Languages Applicants for 2021 (and 2022) entry

[Tenpastseven]

For those interested and moving over from the St Andrews thread (that became not about St Andrews)

@Intothefray DS has offers from both Durham and Bristol and seems to be favouring Bristol (if/when Cambridge redirect him). Not sure it has anything to do with the ‘interesting fact’ he shared the other day about the distinct lack of nightclubs in Durham vs the plethora of them in Bristol 🤣

@Vargas for those clutching at straws am catching up with this thread. At your dc school were more doing O or C? From TSR it feels Cambridge is way more popular for Languages.

@Intothefray I think there are about 5 or 6 applying for Oxbridge MFL (or joint honours) from ds' school, all but 1 have applied to C. C is top of the league tables for languages and ds also got the impression from his language teachers that it is less literature based than C...it just seemed a bit more flexible too.

DS also has preference for Bristol for second choice, he hasn't applied to Durham as it doesn't offer his ab initio language. But I think Exeter looks better for second choice, so that will be a discussion to come!

Sadly for the Cambridge applicants what we feared you would say @Vargas! 6 applicants - that is a lot. Such a lottery. Knew nothing about how the application stats were but can now see how hard it must be for the unis to second guess all this. All our DC seem to be Durham/Bristol/ Exeter bound (or is that just mumsnet?) Vargas if there are 6 then it must be very strong on Langs. Difficult for the Dc too as they have an idea as to who is the most likely but these main threads each year show that there are always upsets as they seem to call them. I wish DC had been more clued up re college choice etc. Did any of your Cambridge DC do the open application thing? Some seem very very popular and then ones you think would attract a lot of applicants get less.

My DS hasn’t applied for either Exeter or Durham. His other choices were UCL, Southampton and Newcastle. He’s the only one from his school applying to do languages at Uni.

Oh and he didn’t do open application. He chose a college based on size, location and reputation for good food without an opportunity to visit. Did your DC chose a college or do an open application @Intothefray? And which languages of you are willing to say? My DS has applied for Spanish and French (both post A level).

Dd is one of two students from her school who’s applied to do MFL, and the other person has applied for one MFL and history. Six applicants from your school for MFL at Cambridge seems like a lot, @Vargas! Do you mind me asking why your dd thinks Exeter might be a better bet than Bristol for insurance? Dd has offers from Leeds, Bristol and Exeter and hasn’t visited any of those places. I think she’s going to a virtual offer-holder’s day at Bristol, but also seems to lean towards Leeds.

Hope your ds is still doing OK @Tenpastseven. The long wait for C must be torture, especially this year when there isn’t much distraction apart from work!

@PresentingPercy

They have a very transparent selection procedures at Oxford and you just have to accept that others are better. In their opinion. However, this is not the end of the journey. if she was good enough to apply, she will do well elsewhere and other universities are not a barrier to success.

@PresentingPercy how is Oxford’s selection procedures transparent? I have 2 dds at Oxford and would be interested to learn how transparent the admission process is.

Hi @NiamCinnOir, I think there's a bit of confusion with my post. Sorry if it wasn't clear but I said there were possibly 5 or 6 applying for Oxbridge from ds' school, one of whom is applying for Oxford, so that leaves a possible 4 or 5 for Cambridge, and I know at least a couple of them are joint honours so History + language etc... I also know that one of the applicants prefers Durham but their parents wanted them to apply to Cambridge (I think she wants to do Liberal Arts at Durham), but afaik she hasn't had Durham offer yet. I don't know what will happen if she gets both!

Also, my ds prefers Bristol but I think Exeter is the better choice. He also has an offer from Southampton and King's but those are 3rd/4th choices at the moment.

Thanks @Vargas @tenpastseven. Another Spanish one here. !!! But is now thinking should have stuck with French. Spanish seems so popular. I think they think they are all going to be playing football in Brazil or partying in Mexico. Not a year in a school in Santander.

The fact I kinda forgot that they don't speak Spanish in Brazil makes me think that with these genes DC may be right not to be optimistic.

Ha @Intothefray. I hadn’t even noticed. Does your DS study French and Spanish at A level then, but has chosen to just take one forward?

Thanks for asking @NiamCinnOir. He seems fine. He’s clearly far more robust than me. He’s been very clear that if he doesn’t get a Cambridge offer, he’ll firm Bristol for a September 2021 start. Bit sure where he’ll put as insurance. He’s going to a Southampton offer holders day on zoom tomorrow (and Bristol on 25th). I think it’s good in a way that Cambridge have been clear they will be making fewer offers. Also his friend was rejected from Oxford after interview for law so I think it helps with the mental preparation. How’s the good news sinking in with your DD?

Responding to an earlier question: I think Oxford go out of their way to explain the admission process and be clear about what they are looking for. So essays, tests, interview etc are all explained to the prospective students. You can never take away performance at interview being down to how it goes on the day but it’s clear how performance in tests and essays are marked and how the PS is viewed and exam performance. Few universities do as much of do as much outreach.

or do as much outreach.

I don’t think Exeter is as good as Bristol for MFL. They reduced their courses a few years ago and Bristol is better in many ways. Depends what you might want after your degree though!

tottie my dd was also rejected from Oxford . She was sad for a day and is now over it I think.

Has anyone applied to Edinburgh , she is still waiting to hear . I think it's her first choice with Warwick a close second .

Hey @fabtasticmrpox. Great to hear about your DD’s resilience and bounce-back-ability.

I’ve heard that Edinburgh is always very late to offer. My eldest DS applied there a few years ago and didn’t hear till March 🙄

Did your eldest go there tenpastseven? Wishing your ds good news for Cambridge .

No he didn’t go there in the end @fabtasticmrpox. He loved the city but not the course as much as his other choices. I know quite a few friends with kids at Edinburgh and they absolutely love it.

fabtasticmrpox sorry about the rejection (it stings a bit!) but glad to hear your DD is resilient and looking forward to Edinburgh or Warwick.

Neither of mine have applied to those, but I've also heard Edinburgh is another very-slow-offer universities. We're still waiting for St Andrews.

How's the wait for Cambridge @Tenpastseven? Just the weekend to go, fingers crossed for your son.

@Tenpastseven - glad to hear your ds is bearing up with the long wait! He does sound very balanced and robust, but it really seems like all the C candidates have been waiting for an interminably long time. I think dd has signed up for an offer-holder's day at Bristol as well. We've been to Bristol quite a lot, but don't know the university area that well. The MFL building looks really nice from the outside though - it's three Victorian houses linked together by 'glass corridors' in the air :) DD is also keen on Leeds, which she thinks would be more edgy and exciting as a city than Bristol, but as she's never been to Leeds, that's just an impression.

@TottiePlantagenet - still waiting for St Andrews here too. Putting it in the same late to offer category as Edinburgh and Durham

@Vargas - sorry, I seem to have got a bit confused by the Oxbridge applicants at your ds' school. I hope he is managing the very long wait as well as he can, and that he and @Tenpastseven's ds both have good news on Monday :)

Thanks for asking @TottiePlantagenet and @NiamCinnOir. Well, we'll see how robust he is on the day. Showing resilience whilst waiting is different to resilience in the face of rejection.

Sending positive vibes to the others on this thread waiting for MML decisions at C on Monday @Vargas @Crikeyblimey @Intothefray. Have I forgotten anyone else?

PS: I got it wrong, the Bristol offer holders day is on the 27th which in my mind is much better timing.

Dd spoke to her English teacher today , apparently her Elat score was the highest the school has ever had which cheered her up. She hasn't been brave enough to ask for her Mlat score.

I'll tell her about the Bristol offers day tenpastseven