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.

Good luck everyone, I remember well the agony of waiting once the forms have all been submitted...

How long do unis usually take to send an offer? I suppose it depends on the uni/course and this is a "how long is a ball of string question"? DS is applying for pure Economics.

Is the covid disruption for only for Cambridge?

@OhYouBadBadKitten

you too cosmiccat,

Thank you @OhYouBadBadKitten, that is very kind. Currently we have no questions but that may change. DD currently battling with the SAQ, she reckons its another way of filtering applicants. Just hoping she at least gets an interview.

DS just got his SAQ and is battling with it. I am totally burnt out on personal statements.

We just paid it the minimum heed mare...

The photo was the biggest nuisance!

Re the SAQ: DD did it 2 years ago, optional. Wrote about the specifics of the course at C for History; Anglo/ Euro heavy, that appealed to her and about why supervision was attractive to her as a learning style. Was discussed in both of her interviews, so she felt was worth the bother in retrospect. Also worth noting it was a big surprise how many offer holders were surprised by the fact they had to do at least one paper from pre a certain period and British on the group chats in the summer before they started, suggesting they hadn’t really scrutinised the curriculum. Also 4 terms in and she’s still having solo supervisions, so just as well that’s what she wanted. It’s very exposed. Fingers crossed for you all in the waiting game.

dd used her SAQ to explain why the cambridge maths course in particular was something she wanted to do. It wasn't very long.

@MareofBeasttown

DS just got his SAQ and is battling with it. I am totally burnt out on personal statements.

Me too!

DD just said, I'm going to do the SAQ this afternoon and I'm "nooooo, I want to catch up with Strictly"

She's chuntering as I type about photos. Gah.

Aaaargh.
And the SAQ doesn't seem remotely relevant to DD. Apart from the photo!
The transcript of marks thingy asks for exam marks in last two years- none done.
And as usual, she fits into none of the residence categories because nobody has updated things since the Brits-in-EU category was "introduced" earlier this year.

I’m not sure filling in the essay space at the end is a good idea. There is the risk of waffling on, repeating the PS, or just having lower quality than the PS which they have poured their heart and souls into.

I'm getting humphy now.
She's emailed admissions (they specify they don't want phone calls) and asked:
Having done no exams yet, does she upload her school reports or what?
Not fitting into any of the residence categories, what does she write?
She's a British Citizen but not in the UK. Does she have to pay the £60 or not?

The answer?
A pdf about essay writing.

That's really disappointing Geamhradh.

Does anyone know how you get the Cambridge admissions number that you have to enter on this form?

Isn't it the UCAS number?

Thank you @OhYouBadBadKitten - that was exactly the thing she was pondering on tonight! I will try to work out DMs on phone and message you tomorrow

@Geamhradh

I'm getting humphy now. She's emailed admissions (they specify they don't want phone calls) and asked: Having done no exams yet, does she upload her school reports or what? Not fitting into any of the residence categories, what does she write? She's a British Citizen but not in the UK. Does she have to pay the £60 or not?

The answer?
A pdf about essay writing.

Hope you manage to get it sorted, sounds stressful!

DD had an email from Clare College today asking for more info around availability for interview and extenuating circumstances, definitely no test or submission of written work for HSPS. They state they will be sending out interview dates mid November......its going to be a long month!

Oh, we have to submit two essays for Selwyn HSPS!

I've just logged in as DD and sent an email to the college saying basically, if you want me to give you any relevant information, you're going to have to give me some first.
Right now, all she can do is upload a photo, confirm dob and possibly pay £60.

@Piggywaspushed

Oh, we have to submit two essays for Selwyn HSPS!

Should have gone for Clare

Have they stated a particular topic or is it just submit any two essays you may have already written? Strange how some colleges ask for essays and others don't.

@Geamhradh

I've just logged in as DD and sent an email to the college saying basically, if you want me to give you any relevant information, you're going to have to give me some first. Right now, all she can do is upload a photo, confirm dob and possibly pay £60.

Sorry I may have missed this but why do you need to pay £60?!

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango
Well, I don't think I do
It's yet another box DD doesn't fit in!
BC in the UK- no £60
EU citizen £60
DD is BC in EU

DS is applying for Nat Sci @ C. I don’t think he has to submit any essays for Nat Sci does this sound right, although we don’t have any access to his portal? He has also put in for a test they have to do through his school for early Nov and he is busy doing his SAQ (but so far I/we haven’t seen sight of this). I am unsure what more he can add that differs from his personal statement? I would feel happier when he has this ready for submission given the problems some have had re the photo as the deadline is looming.

Obviously it is too late for this year, but I know that next year's parents often read this year's thread or look back on it nearer the time, so just wanted to say that the individual college requirements re submitted work are readily available on the Cambridge website (at least for HSPS and History, probably more I just haven't checked them all) so it is definitely worth looking there before applying if the pupil hasn't got a strong alternative reason for applying to a particular college. Some students really want to submit work in advance of a possible interview and some would rather not have the added hurdle of deciding on which work to submit if they have a lot of coursework or other things going on at school in this term. Particularly at the moment with lots of disrupted schooling, some students haven't got as much to choose from as others so it might be a relevant consideration for college choice.

Yes, I did know before we applied. I am quite glad that DS submits work as his written work is strong and may counteract any lack of swagger and assertiveness in an interview!