Oxbridge Aspirants 2021-New Thread 4

[Baaaahhhhh]

And we are off:

Thread 3 link: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4070531-Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-3

But to tell the other uni to shift without knowing if there will be a clash seems a bit off?

Milly your DD will get her BMAT results early on Friday after which she'll be able to work out with a high degree of accuracy whether or not she'll get an Oxford invite. After that, she can contact the other uni and confirm or ask for a shift of dates/ times.

It’s really lovely checking in and reading the updates, it’s such a gruelling process and dc have all worked really hard for this , whilst thrilled for everyone it’s hard not to start overthinking!

Congratulations to your DD @par05 @Millylovespuddles my DS has Manchester interview on one of the days Cambridge have said interviews will be. He has until 28th to confirm, so is holding fire right now, but will rearrange Manchester if he is lucky enough to get Cambridge interview. He said their email said to contact them if need to rearrange, so assume it will not be an issue.

Congratulations @par05, well done to your DD
Interesting, as of yesterday, no Oxford candidate had heard back in my DS school.
1 rejection from Cambridge and 2 invitations to interviews.
I expect more and more will start to come through now

DD's chosen college haven't invited any candidates to interview so far, so I can stop imagining her waving rejection/invitation emails at me every time she comes out of her room. For the moment.

I suppose this will be the last Oxbridge thread some of us post on. I hope all our DC end up somewhere they can be happy, whatever their ultimate destination.

@par05 congrats on the interview.

Oh goodness @DahliaMacNamara that made my heart drop a bit. I really hope we can continue chatting about the whole application process whether it be for Oxbridge or our DC's other choices, and on this thread or the other broader threads.

DS has told me that contrary to what we had believed till now, apparently school DO try to arrange mock interviews where possible so he's going to speak to his form tutor today to see what can be done.

I suppose this will be the last Oxbridge thread some of us post on

Noooooo, as Tenpastseven says, please everyone keep in touch, whatever the outcome. Jump over to the general uni 2021 thread, I think many of us are on there already, it will be lovely to see how all our DC's get on and where they all end up. We can then exchange tips on our DC's alternate choices.

For those waiting for Oxford - do the rejections go out at the same time as the interview invites?

I hadn't thought of that... I've been so focused on awaiting interview news - good or bad - that I forgot about having to bow out gracefully...

Mind you, when ds was applying, never mind him, I got completely invested in another applicant's journey on the student room, such that when they finally got in after much pooling activity etc I had a lump in my throat

De-lurking here to say DS just had an interview invite from Oxford for Chemistry. Keeble college. I actually feel sick!! It was a last minute decision to apply as he gets overwhelmed by pressure we weren't sure he could take it. But I think as it was a last minute thing he feels it was worth a shot and nothing lost if he doesn't get in.

Congratulations par05 and DD!

Might anyone know - is it a good idea, once you have the names of the interviewers, to Google them to see their specialisms? How common is it for interviewers to bring their own interests into interview discussions?

Oiseau - welcome and congratulations!

Sorry, to clarify my point above, if your DC applying for History has never covered say, the Renaissance, but finds out the interviewers both have published volumes and all sorts on this era - is there a call for low-key panic?

There's no need whatsoever for even the slightest scintilla of panic quest1on.

Well, that would be mean, wouldn't it?! I think interviewers are experts on many things so can converse with (grill) an applicant about any aspect of the subject. Actually it might be worse to encounter a particular expert in your area of, say, History. They might be holding your essay between thumb and forefinger shuddering that you had the Renaissance completely wrong !!

@quest1on

Oiseau - welcome and congratulations!

Sorry, to clarify my point above, if your DC applying for History has never covered say, the Renaissance, but finds out the interviewers both have published volumes and all sorts on this era - is there a call for low-key panic?

I don't think so, because they should be focusing on the candidates interests and research.

DD is hoping that one of the interviewers will be a tutor she spotted at her choice of college who has written books on her particular area of interest. Could go both ways. Great that she might have someone with in depth knowledge, terrible if it shows up her lack of insight!!

quest1on my History DC have only had mention made of an interviewing tutor's specific interest if it happens to coincide with an interest mentioned in the personal statement (assuming the text given isn't on that subject. If it is, still no problem - they're not looking for knowledge about the period or place but observations on things derived from the text itself. These are generally incredibly obscure eg fishing rights in 12th century Norway).

Thanks goodbye and Irma. DS has 2 interviews and in both cases, they’re all experts in an area about as diametrically-opposed to DS’ current focus and the essays he submitted as it’s possible to be. Not saying it’s an area he wouldn’t be interested in... he just hasn’t got there as yet.

Thanks for the new thread @Baaaahhhhh congrats to those securing interviews! Getting a little anxious now.

In my interview for modern languages I hadn't looked up the tutors' specialisms, so blabbered away talking a fair amount of rubbish about what turned out to be her area of expertise. She still let me in, so make of that what you will 🤷‍♀️

I would say that it's better to know nothing about the tutors' specialisms.

Low-key panic...
This made me laugh @quest1on

@Bakedpotatoandgin that’s interesting to know. Was that Cambridge or Oxford ( not that it makes a difference)

I have to keep it low-key WarmAndco3y or I’d lose the plot in this house.

Also have another one in GCSE year who is a whole other kettle of fish. And two other younger ones, plus DS’ GF waiting on Oxbridge medicine.

Thanks for the reassurance about specialisms - very helpful.