Oxbridge 2020 (6)

[Justneedatemporaryname]

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

Hi, sorry to jump in here. Only discovered this thread around interview time. Noted the detailed stats someone shared in earlier threads re every schools' offer rates for both Oxford and Cambridge. Does anyone know if these numbers include students who re-apply post A levels? Nervously waiting for decision next week but assuming a No and have to plan discussion with DC re option to re-apply or not. Many thanks.

I know it isn’t Oxbridge but does anyone else’s DC have to do a piece of work for UCL to get a reduced offer?

@LazyMum12345, I am the parent of a re-applicant, DS is applying through his school application centre (they carry on supporting applications, doing refs etc for about 5 years after students leave school if required), so yes, he will be in the applicants from his centre in Cambridge stats for 2020.

@Monkey2001 Thank you for that info! Good Luck to your DS.

Someone at dd's school had reduced offer from UCL a couple of years back providing they submitted an extra piece of work. Somehow UCL lost it in their system and when results day arrived the insurance offer came through. All sorted eventually and now in second year.

DD was told (in writing) Oxford offer/rejection would come today. She got email saying they got it wrong and it's actually next week.

Thanks @HugoSpritz. We new nothing until apology email came.

DS's interviews sound rather tame compared to some of these. He was asked nothing about his PS, nothing general about Maths, just given lots of problems to solve and asked about his thinking and why he had approached something a particular way.

We had a good long talk over the holidays about how he will feel if no offer is forthcoming and he admitted he would be very disappointed. He Said he really has no way of evaluating how he performed - some days he thinks he did OK, other days he thinks he didn't. He was thrown though by the level international competition.

It’s reassuring to know we are all in the dark! Dd wasn’t asked anything about her PS but was given scenarios and ask to draw a graphs to represent the expected outcome and discuss variables . She’s applying for E&M. Then asked to compare 2 companies in her choice of industry by applying economic theory. She said she felt comfortable in her answers, stumbled over words a few times and was corrected by the interviewer but felt she did as well as she could so who knows in reality how it went. She purposefully stayed away from others after dinner so as to avoid comparing herself so no idea re other applicants.

HuaShan DDs Maths interviews were similar. Basically solid, hard maths problems. Challenging but nothing weird or unexpected.

One of them asked briefly about something unusual on the extra-curricular front, which she had mentioned in her PS. But she got the feeling he was just expressing a passing interest before getting down to the matter in hand.

@HugoSpritz thanks.

Quick question - can someone pls explain Oxford standardisation? My child had NINE interviews. Says he wasn’t pooled but that it was for standardisation. Is this good or bad? TIA

If he had nine and it was explicitly told it was for standardisation then that's obviously good. Other tutors don't look at how bad other colleges applicants are but how good. Which subject was it for - I'm guessing Medicine or a joint course?

Sorry: and he was explicitly told (!)

It was for joints.

Nine poor thing.

Two were enough for my DS! It's a shame as he was really looking forward to the interviews the weeks leading up to them but he came out of them looking shell shocked and was very downhearted that he didn't answer the questions the way he 'should' have done.

The only positive from the experience is that he is not expecting an offer next week so it would be a (wonderful obviously!) shock if he does get one.

@NotEnoughTime - I wish my DTs could get into a mindset of not expecting an offer so it would be a nice surprise. Hopes are too high here. It's making me sick with nerves that one will get in and the other won't.

Meanwhile, the good news is that DT1 has a low (for him - 3As) offer from Durham. He doesn't think he's interested in anywhere but Oxford Durham and didn't even visit it, but if next week doesn't work out, I'm taking him there for a recce. I think he'll fall in love with the City once he sees it.

DD is clearly tending towards no offer on the grounds of the interviews (no disasters, but nothing special). She was also absolutely alone among the interviewees for her course in not ever having done any classical subject and thinks that may well count against her. But then her school doesn't offer any subject at any level including Classical Civ or Ancient History, so no option ever. Fortunately she knows Durham really well and is very happy with the idea of going there - but clearly would prefer not to have a rejection, if only because the course at Oxford is longer and therefore has more scope for both lit and lang. But offer/ no offer doesn't currently seem to be a major thing which will affect her hugely.

Thankfully.

milliefiori It must be a nightmare with two. Your nerves must be in shreds. I know coleopatra is in the same boat.

My DS is still waiting to hear from Durham. A good friend of mine went to Durham and had an absolute ball-loved everything about it.

goodbye it's great that your DD would be happy with Durham. I know there is a history of Oxbridge in your family so it must be a lot of pressure on her (not from you I hasten to add).

It seems like lots of our DC might end up at Durham if they don't receive Oxbridge offers next week

Durham is just beautiful NotEnoughTime. I'm a massive fan. I hope your DS gets an offer very soon, ahead of the Oxbridge results (they seem to release quite a few in early Jan). DD got hers the night before her first Oxford interview - so not long ago, but nice timing :)

goodbye
Medicine only ever has 4 interviews.