Oxbridge 2020 (6)

[Justneedatemporaryname]

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

Thanks all! Groggy household this morning. DS insisted on staying up to watch the GE so his further maths mock this morning will be interesting. Zero revision because of Cambridge prep. Seems a silly time of year to schedule them.

Very best of luck to those still in the throes of interviews.

Well I delivered DD to her college this morning and she seemed much calmer than I could have ever hoped for. Second interview should be finishing in about ten minutes time. Whatever happens next, I've had a very pleasant morning in Cambridge and just about finished my Christmas shopping .

DD's next challenge is navigating to the city centre so we can meet up for cake.

Coleoptera there are plenty being interviewed who don't have the equivalent of 14 x A*s and extra qualifications as well though. They just aren't shouting about it as much. I wouldn't read too much into anything. As the badge on my jacket says, "Nobody really knows."

Also Coleoptera I think a little cynicism about the 'international equivalent of 14A*' might be as well to chuck in the pot.

Hi, grandson has been released now. He hung around this morning but didn't get any more interviews. He has just had two (History).

He is now convinced he must have been rejected, but it seems a very mysterious process so who knows?

DS just released too with no further interviews. Seems happy, just need to enjoy the holidays now!

Absolutely, when, it's been an interesting experience whatever happens!

DD is finished. She didn't freak out, enjoyed the maths and even chatted to another candidate and current maths student. Whatever happens next, it's clear that she's done as much as she could, which is a nice feeling.

From my point of view, I've remembered how much I love Cambridge and will be somewhat gutted if she doesn't get an offer. But I'm keeping that to myself.

DD wasn’t pooled either for Ancient & Modern History. She said she did her best but she messed up on the sources.

Its far more likely for Oxford humanities subjects that you're sent to another college for pooling rather than for standardisation. So getting sent elsewhere for those subjects is very likely to mean you haven't quite made the cut for your first choice college but are still in the frame for another college where they haven't been able to select sufficient numbers from their original interviewees. In other words it's more likely to be a mixed message if you're sent elsewhere. Obviously if you're not sent on, you're either in the bottom cut or the top cut at your first choice college. So - plenty to think about either way!

DD wasn't sent anywhere else and having been debriefed by her on her three interviews I'd say that it's completely impossible to call. Really just haven't got a bleeding clue.

Well the first four answers came before Christmas Hugo, which was easy. They'd barely left Oxford by the time the letter arrived (or more accurately was thrown over the gate, courtesy of a wary relationship between our village postman and our eldest dog).

I guess on the basis that it's impossible to tell, it's equally pointless thinking about it and so for the later DC I think they genuinely tend to forget until the evening before. Christmas and New Year assumes priority! DD is in the good position of having her other choices sorted too, so that makes for a tranquil life too.

Too many toos.

Managed to get a decent child appropriate cookery book for each in Blackwells before leaving Oxford, for their stockings. Incredibly weighty to carry back to the car (c. a mile away) but a major achievement since absolutely nothing else whatsoever in any way shape or form has yet been done for Christmas....

Goodbyestranger are you saying that they may hear before the 14 January?

No aibutohavethisusername. The 14th is the day set for this cycle by Oxford. I'm just saying that my first four DC had their responses before Christmas, then the Oxford system changed to a specific date in early Jan.

Ahh I see. Thanks for clarifying.

That's great he enjoyed it @hugospritz, perhaps best to admire his historian from afar...I've heard of people occasionally meeting authors they admire in interviews, which must be ultra intimidating.

@milliefiori, how did your DT2 get on in the end?

DS home now - had a third interview at a different college today - so now I feel it’s all on a knife edge even more 🤯🤯
I think history and English course work over the hols will hopefully distract from waiting to hear . Some shopping was also done in Oxford(wearing new shoes hat and jumper on return 😂).

@gizmo - thank you for asking. He's home, shattered. Was supposed to be having end of term pizzas with friends tonight but too tired to move so had pizza at home instead.

He thinks it went quite well but hasn't a clue what the outcome will be. It wasn't a disaster or a gift either. Three interviews. The first went really well. Second started well then got tougher (whcih I think is a good sign.) Third was only half the length it should have been, but it seemed to be going well until they said time's up, even though he's certain it was only 10 mins into a 20 min interview.

So I have no idea how it went. He wa sasked a gift of a 'difficult' question but instead of looking like he was shining thinking on his feet he said, very honestly: Oh we did this in class just yesterday. Aspergic honesty!

Ah well. He got himself home and not via Leeds so that was a feat in itself and he seems so relieved it's over. DS1's turn next.

Really good luck to all of today's interviewees.

@Coleoptera - those sound like promising chances. And I'm so glad your DT2 had fun in the JCR and went for drinks. My son was too nervous to socialise at Cambridge, and even if they stay over, it's not set up to be convivial in the same way the Oxford sessions are.