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Higher education

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

Original poster

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

994 replies

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 11/10/2021 11:00

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.

OP posts:
Eightytwenty · 16/10/2021 09:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Geamhradh · 16/10/2021 09:07

@MareofBeasttown

I am new to the UK and absolutely unfamiliar with the British university system, so this thread has been very helpful. Not got the SQA yet.
I'm not in the UK and am learning everything from MN! Grin
Original poster
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 16/10/2021 09:32

@Eightytwenty

SAQ took a few days to arrive. I was looking at the student room and it seemed that the advice from a few years ago was that it was optional. Is everyone planning to complete it? My DC has made a start but it needs editing.
I think they have to do the form but there is an optional section to add another statement? TBH DD did hers and I didnt look at it, she did do another couple of paragraphs about why she wants to study at Cam though.
OP posts:
ealingwestmum · 16/10/2021 09:41

Not optional anymore eightytwenty; is mandatory or application won’t be accepted.

What is optional is the completion for additional info/PS. Many apparently leave blank, no need to duplicate anything from the UCAS PS.

ealingwestmum · 16/10/2021 09:42

X post with Tango, apologies.

MareofBeasttown · 16/10/2021 10:11

SAQ sorry. You can see how little I know about all of this. DS will be the first in yhe family to go to a British uni.
( assuming he gets in).

Stockpot · 16/10/2021 10:28

Advice from my DD’s school regarding SAQ is not to fill in the optional 600 words at the end unless you have something unique and distinctive to say. They advise the DC that it is best to let the personal statement stand on its own.

cosmiccat · 16/10/2021 10:46

@Genegenieee

Not engineering but not arts / humanities either - DD is applying for Maths at Cambridge and Maths and Physics elsewhere.

The latest worry this week (on top of are her other choices the right choices) is shd she have been doing the MAT for any of the non-Camb courses. She doesn't but her school had to ring a couple of the departments to confirm.

Very ready for this half term break!

@genegenieee I also have a DD applying for maths at C. I'm a complete novice at all of this. Today's challenge is the SAQ. This thread has been invaluable...I didn't even know the SAQ existed till someone mentioned it a few days ago.
SayYouDontMind · 16/10/2021 10:53

Back on this board with a name change after my panicked post about my DS and his TSA candidate number.

DS at Glasgow state school. Nice to see the love for Glasgow on here - unfortunately not completely shared by my DS who wants to get away (but does think it's a cool city!)

I just realised that he's boobed a bit with his applications for other Unis because he's applied for two different courses at St Andrews. My heart sank when I read on another thread that St Andrews advise against applying for more than one course as they will only make one offer and therefore you have wasted one of your offers) However he was running out of choices! He's chosen Oxford, St Andrews x 2, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

He's got 8 x As at Nat 5, 5 x As at Higher and was predicted 3 x As at Advanced Highers. But we all know that it's the Admissions Test that everything is riding on this year . He's beavering away at TSA past papers, reading books with worked answers and watching a ton of videos online but is finding it tough. I told him he's got 20 days to up his game and he could make amazing progress in that time - but he didn't look convinced!

And then there's all the school work that needs to be maintained and completed. I suppose if you can't cope with the pace then you're probably not going to cope with the pace at Oxbridge itself. I've told him that 'Whats for you won't go by you' and he looked at me blankly Grin

Eightytwenty · 16/10/2021 11:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

petitebleu · 16/10/2021 11:41

DS is going for Spanish at Cambridge.

Following everybody with interest.

ealingwestmum · 16/10/2021 11:45

@SayYouDontMind depending on how long ago the form went in, he could still change one of the options via the changes link in his UCAS confirmation? 14 days I think...

Puffalicious · 16/10/2021 12:35

Sayyoudontmind my DS is exactly the same: Glasgow state school 8× A band 1 at Nat 5, 5x A band 1 at Higher, school Dux and predicted all As this year BUT you're right, that just gets him in the door to sit the MAT. Everyone sitting the test will have these results!

Luckily he's really laid back and very much ' We'll see'.

I missed what subject your DS has applied for?

Piggywaspushed · 16/10/2021 16:53

This application feels like endless admin palaver!

Today, we filled in the Covid disruption and IT availability form , selected the essays, printed the cover sheets, filled them in , and now I will have to take to work on Monday to beg kindly receptionist to scan it all...

mumsneedwine · 16/10/2021 16:59

@Piggywaspushed you can scan from a iPhone. Go to notes, choose new note and there is a scan document function.
We got the kids to use it to send work over lockdown 😊

mumsneedwine · 16/10/2021 17:00

@Piggywaspushed here. Press the camera button.

Oxbridge Aspirants 2022...Part 2...applications submitted now the tense wait!
Piggywaspushed · 16/10/2021 17:13

I don't have an iPhone....

I can scan on my phone ( when my phone feels like it!) but it's not as good as a proper scanner will do at work!

Pepermintea · 16/10/2021 18:24

There is a free app called camScanner, which DS uses to submit all his work at Oxford. You take a photo and it kind of lines everything up, gets rid of Shadows etc so it looks like it's been scanned. We also used it to send student finance the proof of income stuff they wanted from us! I have it on an android phone

Piggywaspushed · 16/10/2021 18:45

Thanks for the heads p.

The lady at school will do it for me and then it's all saved in the way Cambridge want on my laptop. But note to self for future!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/10/2021 22:58

@Genegenieee

Not engineering but not arts / humanities either - DD is applying for Maths at Cambridge and Maths and Physics elsewhere.

The latest worry this week (on top of are her other choices the right choices) is shd she have been doing the MAT for any of the non-Camb courses. She doesn't but her school had to ring a couple of the departments to confirm.

Very ready for this half term break!

Happy to chat about applying for maths at Cambridge (by pm if you like)l dd is fourth year.
OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/10/2021 22:59

you too cosmiccat,

ealingwestmum · 18/10/2021 08:15

Hello Peritbleu, lovely to see another language applicant join the group.

ealingwestmum · 18/10/2021 08:15

Petit...apologies, fat fingers

ealingwestmum · 18/10/2021 08:17

And might even get gender correct if I tried (get scared to use that term these days). So sorry Petitebleu Blush

KaptainKaveman · 18/10/2021 08:22

@petitebleu

DS is going for Spanish at Cambridge.

Following everybody with interest.

Which 2nd language with it, petitebleu?
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