Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-3

[Baaaahhhhh]

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

New Thread !

@theoriginalpaul oh no that's awful, your poor ds. Have the school said anything about it?

DS did the HAT today and he said that he enjoyed it but he didn't think it was his best essay ever

That''s exactly what my dd said @LaundryFairy Does anyone have idea when we might hear about interviews?

Also any news when Durham might start issuing offers or do they interview? Dd was surprised to get an offer from Manchester without an interview.

I don’t think Oxford have specified a date when they’ll let candidates know about interviews, but I think it’s likely to be the last week of November, as the first interviews are scheduled to start on 7th December.

Overseas applicants for some courses could be interviewed the week starting 30 November so they would have to be notified some time before that.

Last year DS1 heard that he had to be in Oxford for interview from 15 December on 29 November. I guess it's different this year because of the remote interviews though.

He got reallocated from a large to a small college. At the time he wasn't 100% happy about it but when he visited the small college he fell in love with it. After four weeks there he's very happy with his college. The larger and more famous college doesn't seem to be providing as good an experience as his.

That's good to hear, Sandybayley . DS has applied to a popular college so there's every chance he could be reallocated (if he manages to make it that far).

Great news @Baaaahhhhh. Also interesting to hear that colleges are aware of the dearth of essays.

Thanks @NiamCinnOir. Bated breath.

I ventured into TSR yesterday, and saw that a lot of state school students have access to interview training this year. Have any of your DC's got a slot? Looks like you had to book in advance, so too late now, but a good indicator of extra assistance available.

DD has a practice interview today with a parent volunteer, so that is nice to have too. They are doing it over zoom, to replicate the experience as much as possible. It will be interesting to hear how she gets on.

@Baaaahhhhh I saw that too on TSR and it was news to me. We have been quite hands on with DS's application so I'm surprised that we never spotted these workshops or we would have applied. I do wonder if they are aimed at state school students who have previously done some kind of outreach programme with Oxbridge already?? Others on TSR seemed equally unaware of them. Tbh I can't believe that they give out any more tips than you might find elsewhere online anyway??

No help forthcoming at dd’s school.

Surely they should spread the word far and wide otherwise it becomes another “leg up” to some in-the-know people.

@Baaaahhhhh I missed that too and like to think that I'm quite on the ball with all this. There is plenty of stuff out there already online though. Dr Matt at Jesus College has some great videos on YouTube.

I don’t know whether I ought to broach it with dd that her chances are slim . With a 15% increase in candidates and people having this secret help the odds are worse than usual.

I don't now how others found out, but I suspect as kit says, it was probably linked to the outreach DC's.

It's hardly 'secret help'. This was introduced last year and a large number of state school students in (this is shorthand) 'flagged' areas were offered the chance of going for a day of interview practice (not 'training'!) in Oxford. That seems absolutely fair, given how little really helpful help has been provided by state schools to their students in recent years, especially compared to top independents. It's pretty depressing to hear that people grudge state school applicants from the postcodes least likely to apply this small bit of help.

IrmaFayLear Don't mention it to her. I think they have already had so much to deal with this year, and just to go through the process shows great amounts of drive and resilience. From your previous posts, your DS went through similar, and re-applied, and got in, so I am sure you are a great mum support when needed. Keep up the good work.

Sorry to complain, but it’s those in the middle that miss out. We are not in a deprived area, but there is not one iota of useful help from the school. The school trumpets their high moving to HE percentage, but that is nearly all to the local university, a former HE college or a former polytechnic not far away.

I daren’t look at TSR now!

But your DD has a clearly very articulate mother and a DS who's been through the process twice, so can give lots of help - esp since both siblings are on the humanities side.

Thanks, Baaaahhhhh ! Ds was lucky second time around. I’ve told dd that she can always have another go.

Yes, goodbyestranger, I’m not sure I’m very articulate, but I do offer years of experience gleaned from years of sitting hunched over the student room and Mumsnet !!

Double “years” - definite proof I’m not articulate !

Also Irma, your DS has not only been through the process (and encountered er.... a range of interview styles :)) but on top of that he's just emerged with a first, so he knows exactly what they're after. Your DD couldn't have a better resource.

Yep, he certainly did. Only yesterday I remembered the “nailed it!” guy. For those not here a few years ago, ds was waiting to go into his interview, and the door opened and the interviewee emerged, punched the air and declared, “Nailed it!” Ds, a quivering wreck, definitely did not nail it, especially after hearing that.

My ds goes to a state school, but it's considered a top performing school, with a high percentage going to "good" universities and usually handful to Oxbridge. Many parents hire tutors to help with interviews and revision. Lots of the children had interview training, which was basically put on by a parent, so not highly organised but good for anxious children like my ds. It's hardly a "leg up"

There’s a difference between a leg up from a helpful parent or even a tutor, and interview practice provided by actual current Oxbridge interviewers.

Hi - another thread already... Glad to read the entrance exams are behind most people now.

In terms of a mock interview, DS’ school pair with another local school to do mock interviews, so that they’re not interviewed by a teacher they know. He has one next week.

As for information gleaned from TSR - how? I can’t make head or tail of that site (mind you, I’m the same with Instagram).