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Original poster

Oxbridge aspirants part 4......Hold onto your nerves interviews ahead....!

940 replies

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 30/11/2021 12:17

Part 4 - A friendly supportive thread for those with DC applying to Oxbridge, its an arduous process to say the least. I suspect we will need some handholding and alcohol for the couple of weeks ahead as our dc have their interviews. For those still waiting to hear I hope news comes soon Flowers

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Thread gallery
5
Horace123 · 08/12/2021 12:19

@ealingwestmum I think it would be poor form not to tell applicants explicitly they are being recorded. On both zoom and Microsoft teams you can tell if it’s being recorded because there is a red recording button which lights up on the screen and it’s obvious. I don’t think that this functionality can be turned off (although my IT skills are fairly poor).

ealingwestmum · 08/12/2021 12:29

I assumed this was the case, just wasn’t sure if they had or hadn’t informed students in conditions. I purposely didn’t ask DD. I wasn’t implying covert recording by either.

Thanks for clarifying.

ealingwestmum · 08/12/2021 12:30

I have avoided on line meetings as much as possible Horace!

LittleLebowski · 08/12/2021 12:41

Thanks stockpot and chilldonaldchill - had the second interview now so we're done (I really don't think I could handle a pool interview after this). The interviewers were much nice in this one and more encouraging, but again the text was quite unusual and with more maturity, I think she could have spotted some obvious things but as it happened she missed a lot.
Anyway, I'm proud she's got this far and did what she could. We will just forget about it now!
Best of luck to everyone interviewing todayFlowers

Eightytwenty · 08/12/2021 13:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittleLebowski · 08/12/2021 14:25

Yes it was eightytwenty. You're right, I think in any test, particularly orals, you're left kicking yourself over things and with those texts, there is interpretation and ambiguity. However, it was like being given a photo of a Christmas tree to describe (this wasn't it by the way, I'm trying an analogy!) then mentioning a bauble, honing in on a bit of tinsel and suggesting it may have something to do with a coming together of family but failing to mention it's a tree in a pot, despite someone pointing out the angel on top! But I've insisted on no more postmortems with her, despite the inevitable anticlimax.Grin I hope everyone else fares better.

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 08/12/2021 14:54

DD had her interview this morning. She was in floods of tears afterwards, saying she thought she had waffled and not shown herself at her best. I got her a takeaway Costa and wiped her tears. Her boyfriend is taking her out for dinner tonight. There's nothing to be done about it now. That said, I didn't think my interview went brilliantly, and I got in. Keeping everything crossed. I know she would love Oxford.

Innocenta · 08/12/2021 14:58

@LittleLebowski

Sorry for those feeling below par - they're getting tired now as term is ending and they've had all this extra work and stress. My DD had her first interview today, it was apparently awful! A very obscure and difficult to interpret text that she couldn't fathom coupled with a dismissive and straightforward "no, that's not it" interviewer. They were obviously keeping the timing super tight so any attempt she made to try to show some area of confidence or interest was shut down curtly. Her overall impression was she looked stupid, couldn't obviously grasp what the interviewer was trying to elicit and wasn't able to show the best of herself.Sad On the positive side though, she feels tomorrow can't go much worseGrin
One of my interviews was like this and I got an offer. Anecdata, I know, but it really is very hard for candidates to tell how they've done. Thanks
Panicmode1 · 08/12/2021 16:21

DS has finished his now. He said he thinks he made some stupid errors in both, but did well/OK on other bits. He has no real clue how it went, but it's done now! He also said it was so much more intense than Imperial and felt as though they went by in about 5 mins. No questions on PS at all!

He has his driving test (again!) on Monday so after that we can relax a bit and worry about what will be later in Jan.

Well done to everyone else for today and good luck to those who have theirs tomorrow and Friday.

Storminamu · 08/12/2021 16:24

DC thought one went okay and the other well. I'm more than happy with that, whatever the outcome.

Original poster
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 08/12/2021 17:18

DD tomorrow I am genuinely more nervous than she is. Really lovely to hear how all of your dc have been getting on good and bad. DD has been trying to do A-level mock study but has given up for the evening and is just trying to relax now, what will be will be.

Also to say what a lovely supportive bunch you are Flowers See you on the flip side!!

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ealingwestmum · 08/12/2021 17:43

All done here too. 2 went well. Few tears post last one. Thank goodness it’s done though.

Very best of luck to those remaining, especially those DC on staggered days. Not sure I could cope with the tech issues; we had several today but I didn’t want to scare anyone, other than to say have a hotspot phone ready, preferably with the data plan not used up!

TerrifiedandWorried · 08/12/2021 17:44

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango good luck to your DD. I've forgotten what subject she is applying for (or you may not have said).

DD also know had one question about PS.

TerrifiedandWorried · 08/12/2021 17:45

Yes, DD's tablet suddenly updated 2 minutes before interview was due. Luckily she had a back up one ready

Eightytwenty · 08/12/2021 17:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

badasscafe1 · 08/12/2021 17:46

all done here too.... now out with friends. Faulty equipment added to the stress but quickly remedied - overall impression was the interviewers were very nice and it went well. Now just the wait..... and no PS questions here either.....

Original poster
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 08/12/2021 17:51

[quote TerrifiedandWorried]@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango good luck to your DD. I've forgotten what subject she is applying for (or you may not have said).

DD also know had one question about PS.[/quote]
Thank you she has applied for HSPS. I am crap with technology but she will be sitting next to the router so please god no issues!

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Whatstheweatherlike · 08/12/2021 18:00

All 3 done and out of the way here for DS. He felt that 2 of them were OK, but was devastated after the 3rd. I'm just so proud of him for putting his name forward and having a go at the whole process. I suppose now it's a case of putting it to one side for a month. At least Christmas will be a good distraction 🎄

ealingwestmum · 08/12/2021 18:00

Just for balance, LOADS of questions re PS!

pantjog · 08/12/2021 18:03

Just to say that DD was asked about her personal statement in two interviews. She was ready thankfully.

She was also a bit tearful afterwards. So much adrenaline! It’s strange to think that in normal times they do it all alone, in situ.

MillicentFaucet · 08/12/2021 18:17

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango

DD tomorrow I am genuinely more nervous than she is. Really lovely to hear how all of your dc have been getting on good and bad. DD has been trying to do A-level mock study but has given up for the evening and is just trying to relax now, what will be will be.

Also to say what a lovely supportive bunch you are Flowers See you on the flip side!!

Wishing your DD good luck for tomorrow Tango and thanks again for these threads. I'm not posting much but I'm reading & willing on everyone's DC to success. DS is interviewing tomorrow afternoon. He had a 1 hour zoom chat with an ex-pupil of his school who is currently on the same course that he has applied for. Son thinks it was a lot more useful than a mock interview and continues to be very chilled. He doesn't get that from me Grin
Original poster
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 08/12/2021 18:35

@MillicentFaucet These threads have been a god send. I have tried not to get over invested but its hard not to when the process seems so long winded and stressful. Having others in the same boat makes it slightly easier somehow. At least they will be over soon and with Christmas around the corner they can have a chill out before it ramps up again for mocks in Jan

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Original poster
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 08/12/2021 18:36

@MillicentFaucet GGOD LUCK to your son too!

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MFLMum2021 · 08/12/2021 19:11

DD’s 2 interviews now done. One seems to have gone well, the other not. The task in the second one was not at all what she was expecting and had prepared for, and the interviewers gave her no scope to show her strengths, so not hopeful of a good outcome. Oh well. Now the long wait until offers come out.

And both interviews covered material in her PS.

heinztomatosoup · 08/12/2021 19:15

All done here too, it's such a relief! Mixed feeling but on the whole ok.

FYI there's a chart over on the Cam thread I came across on TSR that shows the correlation between whether the students themselves felt the interview went well and whether they received an offer. The offer rate was almost exactly the same whether they felt it went well or not, showing that it is impossible to judge the likelihood of an offer! Will try to link...

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7138170