Oxbridge Aspirants - Part 6

[HoneyMobster]

The offers are in but there is still a long way to go...

@CurlyhairedAssassin
@Panicmode1
@PermanentTemporary

My DD has her 2020 GCSE certificate- it just has the teacher assessed grades on it.

@carben thanks! I had no idea because we never received this. I’ll have to email school about this. They’ll probably sort this out after the holidays..

Hi @CurlyhairedAssassin many congrats to your DS for a great - if rejected - Imperial offer! My DS1 gave me a statistic along the lines of '40% of offers from Imperial get turned down' ... supposedly because those kids also hold Oxbridge offers consisting of the same grades. No idea if that's accurate but it wouldn't be that surprising if it was. ... and my poor old DS1 (Ox reject) is still waiting for Bristol engineering decision too. Glad he's not alone. He also hasn't heard a dicky bird from Imperial - not even a rejection. It's utterly bizarre.

Thanks, @kitnkaboodle. How’s it going? My DS took things into his own hands with regards to Bristol and withdrew his application. He then submitted his firm and insurance choices (Cambridge and Southampton) and then submitted his Southampton accommodation. He heard back from them today and he’s happy enough. So he just has to concentrate on his revision now.

Hope your DS1 has heard from Bristol and Imperial now?

How is everybody holding up? August is such a long way away!

We're just back from a short break in Cambridge - a crudely disguised attempt to remind DS what he's working towards so he remembers to crack on with revision 😬. He's very enthused so I think it's done the trick.

Still waiting to hear from Edinburgh. Not holding out much hope now!!

@nolongerpetitebleu as you say a long haul still ahead. DD's A Levels start on 24th April (speaking exams) and end on 24th June... then another 7 weeks before results ....

DD also still waiting to hear from Edinburgh...

@CurlyhairedAssassin both DSs have had a rejection from Imperial finally. Neither is that bothered. DS1 had expected the inevitable and DS2 has Cam offer anyway. Still no word from Bristol or Bath for DS1. Radio silence til Tuesday now I'm sure. Not sure if he's chased them or not. I think the deadline for uni decisions is May 16th?? Taking it to the wire ... Maybe my DS1 will get your DS's rejected Bristol place now!! 🤞😉

DS has had all his offers in now and is trying to decide on insurance, he has a couple of offers that are the same as Cambridge but without STEP and a couple that are (slightly) lower.

I just gave myself a heart attack and read the financial conditions letter from DS' C college - 'students must lodge an £8000 deposit with the college by x Sept' jumped out at me.....luckily I'd misread the status of the applicant (foreign students) .

We had a lovely offer holder's event at DD's college last week. It was just perfect. Really well organised and incredibly friendly. They said they wanted to have it to make up for the fact applicants didn't visit for interviews.

I wonder if they'll stick with online interviews this autumn?

I can't see them ever going back to in-person interviews. Or maybe they will give you a choice ...? My DS2 has online offer holder day with his college soon. He's also had a supportive email from a student mentor. They have chosen to do this with offer holders from 'certain schools'. Given that the girl was stressing that she'd been to a comprehensive school and telling him not to feel out of his depth, I'm guessing that 'certain schools' were the more underperforming ones. It was a nice touch, but DS, typically, didn't want to engage much beyond just saying the minimum 'thanks for asking'

@kitnkaboodle I agree I think they might well stick with online interviews -

I think there is less room for bias and it is more levelling. Also for some interviewees the whole having to be in Oxford or Cambridge in grand buildings surrounded by over confident fellow interviewees is scary as well as the expense for attendees and colleges. Certainly 30 years ago I had a really awful first interview - came out crying then had to hang around for two days beating myself up before asked to another interview, which thankfully went well. All pretty grim.

My DD had two quite different experiences in December. At her first college they went straight in, no introductions, didn't blur her background while at the second college they had student welcomers in the waiting room - made a big effort to put her at ease - blur her background etc. She is now delighted to have an offer from the second college despite refusing to apply to it originally ...

Reporting in as it’s been awhile since we all began the ‘emotional rollercoaster’ that is an Oxbridge application.
DD firmed her Oxford offer and insured the Uni she could ‘see herself at’ quite some time ago,
SFE applied for and ‘award notice’ received.
I’m still struggling with the new format of MN 😳 and as such can’t ‘@‘ those that are aspiring to read the same subject as DD at both Universities.
Having said that, same subject or not, how are all DC doing as we ‘count down’ the time to exams proper?

Sorry to hear about the Imperial result. Any news on Bristol or Bath since you posted?

@CurlyhairedAssassin Nope! 😖 He's missed Bath offer holders day for Engineering and Bristol is on Wednesday. 🤷‍♀️But on another thread there's at least one other person in the same boat. He is scheduled to resit Maths and Physics A levels this time round to try to get A stars. If Exeter ends up as his only offer (unconditional) then he won't need to!!

I can't post on the app - so can only post when I'm at the computer - bit of a pain. Sorry to hear that your DS is still being kept hanging on @kitnkaboodle - as if things aren't stressful enough for them all at this point!

@ProggyMat Covid stress here - DC tested positive on Wednesday and has Spanish oral exam on Tuesday - worth 30% of her A level and just heard this afternoon they are not allowed to sit it if still positive. No protocol as to whether they can rearrange though teacher is hoping they can - after feeling awful last week DC is now feeling fine and allowed back to school.

If they don't let her rearrange it then they will take an average of her other two papers but speaking exam is the one that being relied on to nudge into the A*. Fortunately she only needs an A but after all the work over the last two years its somewhat depressing... no one would do this any other bug... I'd have thought examiner could be at a two plus metre distance in a. well ventilated room

Very frustrating if she can't sit it it as she's spent all weekend gearing up.

Lord! Fingers crossed for a negative test or a reschedule!
Is there a set date for the oral element or is it at schools discretion as long as it’s completed by a set date? There maybe some info on the exam board website?

@ProggyMat Yes I have been googling but little guidance seems at the discretion of the examiner which doesn't seem quite right given we are all meant to be living with Covid - government can't have it both ways ... There is a set period oral exam has to be done in -

Also French oral next week so she wanted this one out of the way... so she isn't holding both languages at once...

@Juja so sorry to hear about the Covid stress - why am I not in the least surprised that the Govt don't have Covid contingency plans in place for orals and things that are likely to be disrupted 🙄. Poor DD - hope that it all works out for her.

@Juja in your position I’d have DD do a LFT- that’s if you’ve got one of course 😳- first thing in the morning and email the school’s exam officer with the result (DD’s boyfriend tested pos on the Tuesday before Christmas and neg on the Sunday) .
Whatever the result, I’d formally ask ‘what happens now’?
At least that way you have a ‘paper trail’
Keeping my fingers crossed she can sit on Tuesday or if not at a later date 💐

@Panicmode1 thanks, just what we don't need - I've just found more government guidance and if you only have to be off for 3 days after a positive test so my conclusion now is this oral examiner is operating solo. I've written to the school to say DC is well enough and compliant with the guidelines and we plan to bring her in for the exam. They can ventilate the room and be at level metres distance - she will be Day 6/7 by then depending on whether you use the Day 0 approach - never got Day 0 system!

In case anyone needs them here are two useful links - one the official guidance on special consideration and then a blog. They apply to all A Levels and GCSEs whatever the Board.

www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/A-guide-to-the-special-consideration-process-202122-–-General-and-Vocational-qualifications-Updated-8-April-2022.pdf

educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/04/12/everything-you-need-to-know-about-covid-measures-during-exams-this-summer/

@ProggyMat re reading my post hope you didn't think I was ranting at you - I was ranting at the chaos of the system and the lack of guidance for teachers and pupils in what must be a situation being repeated across the country...

@Panicmode1 sorry I meant to tag you in above not @ProggyMat !! I think I'm losing the plot - must go and cook supper.

We have done an LFT today - still positive - we are fortunate we still have some tests.. thankfully my husband ordered quite a few in before they decided no one needed them despite actually needing them to know whether you are allowed to go to your exam - surprise surprise there is no joined up thinking by this government

@Juja I hope your DD is able to do the exam. What a mess. DS is currently mildly poorly with Covid and in a panic about missing revision sessions for maths, which is his possible sticking point. Luckily his Spanish oral isn't until next week. I'm not sure he realises how close that is!