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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Oxbridge Aspirants 2021-New Thread 4

984 replies

Baaaahhhhh · 24/11/2020 10:11

And we are off:

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

OP posts:
Original poster
Baaaahhhhh · 05/12/2020 09:25

Morning all.

DD received her slot for interview next week with lots of info, who is interviewing her, and the format. Looks like they have really simplified down to a chat. No sources to look at, no extra papers, just a good long discussion. She is nervous, but also quite excited. It's first thing in the morning, so that's also good, no hanging about getting anxious.

OP posts:
LaundryFairy · 05/12/2020 09:31

Same here Baaaahhhh except DS is in the middle of the day so we have told him he can take the day off school so he doesn't have to worry about rushing home for it. Hope your DD enjoys her interview - DS is very nervous-excited!

ChimneyPot · 05/12/2020 10:03

DD has her 2 interview slots for next week but no details of the interviewers.
She will take the two days off school and more if she has interviews with other colleges.
I think she is looking forward to them but is nervous.
A mumsnetters DC who is doing the course that DD is interviewing for has been really helpful. She sent her long emails about the interviews which has demystified them a bit.

IrmaFayLear · 05/12/2020 10:20

Dd had a mock interview at school with a former Oxbridge student from the school.. First question was, “Do you think A Levels should be cancelled?” And next question, “Is it wrong to make the vaccine compulsory?”

Dd was mighty confused, especially when the interviewer went on to say they hadn’t read anything on DD’s personal statement so couldn’t ask anything about that.

I said it wasn’t a complete waste of time as it was practice in being thrown very odd questions you weren’t expecting!

sandybayley · 05/12/2020 10:23

@IrmaFayLear remind me what subject your DD is going for?

goodbyestranger · 05/12/2020 10:39

It's getting towards the complete-waste-of-time zone though Irma, given her subject....

IrmaFayLear · 05/12/2020 10:53

English. If it had been Philosophy, fair enough.

True, it is the 11th hour... Shock. Not that I’m breathing a word, but I think it’s going to be a tough year.

whiteroseredrose · 05/12/2020 10:56

DD has her interview times too. Monday and Wednesday both at 10.30. Apparently they're only going to be half an hour each which seems very short.

My next challenge is to see if the builders next door will stop the banging and drilling for a short while.

IrmaFayLear · 05/12/2020 11:02

Dd alarmed about Amazon deliverers etc banging at the door - or window! - which is next to the study. She had previously ordered us all out of the house, but has now asked dh to station himself in the hall - but with ear plugs in so he can’t hear her.

She was quite calm, but is now slightly panicking and imagining all sorts of disastrous scenarios !

Original poster
Baaaahhhhh · 05/12/2020 11:46

Interesting everyone else is doing their interviews at home. No particular reason for DD not to do them at home, but at school DD will get a quiet room to herself, and the support of IT if needed. They have 5 interviewees at school, 1 Oxford and 4 Cambridge, and they are all doing them there.

OP posts:
IrmaFayLear · 05/12/2020 12:04

DD’s school decreed everyone must interview at home unless they really had no tech. Too many interviewees to accommodate, apparently - the thing is everyone will need their own room plus tech support and of course many have two interviews (and maybe a subsequent one) so it is a bit of a logistical problem.

BilberryBaggins · 05/12/2020 12:22

Dd's school have said they can't accommodate interviews in school, but I think will be better at home anyway.

Original poster
Baaaahhhhh · 05/12/2020 12:52

IrmaFayLear Of course, I didn't think about numbers, as a small 6th form, and few applicants, it is obviously easier for our school.

OP posts:
DahliaMacNamara · 05/12/2020 13:27

Only a handful of applicants at DD's school, and some are out already, so I don't think there's an issue doing them there, isolation etc excepted. Though whether DD will be one of them remains to be seen. Monday is the deadline for the promised week's notice. There are four other subjects still not allocated. Argh.

cantkeepawayforever · 05/12/2020 13:28

DD is doing hers at home - luckily, as year group is self-isolating....

cologne4711 · 05/12/2020 13:49

DS isn't applying to Oxbridge but I have been lurking on this thread for a while to see what you've been saying about other unis as early applicants.

In terms of whether unis are being more flexible this year we don't really know. For DS' course, Hull say 112 UCAS points and that's what they've offered him. Glasgow said AAB-BBB and they've offered him ABB, so in the middle of that range.

York is an interesting one. They say on their website AAA for ds' course. They've offered him AAB but for a different related course.

He is waiting to hear from his other two choices.

Tenpastseven · 05/12/2020 13:54

Goodness @DahliaMacNamara. Are you still waiting to hear? What an ordeal!

WarmAndco3y · 05/12/2020 14:27

DS’s school have also asked everyone to do their interviews at home, unless there is a reason they can’t. They will happily oblige

Chilldonaldchill · 05/12/2020 17:47

Dd's school have also asked them to interview from home. She was initially disappointed but is feeling ok now about it (as long as we all leave the house!)
All the best to everyone's DC's over the next few weeks.

Beetlesand · 05/12/2020 18:33

Dd is doing her interviews at school. Hers are one after the other . 2nd interview is 40 mins after the first. We are now fretting about the first one over running!

Jalfrezi · 05/12/2020 19:05

DD wants to do her interviews from school as she feels it will be a more formal environment and put her in the right frame of mind. Pretty sure she doesn't want us eavesdropping too 😆. School are happy to accommodate if possible. But we are still waiting for day and times from her college which is frustrating as the school need notice to check if there are quiet rooms available as they have a fair number of successful candidates with interviews this year. Hoping to hear on Monday 🤞

NiamCinnOir · 05/12/2020 19:30

@Jalfrezi - ask your dd to double-check her spam mail folder. DD thought she hadn't received any interview invitation emails, but they were in her junk mail, and only discovered after she had emailed her college to say that she hadn't received them. Good luck to all the interview candidates next week. I think it will be an intense few days for them all.

Jalfrezi · 05/12/2020 20:30

@NiamCinnOir Thanks for the heads up. Will ask her to check

Chilldonaldchill · 05/12/2020 21:34

@Beetlesand

Dd is doing her interviews at school. Hers are one after the other . 2nd interview is 40 mins after the first. We are now fretting about the first one over running!
Dd's are supposedly 30 minutes long each and 30 minutes apart! I thought she was the only one with them so close. I assume they'll know that they are back to back.
Pythonesque · 06/12/2020 04:44

Good luck to all DC with interviews in the coming week.

DD has hers Monday and Tuesday, doing them at school, sounds on track preparation wise I think / hope!
But if she gets a second interview at another college it will be the following week, at home, and we'll be juggling with DH doing interviews from home for a different subject. I'm pretty sure I'll be making myself scarce if that happens!