Oxbridge Aspirants 2021 - New Thread (2)

[Baaaahhhhh]

Sorry posted last message on the last thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3757768-Oxbridge-Aspirants-Sep-2021

Here is the new one......

@MarchingFrogs

Where a course is offered at both the main Exeter campus and the Penryn campus, one has to add 'C' on one's application to indicate that Penryn is the desired location. It may be, though, that one can 'end up' at Penryn at the results day stage (or even offer stage, of if the requirement for the main site was a bit too aspirational?) if the original offer isn't met, but there are places available on the same course offered in Cornwall. The alternative offer will be flagged up.in Track, though and acceptance / rejection required - there is no danger of applying for Streatham and finding oneself on the way to Penryn come September, without having been personally involved in the process.

DS1 accidentally applying to Penryn campus has been one of my niggling worries. I believe the history course there has a different course number but it hasn’t stopped me checking repeatedly. In the sense of looking their website - I don’t have sight of his actual application, hence, probably, the niggles :-)

Hints and tips from last year are always invaluable and much appreciated !

Bit of a disaster here as DD has woken up the morning of her admissions test and vomited everywhere (I think it’s anxiety rather than a bug). She’s in tears and to make matters worse, there’s a massive storm here so it’s going to take at least 2 hours to get to the test centre. We’ve called up the centre to see if the test is still on given the storm and they’ll get back to us in an hour. DD doesn’t want to reschedule as there are now no more available slots before the Oxford deadline for sitting it but she’s also worried about vomiting again mid-test . Not sure what to do now ...

If there are no more dates then there is no option - she has to find her inner warrior .......... best wishes to both of you that you will get there safely and she will get through the test without vomiting

Oh goodness good luck @mikeandike

She did indeed vomit mid-exam She said that the reading section was alright (though she can never really tell how she’s done) but she didn’t have time to finish the writing section due to being sick. Apparently, she thought she made some decent points but they were written as a collection of jumbled up ideas rather than in a coherent structure. She’s quite disappointed because essays are usually her strong suit.

She actually knew two of the other kids doing the test so that was a nice surprise for her. She was initially upset at the fact that all her preparation went to waste but she’s being philosophical about it all now - no tears and is currently working on some coursework. Quite proud of her to be honest and very glad that nightmare day is over Sorry for derailing the thread - I had a massive panic!

Well done to your DD Mike for getting through it. What test was this though?

You will surely be able to contact the uni and explain the extenuating circumstances.

First contact the GP and get it logged. Then contact whoever you can to take extenuating circumstances into account. All the best 💐

But shows great strength of character- well done to your daughter

Thanks for all your lovely replies. She sat the LNAT so unfortunately it will affect 3 of her choices. However, she’s in much better spirits because she received her first offer about an hour ago! It’s from one of her non-LNAT choices but she’s really happy with it and would be delighted to go to that uni. So all in all, a decent end to a nightmarish day

Fantastic news Mike! Congratulations to you both

Oh what a day you’ve had! Well done to both of you and congrats on the offer. Has the storm died down?

@mikeandike. Well done her struggling through, very exciting to have such an early offer, and so sorry for her having this experience.

Illness for these exams is such a problem. I wonder how many will end up missing Hat/Pat/other alphabet soups through isolation etc as well, quite apart from actual sickness.

@mikeandike

OMG....and they're accused of being the snowflake generation !

Well done your DD, no snowflakes at your house.

Lovely that an offer arrived to boost her spirits too.

I suspect that Oxbridge aspirants' parents are probably all going to have that nagging worry about illness/isolation between now and the date of the various relevant tests. BMAT isn't until November so a long wait for some.

I think they’re all nervous about the self-isolation hammer coming down.

Hope your dd made it to the loo, mikeandike ! In dsis’s Maths o Level the girl behind was sick and it flew all over dsis’s cardigan. Dsis walked out and failed her exam... tough luck in those days.

I recall the games mistress running the length of the hall with a bucket as we were told to shout "bucket" if we were going to throw up. It was the only word allowed to be uttered at anything other than a whisper.

It was my English Lit O Level when the bucket saw action for a girl in my cohort.

@IrmaFayLear

I think they’re all nervous about the self-isolation hammer coming down.

Hope your dd made it to the loo, mikeandike ! In dsis’s Maths o Level the girl behind was sick and it flew all over dsis’s cardigan. Dsis walked out and failed her exam... tough luck in those days.

Thankfully she did make it to the loo She was rather embarrassed about the fact that she knew the two other kids sitting the test at the same time though (we’re in quite a big city so the chances are slim)

@Hoghgyni

Hints & tips from this year. Make sure your DC read right to the bottom of any offers from Exeter. They offered DD's friend a £2000 bursary if she made it her firm choice, along with a reduced offer, but she stopped reading when she saw the grades and only found out about the bursary a few weeks later.

Durham doesn't leave all offers until February or March. DD received offers from Warwick and York a couple of days after her form went in and Durham in November. Edinburgh was the real surprise - they dumped her on her 18th birthday in the spring despite her PGs exceeding their standard offer.

Wow, thank you for this! I got DD to reread her offer again and she’s apparently been offered a scholarship if she firms it ?? I didn’t even know UK unis offered academic scholarships (she’s my eldest so I’m all new to this). Needless to say, the LNAT has been completely forgotten now , although she’s still convinced this will be her only offer .

That's amazing @mikeandike !!!

@mikeandike Epic!

And they wonder why we all long to read official letters and emails too....

Mikeandike can I say I told you so! That is exactly what happened to DD's BF. It's a lovely bonus if she does decide to firm Exeter.

DD's BF didn't get to see the financial benefit in the end. She met DD outside their respective Oxford Colleges this afternoon. She had an open offer and ended up at the original College she applied to, despite slipping a grade in the results fiasco.

@mikeandike What a day and one you and your DD won't forget! Absolutely amazing to get a scholarship offer - I didn't know such a thing existed either, she must be a very impressive candidate.

Oh goodness. How exciting indeed. Makes it all feel that bit more real too.

We’ve just paid and sent. Hopefully school will sort this week.

That's fantastic @mikeandike ! I hope your DD is feeling better too.

Hello everyone - bit late to party, but DD17 about to submit UCAS form - applying to Oxford for English. Changed her mind at last minute from Cambridge, so it's been a bit of a scramble

Hoping she's made the right decision! Also hope she can relax for a bit now as ELAT (sp?) not till November