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

Cross post! The only thing I would say is that colleges do their own thing with History, but it could also be that the faculty has decided that sources with an online format has the potential for problems.

www.pem.cam.ac.uk/college/news/pembroke-admissions-statement-offers-without-interview

Oh your poor dd @FlyingSquid hope she recovers soon.

What does everyone think about the news today about A Levels? Apparently they are going to be marked more generously and students will be told the topics in the papers.

Still doesn't level the playing field though does it? In trying to help the disadvantaged, they have also helped the non-disadvantaged ie those who have not missed school or if they have, their school has provided full online learning.

Thanks for the advice and good wishes! She's gone to bed and doesn't want me to ring the GP on her behalf just yet, so I'll have to see how she is tomorrow.

She has form for being ill just before exams, concerts and music auditions. Is 'stress-induced throat' a thing, do you think?

@Ginfizzlife - thanks for that, so helpful. @MidLifeCrisis007 I was puzzled too, as I had been expecting my history applicant to have two interviews, but he too only has one, so it all ties up with Gin's info

Goodness @chopc!

@chopc - so, reading that, it looks like offers without interview would be possible only for candidates with A Level grades in hand ?

"In this exceptional year, where everybody is under unprecedented pressure, the College decided that, in a small number of cases, where applicants' paper applications, coupled with previous exam and, where applicable, test results, were quite outstanding, it was unnecessary to call them for interview. The strength of their applications was such that we were certain we should be making them an offer without needing the additional information that interviews can provide.

Are you still waiting to hear ?

@bendmeoverbackwards

What does everyone think about the news today about A Levels? Apparently they are going to be marked more generously and students will be told the topics in the papers.

Still doesn't level the playing field though does it? In trying to help the disadvantaged, they have also helped the non-disadvantaged ie those who have not missed school or if they have, their school has provided full online learning.

I am utterly baffled.

I posted on the general thread my confusion about the call for universities to make lower offers this year because of all the problems (as B'ham has indeed gone for) - what is the point? Surely the number of, say, A grades given out will be just the same as in 2019 (adjusted for SATS etc etc as usual), so if everyone does less well, they will just get an A with a lower score. As a consequence, if the tariffs are cut, then surely the universities have to make fewer offers.

Now that point applies just as much, but now by moving the grade distribution to the 2020 shape, the government has just baked-in last year's CAG problem, surely. Am I missing something? Presumably the universities have been making offers assuming a 2019 split of grades and suddenly they now are facing the 2020 ones. So they will have to make fewer offers, part of the way through the process.

And yes, I don't see how it helps the playing field that much, expect possibly at the very top where those who have actually covered all the work lose the benefit of having done that work (whether under their own steam or just as a lucky outcome of better school provision/fewer isolations etc).

And this "tell them what topics will come up" idea has a bit of smell of being proposed without fully understanding how all subject work. For some I suspect this could be straight forward - we will test on rivers and coasts - but for others I doubt it is quite so straightforward to signpost/chisel bits out.

And I realise this is probably a "take out your onions" point, but I expect that some or all of the more exotic board choices (international A levels and Pre-U) won't make changes to content or grade boundaries, which is a bit of a bore for pupils at schools who, somewhat inexplicably, have chosen any of those.

Well, you did ask! Sorry about the length

[quote chopc]www.pem.cam.ac.uk/college/news/pembroke-admissions-statement-offers-without-interview[/quote]
Gosh. That's startling.

Revenge, it reads however as if it is just for applicants with grades in hand.

[quote Ginfizzlife]@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.[/quote]
Thank you for this @Ginfizzlife. Very useful intel!

Sounds like your DD could be at the college DS1 is applying to.... a "small central college"!

@FlyingSquid

Thanks for the advice and good wishes! She's gone to bed and doesn't want me to ring the GP on her behalf just yet, so I'll have to see how she is tomorrow.

She has form for being ill just before exams, concerts and music auditions. Is 'stress-induced throat' a thing, do you think?

Yes, I think "stress induced throat" is definitely a thing! DD had it - she'd get kissing tonsils (when they are so big they touch) repeatedly in the run up to exams as well as when tired and run down. We were in A&E on Christmas Day last year she was in such a bad way. She had her tonsils and adenoids out on February 14th this year and thankfully has been fine ever since. It was 6 months before she could play the oboe properly again though as she was leaking air out of her nose when blowing.

University admissions departments must be WTAFing all over the shop with that A level announcement. I'll keep my thoughts on the matter to the relevant thread, but perhaps we on this thread should be grateful that our DC were first in the queue for offers, whatever the outcome of their Oxbridge applications.

@bendmeoverbackwards

What does everyone think about the news today about A Levels? Apparently they are going to be marked more generously and students will be told the topics in the papers.

Still doesn't level the playing field though does it? In trying to help the disadvantaged, they have also helped the non-disadvantaged ie those who have not missed school or if they have, their school has provided full online learning.

*Now that point applies just as much, but now by moving the grade distribution to the 2020 shape, the government has just baked-in last year's CAG problem, surely. Am I missing something? Presumably the universities have been making offers assuming a 2019 split of grades and suddenly they now are facing the 2020 ones. So they will have to make fewer offers, part of the way through the process.

And yes, I don't see how it helps the playing field that much, expect possibly at the very top where those who have actually covered all the work lose the benefit of having done that work (whether under their own steam or just as a lucky outcome of better school provision/fewer isolations etc)*

I agree Revenge. I suppose I see the merit at GCSE's but less so at ALevel due to all of the above issues.

I know so many DC's (DD included as it happens), who have missed weeks and weeks due to illness, and well before Covid, who haven't and wouldn't get any special dispensation. They either catch up off their own back, or often they have to re-do L or U6.

The thing is, everyone, as we have seen in other threads, or TSR, or wherever, thinks they should be seen as a special case. How do you draw the line? At lunchtime, Northern MP's were saying their kids should be treated more leniently than Southern kids. Then you could go even further and say that city schools have fared worse than rural schools. Where does it end?

I agree the changes to AL won't level the playing field - but what will?

A-Level solution: in my very humble opinion, I think universities should allocate unconditional offers this year to avoid the potential summer nightmare that is brewing. Admissions teams have solid assessments in terms of GCSEs and standardised tests and will interview the majority of candidates.

Is this too simple to be considered?

I don’t think so @Millylovespuddles. It seems very sensible but when did that ever mean it would be considered.

It just feels like this years cohort are going to have to learn to expect the unexpected.

@FlyingSquid - what horrible timing. Hope she's better really quickly.

Can anyone clarify the situation re interviews? DS is slightly concerned that he's done something wrong (I'm not, given the last minute nature of this process!). He received an email on 30 Nov saying he'd been selected for interview (Ox) during period 08-11 Dec, he acknowledged receipt but has not yet received any interview date/time - is this the same for all?

@321zyx
My DS got an invitation today for an interview this Tuesday. Two working-days notice. I think short notice is common. Is there anyone you can email for reassurance?

DS also received invitation on the 30th and hasn't been given details yet. He was just saying this eve it would be nice to know!