Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-3

[Baaaahhhhh]

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

New Thread !

@bendmeoverbackwards I am going to have to look into it. He is asymptomatic right now but my job means that I am working with people face to face at the moment. Rules specify that the family do not need to self isolate unless the 'close contact' develops symptoms but that feels a little risky to me. Any advice would be appreciated if others have experience of this.

Oh dear tenpast. Glad remote teaching is sorted though. Dc found that the worst bit was having to stay in the house for 2 weeks. I hope he doesn’t get stir crazy
I’ve heard back from dc . The test today didn’t go well apparently.. but dc says this of most tests .. it’s the ones that went “ alright” that we seem to have had problems with in the past.
Onwards!

Tenpastseven hope your DS is ok. Good that they are doing remote teaching.

DD found the TSA ok today. She expected it to be challenging but she didn’t run out of time so she feels good about that but really has no idea how she did.
She thought the essays were a bit Covid heavy.

Ha 'covid heavy' @ChimneyPot. Boris will probably be collecting all the tests in for a brainstorming session?

@Johnathonripples he's spent the whole of half term indoors recovering from a minor operation and he seemed in his element to be honest

Kit same here, definite feeling of anti climax. I have encouraged him to just have an evening off and chill with online games with his mates (given seeing them in person outside of school as a group not an option!)

Tenpast sorry to hear this - what a pain. Good that he'll be getting online teaching at least I suppose.

Just checked the Oxford page and it says that candidates have to submit written work, deadline is 10th November! How strange, dd hasn't said anything about it. Maybe she's already sorted it, I'll have to ask her.

Bendmeoverbackwards I'm pretty sure Ancient and Modern History at Oxford requires written work (DS nearly applied for it so we read up on it). Here is a link which mentions the writtenwork requirement. If you haven't had an email with details about how to submit, I'd give admissions a ring.
www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/history-ancient-and-modern

Sorry - cross posts!

Just spoken to dd. She has already sorted the written work, it's all ready to submit, she just wanted to get the HAT over and done with first. I asked her why I didn't know anything about till today, she said 'your daughter is very independent and has done this on her own'

Stand down @bendmeoverbackwards. Your work is done. I think that deserves a glass of something bubbly tonight !

Love your DD's reply Bendmeoverbackwards !

Just popped over to see how all the tests went - DS did the MAT last year and is now at Oxford (hurray!). He texted today, very excited about this years MAT paper being released and saying he was off to have a look. Of course last year there was no added stress of A level exams, Covid, disrupted schooling to contend with, and the tests were in half term so quite chilled. Best of luck to everyone.

I'm another whose DD is sorting the written submission rather late. She's planning to hand in draft English coursework on Friday to be marked and then submitted next week... I understand though that this has been discussed in advance with her teacher and the timeline agreed (initially their draft deadline may have been yesterday ...).

Thanks all, dd does make me laugh. Even as a little girl, she was always so independent. She thought nothing of travelling to the other side of London, or even further afield, to meet up with friends. She always worked out the route herself.

Further discussion with dd about the HAT today - she said it wasn't the best essay she has ever written but it was ok. Do they use the HAT results to decide who to invite for interview?

[quote Tenpastseven]@bendmeoverbackwards I am going to have to look into it. He is asymptomatic right now but my job means that I am working with people face to face at the moment. Rules specify that the family do not need to self isolate unless the 'close contact' develops symptoms but that feels a little risky to me. Any advice would be appreciated if others have experience of this.[/quote]
@Tenpastseven I agree that it seems a little odd but this is correct - I looked into it when DS1 was isolated as a contact before half term. I think otherwise the domino effect would be immense.
One is advised though to try to keep SD within the home to reduce the chance of onward transmission so if you have room, separate bathrooms, not having out together etc. For people who live in small flats etc, not really an option. Lots of bandwashing, minimal hugging I guess.

@bendmeoverbackwards. I think the history application document that has been posted on here a couple of times says the interview decision is scored 50% GCSEs and 50% HAT, both contextualised. Contextualising the HAT too was nee last year and caused some controversy on MN.

But haven’t looked it up recently so check !

@HuaShan nice to talk to someone who has been through it. How is your ds finding the course?

Thank you @Revengeofthepangolins so does contextualising the HAT score mean taking into account the school the candidate attends?

I think the history application document that has been posted on here a couple of times says the interview decision is scored 50% GCSEs and 50% HAT

So not the submitted written work? Or is that a factor at offer stage?

[quote Revengeofthepangolins]@bendmeoverbackwards. I think the history application document that has been posted on here a couple of times says the interview decision is scored 50% GCSEs and 50% HAT, both contextualised. Contextualising the HAT too was nee last year and caused some controversy on MN.

But haven’t looked it up recently so check ![/quote]
Here is the link... see page 3 re interview decisions and page 5 re Contextualising the HAT. (no notice was given to applicants about contextualising the HAT last year.... so Oxford could throw another curve ball at students this year too!).

www.merton.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/inline-files/History%20Information%20for%20Applicants%202019.pdf

I am a bit bothered by the written work. Dd has submitted a marked piece of work,but all the teacher did was do a tick. I am concerned that others will be sending in a much more polished piece, with teacher advice and help. I can’t say anything to dd as it’s done now.

I still think contextualising the HAT is unfair. Surely the point of an entrance test is to see how a candidate does when you can be sure they haven’t had a hand. It seems very off to dock ten points or whatever off a brilliant essay simply because the applicant has been to a top school (and I have no skin in the game here - blah comprehensive all the way).

Thank you so much @MidLifeCrisis007 really helpful. I just hope dd will get an interview, she will be gutted if she doesn't. I just wish she didn't care so much. Anyway what will be will be I suppose.

Our son took the TSA today, during the exam a number of students had difficulty with questions failing to download during the exam. For him 10 initially failed, 7 eventually appeared, 3 never did. The school tried to rectify the problem by issuing different laptops but to no avail.
He’d done a huge amount of work and I feel terrible for him - aside from being unable to answer the 3 missing questions, I think it completely threw his timings and obviously caused a heap of unnecessary additional stress.
Has anyone heard of other schools having any issues? I’m wondering if it was related to his school or a bigger problem.
TIA.

This is what you need bendmeoverbackwards

www.history.ox.ac.uk/admissions-facts-and-figures

The percentages change as the process goes along....