Reapply to Oxbridge?

[HandyGirl76]

My DD just got her IB result (44) and is considering reapplying to Oxbridge. She applied to Oxford for a course she now no longer wants to study and although interviewed, got rejected.

She's desperate to go to Oxbridge and as I know nothing about it I don't know what to advise. Is worth reapplying? Do people get in second time around?

She has a place at UCL...

Neither is DD. Nor was I, years back, come to that.

Far from being the best in the world, DD wasn’t the best in her school at her subject. Tenth, in fact, according to the CAGs rankings - it’s quite odd to know that! But she must have had some spark about her that they liked, combined with a decent performance in the entry tests.

DS2 was encouraged by his school and then college to apply to Oxbridge. He did a tour of both universities, fell in love with Oxford and was determined to go there. When it came down to it he didn't like the teaching style of the degree he wanted to do at Oxford, ended up at Brighton University instead and is very happy.

I reckon standards have risen since my day but I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry at the idea that I was successful because I have a brain the size of a planet.

I once called C4 in tears to complain that the Hollyoaks omnibus had been cancelled.

Cinnamon again, your own DD may have a brain which is the best on the planet but she'll be in the tiny minority. You're exaggerating wildly.

44 at IB is very brainy. Well done OPs daughter.

I'd reapply if I were her. None of my kids went to Oxbridge but they are such amazing Unis I so many ways. It's not just the prestige it's the history and the traditions etc. They are beautiful places. I feel brainier just when I'm visiting.

Is it all about the (perceived) kudos, rather than the course? For what it’s worth, I would rate UCL well above Oxford for History of Art. The course at Oxford is very old fashioned and out of step with what art history graduates may go on to do these days, e.g, in museums and galleries, even in academia. The range of modules, approaches to the subject, and staff expertise are much more exciting at UCL. I work and employ people in this sector, and would go for a UCL graduate over Oxford, given the choice.

My daughter was strongly encouraged by a lot of people to reapply. The main theme of "how to do it" advice was lots and lots of reading around her subject between finishing school exams and reapplication/interview. Her school had possibly more successful reapplicants than 1st time this year.

She has decided that wasn't for her, the course she's deferred she thinks may suit her better, and she's organised a gap year that will be very positive. Personally I've still got a niggle that she might suddenly get a burning desire to do a different course, but actually that's pretty unlikely. (I think I am hoping / assuming that a "burning desire" towards something will guide her later on to do something postgrad; the career possibilities currently are wide open including something she didn't study formally at A level)

I agree that just applying for perceived prestige could be a mistake. But changing course for a good reason such as your daughter has, reapplying with excellent results, she can now tell a stronger story about what she wants to do and why. Make sure she researches courses thoroughly, and really thinks about what the university experience will be and what she is drawn to. She may find a better choice of alternative course through this process, or she may still want UCL - but she will gain confidence in her choices.

Good luck to her, reapplication sounds like a good choice for her.

DS didn't get into Cambridge, took a year out, and got into Oxford the following year.

It may have changed but the Cambridge tripos system used to make it quite easy to switch between subjects during a degree.

Look at UEA for Art History. Andrew Bolton, head of the Met's Costume Institute (Met Ball etc) went there! The university doesn't have the kudos but the course does!