Oxford Cambridge 2021 Thread 6

[Chocomel]

Hopefully this is in the right place?

Ha ha @IrmaFayLear LOVE your caveat there!

Commiserations to those of you whose children haven't had good news today.
The last few years, dd's school has had over 20 O and C offers. We haven't heard yet but dd only knows 3 who have had offers (as they're not at school it will take longer for the news to filter through) and 2 of them were pooled. Another friend's daughter is at a school which gets an average of 0-1 offer a year and has 4 this year.
DD has not yet heard what her conditions are. We were assuming they won't be different from normal (A* A A) but it looks as though that might be a risky assumption.

Congratulations to all those with Cambridge offers and hugs to all those without! DD was rejected from Oxford two weeks ago and is already feeling so much better (honestly, at the time, she was absolutely crushed) so it definitely gets better! It definitely won’t feel like it now but I think it’s a really painful but character-building experience.
DD got full marks in both the mock exam papers she did the day after her rejection so I definitely think it can act as a sort of motivator - DD is now absolutely determined to ‘prove Oxford wrong’ and so is working even harder than she was before. Obviously that’s a difficult thing to think about when you’ve just experienced such a horrible thing but I really hope all your children are able to bounce back soon. There are so many fantastic universities out there that will be lucky to have our children .

NRTFT. Congratulations to those with DC getting offers and commiserations to those being redirected. As a parent, I have been in both camps; the offer one means more stress until results day, the redirection means look carefully and re-focus. In both my DDs' cases, things have worked out really well.

I am chuffed to bits because a kid I teach 1-1 got an offer for NatSci today. It was not at their chosen college but at somewhere with a great science reputation. This kid has the odds stacked against them, but works really hard, is absolutely lovely and I'm delighted for them.

As a teacher, lots of our amazing students have not received Oxbridge offers. I doubt it is because they are poor interviewees or students. Sadly, this cohort is paying the price for the government's monumental cock-up last summer. Oxbridge colleges were put in an impossible position as they had to honouring their offers, meaning quite a lot ended up deferring. This means that this year's cohort had fewer places available.

As parents, please try not to worry. If your DC are anything like mine, it will act as an incentive for them to do their very best. Yes, it's like a kick in the guts but they will bounce back.

@Malbecfan That is not quite correct. There are a similar number of deferrals as in any year. The difference is last year Oxbridge had to find extra places for people meeting offers when in a regular year acertain amount would have missed offers and indeed did one moderation. However once it switched back to CAGs more met the offers. This lead to post grads being asked to find private accommodation in order to house new undergrads. This year (as they already know that TAGs will be used rather than exam results) they are making fewer offers but for a similar number of actual places.

They obviously don't know which are the ones that may have missed grades because as usual they are faced with 1000s of very good candidates on paper. Indeed there were more than usual applications looking for those fewer offers. But places are roughly the same.

• a certain *on moderation

Congratulations to the dc who received offers from C today and hugs (extremely unmumsnetty) to those who were redirected. Applying to Oxbridge is an extremely brutal process, regardless of the outcome. Naively, I had no idea just how brutal it would be and how it can consume your thoughts, even when you try very hard not to let it.

Absolutely @NiamCinnOir it is brutal and all consuming, I really had no idea what we were letting ourselves in for.

DS was selected for a Low Participation Neighbourhood summer school after GCSEs , he's just told me of the group that he was with, all high achievers academically etc, only one of the ten of them got a place.

Hello, I have been following this thread on and off, but never posted. Congratulations to all the DC's who got an Oxbridge place.

Sadly my DD didn't get a place at Cambridge. Strangely she only had 1 interview and they didn't ask her anything about her personal statement, just really obscure questions, about things she had never studied before. She was put in the winter pool by Clare, but nobody wanted her (which is doubly gutting for her). Her school are extremely shocked and want her to reapply next year. She has an offer from Durham back in November/December and various conservatories, but really wanted Cambridge.
It's so hard to know what to say or what to suggest next.

@goldenlilies that's exactly how we feel, I know as other posters have said time will heal but it is a blow. We are really looking at the other unis now to make sure we make the right choice.

@par05 same here, I hope restrictions will be lifted so that we can visit some of DS's other choices and get him excited about them.

For those with DC who have offers from colleges other than the one they applied to, reading up on them (and YouTube watching) can be great. Two weeks on from Oxford offer day DS was telling me today that he reckons the college he has been offered is probably the best fit for him he could have hoped for.

@goldenlilliesdaffodillies DS only had one interview as did his school friends. I thought that was the norm this year?

Interestingly he said the same about his personal statement! He didn't get asked about it at all.

Most of the people at DD's school, all had 2 interviews (for other colleges) and were given the opportunity to discuss their personal statement.

@par05 I wouldn't let go on the Cambridge dream completely for your DC. Apply for the adjustment consideration- and carry on and look at other Unis etc. You never know, she may yet end up in Cambridge come August

@goldenlilliesdaffodillies not only was my DC asked a lot about his submitted written work, he was even asked if he has any questions for them - why would they bother if he wasn't even in the running?

So I honestly don't think it's a factor. I think each college interviews differently - his one had one source interview (History) and one personal statement interview

@goldenlilliesdaffodillies

Most of the people at DD's school, all had 2 interviews (for other colleges) and were given the opportunity to discuss their personal statement.

The number of interviews differ by college and by course (in particular at Cambridge). Some even have additional tests whereas others do not.

@pumpkintopf same here, hoping restrictions will ease a bit so we can visit.

@chopc at first she was didn't want to do adjustment consideration, but as day has gone on has changed her mind a little bit.. definitely think its worth a go.

My sis in law suggested to write down all the unis that dd is thinking off now, and list pros and cons, so that it's easier to see and help make a decision, just wanted to share that idea.

That's a great idea @par05 , love a pros and cons list - and IME even if the pros are heavier for one than the other, if it then feels 'wrong' it helps you tune in to your gut.

Funnily enough Dd made a list this evening of pros and cons of her other offers. Comparing course modules (compulsory and module) was really useful. We also researched train times to home/ other cities as well as extra curricular opportunities, accommodation etc. It certainly helped to make things a little clearer.
I hope everyone who was redirected feels a little better tomorrow .
I would really like to continue chatting about redirection options / offers but I’m not sure this is the place anymore? Perhaps we could start a new thread? What does everyone think?

I think that's a great idea! This thread has been a lifeline but equally it's a shame for the MN's of DC with offers to hold their excitement in order to be sensitive.

I don't know how to start one though

Will you put a link on here please, once it’s been started

@Beetlesand that's a great idea, feels like something positive and useful to be doing. I'd love to be planning a weekend trip to Bristol right now but in the absence of that possibility- a list will do nicely!!

Yes please to a new thread @Beetlesand @chopc @WarmAndco3y - you have all been absolutely invaluable companions throughout this bloody torturous ordeal and I would love us to keep chatting- but I completely agree we should up sticks and allow those whose dcs have offers to enjoy all the discussions they should be having and the excitement of planning for Oxbridge without having to worry about our feelings.

On that note though this thread has been amazing- thoughtful and sensitive throughout- and I've been so grateful for it. It has been an absolute lifeline today and made me feel better on a day which was mostly spent feeling like I'd been punched in the stomach. Thank you all