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Higher education

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

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

996 replies

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 13/11/2021 15:30

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 Grin.

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Piggywaspushed · 29/11/2021 14:07

@Juja

Thanks *@ealingwestmumand* *@Flyonawalk* - it is such a stressful time for them all, knowing they would be wise to prepare but not knowing if they have an interview or when. At the same time juggling the rest of school work, timed assessments and the rest of life etc.

Two years my DS went into his Oxford Interview knowing he had an offers from Durham and Edinburgh. For my DD she has only heard from one other Uni (her 4th choice) with an offer so it is harder to say "I'll try my best but if it doesn't happen I've already got an offer of somewhere I really want to go to.

Do other parents think other Uni's are being a bit slower getting offers out this year - maybe nervous of over offering before 15th Jan deadline?

Not especially. Mine has heard from 3 of the remaining 4.
SandyBayley · 29/11/2021 14:13

Sorry to hear that @MrsElijahMikaelson1 - it's so competitive. Don't beat yourself up on 'what ifs' on the PS. I don't think it would have made a difference. The numbers are so high it will most likely have been a numerical cut off n an admissions test.

@Juja - I don't think other universities are holding back. DD's friends (non medics) have plenty of offers from the likes of Bristol, Bath, York etc

NinaProudman2022 · 29/11/2021 14:19

@SandyBayley have Durham and St A started offering to English students in year 13 yet?

SandyBayley · 29/11/2021 14:28

That I don't know @NinaProudman2022 - DD doesn't seem to have English friends!

Juja · 29/11/2021 14:36

@SandyBayley and @Piggywaspushed thanks - maybe it varies by subject and uni. She has heard form Bristol. Durham though keep sending heremails saying we are working through applications and Edinburgh emailed and said don't expect to hear until April.

Flyonawalk · 29/11/2021 14:41

@MrsElijahMikaelson1 Very sorry to hear this. Your DD sound like an outstanding young woman. This is such a harsh process.

Flyonawalk · 29/11/2021 14:44

@Frankl Just wanted to say Wow!

Eightytwenty · 29/11/2021 15:15

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Eightytwenty · 29/11/2021 15:15

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Panicmode1 · 29/11/2021 15:36

@Frankl that is a seriously impressive achievement for your girls....thank goodness they all got the call!! Good luck to them all.

Commiserations to those who have reached the end of the road, and well done to the new posters with good news 😊

Valleyofthedollymix · 29/11/2021 15:40

I too am reeling at @Frankl four! It must be so difficult to know how to handle it - obviously easy if all four get in, but hard in any other combo (especially three I guess).

Going back to my laid-back son, I guess it's good if not everyone at Oxbridge is a crazily academic, accomplished person. Not that he's got in but I presume that were he to squeeze in, there would be plenty of others like him. I remembered a funny v true thing Hugo Rifkind wrote that I'll copy and paste:

Going up to Oxbridge hits you in one of two ways. Some people go into shock. Back at their sixth-form college in Arsehampton, Bottomshire, they were the cleverest and most interesting person around. Here, though, they’re average. Or worse, bland. Sure, they’re quite good on Shakespeare’s use of garden imagery in Hamlet and are grade seven at the violin, but that bloke in the next room? He’s trilingual. He’s dating a Cambodian princess. He has read Thucydides in Greek, spent his gap year interning for Deutsche Bank and used to be secretary-general of the Model UN.

[Then he goes onto say later...]
The opposite approach, Oxbridgewise, is to feel like you’ve blagged it and experience an overwhelming sense of relief. That was me. Emmanuel College, 1995. “I’m here!” I said to myself. “I can do basically nothing for the next three years, and I will still always be a person who got into Cambridge.”

Puffalicious · 29/11/2021 15:48

Frankl I am in absolute awe!

Thoughts are with those without such great news. All your DC will shine elsewhere.

Juja · 29/11/2021 16:01

@Frankl - seriously impressive, a friend of mine is an identical triplet, two went to C & one to O - all flourished and have great and varied careers 30 years on.

Flyonawalk · 29/11/2021 16:30

@Valleyofthedollymix Exactly what I did at Oxford in the mid 1990s! Felt delighted to have got in and didn’t put myself under pressure. I definitely worked harder to get in than I ever did once there, including for finals.

PermanentTemporary · 29/11/2021 16:50

Good timing on the day of the Tmua results and a piece of very sad local news about a teenager nearby, that ds's second choice uni will enter him into a lucky ticket prize draw Excellence Scholarship if he goes to an offer-holder's day.

Valleyofthedollymix · 29/11/2021 17:21

I love it PT! I want an excellence scholarship (and frankly it would have to be a total lottery for me to get one). Lucky him having his second choice having offered already too. DS says he'd feel worse if his second choice rejects him than if Cambridge do - I think he's got his heart set on it because it feels more realistic.

Sorry about sad local news. These things can be so upsetting.

ealingwestmum · 29/11/2021 17:45

I'm sorry to read of your DD's news MrsElijahMikaelson1

Lampzade · 29/11/2021 18:13

@Frankl

Hi everyone, I have been a long time lurker while I didn´t have a confirmation regarding my 4 DDs interviews (mom of quadruplets struggle!).

All of them applied to different subjects, and is the first time anyone in the family will atend University, so we will be really proud no matter where they atend.

DD1 is the only one who applied to C. Will have an interview for Law at Clare (she originally applied to Trinity).

DD2, 3 and 4 applied to O. DD2 has recieved an interview invitation from Lincoln for PPE, while DD3 for Biochemistry at Quenn´s and DD4 for Earth Sciences at St. Anne´s.

Wow. Very impressive
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 29/11/2021 19:01

@MrsElijahMikaelson1

The journey has just ended for us. DD completely dejected and doing the why did I bother? Have told her all the above (though she’s not ready to hear it) but I do think she would have been perfect for Oxford-her supra curriculars are off the charts and she is so passionate about her subject. I wonder whether if she had been allowed to put her extracurricular activities on her personal statement it would have helped? Her college tutor struck it out, but she is post grade 8 on two instruments and is at Royal Conservatoire as well…and she had nothing on her application form. Well done to everyone else but will bow out now. One of her other choices is so desperate for her they have downgraded her offer from 3xA to 3xB and her first choice of accommodation if she gets an A in her EPQ.
Sorry to hear this too, its a bloody tough process and I hope your DD is able to pick herself up and realise how brilliant she is Flowers
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TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 29/11/2021 19:02

@Eightytwenty

History Aptitude Assessment for DS tomorrow. Fingers crossed it goes smoothly. Hearing about some of your experiences it seems that it doesn’t always.
So glad to hear it went well, another hurdle ticked off at least for now!
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TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 29/11/2021 19:04

DD is still waiting for a date for her interview, she seems calm enough though so thats good. She isnt focusing on it too much and is just cracking on with her mock revision which will help prep for interview.

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Stockpot · 29/11/2021 19:10

Posters were chatting previously about whether other universities were making decisions yet. My DD is still waiting to hear from St Andrew’s, Edinburgh, and the LSE.

TerrifiedandWorried · 29/11/2021 19:23

My DD has only heard from Oxford. Nothing from her others.

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 29/11/2021 19:58

It's definitely Uni dependent as DD has had all 4 other offers now - Bath, Nottingham, Liverpool & Cardiff. It's nice to know (exam results permitting) she will definitely be going to C or Bath now. She's been very fortunate at this stage having Baths offer this early has taken a lot of pressure off her C.

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Puffalicious · 29/11/2021 20:19

Friend's DD has an interview for English at St Hilda's. So very pleased for her- another comprehensive kid from a very mixed area. She and DS have known each other since they were 1 month and 5 months respectively at baby and toddler group. She has offers from Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh already, so pressure off for her too, thankfully.

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