going in! But interesting, in that such a format would make interviews very much like tutorials, one of the main aims of the interviewing process being to see how a student does in tutorial mode.

Anyway, curious to know...

shockthemonkey two of my DC have been sent thirty or so pages the morning they were due to report to the college; it's not new.

Coleoptera how short is 'very short'? Does he mean shorter than yesterday's or around the same - twenty minutes?

Coleoptera it's neutral provided that was the allocated time for interviews at his college. I'd be a bit concerned if it was significantly shorter than other interviews for the same subject but definitely not otherwise. One of the tutors told DD at the start of her interview not to worry if he kept looking at his watch, it would be nothing personal - merely that they had a very large number of people to get through and had to stick rigidly to timings.

Hmm. Today has been a saga. I am so relieved that I nagged DS2 to ask if he could go up the day before, due to rail strikes, and Cambridge agreed.

Having insisted he wants to go unaccompanied, he headed off without his debit card, rail card or Kindle. (I know. I should have sought ocular proof, not just asked if he;d packed them ) So I schlepped into London to hand them over to him so he could continue his journey. I just got home in time to catch a cheerful phone call announcing he had accidentlaly got on the train to Leeds instead but was now on the train to Cambridge.

If all these things had happened on interview day itself! Wah! He is very bright academically, I promise. Just not blessed with practical sense.

I'm so glad DS1 is allowing me to take him to Oxford.

I feel shattered and I haven't even started work today, due to DS2's shenanigans. Lucky for him I work from home.

Hi Coleoptera I think you're right - your DS would be better off arriving 30 - 45 mins early to a) find the right rooms (can be a challenge in some of the squigglier colleges and b) not give the support staff a heart attack on his behalf!

Oh my days @milliefiori I've just read your saga.

'I'm on a train to Leeds' .

I think you deserve a very stiff drink.

DD said waiting room was a bundle of anxieties so good that she felt confident to hang around outside until summoned. One interview down. Some discussion sparked by a writer in her PS. Quite a lot of nodding but she hasn't a clue about how the 20 mins went. I reckon the stress will ensure that most of the whole experience will wipe it from their minds by this evening
Won't hear about part 2 until right at the end of the day.

Thank you @Gizmo. Think I'll take you up on the offer. I might have a whisky after dinner! But I've written off today as a work day. I can't concentrate after all that. I wrote two pages of waffle and cut them all, twice.

@Coleoptera - Argh! Their insistence on arriving a split second before the interview gives me the heebeejeebees. DS2, before I demanded that he ask to stay over, wa splanning to get a 10 am train during rail strike for a three hour journey, because his interview was at 1pm. Zero margin of error. Absolutely no time to find where he should be in the squiggliest of colleges (lovely description @gizmo).

I totally agree he should arrive 30 mins before interview, have a wander around, meet some student helpers and then, 20 mins before the interview ask to be taken to where it is to do the prep.

You've reminded me to text DS and tell him yet again that a 1pm interview doesn't mean ask somone where the room is at 2 mins to 1pm. And it's a huge college!

Sorry to jump in, have been following with interest! DS is at Oxford for an E&M interview and had his first interview yesterday which he seemed happy with but today has been told to keep checking the notice board hourly for a possible 2nd interview. So far nothing!!! Is anyone else in this situation??

@milliefiori. I don't want to increase your blood pressure any further, but...you do have proof that he's actually arrived, don't you?

I'm about to cycle through town, happy to drop into college and check up for you if you like!

whenweweresix DD had two interviews yesterday and was told nothing today and to check the board tomorrow. Humanities subject.

@shockthemonkey It was St Johns and (I think) he didn't get anything in advance to prepare for his three interviews (politics economics and philosophy).

I think we're bowing out at this stage. DD had her interviews and a test today. Apparently she did badly in the test, and everyone else did really well in it. She then did badly in her first interview, which was the one that had the decision-makers in it. The 2nd interview was the only bit that went well. She says she's definitely not going to get an offer, and I think I believe her. Gutted for her, as it would really have suited her I think. She's amazing at her subject, and very dedicated to it, and comes across to me as an Oxbridge type in terms of how she learns, having lots of ideas and opinions, etc etc. It wasn't enough. Luckily she has a 2nd choice she likes a lot, and a good 3rd choice too. If she'd got an Oxbridge offer, she wouldn't have had the back-stop of the 3rd choice, in case she messes up the A'levels for some reason.

@gizmo I'm sorely tempted to take you up on that offer too! He claims he's in his room. Sounds a bit flat. I think he is shattered from the stress of simply crossing the country unaided to get there. I half wish I'd refused to let him, but I admired his desire for independence.

Oh poor chap, he's probably as much in need of a whisky as you are. It's blithering cold and damp in Cambridge tonight and I do feel a bit sorry for those sitting in a strange room waiting for an interview.

Hopefully he's getting a good dinner and has got something to entertain him?