Oxbridge Aspirants 2022 part 3....Will they or won't they make it to interview? Our Mum nerves are in tatters!

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

New thread for us, lots of lovely support whilst we wait. Some of our lovely DC now have interview dates whilst the rest of us hold our breath and try not to hassle our teens into checking their SPAM folders at least several times per day .

Thank you!

Just attempted a mock interview with DS which was a bit weird but OK. Luckily I have some subject knowledge at least for the S of HSPS and some resources but it is really hard to know with such a wide ranging subject what they will ask about!

Cambridge's own example online has HSPS in it but the questions are so straightforward and the answers the 'candidates' give are really undeveloped. I can't believe it would really be so unchallenging.

He has a mock interview from a local private school on Tuesday. they are doing it via Zoom so that will be good practice. DH knows the interviewer and he is an economics teacher/PPE so presumably doing PPE candidates for Oxford. Hopefully, he realises HSPS is not PPE! The trouble with private school supporting local state schools with mock interviews comes when the subject is more widely taught in the state sector perhaps...

My own questions were pure guesses! Happy to chew the fat about them with other HSPS posters!

Thank you for the new thread - I hadn't realised I had posted at 998 or 9!!

Our school hasn't said anything about mock interviews, unfortunately. DC is applying for MML so some of the interview will be in the modern languages. DC has never done anything remotely like the entrance test and is feeling pessimistic about it.

Present!

Also present, thanks Tango

Thanks for starting a new thread.

DS was given a couple of practice interview questions by his physics teacher before his Imperial interview last week - they had been doing entrance exam practice as an extra curricular class (for physics and maths mainly) but he really hadn't done any formal preparation for the actual interview.

He did say however, that there is SO much stuff online from Cambridge (and Oxford) about what to expect etc that he didn't feel that it would have made a massive difference anyway - I think because it's engineering, it's perhaps 'easier', or perhaps I should say less difficult to prep for than things like law (my Oxford interview was hideous!) or subjects with less rigid right and wrong answers.

Thanks for the new thread. DS off to an 18th house party tonight, has his driving test this week, has a 2nd covid jab to book, to rank his Durham Colleges, to bake a cake to take into
School this week as well as the usual school work to keep him occupied whilst we wait to find out whether or not he will get an interview for Cambridge.

@Piggywaspushed Sounds like invaluable support. DD also HSPS I had a go at interviewing her the other day based on her PS but them problem is I know nothing about what she has written so it was difficult to raise relevant questions with her. I guess they will pick it apart and come back to her with in depth questions which I most definitely could not. I have told her really get to grips with this side of her PS. I am slightly concerned that her love is for politics and she knows little about anthropology and sociology but then do they expect them to have studied it all? I have seen that interview online and agree it was flakey and weak.

Checking in for new thread

@TWAT re the HSPS interview, DD attended an interview webinar from her prospective college who suggested it was likely to be discussing a text supplied "on the day", thus assessing critical thinking skills? This way it is more of a level playing field which seems fair. Assume also some discussion of current affairs?

My DS is in his 2nd year at C doing engineering. It’s worth practising all the past papers that are available online, even after the entrance test, as you get questions on the interview day itself. IIRC the physics questions are basically the same so it’s worth working through those as well.

@Piggywaspushed

I think this one is probably more realistic but I am not sure dd would have the faintest idea of how to answer the questions!

@heinztomatosoup

Checking in for new thread

@TWAT re the HSPS interview, DD attended an interview webinar from her prospective college who suggested it was likely to be discussing a text supplied "on the day", thus assessing critical thinking skills? This way it is more of a level playing field which seems fair. Assume also some discussion of current affairs?

@heinztomatosoup Thanks for that. I think DD would stand a chance at that then she is pretty good at analysing text and would be confident with this. I will get her reading more re current affairs.

Thank you for the new thread By the next one we should at least know about interviews i guess perhaps even have had some.

Thanks for starting a new thread.

I hope this one soon has good news for lots of us.

@heinztomatosoup

Checking in for new thread

@TWAT re the HSPS interview, DD attended an interview webinar from her prospective college who suggested it was likely to be discussing a text supplied "on the day", thus assessing critical thinking skills? This way it is more of a level playing field which seems fair. Assume also some discussion of current affairs?

Yes, Selwyn say it will be a 'text' but that really is very broad for HSPS! I suspect it will be something not very googleable (?) so a graph or map.

Thanks @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango. My DD said Edinburgh have emailed her and said they are not making offers until April (probably just her course though). I'm just glad to know she's in the system. Edinburgh will be her first choice after Cambridge.

Those are extremely anthropology focused OP, which apparently comes out of her PS. I guess our DCs need to look at something they write in their PS and guess what they will pick up on. Her PS sounds much more 'thought provoking' than DSs!

Are people expecting discussion of current affairs? If so, then why?

@Piggywaspushed

Those are extremely anthropology focused OP, which apparently comes out of her PS. I guess our DCs need to look at something they write in their PS and guess what they will pick up on. Her PS sounds much more 'thought provoking' than DSs!

Yes very true I think DD has focused more on Politics.

Some helpful links from Clare director of studies for HSPS...may be of use for our dc to have a listen through.

www.clare.cam.ac.uk/Fellows-and-Staff-Directory/het20/

Definitely for HSPS!

Checking in on the new thread. Well done to those who have started to receive good news. My son has applied for PPE at Oxford so just waiting to hear if he's made it to the interview stage. I'm finding it a tricky balance in terms of encouraging/supporting prep for a potential interview and not putting too much emphasis on it in case he's not successful. I'm so glad I found these threads so I know I'm not on my own!

Thank you for the new thread, I am checking in too. I totally agree @whats theweatherlike it is a tricky balance and this thread stops me asking DD too many questions. She had a mock online interview with her teacher 7.30pm last night. I thought that was above and beyond for the teacher and full credit to them for investing in the students (state 6th form).

Good luck to everyone waiting to hear!

That is dedication Cosmiccat! It's great to hear about teachers going above and beyond to help.