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Higher education

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

Original poster

Oxbridge 2021: another 6 months of fretting

771 replies

DahliaMacNamara · 01/02/2021 10:55

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

OP posts:
TheStenchofTruth · 26/03/2021 10:58

DD was rejected from Durham. It's a shame. She could have tested her eye sight if she gets a driving license. Actually, she didn't care. It's cold and rainy and too far from London. I did however chuckle that she would get into Oxbridge and not Durham. We are still waiting to hear from LSE. Goodness this is a long process. But we have good options one the table so I'm sure it will all work out.

I have a question about preparing for the Oxbridge application (since I was left out of the process on this one). DS wants to go to medical school and will have a go at Oxbridge. Not sure which one yet. I was on a tutor site for my youngest child yesterday and ran across a subject called Oxbridge Prep. So, do people hire tutors just to prepare for the application process? What do they teach?

sandybayley · 26/03/2021 11:29

@TheStenchofTruth - I'm in the same boat. DD is applying to Oxford for medicine to n 2022. It's new to me as well!

I don't think people do hire tutors but it might depend on how much support is available at school. To be honest I think with an Oxbridge medical application it's the medicine element you need to focus on more than the Oxbridge bit. There is a 2022 medicine thread going already...

TheStenchofTruth · 26/03/2021 11:47

We are actually 2023. I shall go have look for the thread. Thanks for the tip.

Chilldonaldchill · 26/03/2021 15:00

DD firmed Cambridge this week with Bristol as her insurance.
She was rejected from Durham at the start of the week which obviously didn't matter but, given how close she was to not getting an offer from Cambridge, I think has served as a reminder of how very very lucky she has been. Durham would definitely have been her second choice and she would have been devastated not to get an offer if she hadn't had C.
On a positive note her best friends, all of whom have been waiting for medicine, have one offer each (the last one got one this week), and that's a huge relief that they can all be happy together.

LaundryFairy · 26/03/2021 15:41

That’s great @Chilldonaldchill - DS quite enjoyed making the step to give his firm and insurance choices (Oxford / Bristol) as it felt like that whole part of the process could be ticked off. And nice that your DD feels she can celebrate with her friends.

pepperaunt · 26/03/2021 15:53

That’s great @Chilldonaldchill and @LaundryFairy. DD firmed and insured last weekend (Cambridge/Edinburgh) and we also feel like it’s another step completed.

Original poster
DahliaMacNamara · 26/03/2021 15:59

The firming step was one of the few I was actually allowed to view. I did get to see the actual offer, so I knew it wasn't an elaborate wind-up.

OP posts:
LaundryFairy · 26/03/2021 16:29

I was also allowed to watch @DahliaMacNamara - I think DS was terrified that he might click on the wrong choice at some point and reject Oxford by mistake!

Chilldonaldchill · 26/03/2021 17:18

@LaundryFairy

I was also allowed to watch *@DahliaMacNamara* - I think DS was terrified that he might click on the wrong choice at some point and reject Oxford by mistake!
Exactly the same here. I was glad they had a "this is what you are doing; are you happy to continue?" stage in the middle!
pepperaunt · 26/03/2021 18:26

Ditto😁

JulesJules · 26/03/2021 20:50

The moment when the place is confirmed on results day, on Track there's a big purple square with DECLINE on it - we all shouted 'Don't click decline!'

LaundryFairy · 27/03/2021 07:08

@JulesJules

The moment when the place is confirmed on results day, on Track there's a big purple square with DECLINE on it - we all shouted 'Don't click decline!'
That will definitely be us too! Grin
Chilldonaldchill · 31/03/2021 17:26

I appreciate this is cart before the horse stuff but does anyone happen to know how Masters and PhDs happen at Cambridge? If you are an undergrad are you more likely to get offered/accepted by your college than if you come from elsewhere?
(I don't know the first thing about it so sorry if this is a silly question - for about 10 years dd's future planning was to do her degree, then stay at uni and do a PhD, then stay at uni and become a lecturer /academic. She doesn't talk much about the future now but I overheard something the other day that made me realise that's still her dream trajectory and I realised I know nothing about postgraduate stuff at universities).

RunnersTipple · 06/04/2021 14:40

@pepperaunt

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*
Belatedly replying @pepperaunt, my DS had exactly the same offers. He is still deciding on insurance offer but will definitely firm Cambridge.
pepperaunt · 06/04/2021 23:05

@RunnersTipple interesting! DD applied for NatSci/Physics - how about your DS?

RunnersTipple · 07/04/2021 07:37

@pepperaunt the same: natsci/physics.

TheFrendo · 07/04/2021 11:00

Our DD is waiting for offers/rejections from St Andrews and Edinburgh for English. Has offers from Cambridge, Durham & Bristol.

She will firm Cambridge, but is undecided about insurance. Quite reasonably thinks that a choice can only be made when she knows what the choice is.

cantkeepawayforever · 14/04/2021 16:54

Anyone else getting a bit twitchy, given the very low priority that the government is putting on students' return to university this term, that a similarly delayed approach is likely to be taken to our DC starting in October?

Wondering whether I should have persuaded DD that a year off was a much better idea....

Original poster
DahliaMacNamara · 14/04/2021 17:06

Twitchy is my default setting. But what can we do? I'm prioritising my twitchiness, so for now I'm sticking to being nervy about exams. Current favourite is: will mini exams stretch the more able candidates sufficiently to allow a distinction between them and the rest of the cohort?

OP posts:
cantkeepawayforever · 14/04/2021 17:48

Ah, yes. My current twitchiness is of course of top of the existing 'will she get the grades' and the 'will she have another MH crisis' base levels of anxiety!

LaundryFairy · 16/04/2021 19:57

Much excitement here as DS has received an email from one of his tutors outlining the course structure and asking him to make some choices. It seems so much more real now!

Jalfrezi · 16/04/2021 22:25

Definitely making it all the more real @LaundryFairy. Good to hear some exciting news 👍

whiteroseredrose · 18/04/2021 15:49

So now only another 4 months of fretting!

DD had an online 'Northerners with Oxford offers' meeting yesterday.

It's such a shame it wasn't in person - DS is in his 3rd year and really liked seeing a couple of familiar faces when he first started.

Anyway we don't want to tempt fate. 18 weeks and counting!

Original poster
DahliaMacNamara · 18/04/2021 16:14

No tempting fate or chicken-counting here either. DD is in stress-mode, as in 'I'll be completely shit at x or y assessments, then I won't get the grades, and I won't get into Oxford, and fuck knows what I'll do then'. Shit by her standards is still pretty good, but of course that won't do.

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LoonvanBoon · 18/04/2021 17:05

whiteroseredrose, how did your DD find out about that group? Sounds interesting.