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Higher education

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

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Original poster

Oxbridge Aspirants 2022

997 replies

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 26/03/2021 07:35

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.

OP posts:

Theendoftheworldisnigh · 28/09/2021 23:46

Sorry, it was the year before last. I looked at last year's thread, and there was a breakaway group of people whose offspring didn't get an offer, who called their thread "Another Path to Greatness". Couldn't cope with that.
I don't expect my DC to get an offer, but I am definitely not joining a thread called "Another Path to Greatness".

Piggywaspushed · 29/09/2021 07:49

There was a history to that thread wasn't there? The title caused a kerfuffle at the time. Think I'll stay here!

ErrolTheDragon · 29/09/2021 08:41

I dip into some of these threads (having a DD recently at C, to offer advice if I can) - IIRC that title was quite tongue in cheek. Some of these long running threads, posters get to 'know' each other and their DC quite well and maybe don't really lend themselves well to reading out of context.

DottyHarmer · 29/09/2021 09:03

Oh dear about the lad who isn’t having a gowns and formal dinners experience, but I concur that last year was a bit “out there”. Incidentally ds reported that the trendy student attire was road-diggers outfits, overalls and steel-capped boots. He said one individual would swagger into the library in his dirty orange jumpsuit braying in a yah voice!

Chilldonaldchill · 29/09/2021 09:25

I think my dc might have started at the same college that the poster on the other thread was unhappy about in terms of her ds. Dd has heard that her college was the strictest in terms of covid restrictions last year. I'll let you know what happens but at the moment they are saying things are back in person - there's a lot of social events planned, there were no restrictions on numbers of parents allowed in at drop off (or where we could go), matriculation and proper formals appear to be all happening in person.
From the information given it seems as though everyone is vaccinated and they are having regular testing and following government guidance if anyone tests positive.
I can definitely see from the lay-out of the staircases and the "households" that losing the social spaces would have made a big difference in terms of getting to know anybody else. (Although there were lots of friendly second years on site yesterday who seemed to know each other well).

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 29/09/2021 09:26

I happened to be looking at a family member's 'alumni' magazine for one of the Oxbridge colleges recently. They had a picture of the Christmas 'formal hall' meal 2020 all packaged up for the students to cook and prepare in their own time and space (oh the glamour not ).

Piggywaspushed · 29/09/2021 09:59

I think we all want normality back but from the teaching end of things I also think caution is a sensible approach. WIWIKAU has quite a lot of gleeful posts and photos about packed lecture theatres, maskless at some unis. Looking at how it is all spreading around my school's classrooms I am a bit more measured in what I think there...

DS1 Not Oxbridge by any stretch!) is completely unbothered by the online stuff. The curtailment of social stuff bothered him way more.

I understand , however, some people sign up to Oxbridge for certain experiences.

Piggywaspushed · 29/09/2021 10:01

And, yes, the title was tongue in cheek (ish) but my what a row ensued!

Chilldonaldchill · 29/09/2021 10:27

@Piggywaspushed

DS1 Not Oxbridge by any stretch!) is completely unbothered by the online stuff. The curtailment of social stuff bothered him way more.

I understand , however, some people sign up to Oxbridge for certain experiences.

I totally appreciate this - I'm a doctor so have seen lots of covid and my other child has missed school this term already due to Covid - but I think the measures in place seem sensible and as though they are approaching this as though we're not entering the endemic phase. I don't think we're quite there yet (need to get those 12+s vaccinated to make up for the 15% of adults who won't) but we're getting there... Our local hospital has still got quite a few deaths (entirely age 35-55 unvaccinated) but the numbers being admitted are staying fairly steady despite the numbers nationally going up...

DottyHarmer · 29/09/2021 12:01

What is “the other thread”, please? I’d be interested to read about the students’ experiences.

Piggywaspushed · 29/09/2021 13:49

There is one in HE for parents of students already at Oxbridge - title is something pretty much like that! They never name colleges though so I wasn't gleaning much other than there is sooooo much jargon!

Another path to greatness is a thread for people whose DSc did not get places.

Piggywaspushed · 29/09/2021 13:49

DCs...

DottyHarmer · 29/09/2021 14:13

I shall take a look. I was on the oxbridge thread last year but it did get a bit…. heated .

SandyBayley · 29/09/2021 16:02

I'm on the current parents thread. We don't name colleges as it's too identifying. DS1 is one of only four studying his subject at his college and I do need to maintain some degree of anonymity! That said posters often respond to requests for info on a specific college by PM if you ask. DS1's Oxford college is small and not a big name 😉

cinnamonswir1 · 29/09/2021 16:04

The “path to greatness” title was a joke last year . That same thread is still going now - it’s “Another path.... “ something else. It looks like all their kids did really well and have all gone off to their unis now. It struck me that they’ve all become good friends and are just chatting about what to pack, etc. The only aggro was when one or two long-standing posters tried to derail the thread with various agendas. Probably lockdown didn’t help. Can’t remember what it all was about now. But looks like they all did really well in the end...

DahliaMacNamara · 29/09/2021 23:21

Most people on the 2021 aspirants' threads ended up on the 'other path'. It's very supportive and chatty now, and while I lurk on occasion I kind of miss being part of the bigger group of hopeful parents. Applying to Oxbridge is a very bonding experience - you get highs and lows, last minute dramas and disasters, disappointments and elation, relief and trepidation. It's all there. Enjoy the ride.

pantjog · 30/09/2021 00:21

Hello all, rejoining the thread as DD2 is applying for Music at Oxford. She’s chosen her preferred college but her other UCAS choices are an unknown quantity so far. Looking forward to some mutual handholding — as I’ve greatly benefited from on threads in previous years.

ofteninaspin · 30/09/2021 09:07

I'm also on the current parents thread.
DD is in her fourth year at Oxford. She is one of seven for her subject at a small, central college. College managed to keep Hall going albeit in a marquee and DD felt well supported during a prolonged episode of self isolation last year.
DS is a second year at Cambridge. He is one of three for his subject at a smallish college. It is more traditional than some and very well run. Matriculation, Hall and formals all took place last year so DS didn't feel he had missed out on the "Oxbridge" experience.
Happy to receive PM's if I can help with anything.

BigWoollyJumpers · 30/09/2021 14:07

@DahliaMacNamara

I can confirm it's a great thread. There are three or four parents to each uni, and each has it's own unique issues and delights, and then we all support each other in the general ups and downs of teen life, driving tests, making friends, empty nests etc.

BigWoollyJumpers · 30/09/2021 14:11

Just for balance, we were also joined by some other "other pathers", who didn't get into music or drama colleges and ended up elsewhere. So it's been a nice progression.

Aclosematch · 30/09/2021 19:27

Does anyone have any first hand experience of Downing? DDs head has said it would be great for her, but I can't see anything special via their website. He also suggested Homerton, so any inside track or views on that would be greatly appreciated!

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 30/09/2021 19:47

Downing I'm pretty sure is a Tier 1 Cambridge college. Difficult to get into. Would have thought Downing and Homerton are chalk and cheese!

ACloseMatch · 30/09/2021 19:49

Thanks @NewModelArmyMayhem18 what is it about them that's different?

ErrolTheDragon · 30/09/2021 20:15

Homerton is the furthest out from the centre. It was originally a completely separate institution, founded as a dissenting academy to educate nonconformist ministers in the days when you had to be CofE to go to oxbridge. It morphed into a women's teacher training college (DM was there during the war, as a 'daughter or the manse' she was very proud of its heritage) - before eventually becoming a full member of the university. It's the largest of the colleges, and has a lot of green space including an orchard... probably not now including the tree DM was up picking apples when enemy aircraft flew low overhead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homerton College%2CC_Cambridge

The difference alluded to may be that it's one of the colleges which takes more than average from the 'pool' ... it doesn't mean you're more likely to get a Cambridge offer by applying there.

Piggywaspushed · 30/09/2021 20:47

On a point of order, Girton is further...

We visited it over the summer. It's beautiful and actually very convenient for decent amenities (eg two medium sized supermarkets, Costa, Nandos) , unlike some colleges. If DS got pooled there we'd be delighted. We didn't pick it because it's a trek to Sidgwick and he can't ride a bike.

It's also the cheapest college.

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