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

Vargas he’s had a great first term despite the restrictions. He’s had face to face supervisions every week and has really enjoyed them. Lectures are online but I don’t think that’s been a problem - in fact it’s given him flexibility as to when he does them. He’s met a great group of people both in his household and outside of that, taken up a new sport (although it did stop during lockdown) and his college have really made the effort - a matriculation dinner plus a formal and even a Christmas dinner plus lots of other things in a smaller, day to day level. So all in all he’s been very fortunate - he was meant to be on a year out having applied with grades in hand in 2019 and so he’s just relieved and grateful that he’s been able to go - despite the restrictions.

Good luck to all DCs - I dip in from time to time to read how things are going, it’s a bit of a long haul and remember it well.

I have been lurking on these threads for several years, as DS has been planning his Oxbridge application for a long time. He has an interview for HSPS next week, so I thought it was about time to join you all properly.

Welcome @AndIAmTellingYou, fingers crossed for next week.

Thank you @321zyx

Welcome @AndIAmTellingYou We love it when lurkers join in!

This is a weird one.... both DD and another girl in her Chemistry class have interviews for Earth Sciences next week, different colleges. It's a small course full stop so now DD is convinced that only one of them could get an offer as they won't make two offers to the same school.

Can there be any truth in that?

@whiteroseredrose I think last year there were three successful applicants for one subject from my DC school

Portuscale - sounds like Cambridge is really looking after their students, great to hear.

Good grief, this thread moves fast!

Thank you for the warm welcome - I'm sorry I'm not name checking you personally

DS1 has applied for engineering and was allocated a college via the pool.
We are in Scotland so the whole English system is a bit less familiar to us all; we're fast learners though.
He's attending a state school and has a freaky ability for maths combined with quite a creative mind; that in combination with him wanting to do something practical rather than pure academia made him chose engineering.

The mock interviews posted on YouTube look so calm and friendly while of course asking tough questions - how realistic are they though, I wonder? Anybody know??

His interview will take place at his school (he was not advised of any other option). He is strangely calm while I'm really really excited on his behalf

Congratulations on all the interviews. Hopefully all those redirected are happy with their other options.

I read TSR last night and am a bit overwhelmed. I think here is a bit more suitable for me.

@whiteroseredrose. I don’t think that there is the slightest risk of and subject insisting on only taking one from any given school at a university level. General wisdom is that it is best avoided although someone usually pops up with an example of it having been successful.

@PortusCale, that’s lovely and reassuring. Sounds like your DS has made the right choice for him.
Welcome @AndIAmTellingYou... yes this is a fast, but comfortable thread .

Congratulations to those who have received more good news. It’s all the best to everyone who has interviews.

Are we pretty much there with this stage? Congratulations to every interview offer holder, and commiserations to the redirected. At least this year the other unis seem to be unusually quick with their offers rollout, even Durham and UCL!

I'm a bit confuddled!!

DS1 only has one interview (for History at a smallish mainstream college). Other history applicants seem to be having two. Is this a college specific thing or because he's a re-applicant?

I think some folks are still waiting as some colleges are definitely still in the process of still sending out invites/yet to do so for some subjects.

DahliaMacNamara , goodbyestranger and kitnkaboodle spring to mind.

Oh and chopc

Is your ds applying only for history, @MidLifeCrisis007? Joint honours applicants will have two interviews, one for each subject. Some candidates will be interviewed by more than one college too.

Still waiting here, as SATSmadness says. There's only a handful of Not yets on the list I'm not at all obsessively checking.

I've read about others applying for single honours history talking about a source based interview, and a second interview focussing on submitted work, personal statement etc.

Oh crikey.

DD has three interviews... and tonsils like golfballs.

Wish us luck with getting anything done about that by Monday!

@FlyingSquid

There's a sort of local anaesthetic type throat spray that you could try. Might that help ?

Is this for single Hons History, @MidlifeCrisis007 ? I think it can be one or two depending on college, if they have a source to look at that might form part of an interview, or be discussed separately with the other interview based on ps, submitted work etc. D1 (History joint) only had one short interview for history (based on her submitted work) and I think two for her other subject, one on a source with ten minutes to look at it beforehand.

Good thinking, SATSmadness (I was still pondering antibiotics, GP appointments and whether she'd need a Covid test rather than how best to croak her way through an interview).

She usually resists anaesthetic-type treatments because she's a singer and you need to know if it hurts, but these are not normal times.

I suppose being ill with Covid could get her a postponement but presumably she'd have to show evidence of positive test results.

Rotten luck but at least there's a couple of days for it to improve hopefully.

If it is bacterial tonsillitis, if she starts treatment today there is every chance she will be better by Monday. If pain is very bad you can request one or two doses of steroids for the pain. The diflam spray or mouthwash is a good alternative as well.

Anyway talk to your GP and explain the circumstances- hopefully they will do their best to help

@MidLifeCrisis007 My daughter is an interview helper this year at a small central college. She mentioned that for History this year there was going to be one 40 minute interview instead of 2 x 30 minutes. She also said there was no source.