Oxford / Cambridge - current students support / chat thread

[DadDadDad]

Continuing a thread for anyone who wants to talk about their sons' and daughters' experience being a student in Oxford or Cambridge. (Or nephews, granddaughters, sisters, uncles - or if you or they have now graduated but you want to share your thoughts - all are welcome!)

I have a DS in his second year at Oxford, studying a small humanity in a tiny college.

Over to you...

@DellaPorter - welcome and congratulations to your son on his place.

Many congratulations @Sandy's DD!! Just before you posted, I had just seen your news on the other thread, on which I may have been lurking....

DS4 (Oxford DPhil) had his transfer viva today (first I knew about it: today) and the tutors in charge told him he'd passed 'with flying colours' so he's happy about that. I got a message when he was on his way to the pub. He'd be horrified that I'd repeated that on a MN thread but hey ho.

Ok make that appalled. Please don't let on Malbec. I rarely disclose this sort of stuff :)

Feels like a day of good news today @goodbyestranger 😊 I'm exhausted after waking up far too early fretting and eating too much Colin this evening.

Congratulations to your lad Goodbye. That's a very proud moment!

Excellent news all round then.

Mutterphore I've only scrolled back a page tonight & spotted your tag. This is the first year in a long time that I haven't been submitting 2 or 3 tax returns a day in January. I hadn't realised how stressful it was until I was only concentrating on the day job.

Any chance of you giving a clue about college Sandy? An oblique one would do :) I've had one at each college on the RadCam side of the High St until you get to Lincoln. Any info about each happily imparted, for a clue. I'll be disappointed if it is indeed Lincoln!

How did the Geography bf get on?

@DellaPorter, congratulations to your DS and welcome to this thread. @Goodbyestranger, well to your DS too. He goes from strength to strength. Also, @SandyBayley, congratulations to your DD for her Oxford offer today.

I'm pretty sure at least one other poster on this thread here has a younger DC who also got an offer today and many congratulations to them too. I remember the agony and the ecstasy of two years in a row for each DS of mine applying and feel once again immense relief at the final result.

@HewasH2O, the horror of submitting even more than just one tax return! Mine's done at last for another year.

@mutterphore you're thinking of @pantjog 😊

Great news @goodbyestranger!

Nice to get a name check on here! Yes, my DD2 got an offer for Music at Oxford today. She was offered a choral scholarship a while ago but of course that was strange because she didn't know if she'd get an academic place to go with it. We are absolutely thrilled on her behalf. In her case, BF is already at Oxford so that's another reason for her to be happy!

DS1 had a bit of fun ribbing DS2 (aged 13!) about the pressure being on him now... I hasten to add that DH and I did not join in with this.

DD1 back in Oxford already, and DS1 going back to Cambridge tomorrow -- the house will suddenly get much quieter.

Well done to the younger siblings. What a joyful day for your families.

Congratulations @SandyBayley @pantjog. Will be in same position with younger sibling probably applying next year if she's brave enough to go for it

DS very happy that collections have been emailed to him to complete online so will hopefully get them done before returning to uni

Congratulations to your dc pantjog and sandy! That's great news!

@Pantjog, yes it's you I meant! Congratulations on your DD2's offer! You must be very proud of her and what a high achieving family you've got!

DS2 (O) has heard he's got proper in person college collections , in full subfusc, this week and is actually very pleased about this. He's been practising handwritten timed essays in preparation.

DD (1st year, C) is expecting full in-person contact (one of her classes was already planned online) as last term. They have a start of term formal again. She can't wait to get back!

For the live in for the duration colleges... How much does that cost?

I hadn't even thought about DD needing sub fusc for her collections. Time for a quick WhatsApp.

@JanuaryBluehoo

For the live in for the duration colleges... How much does that cost?

Do you mean where they keep their room for the holidays? DD pays per term but it includes Christmas and Easter holidays. Her cost per term is just over £1100. (A small number of people could give up their room for the holidays and got refunded a very significant amount of this - she did this in order to save money). I think each college is really different. None of her friends from home who are at different colleges have had the chance to do that. I don't know how much they pay though. Sorry if that's not what you meant!

@JanuaryBluehoo - do you mean the cost at colleges where accommodation is offered to students through out their course?

This table shows the typical cost per college at Oxford. Not all colleges offer accommodation for all years. DS1's does but DD's one doesn't.

www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/colleges/do-I-pay-to-live-in-my-college

Find the relevant college and search for Battels. The cost will vary from college to college, then whether you are catered or not, then whether you have term time or long leases. You may also be surprised at the extra little costs or benefits they can receive. DD gets money back for her sports kit, but other colleges refund the cost of books or fund other items.

Catching up on the thread . Well done to @SandyBayleyand @pantjog DC with their offers! DT1 back to C this weekend, she’s had a lovely month at home. Massive piece of coursework completed. Travel grant for exciting summer project to submit. Her fearsome supervisor for this term has given her a choice of supervision time which was most unexpected and means she can accomodate hockey more easily. She has lots of resolution to do more, use her Union card etc ; hope she can, though expect she’ll disappear in reading lists. College ball work ads have been mentioned so I wonder if this is the year they will resume? Fingers crossed.
Hope you are getting through those tax returns @mutterphore. Work much more satisfying for me recently now that we are seeing more patients rather than talking to a phone handset. Here’s to a happy productive 2022 .