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 .

Well done to those trying mock interviews! Shamazing. I don't have a Scooby Doo about Maths, so no chance of that. I'll see if his advanced Higher lecturer might offer one? We've had no other suggestions from school.

He's convinced he won't get interviewed so won't complete past papers, but if he does he's good at cramming!

Checking in here.

Nothing for DD from anywhere yet. She did say to me she was really grateful I wasn't like her friends' parents as I wasn't stressed and had let her make her own decisions. Clearly I am hiding my stress very well

DS1 (YR10) has just announced he thinks he would like to do mechanical engineering at Cambridge. I'm not sure my blood pressure can take it.

I'm sure you already know but the Cambridge uni admission's person posted a link for two videos on WIWIKAU yesterday with advice on preparing for the online interview.

Checking in! DS now very down about his MAT and convinced he's blown it but who knows? He's not done his other four applications yet so absolutely no news to share!

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Thanks @TangoWhiskyAlphaTango

Thanks for the new thread and good luck to everyone regarding interviews!

Signing in. Don't want to go on to friends and family about the wait to hear about an interview, so this is really helpful.

Thanks for keeping this going .. I've been keeping an eye on it as I'm another one who it saves asking questions and actually being able to suggest something useful thank you

@Piggywaspushed Have you / you DS seen this webinar on Youtube for HSPS from Downing from last year? If not its definitely worth a view

I have ; can't speak for DS but will forward it to him!

Thanks.

www.varsity.co.uk/news/22430

@Piggywaspushed, was it your DS applying to Selwyn?

Ermmm, yeah. God Oxbridge is weird sometimes.

Reminds me of the Michael Gove Scotch egg nonsense last year. Is it a snack or a meal? Farcical.

Yes, although fish and chips definitely isn't a snack.

I won't tell DS this : he actually researched which colleges had apparently good food!!

It is interesting that it is considered over priced. I have bewailed on this thread that it is hard to find out transparent costs.

Just found this thread. Watching with interest!

Anyone got an Oxford maths interview yet? I'm guessing it must take a while to mark all those MAT papers.

@weednfeed

Anyone got an Oxford maths interview yet? I'm guessing it must take a while to mark all those MAT papers.

Waiting nervously here! I don't know if I can bear it if emails don't come until the very end of the month!

How did your DC feel the MAT went? DS said it was easily the hardest thing he's ever seen. He finds nothing hard, usually (pita!) so that's saying something.

Trying not to think about how long it'll take to mark all those MAT papers - DS overthinking World Literature coursework right now (joys of the IB) which is probably a welcome distraction. It doesn't come as easily as the maths and other subjects!

@margegunderson - joining you in the joy/distraction of IB coursework. Biology just about done. Chemistry to follow. DD is more of a scientist so the History IA was the hardest so far I think. At least they'll be done by May 😬

How did your DC feel the MAT went? DS said it was easily the hardest thing he's ever seen. He finds nothing hard, usually (pita!) so that's saying something

Puffalicious, he's not verbose, all I got out of him was "yeah, it was about what I expected from doing the practice papers". It's a bit of a long shot for him. He's a last minute Charlie and although I encourage him, I think he's way too laid back for Oxford. He spent about 10 days beforehand doing a past paper each day..With the first few his mark was below average for the cohort, then it got a bit better with practice and edged into the "possible interview if you're lucky" zone. He already has one offer from another uni that he'd be happy with, so the pressure is off.

Hoping we hear about interviews this week. It is pretty torturous!

@SandyBayley DS has done and dusted chemistry, physics on its way, psych almost there but I swear the English has taken more time than a the others put together. Term 4 is a bugger but as you say they're done in May

@weednfeed

How did your DC feel the MAT went? DS said it was easily the hardest thing he's ever seen. He finds nothing hard, usually (pita!) so that's saying something

Puffalicious, he's not verbose, all I got out of him was "yeah, it was about what I expected from doing the practice papers". It's a bit of a long shot for him. He's a last minute Charlie and although I encourage him, I think he's way too laid back for Oxford. He spent about 10 days beforehand doing a past paper each day..With the first few his mark was below average for the cohort, then it got a bit better with practice and edged into the "possible interview if you're lucky" zone. He already has one offer from another uni that he'd be happy with, so the pressure is off.

Ha,he sounds as laid back as my DS. He did some past papers but I get the feeling he didn't stretch himself! I didn't ask how he did marks wise- I like to leave him to it.

He knows it's a long shot and is super chilled. He already has unconditional offers from 2 unis and another 2 to hear about, so he's Mr Chilled!

Good luck