Oxbridge Aspirants 2022...Part 2...applications submitted now the tense wait!

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

Thought I would start a new thread as part one is nearly full and found thread one to be of great support.

So its deadline week this week for our applicants then the nervous wait begins to find out of they have made it to interview. DD applying for HSPS at Cambridge. We know it is a long shot but got to be in it to win it and she is very keen to try. Looking at the admissions info it does not look as though she will need to sit a test prior but all the best to those who will have to.

Oh Puffalicious your poor son. He must be devastated! Mine has liked the thinking outside the box and the problem solving - but has apparently discovered late that he's thrown by geometry at times. Presumably not always or he'd have discovered this before. Good luck to your boy!

Thankyou Margegunderson he was his coach for 10 years and only 46. It's tragic. DS is such a great kid and I'm not used to seeing him negative about anything, so it's hard. I've told him all he can do is what he can do.

Good luck to your DS. I'm sure he'll have cracked the geometry in time.

How awful Puffa. Your poor son. Hope he gets throught it OK.

How very sad Puffa.

All the best to all the DC taking tests this week.

That's very sad Puffa. I hope today helps with ways to remember his coach's life.

@ProggyMat and @goodbyestranger - DS hasn't heard of anyone at his school or his cohort from summer Latin camp getting offers yet for classics from any universities.

Have to admit to being slightly nervous and wondering if it is a bad sign that no offer has materialised - DS got 12 grade 9s at GCSE (and one of those was an actual written GCSE he did a year early) and his predicted grades for IB are 7s for every subject and 45 overall so not possible to do better.

Delighted that some have offers already - DS has friends with offers for non-Classics courses from Nottingham, Birmingham and York. Feeling annoyed he doesn't have one (a completely unreasonable, irrational annoyance as he didn't apply to any of those!).

I feel like it's going to be a long and tiresome wait.

@goodbyestranger - is your DC applying for classics (sorry I have slightly lost track of who is doing what so apologies if I should know this)?

Sorry Horace no she applied the cycle before last, started October 2020 at Oxford.

DD hadn't one offer in October Horace but the Durham one was later on, maybe third week of November type of thing, and St A a little after that. Your DS's grades are absolutely fantastic so I think no need to worry about anything at all!

Sorry again, careless: DD had one offer (Glasgow) in October.

Good luck to all for Wednesday.

puffa, that's so sad :(

Thanks @goodbyestranger. Is she enjoying her course? Hope it hasn't been too disruptive / challenging with covid.

She's really enjoying it thanks Horace. Heavy workload but life is good!

Right I'm sorry to have been unsettling by bringing offers news in. It was unexpected and I was excited. It's all ridiculously early and unnecessary to even think about, the ucas application deadline is months off! Think I'm distracting myself from thinking about the Oxbridge side which is frightening to me because although I enjoyed Cambridge, ds's dad didn't and had a breakdown. I'm more scared of that happening to ds than I can say. It's less likely for him as there's no sign of mh issues yet and awareness is in a different league now, but it still scares me. There is plenty of time.

Nooooo, it's exciting!

I'm so sorry @Puffalicious. DS is also wobbling re the MAT, he's also had a horribly sad funeral to attend in the last fortnight plus he spent 4 days wild camping for his DofE. Feels like they're carrying such a lot on their young shoulders.

@PermanentTemporary - don't apologise for sharing good news! My whinge wasn't directed at you - it was just random moaning, It is so exciting to hear news of offers so let's not stop sharing. And any sign of an offer in the Horace household and I am going to be shouting it from the rooftops!

Understandable to worry about DS given DH's experience. Fingers crossed for the entry exam.

I'm so sorry @Puffalicious That is awful. I know how big an impact these things have on teenagers. Best wishes to your DS.

I know this is a bit random, but my family recently had a very sudden death, and after the last two years of not being able to attend funerals to the usual extent, the family felt a huge relief at having lots of people around now that that restriction has been lifted.

I realised at the weekend that none of DDs applications are likely to get a quick response. It feels like it is all floating up in the air now. Slightly odd to think now that Cambridge is likely to be the one she hears from first, one way or another!

@Horace123 I don’t think you have anything to worry about as your DSs grades are stunning!
I reckon we should liken it to waiting for ages at a (chilly) bus stop then eventually 2 classics busses will come at once!
Meanwhile, we can huddle together and share info about ‘happenings’.
How is he feeling about the CAT?
@PermanentTemporary offers are fabulous news and should be shared!

Thank you all for your thoughts and wishes. It's been a tough, emotional day. Ex-DH is also a coach and was v close to the coach who passed away. He's found it hard and says DS has been comforting him. I'm proud of how he's handled it. You're right Viking it's such a lot on their young shoulders. He's very resilient, so hoping he's positive for Wednesday's MAT.

Good luck to all DC hard at it studying for the 'ATS this week.

DD had a wobble today when told she could only have one piece of paper for working out for her BMAT. The school have relented now but it seriously wobbled her as when she's been doing mocks she gets through a lot of paper. Has any one else had the 'one piece of paper' message?

@ProggyMat like the bus analogy!

DS feeling fine about the test. He has never got stressed by exams (unlike DD who turns them into a major drama). I do think he’s worked hard and there’s nothing more he could do so guess that’s a good place to be. He only has to do the Latin test - guess your DD is doing both Greek and Latin? How is she feeling?

@SandyBayley I don’t have any info but not surprised it caused a wobble. I suppose at least the paper rule didn’t come to light in the exam so hopefully she’ll have a day to reassure herself. Have everything crossed for her.

@Horace123 DD is focussed on Wednesday night when she can indulge in a glass or two of the cheeky bottle that is chilling in the fridge!
Yes, she has Latin and Greek papers and has worked hard which is as you say ‘a good place to be’
I’ll probably get the low down on the papers once she’s finished!
@SandyBayley one sheet of paper is ridiculous No wonder the poor lass had a wobble!

Good luck to all those with upcoming admissions tests.

I’ve got DS applying to Oxford, taking MAT. He’s pretty relaxed, which could be his downfall to be honest. Partly because he was going to apply to Cambridge, but did some MAT papers out of interest over the summer and realised the kind of questions they ask “happen to match my brain”, so opted for Oxford instead. Also because he’s applied in tandem to America, to pursue his sport alongside his studies.
He’s only applied for Oxford, Warwick and Bath in this country, and MAT is essential for all of them I think, since he’s not taking TUMA? I’d very much like him to have an option here, so I’m much more nervous than he is.