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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Oxbridge 2020 (8th thread)

988 replies

DadDadDad · 25/01/2020 13:38

A thread to continue discussing entry to Oxbridge in October 2020 (less than nine months away Shock ). All welcome, although this obviously will be of most interest to those with DS or DD holding an offer, and wanting to find a bit of support.

All too soon, 13 August will come over the horizon. Until then, ask questions... share experiences... discuss news and stats... write a poem... (we did briefly have some poetry on a previous thread).

With huge thanks to @HugoSpritz and predecessors for previous threads.

OP posts:
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5
MarchingFrogs · 04/02/2020 07:11

Sorry what's psb, pfb, ptb?

The precious first born bit, something picked up from MN (would never be used in any sense other than that in inverted commas in our house, but I get the feeling some folk use it literally about their own eldest DC). Our own has two younger siblings, hence s and t...

@goodbyestranger, no. Apologies for interloping.

goodbyestranger · 04/02/2020 07:17

Not about interloping at all Matching frogs, just that these Oxford and Cambridge offer days will be very different and very, very much smaller than the generality of offer days at other places, which in turn will affect parent attendance/ prominence.

goodbyestranger · 04/02/2020 07:18

Sorry Marching frogs autocorrect insisted on Matching!

FingernailNibbler · 04/02/2020 07:26

I would like to join DD for the offer holder day at her 2nd choice, because I have never seen that university at all. Secretly hoping that a tour (including accommodation) will fire up her resolve on revision. She has been in a bit of a slump since the offer came in.

sandybayley · 04/02/2020 08:39

DS1 is going to the offer holders day at Durham on his own. I've seen it and don't need to see it again. I have said I'll drive him to the station as train leaves at an eye watering 6.15am.

He got an email yesterday saying he'll be allocated his college very soon and before the Feb offer holders day.

goodbyestranger · 04/02/2020 08:55

DD won't be going to the Durham offer day. Her only sibling to have gone to one of those said it was grim - as did a number of his friends. Don't know what goes wrong but the offer days don't seem to reflect the reality at Durham. So : health warning! Esp with a 6.15am start!

sandybayley · 04/02/2020 09:05

TBH I don't know why DS1 is going but he wants to. I'm keen that he sees Durham as a really good insurance choice given the challenge of meeting his Oxford offer so maybe going again is part of building that perception.

Durham is unfamiliar to him as he's only been once so if it's what he wants to do it's fine with me. I can cope wit an early lift to the station now I've worked out it's OK to drive in easy trousers (otherwise known as PJs).

goodbyestranger · 04/02/2020 09:20

Tbf DD knows Durham really well so definitely doesn't need to go. She also has a different problem in that both offers are AAA, so she's still got a bit of thinking to do although she does love Durham, so it would be hard to let go, even if the offer is in effect illusory. Anyhow, at the moment all energies are going into her post A level European extravaganza and she's now thrilled with confirmations for completely fab airbnb bookings for three of the eight destinations, so all good - almost no thoughts of uni intervening :)

goodbyestranger · 04/02/2020 09:21

The last time I did a PJ run (taking DS1 to work experience in Y11, so 2008) I also managed to crash the car and the PJs were most definitely held against me.

ErrolTheDragon · 04/02/2020 13:50

There's a time and a place for trackie bottoms, early morning chauffeuring duty is it. Grin

sandybayley · 04/02/2020 16:42

Interesting @goodbyestranger - who held the PJs against you? You've got me worried nowWink

GinWorksForMe · 04/02/2020 19:16

No Durham isn't on the list here I'm glad to say. Seems to be a very popular second choice for Oxford applicants but it's very far from us and DS didn't really consider it as apparently there is excellent Maths to be had closer to home and the bright lights of London Town. It would have cost a fortune for him to travel to/from Durham which is why I say I'm glad he didn't apply there.

Thanks for the advice about offer holder days. I think I will go to the Cambridge one if he'll go along with me accompanying him.

Mocks this week and next here, I'm wondering if they will have any effect on how DS is feeling about the idea of STEP. At the moment I don't see any STEP prep going on, but it might be happening at school in free periods I suppose!

Do you think it's better if they meet their predicted grades in their mocks or miss them?! Not sure what effect either thing might have on DS.

Hoghgyni · 04/02/2020 21:53

DD is not going to hit her predicted grades in her mocks. We're hoping the proverbial kick up the backside will spur her on.

goodbyestranger · 04/02/2020 22:04

The bloke whose wing mirror I clipped off sandy, who couldn't seem to get past the fact I was in PJs. And then after that my insurance company who he'd reported me to, they also kept commenting on my PJ status as though it impacted the carefullness of my driving (I think I may have been lamely protesting my innocence at the time because I did think self-righteous bloke was a bit far over in the lane tbh).

sandybayley · 04/02/2020 22:41

That's very funny @goodbyestranger - maybe I'll play safe and put joggers on instead of obvious PJs.

@Hoghgyni - don't worry, DS1 hasn't hit his grades in his mocks either. Never pays to peak too soon and it should act as a bit of a wake up call for them.

somethingforyou · 05/02/2020 16:45

So DD is still undecided about accepting her a Cambridge offer. Does anyone know: if she does accept it, and makes her offer, is she then unable to withdraw from the UCAS process altogether, or unable to accept her insurance offer? She is quite keen on taking a gap year, but I think she would accept the offer if she knew that she could pull out if she changed her mind, or if she decided she absolutely had to have a gap year.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/02/2020 17:02

I'm pretty sure she could withdraw from the whole application for this year, but anything else would depend on the university she had firmed releasing her from the contract.

Given that the unis can't withdraw the offers they've made, I suppose she'd have nothing to lose by asking the admissions tutor if there would be any possibility of deferral, though I wouldn't be too optimistic about getting a yes.

www.ucas.com/undergraduate/after-you-apply/making-changes-your-ucas-undergraduate-application

somethingforyou · 05/02/2020 17:16

Thanks Errol. So she could withdraw completely and reapply (not to Cambridge, obviously) and take a gap year, if I have read the link properly.

Or she could ask the admissions tutor if she could defer, but they may not agree. I do know of someone who was allowed to defer for mental health reasons but it would be foolish to count on that. Hmm.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/02/2020 17:26

That's my understanding of it but maybe worth starting a separate thread specifically with this question (not necessarily specifying she has a Cambridge offer).

MarchingFrogs · 05/02/2020 17:39

If you meet the conditions of your firm offer, then your insurance offer is no longer there (like school preferences ranked below the school that you are allocated, in the state school application system).

Re declining the firm offer come results day and 'reactivating' the insurance offer, this section on the UCAS site may be helpful?
www.ucas.com/undergraduate/results-confirmation-and-clearing/what-clearing/declining-your-firm-place-track

Will I lose my insurance place if I decline my firm place?

Yes, by declining your firm place, you’ll enter Clearing, and you can apply to a uni or college with vacancies.

If you want to go to your insurance place, you should phone them to see if they will accept you before declining your firm place.

Withdrawing from the whole process in the current application cycle can be done via the UCAS website, but obviously, negotiating a deferral has to be done with the individual university.

goodbyestranger · 06/02/2020 09:00

Another one hoping they mark mocks harshly :)

DS4 very pleased to get an Oxford PhD offer yesterday. He'll be sad to leave Durham which he loves but the stuff he's been taken on for (science - incomprehensible to me) is apparently very cool and he has school friends who'll still be in Oxford next year, so all good.

HugoSpritz · 06/02/2020 09:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

goodbyestranger · 06/02/2020 09:45

Thank you Hugo. I was pretty unencouraging about this application but my DC seem to have their own minds. I thought (mostly but not entirely to myself) that he'd be better off applying to stay in Durham where plenty of his friends will be staying on too. I'm just glad it's worked out. If DD makes her grades they'll both be there for the duration which is quite helpful logistically.

ErrolTheDragon · 06/02/2020 11:25

Well done your DS4! With scientific PhDs the exact research topic and the calibre and reputation of the supervisor/team are absolutely key - I'm curious what, broadly, is his field?

goodbyestranger · 06/02/2020 11:54

I've sent a PM Errol, unusually (though I may have mis-typed your name).

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