Oxbridge Interviewees for 2021 Entry - The Journey Continues - Thread 5

[Baaaahhhhh]

New Thread from old one:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4088426-Oxbridge-Aspirants-2021-New-Thread-4

Obviously, it's a lot tougher for some subjects than others. In some subjects, you have a 50% chance.

DD is applying to do a subject with a lower acceptance rate than most. It doesn't compare with Tsinghua, admittedly, but it's still a long shot.
Not too long to wait now. She hasn't told anyone outside these four walls and need-to-knows at school about it, so currently we have Granny fretting about how far it is to Durham.

The Office for Students has banned unconditional offers for this cycle. So that won’t be happening.

@NewIdeasToday

The Office for Students has banned unconditional offers for this cycle. So that won’t be happening.

I think that is only unconditional offers which depend on you firming them. Regular unconditional offers are still allowed.

www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/press-and-media/regulator-bans-controversial-conditional-unconditional-offers-during-pandemic/

The days and weeks seem to be going by very slowly during this long and painful wait for Oxford outcomes. Yet Sarah Beeny's TV show each Tuesday (New Life In The Country) seems to come around really quickly. I don't get it!!!

14 more sleeps.....

Oh Gawd. And so it begins. Y13s return to school delayed by a week (for now).

Even longer wait for Cambridge too (25th Jan)

Yes, the wait seems soooo long. Really want to know one way or the other so DS can get on with plans.

The wait for Cambridge decision seems so so far away. Dd has given up hope tbh (she feels she mucked up the interviews) and is concentrating on other offers and has been weighing up and researching these offer cities/modules/colleges further. Assuming she won’t be successful and working out which uni to firm/ insure in the event has provided some relief for her. It really was quite stressful wasn’t it?!

DD wants to know the outcome of her Oxford interview so she can move on. 2 of her best friends felt their interviews went well - the chances of all 3 of them getting offers are remote. Rightly or wrongly, we continue to assume she won't be getting an offer on the 12th.

We had an email setting out the testing regime at school. It is dependent on actually receiving the tests, but DD booked in for first test on Tuesday 😮, presumed start date Wednesday, second test Friday. Everyone else tested across the week and over the weekend into the second week.

@Jano69

DD wants to know the outcome of her Oxford interview so she can move on. 2 of her best friends felt their interviews went well - the chances of all 3 of them getting offers are remote. Rightly or wrongly, we continue to assume she won't be getting an offer on the 12th.

Being able to move on will be really helpful. With so many other uncertancies, to at least know this, will do a lot to ease anxiety for the future.

That's exactly it @BigWoollyJumpers and @Jano69 - some certainty (heck anything) at this time would be very welcome. And I know what you mean about managing expectations, but I still can't stop myself from fervently hoping for good news.

It's going to be a long wait - if DD doesn't get an Oxford offer, then her second preference would be Edinburgh, who tend to offer really late. Third choice Warwick who we also haven't heard from yet.
Oxford interview went much better at second college than at first choice college, not sure if that will be enough to get an offer at either.
Insurance choice is York, and she is happy with their offer, but still a long wait before any certainty.

I wonder if anyone has planned what to say to their dc if they don’t get in?

Dd has set her heart on a place and, although she felt down after her interviews, is keeping her fingers crossed. A cheerful “Never mind!” is just not going to cut it...

DD has set the tone for that.

Her view is that anyone selected for interview is 'academically good enough to get in', so if unsuccessful at interview, it is that she is not a good fit for them, which means they are not a good fit for her.

I find her approach admirable.

I’m not so sure dd possesses such an admirable approach !

@IrmaFayLear I chatted to the Oxford graduate who did DD's practice interview. She mentioned her best friend who was absolutely gutted not to get into Oxford at the time and who felt like it was the end of the world for her. She ended up studying law at Durham and eventually got a prized job at a top law firm in London. This girl ultimately got the job she was aiming for, it just wasn't the route she hoped to take, but the end goal was the same. Maybe something to keep in mind if news isn't what they are hoping for. Although for my DD that would presume she has any idea of what she might like to do as a career 😆.

@cantkeepawayforever - DS has been saying exactly the same, but I know that behind this he will still be very disappointed. An offer from UCL would go a long way towards helping him to get over it.

pourmeanotherglass what is your DD's subject?

Hi everyone. Hope you all had a good Xmas. Seems like a long wait ahead. We did go on a wander around the LSE campus and UCL (they wouldn’t let us through the gates), though it did look very beautiful with the tree and lights. My youngest one said, “Is this the government?” DS said, “no it’s a university I got into.” So that was promising and I’m really trying to big up UCL. I hadn’t realised how large and tucked away the campus is there. He’s still waiting on LSE. Last year, they made quite a few pre-Xmas offers, but nothing yet as far as we can tell. Also, waiting on Durham, but he’s less keen as the weeks pass. Not sure if he would go for LSE or UCL if that was the choice. But he would be over the moon with an LSE offer.

DS is still waiting to hear back from UCL @quest1on - can you remind me which course your DS applied to?

Don’t worry at all Laundry because he had loads of friends who have applied there and some have heard for certain subjects and some not. It’s subject by subject. PMd you as I’m paranoid there’s people from his school or teachers on here! Sorry to be weird.

Also what actually happens on 25th Jan? Do they get emails either way? Does anyone know? This is potentially hideous as he’ll be at school. Do results filter through all day or do they get them say, at 9am? Or is it a letter?

Thanks @quest1on - it’s easy to get over -anxious!