Oxbridge 2021: another 6 months of fretting

[DahliaMacNamara]

Will they make the grades? How will grades be awarded anyway? What the hell are Cambridge up to with that nasty little clause?

Interesting opinion piece in Varsity last week about students wanting a reading week at Cambridge. I think it bears out that it depends very much on subject and the individual. A slightly longer term would be good I think. But then again, DD says that this term seems endless as they have extended the deadline for the 4th year project by two weeks “due to COVID”. She said 5th week blues turned into 7th week blues! Not helped by her not having been in Cambridge since December even though all her stuff is there and she’s doing a lab based course.
www.varsity.co.uk/opinion/20992

@DahliaMacNamara This is something my DD is really concerned about and is holding off making a decision on firming Oxford for this very reason. I imagine it's exacerbated by the fact that this U6th year has just been relentless and continues to be as the school try and get as many potential assessments into a portfolio of evidence as they still don't know for definite how/what they are allowed to include. The thought of such a stressful workload continuing for another 3 years is making her stop and think twice and maybe there is a better study balance at her other options.
Does anyone have any thoughts/experience they can share specifically for history? My hope is that she will love it and cope fine but she is definitely wavering and needing to think things through.

My older son is in his third year at Cambridge, doing Engineering. The last 12 months have obviously been a bit odd, but based on the previous 5 terms:

He's likely to get a 2:1, going by results so far. He doesn't think a First is worth the extra work that would be necessary. He's in two orchestras, has played for the G&S and a couple of other one-offs (as well as being awarded a recital slot in his second year - don't actually know whether he got to do that in the end), is an active member of the ringers and sings in the university's most prestigious and busiest chapel choir.

During term time he tends to eat in college because he doesn't have so much time for cooking

So I'd say that, although obviously expectations are high, there is plenty of time available.

(S1 doesn't like alcohol, though, so doesn't lose any time to hangovers.)

Well DS finally got an offer from Durham today.

It's a ridiculous length of time to wait and frankly has only re-enforced he doesn't want to go.

Feel lucky it wasn't his first/second choice - the waiting must have been awful for those who really wanted an offer from them.

Jalfrezi three of my DC read History at Oxford (different colleges so different tutors - tutors can make a difference) and did very well. It's completely manageable alongside a very good social and extra curricular life. My main advice would be that when your DD packs for Oxford she leaves any perfectionist tendencies she may have at home with you.

Hi @Jalfrezi - DS is going to be studying History too and has worried about being able to keep up. About a week ago he joined a study skills Q and A (organised by LMH with the Oxford Study Skills Centre) and he found it very, very helpful and reassuring. There is a lot in the session, from very practical tips on reading lists and taking notes in lectures to more motivational and psychological issues with study.

Here is the link to the recording - very highly recommended for all of the DC who are Oxbridge bound:

@goodbyestranger

Jalfrezi three of my DC read History at Oxford (different colleges so different tutors - tutors can make a difference) and did very well. It's completely manageable alongside a very good social and extra curricular life. My main advice would be that when your DD packs for Oxford she leaves any perfectionist tendencies she may have at home with you.

Very interesting that you mention perfectionism, as that is one of the issues tackled in the session! DS really appreciated the advice to remember that ‘you are not your work’

Congrats to your DS @DeRigueurMortis - still nice to have the offer, I’m sure.

LaundryFairy I meant it too. It's a curse.

Thanks Laundry yes it's nice (so he says) to get a "full set" of offers and in this year particularly he's in a very lucky position.

Well done @DeRigueurMortis DS1 - amazing to get a full set this year. Has he decided on his insurance yet?

@sandybayley

Well done *@DeRigueurMortis* DS1 - amazing to get a full set this year. Has he decided on his insurance yet?

Hi yes he's has.

He's really keen on Lancaster so that's going to be his insurance.

He rates the course and the location is really good fit for him in lots of ways. It rates really well in the league table for maths as well.

One thing to note is his Durham offer more variations!

All the other Uni offers are pretty straight forward but there's 3 different combinations of grades they'll accept at Durham.

He's doing 4 A Levels plus 2 STEP papers.

Cambridge was simple AAA (M/FM/P) plus grade 1 in both STEP papers. They don't care about Comp Sci.

Durham:

This offer is subject to you obtaining GCE A level Grades AAA including AA in Mathematics and Further Mathematics.

Alternative conditions GCE A level Grades AAA in Mathematics and Further Mathematics in any order and Grade 1 in STEP.

Alternative conditions GCE A level Grades AAB including AA in Mathematics and Further Mathematics and Grade 1 in STEP.

Is that normal for Durham to offer different combinations?

Couldn't agree more @GoodbyeStranger re: perfectionism. D1 struggling with this, and high work load. However, she's doing History joint and thinks doing straight History would have been less stressful - a lot of her difficulties relate to sorting out her timetable, she had to split some papers to fit everything in.

Everything made worse by covid of course, I'm sure that next year will be better.

DS1 seems very busy but never particularly stressed by workload. He's definitely not a perfectionist! I think the very structured nature of Chemistry means he knows exactly what's needed and just does it. No open ended stuff...

I should have said though, she absolutely loves her subjects, agonises over paper choices (she wants to do them all) and enjoys the tutorials. Looking forward to some in person stuff and live lectures.

That’s good to hear @JulesJules - what is her other subject ?

Yes JulesJules DD4 told me a while ago that a number of those doing joint courses were having issues with timetables. I've no doubt at all that it's more straightforward for those doing single.

sandybayley none of my four boys are perfectionists but some of the girls....

Thank you so much for sharing all your tips/experiences on coping and workload. And wow - the study skills video was particularly useful @LaundryFairy . Will definitely get DD to watch. Perfectionism, procrastination, motivation when sitting at the same desk all day, how to write lecture notes- it was so useful. And @goodbyestranger your comment made me laugh!
I recently mentioned to someone that DD had an offer to study at Oxford and got the response - oh yes the place where fun dies 🙄. With that reaction, it's no wonder some applicants think twice. She's a far cry from a party animal but wants to enjoy her time there and chose her college as one that had a good vibe on work/life balance.
I've been leaving her to think things through without pressure to make any decisions yet but it's helpful to have some experiences to share with her which may put her mind at ease.

I'll tell her that Goodbye as I think it's tempting to think that you are the only one - another side effect of such an isolated Michaelmas, none of that coming out of a lecture, going for a coffee and a good moan about impending deadlines etc.

Have PMed you Laundry as the numbers for her course are very small!

S2 has had his Durham offer as well - exactly the same as the Cambridge one! He's only doing 3 subjects, and no STEP, so there wasn't much scope for variation.

Durham offer essentially the same as Cambridge (at least as far as choosing insurance). C: 2A2A, D: 2AA. Don’t know if anyone else found this, but Imperial was the highest of all at 3A*

Thanks @JulesJules - I sometimes forget that we are talking about very small numbers here and info like that can be rather outing.