Oxbridge 2020 (8th thread)

[DadDadDad]

A thread to continue discussing entry to Oxbridge in October 2020 (less than nine months away ). 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.

@FingernailNibbler ah, sorry, I was talking about the Oxford course. I don't know much about the Cambridge one. Although we were always jealous that our Cambridge equivalents were only ever tested on a year's work at a time (our finals were testing everything we did from the third term of first year up until fourth year) and that they only seemed to read extracts of big works like the Divine Comedy, whereas we did the whole caboodle. I don't know what you mean about the AI interview I'm afraid. It was all in one in my day and there was just a brief chat in French rather than anything more in-depth.

Hogh - that does sound a lot. Three interviews over as many days

To be honest, after reading all this, a Politics and International Relations. degree with a language and year abroad at LSE or UCL is starting to look quite appealing Same required grades and probably just as competitive of course, so no guarantees whatsoever - but at least it’s just a straight yes / no. No interviews or extra aptitude hurdles!

Well done to all your DCs who have got this far.

DS (Cam offer) has already received details about when to arrive at College for the start of term. DD1 (Ox) didn’t receive any details until after results day. It is a central college and we were allocated 20 mins to unload the car before moving it elsewhere.
From my DC’s experiences, I feel that the Cam admissions process is more stressful. The interview day is quite impersonal with much higher numbers being interviews than at Oxford and higher A Level grades are required which prolongs the uncertainty.

A bit behind the curve but checking in to keep an eye on everyone’s progress. (DS has an open offer for Oxford Computer Sciences - A, A, A, with A in maths/further maths).

And I’m really hoping that @hugospritz, @milliefiori etc keep us updated on what’s going on with their DC.

Someone asked about sitting on the grass? Nearly every college I’m familiar with in Cambridge has gardens outside their courts where sitting/lying out is absolutely expected. Certainly yes for Christs/Pembroke. It’s generally just the courts where the gardeners get protective, which I guess is largely to stop people constantly shortcutting across the green bits.

@JulesJules That's fab! I hope your DC liked Selina? I heard her speak on a panel last year and thought she was incredible, I even tried to persuade DS to change his application from PPE to history on the off-chance he might be taught by her

@HugoSpritz, that makes sense re the HAT v AHAA , thank you.
@sevenstars, I think both selection processes carry their own stresses. Can say that as previously, that DD felt everything she was asked for was used ( essays minutely dissected, the optional Cambridge SAQ, a few hundred words on top of the PS, the PS itself) which made it feel worthwhile to her to have put in the effort.

I wouldn't want to argue that either process is more stressful, as I doubt if any of our DC came through to this point without a wobble at some point. Her interviews at Oxford were with people she had read research by for her EPQ and they were asking her the most bizarre questions, with no mention of personal statements, EPQs or A levels studied. The pressure doesn't ease off from when you arrive until you leave. Meanwhile Cambridge is obviously more intense with short interviews crammed into one day with less chance of being sent somewhere else for another flight of fancy. The only ones guaranteed a place who can start to relax and those who took a gap year and reapplied. Nobody else has a place yet so the pressure doesn't ease up.

The pressure is clearly more intense after decisions for Cambridge offer holders, with multiple A offers and/ or named subjects for A requirements. Only a very small number of Oxford courses ask for two A*. And as for the STEP crowd - goodness I'm glad none of my DC ever applied for Cambridge Maths.

I've been discussing STEP papers whilst dropping DD off this morning. I took S level maths & stats to prove a point at school after being told that a mere girl wouldn't be capable of taking further maths. It gave me some perverse satisfaction to prove them wrong, whilst the boys sitting STEP alongside me looked as though they were facing a firing squad.

Thankyou. I think your DC’s have all done brilliantly for getting this far. I’m just thinking ahead really. If DS was to go through the aptitude tests, interviews and it was going to be a “no,” I think he’s rather just know this by the January, so he could refocus on his realistic offers, rather than having the pressure of an extra A*, as well as the hurdle if an aptitude test, still hanging over him until the summer.

The only thing is, the course he’s interested in is at Cambridge!

Yes, sevenstars, I tried to steer DS towards Oxford for precisely those reasons. But having visited the subject department in both places, he massively preferred Cambridge.

I firmly believe that you need to really want the course you are applying for. DD initially thought she would apply for HPSS at Cambridge, thenbthe more she investigated it, the more she was drawn to PPE. Several of her friends who went on the PPE UNIQ summer school at Oxford in the summer did the opposite & applied to Cambridge instead.

Hogh I think you've hit the nail on the head. DS (Maths) knew he would apply for Cambridge because of the course. He prefers his 'other first choice' course to Oxford so there was never a thought of applying to Oxford. Other DC will of course feel the opposite. The dreaded STEP does seem, well, dreadful to me and obviously to others here, but with offers from other great universities out there, our DC still don't have to take STEP if they don't want to. My DS is still deciding whether to put himself through it or firm his other first choice and decline Cambridge.

As for the A+ requirement, DS says that if he can't get the A+ in maths then he shouldn't be doing maths at university. God knows what he will do if he doesn't get an A+ in maths, since probably both his firm and insurance choices will require it and a year out is frowned upon for maths.

Also I've just found out that we have to find our own STEP exam centre and that the STEP exams cost around £160 to take, as well as travel. DS ideally wants to go to three offer holder days too and DD (Y12) has also announced a desire to visit Exeter which is a long way away and would really need an overnight stay so we will be saving hard for the next couple of months!

Gin I assumed that STEP was tagged onto the end of A levels at school. I didn't realise that it was a) so expensive and b) logistically difficult. The price alone doesn't really ring true with widening participation, but I assume Cambridge must have some pots of funds available for those who would find it an insurmountable barrier.

DD has to arrange STEP with her school but may have to go to another school to sit it. She also sat TMUA, and the exam was held at another school in the same academy trust. Thankfully not too far away.

I don't think we have to pay the fee for STEP, but I wouldn't be entirely surprised to get a bill. But then my friend has to pay all exam fees at her daughter's very expensive independent school, so we generally get off quite lightly.

I totally agree that the cost of open days, offer holder days etc is a barrier to university admission that isn't talked about enough. I know some unis offer travel bursaries, but the ones I've seen have all been offered after you've signed up and bought your train ticket. If you can't afford to contemplate traveling in the first place, you won't ever get that far.

Hugo I asked school at parents evening last week. Both Maths teachers had no idea, referred us to Exams Officer. She said no but that there would be other centres nearby. We have found one about six miles away, I'm waiting to hear back from them if he can take it there. I think there are three papers on three separate days around the time of his other A levels. It's a bit of a faff but doable if they say yes.

Hoghgyni - could I ask- did you DD have to fu multiple interviews over three days because PPE is across different departments, maybe? If gig were applying for a course such as History or Geography, would there need to be multiple interviews?

Sorry for typos

@sevenstars - the multiple interviews across several days is common to most Oxford subjects. DS1 had 3 interviews over 3 days in 2 colleges for Chemistry. He really enjoyed the process!

Thanks Sandy. It does sound a lot though! Mind you, it doesn’t seem that long ago he was doing the whole 11 plus shenanigans for the SW London schools. That was bad enough!

Do Cambridge also do several interviews over several days?

Where do they stay?

Cambridge typically just does 2 interviews at the chosen college. Some subjects/colleges may include a test - for instance DD had one for engineering, the idea was to complete/discuss in the second interview. I think she could have been accommodated in the college the night before but for some logistical reason she and DH stayed in one of the non central hotels instead.

@sevenstars, DD interviewed over 2 days ( 1 interview each day) for History at Cambridge this year. I don't think this is typical, her college is small , maybe there were lots of applicants for her subject that year. She stayed overnight and meals were included. She fell even more in love with the college..