Oxbridge Aspirants 2022

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

Hi not too sure if there is another thread started as could not see one. May be waaaaaay too early but wondered if any other parents out there who have a child applying for next year?

Dd would like to apply to Cambridge to study History and Politics in 2022. She is at a state A-level college doing History, Politics and English Literature. I have never had to push her towards studying she is a very motivated child and wants to give Cambridge a shot (a very long shot as we know!). Her GCSE results were good but not top notch (9s in History, English Language and literature and the rest 7s and 6s) so not sure how much this will affect her. So far her A-level essays are coming out at As and A* and those are her predicted grades so if she continues on track that should meet the criteria.

She reads a lot of extra curricular stuff and has a genuine passion for politics, has joined the local Labour party youth group. She has applied for the summer programme at Cambridge & is part of an Oxbridge group that the college puts together.

It feels like a such a long shot and the stats of actually getting in are very low only 18% of applicants successful in 2019 so I am trying to tell her not to get her hopes up whilst actually supporting her!

She is my first born so I have never been through this before. Anybody else out there? Would be lovely to hear from you.

Not sure if it’s any use but Catz (C) are running their subject Q&A sessions next week for a few courses. Hopefully the link will work

caths.cam.ac.uk/OpenDays

@Piggywaspushed

Also, another question. How remote does Homerton feel from the rest of the university community?

DS can't ride a bike ( I know! Bad parent alert!)

It's pretty much in the same place as Hills Road 6th, and those kids seem to make it into town and back in a lunch break.

They must have a long lunch! Ours is 30 mins (deep sigh...)

Thanks though!

I shall enquire whether 'lunch' means 'lunch plus free period Independent Study Time.

I don't actually have a child there though!

I saw the Catz link. They seem to be doing far more of these than other colleges so I hope they are good!

The VOD so far consists of a few sample lectures (if you're in luck!) and pretty much recycled videos about college life already available on YouTube...

Following

Does anyone know where Oxford publish how many places each college have available for each subject? I keep going around and around and finding the list of places offered after application etc rather than how many they plan to offer.

My DD is year 11 so not applying this time, but just wanted to ask if any prospective applicants have done any summer school courses for Oxford or Cambridge. I have heard the application for them is 'intense' and a 'gruelling process'. Is this true?

@Twisique try this link. It's for medicine (which my DD is applying for) but you can just change the subject.

apply.oxfordsu.org/colleges/compare/students-per-year/medicine/

We found the application for the Sutton Trust to be straight forward and not time consuming.

Thanks SandyBayley! Really good list!

That's reassuring Twisque, I suspect it's just my 'friend' exaggerating as usual and trying to make out it was a massive achievement to get accepted to the course. It's online anyway so guess they didn't have to limit numbers as long as the students met the criteria.

@FreekStar2

My DD is year 11 so not applying this time, but just wanted to ask if any prospective applicants have done any summer school courses for Oxford or Cambridge. I have heard the application for them is 'intense' and a 'gruelling process'. Is this true?

UNIQ took about 5 mins to apply for. Afaik it was just based on gcse grades and acorn/polar data which they get from your postcode.

@twisque try this one

public.tableau.com/views/UniversityofOxford-CollegeSuccessRates2020/CollegeSuccessRates?:embed=y&:display_count=yes&:showTabs=y&:showVizHome=no

This can break down the number of applicants per subject per year. I'm in 2 minds about how it makes me feel.... my DD applied to the college with the worst success rate (75 applicants and 2 offers) and had her second interview with the one that had the next lowest acceptance rate (26 applicant and 1 offer)....

@Millylovespuddles - that link doesn't work.

With Oxford I wouldn't spend time fretting about trying to gain advantage by selecting a college based on likelihood of an offer or the number of spaces available. There is a lot of lot of movement between colleges and outstanding applicants may well find themselves at a college they didn't apply to and didn't interview at.

DS1 applied to a college and got offered an interview elsewhere. He's very happy at the college he didn't apply to.

DD has provisionally selected her Oxford college based on location, accommodation availability, number of students and tutors in medicine and choir opportunities. She hasn't looked at applications/offers.

@SandyBayley
I'd say my DD used very similar criteria, and wasn't even aware that such tables existed. I'm no statistician, but I'd rather my chances at a college with better odds. Luck does have a part to play in the process.
I have said all along that I feel the Durham-style approach puts everyone on a more even playing field.

Thanks for the help! I think the college is already chosen, or at least a short list, for all the good reasons SandyBayley has listed, but I fancied having a look. There isn't so much us parents can do but chat here and rummage on the internet. Can't even drive them to interviews this year!

@FreekStar2 I would wonder why your 'friend' has lied about a relatively simple application... Does she not want your child to do well?

Always good to think about college choice and not leave it to the night before the deadline (cough), but dd was pooled to a college pretty diametrically opposite to the one she originally chose, as happens quite a lot.

@Twisique I don't think it's that she doesn't want my DD to do well, it's more that she wants to make out hers has made a massive achievement. Her DC got accepted to a summer bridging course for Y11s from GCSE to A level from a Cambridge College. Apparently it was a 'gruelling application process"

We're considering a summer school next year, hopefully when they can actually attend in person!

Hi everyone, may I join? DS toying with an application to Cambridge for HSPS. I am somewhat nervous given our context - he is at a well-known independent school which makes the bar he would have to get over v. high indeed as I understand it. I have absolutely no issue whatsoever with Oxbridge seeking to admit more suitably-qualified applicants from groups that are currently under-represented. I am myself first gen. I just don't want to set him up for a fall. He's a bit of a late developer, so GCSE's good but not stellar in the context of his school; however he's coming up on the rails and is now top in his sets for two of his subjects and predicted 3 A*. I've no idea about college choice, whether he should avoid certain colleges, or whether the whole thing is such a remote prospect that he should just concentrate on doing well in his A levels and apply elsewhere. Any advice esp. re college choice, would be much appreciated!

My DS is applying for HSPS so we can confer. I really remain a bit unclear about the whole course !

What would yours apply for at other unis?

I do take a teeny tiny issue with your implication that it will be somehow easier for my DS to get in...his school is being pretty good about support but any child from a standard comp trying to gain an Oxbridge place is pretty much feeling in the dark.

My DS has a grade 5 in music!His teacher was basically sacked ... only one grade 9. We're phlegmatic about the whole thing.

Catz Q and A said interviews online this year BTW. Catz do seem very informative and approachable.

@Piggywaspushed I absolutely did not mean to imply that your DS would find it 'somehow easier'. Contextualisation in Oxbridge admissions is everything.

I will suggest he look at Catz, thank you @Piggywaspushed. Tbh I'm not sure the Cambridge course wholly aligns with his current interests, but I guess those will evolve and change as he reads more. In the end it's his decision to make - he resists management of any kind and is fiercely independent. I have no doubt he would receive a fantastic education at any of the places he's hoping to apply to. Probably joint Politics with a language. I just want him to apply to places he thinks he'd like to study at for those subjects that most engage him and I'm not convinced Cambridge would be the best fit for him. We'll see.