DD being discouraged from Cambridge by school

[quittingteacher]

Hi all,

I wondered if anyone had any experience and could help guide us. My DD is predicted A*AA and we were contacted at the beginning of Y12 by her school who identified her as a potential Oxbridge candidate.

We signed up for the relevant Cambridge Spring access courses and outreach courses (we qualify as disadvantaged due to our postcode). At all of the Cambridge webinars attended, they made a point of saying that it's a myth that you need all 8s and 9s at GCSEs and to ignore this advice given by well meaning people.

My DD didn't do fantastically in her GCSEs and has only now in sixth form realised her actual potential.
Her grades were 555666677.

Anyway, now we are in Y13, her school have told her she shouldn't be applying to Oxbridge as her GCSE grades aren't strong enough. I'm really annoyed as it was the school who encouraged us to think about Oxbridge last year.

My DD has since been invited by the outreach team at Cambridge to an interview prep webinar that is specifically for those who would usually count as eligible for contextual offers elsewhere. But DD's Head of Year is adamant she is wasting her time.

My DD doesn't have her heart set on Cambridge and we know that the odds are against her getting in. But she'd like to at least have a try.

I don't want to keep encouraging her if it's completely unrealistic but I don't want to discourage her if actually, she has some chance.

If anyone has any advice, experience or insider knowledge, I'd be most grateful.

@jellybeanteaparty yes, I agree! @Newgirls also has a comically outdated opinion of the Cambridge English teaching and department. I really wish people wouldn't try to comment when they aren't up to date.

The issue is, in many schools she wouldn’t have got into 6th form with those grades. I think she hasn’t got a Hope in hell with those grades. I am amazed at her predictions so she must be working very hard, all she has to lose is one choice but I would be realistic and put down some more attainable universities.

@jellybeanteaparty

Best to look at the course content including the modules available and the professors teaching it to make your own mind up about how traditional it is and the demographic of who is teaching. For example the Music course is much broader than described by new girls

We got that from their website - if it’s more diverse I’d love to hear about it. No music production and musical direction teaching on there for a start which is pretty behind the times and other music schools.

[quote Innocenta]**@jellybeanteaparty* yes, I agree! @Newgirls* also has a comically outdated opinion of the Cambridge English teaching and department. I really wish people wouldn't try to comment when they aren't up to date. [/quote]
Excuse me! We read the course content last year! It’s so dated compared to other unis sorry but true!

Some students want a more traditional course and of course Cam is famous for that. It totally depends on what people want.

@Newgirls You're simply incorrect, and showing that you don't understand Oxbridge teaching and course structure.

Innocenta the course info on the website focuses on texts pre 1970s. There is one topic on contemporary writing in the third year. If that’s not accurate I wish they’d update their website. I’m all for the classics but pls don’t pretend it’s dynamic or contemporary.

I think I'm a wider view you should encourage her to apply. What's the worst that can happen? She doesn't get in. If she doesn't apply she definitely won't get in. She'll learn to try to go for things and not to be disappointed, and to adapt to set backs.

@Newgirls I've literally studied at both Cam and Oxford, have multiple friends who teach there, and also younger friends still studying. The fact that you think you can understand the educational culture from the website shows that you just don't get it at all. Some of the most innovative undergraduate projects I've come across in recent years - challenging, interdisciplinary, etc - have been by Cam students.

HoY? Seriously? Take it higher to say Deputy Head.
Ds1 is at a local state school, above excellent. They have tonnes of Oxbridge applicants and their support of them is phenomenal. DS1 wants to apply to RG universities and once again the support is outstanding. why your school would not do similar beggars belief.

I know someone who got a place at Cambridge with no A*s at GCSE. He did have some personal circumstances around the time of the GCSE which may have mitigated a little. He was coming from a private school, so I doubt any allowances were made in that respect.

In the end of the day, if the school thought she seemed to have Oxbridge potential until they looked at the GCSEs, and Cambridge are saying they won't necessarily hold poor GCSEs against her, she should give it a shot, and the school should support her. Their reference shouldn't be affected by her GCSE results; they're on the form for anyone to see - her current school should be writing about what they've seen of her work.

It’s because of the GCSE results the DD has - it doesn’t really beggar belief with limited resources in schools. But will they write a glowing reference?

Some courses admit around 30% of applicants and others it’s below 10% of applicants. That’s why some courses do seem easier to get into. What does the DD here want to study? It may well make a difference.

@pi1ar

Hi OP. I’m sorry, but unless there were massively extenuating circumstances at GCSE, I would say those GCSEs are too low. Many schools wouldn’t let you onto their A-level programme with 6s and she only has two 7s. Also, predictions of AAA, while good, are the very minimum requirement and most will be applying with at least two or three A predictions, Many will also have done EPQ and / or a lot of reading or essay competitions beyond the curriculum. Thousands of applicants with a full set of 9s and A* are rejected every year. It’s very tough. I’m sorry, but just trying to be realistic. When they say GCSEs are assessed in context, this is true, but they would want to see at least several 8s or 9s, or at least mainly 7s.

Are you an Admissions Tutor at a Cambridge college?

Please give it a shot but make sure she knows her worth and your love are not dependent on her grades or her offers!

@newgirls if you want music production, music direction etc you need to find a course that is more vocational in nature which some universities offer but a specialist music school or conservatoire is more likely to suit. For any subject ,course and choice of further study a dig into the content is needed. OP if your DC loves the course offered at Cambridge and is prepared to have the extra work an application to Oxbridge required I would recommend you take a punt on it.

[quote Innocenta]@Newgirls I've literally studied at both Cam and Oxford, have multiple friends who teach there, and also younger friends still studying. The fact that you think you can understand the educational culture from the website shows that you just don't get it at all. Some of the most innovative undergraduate projects I've come across in recent years - challenging, interdisciplinary, etc - have been by Cam students. [/quote]
I have a prospective student looking at the website. Where else are they meant to get the info?

I also studied there (sorry if that shocks you) and it is old fashioned. Beautiful though.

She can only try but may be wasting an option. To be frank, she’ll be up against candidates with mostly 9s at GCSE and 4 predicted A-stars at A-level.

[quote jellybeanteaparty]@newgirls if you want music production, music direction etc you need to find a course that is more vocational in nature which some universities offer but a specialist music school or conservatoire is more likely to suit. For any subject ,course and choice of further study a dig into the content is needed. OP if your DC loves the course offered at Cambridge and is prepared to have the extra work an application to Oxbridge required I would recommend you take a punt on it.[/quote]
Yes I think so too jelly. There are lots of amazing places to study music. Leeds and Birm look good but apols that’s for another thread!

Ignore the school and apply. What's the worst that could happen? He doesn't get in. Never mind, had a stab and still got lots of offers from RG unis through ucas.

Back in the late 90s I was told not to waste time with Oxbridge. I got AAAB a levels. When I turned up on my masters there was an Oxford grad there with the same a level results as me. I resent the teacher who told me not to bother to this day. Don't be me. Have a go. The worst that can happen is you get a rejection. Never mind!

Yes but not everyone has the stellar grades. Aptitude tests and pre entry assessment of work counts.

I didn’t mean to imply that fewer applicants meant those DC who were successful were less clever and it was easy to get in because there was less bright opposition. Definitely not. I was just saying the percentages might make you think that. However if you don’t have an aptitude for classics and music it won’t be if any help at all!

PS if she plays a blinder and does get her suspected grades she could always take a year out and reapply next year

@YukoandHiro

PS if she plays a blinder and does get her suspected grades she could always take a year out and reapply next year

Definitely. But the opportunity to get the mentoring and information being part of this scheme gives her is a this year only opportunity.

I know someone unthread said this but I want to highlight it - look at the foundation year entry…it’s an extra year for those they think would suit a Cambridge education but whose prior education hasn’t got them to the necessary standard…sounds like it might be a good place to look!

upthread dammit!!!

Ignore the school. I went to Cambridge and it has I am sure opened up lots of opportunities for me. It was an immense privilege to study there - I walked on cloud 9 for a lot of it and it was formative. I remember people putting down my chances, and one teacher asked why the local uni wasn’t good enough. I had to block them out and really mug up on my subject - reading around the subject constantly (which was fine, as I loved it), and I had to have faith in myself while at the same time knowing the odds were against me getting in and if I didn’t get in I’d just have to accept it. Go for it. She only has a chance if she applies. And phone the university to talk through your concerns about grades - they’re human. Best of luck.