Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-3

[Baaaahhhhh]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4016760-Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-2

New Thread !

Thanks @Revengeofthepangolins! We’re so happy and relieved! The e-Mail arrived at 9pm for some reason...

Congratulations to all those getting offers today

Massive congratulations to all those getting offers, really good news.

DS has his Manchester interview on Monday. He is resisting letting me do a mock interview with him however so no idea how it will go!

@pepperaunt congrats. It’s hotting up.

How’s he feeling about the interview @Pumpkintopf?

@Tenpastseven far too relaxed for my liking! But he did ask DH last night what sort of questions he should ask them, and what research he should undertake beforehand so that's a bit reassuring!

I think we as parents and carers hold much of the stress for them so they don’t have to! My DS seems very chilled at the moment too and I’m taking that as a positive. I however, am biting my fingernails as we wait to hear about offers, rejections & interviews.

Yes. When people come on and rant about how interfering/controlling/over-invested/infantilising MN parents are showing themselves to me, I always think they fail to spot that the vast majority of us use these threads as a way of letting of anxiety steam, to avoid continually harrassing our children. In some cases it is because we have very assiduous, invested children whom we don't want to stress, and for others, very chilled ones we would love to chivvy and poke, but recognise that that stage of parenting is really rather over now.
Either way, the threads are great release, and allow us to be much more serence in real life

Morning! Congratulations to everyone on all the new offers. Still just the one here (Bath).

DS’ friend got his Cambridge law interview invite today!

@Revengeofthepangolins

Yes. When people come on and rant about how interfering/controlling/over-invested/infantilising MN parents are showing themselves to me, I always think they fail to spot that the vast majority of us use these threads as a way of letting of anxiety steam, to avoid continually harrassing our children. In some cases it is because we have very assiduous, invested children whom we don't want to stress, and for others, very chilled ones we would love to chivvy and poke, but recognise that that stage of parenting is really rather over now. Either way, the threads are great release, and allow us to be much more serence in real life

Big yes to this!

Yes I agree that these threads are mainly a release. I don’t know anyone else with a DC doing Oxbridge and in real life, I haven’t told anyone really - mainly due to lockdown, but also I don’t presume they would be in the least interested . Even DH hardly knows what’s going on, to be fair.

I love these threads...... keeps me from annoying DD too much. Thank you all .

As I haven't commented for a couple of days, congratulations to all the offers received since then, well done all.

MN has been very helpful, as the dc's school isn't!

I never mention anything to dd, or in real life. And my dh, too, is clueless to the point of irritation. Even when dd was sitting the entrance test he was confused. Imo it's crucial not to tell anyone, as the poor candidate can feel hounded. As we've already discussed, this year though does seem a bit more low key.

I'm not allowed to even tell anyone that DD has applied for Oxford. I only got away with mentioning it to DH because he's not going out to the office or working away anywhere. As far as I know, nobody I know has had DC doing so either, so it's nice to be in the company of other parents and compare notes.
Good to see more offers rolling in too. I think DD has come to a decision about her firm if Oxford don't make an offer, but I hope we'll get a chance to do a bit of real life looking around first. It's all a bit back to front, isn't it?

Well done to your dd @pepperaunt

@Baaaahhhhh

I love these threads...... keeps me from annoying DD too much. Thank you all .

Yup, same here!

@quest1on

Morning! Congratulations to everyone on all the new offers. Still just the one here (Bath).

DS’ friend got his Cambridge law interview invite today!

So the interview invitations Have begun to be sent out? I’m not sure if I’m relieved or worried....

I second or third or fourth that these threads are a comforting source of support for parents (mostly mums) of Oxbridge hopefuls.

Some of our friends and family know where DD hopes to go to Uni as they asked and she happily told them. It's me dealing with the raised eyebrows and "ooh, get her !" behind the scenes.

I acknowledge that it is her dream but let them know that there is a robust back-up plan B simultaneously in progress as the chances are slim, especially with medicine.

One of DD's back-up choices will apparently let her know about interview/rejection by next Monday and so my nails are duly chewed on her behalf as a rejection from a plan B Uni could be very demoralising at this point. She's the only one of the medicine hopefuls in her sixth form to have applied to that Uni so at least if she's rejected outright there's no chance of one of the others getting an interview which would leave her questioning "why them and not me ?". She feels particularly weak in the area of work experience/shadowing just because of the dates she was allocated and bloody Covid. I know they say allowances will be made but she really was denied every single thing she had lined up, nor has she been able to access any, even after the first lockdown eased which leaves her very little to discuss at interview in that area.

Congratulations to dc with offers to date.

Just skulked on the student room and saw that Cambridge colleges are indeed sending out interview invitations, but apparently Oxford will not be doing so until the 27th.

It would be interesting to know if either uni is going to reduce the numbers they interview because of the online format.

Much the same story here - only FIL knows of her Oxford application. I did mention she 'might' try for Oxbridge to a neighbour during the summer, and I might as well have said she was flying to the moon in a teacup! Besides, the last person from her school to get into O was 6 years ago, and it just seems pretentious to say she is even interested.

She is adamant though, that if she doesn't get in, that she will go any medical school that offers her a place (hopefully there will be one..) as she doesn't want to delay due to the length of the course.

The odds are slim, but, if you're not in.....

However, I try to keep positive for DD and like to think that she'll end up in the right place.

SATSmadness I honestly wouldn't worry too much on that account (work experience). I know that Oxford is very good at assessing the qualities they're looking for by asking about ordinary day to day experiences and I imagine that that will be the way most med schools have to go this year.

In fact Covid might be quite a good leveller in that respect, for those without medical connections to secure flashy work experience - look on it as an advantage!

Well done to your ds' friend @quest1on fantastic news. When is the interview?

@goodbyestranger

It would be interesting to know if either uni is going to reduce the numbers they interview because of the online format.

I hope not. I like to think they still want the very best candidates and they might be losing out of someone really good by not interviewing.