Exeter wins for clarity of process. They have 7 stations, each station gets a yes/no from interviewer. Within 2 weeks of interview the applicants get an offer if they had 7/7 yes, a hold if they have 5/7 or 6/7, a rejection for 4/7 or lower. At the end of the process they go as far down the 6/7 and 5/7 people as they need to, using UCAT to rank within the score. SO quick and transparent!!
However, I think it is ridiculous that they rank for interview on A level predictions which are so subjective and vary from school to school. DS's school had an "optimistic prediction" policy where most were a grade about the mock score and several schools will predict As if you ask them to, but others never/rarely predict As. It would not seem so unreasonable if the students were expected to actually get the predicted grades, but if you are predicted 3xA* you would get in with 3A if interview went well, but if predicted 3A you would not get an interview.
I guess that as different DC find different things easy/difficult it is good that there is an opportunity to play to your strengths in the application process. I think that is harder in Scotland as a weak UCAT can scupper your chances altogether whilst RUK have BMAT, A level heavy and GCSE heavy options.
Maybe we should do a list of how quickly things happen for the people following this thread for future applications - it is tough for the ones with no decisions who had all their interviews before Christmas and people may like to include one which will give an early response to release tension at this important time in Y13.