Applying to Oxbridge for 2023 intake

[riverpebbles]

Not sure if there is already a thread on this? My son is hoping to apply to Cambridge for Computer Science for October 2023 start.

My dd was interviewed for O in 2020 for 2021 entry, so one of the first online interviews. She's also said that she was really glad the interviews were done that way - she had five, spread out over 4 days and was able to carry on with normal life (including revising for mocks!) between the interviews, in a way which would have been more difficult if she'd had to be physically present in O. There were a few worries about technology, but it would be worth doing a 'dry run' or two beforehand so students are happy with the process of joining a meeting, adjusting their camera/microphone etc. O use Microsoft Teams as far as I know, so relatively easy to set up a practice beforehand.

DD applied for MFL and I imagine using an online whiteboard for maths or STEM subjects brings another layer of complexity - but presumably also something that could be practised in advance? I seem to remember O putting quite a bit of info on their website to try to ensure students weren't disadvantaged by not having done an online interview before.

Another girl at dd's (state) school had an interview at O during school time and it was interrupted by someone deliberately setting off a fire alarm but her interviewers were very understanding about it and managed to reschedule the interview for later in the day.

DD felt that another advantage of online interviews is that there is less chance of 'falling in love' with the place or the college as students don't spend time there and become attached to it and imagine themselves studying there. Also avoids worries over arriving late because of train strikes or traffic problems.

Another question dd has told us the school has said not to even bother with Scottish universities as it's impossible to get in from England.

Is this really true or teenage hype? Her second choice is Edinburgh and I am Scottish so would really like her to go there ...

Codfishermen the aptitude test will be critical for your DD. I'm not sure it's worth agonising about A/ A for French but I still wouldn't take it as read that Oxford will think oh ok not bilingual, fair enough, since kids who aren't bilingual clearly do get A. Inevitably, I'm going to say that my own DD got an A (on results day in 2020, so a bona fide A not a CAG as such) from a state school where the MFL department was in a shocking state for all the years up until sixth form. Her GCSE teaching was dire. She had been to France once in her life but she is admittedly a natural linguist. My point is simply that Oxford sees lots of kids like my DD so from a high achieving private school they might tend to wonder why the prediction is lower than might be expected, bearing in mind grade inflation and that this is a prediction, not even a grade in hand.

goodbyestranger Absolutely, everyone you say sounds more than fair and I will not take anything as read. Need to talk to the teachers about whether her predicted grade can realistically go up in September - I just don't want her wasting her time if a predicted A in French means she's a no hoper

Ok so that post got chewed!

Basically Oxford will see plenty of applicants like my DD who get A* from the state sector after dodgy teaching.

That posted slowly!

Getting the prediction up would certainly be much better, although the aptitude test is the more critical thing. There could be an argument that for people doing joint, they need to be particularly strong, so yes, an A* prediction would help. The teachers may well do that without asking if they see an Oxford application.

@SayThatYouLoveMe @OnePlusOneEquals
Comparing face to face or online interviews

I had DC1 have face to face interviews (2019 deferred entry to 2021) and DC2 had online interviews 2021 with offer deferred to 2023. Swings and roundabouts to both systems. I was interviewed face to face over 30 years ago, very overwhelmed by the setting and ended up in tears after my first interview. Then had to pull myself together all alone. Two days later had an interview with another college which went really well.

While some find it great to be in O/C for a few days it is a long way for us from the north, costs money and ups the stakes. Some colleges / tutors are good at settling candidates, others less so whether face to face or online. My DC2 thought they'd have liked the eye contact of face to face but also acknowledged the online was more of a leveller. Their third O interview (with another college a week later) they were great and had current students to welcome you in the waiting room to check you knew what to expect. Their first choice more traditional college was just straight in to questions. As it was for MFL it worked well, they put the texts up through screen share so applicant could look at them easily - admittedly no challenges of digital white boards for doing formula solving.

DC1 quite enjoyed the face to face interviews but it was a long way for 2x 20 min interviews and they didn't particularly enjoy hanging around with the other interviewees, its an odd dynamic given they are your competitors. Most were from the south-east and independent schools so they felt slightly fish out of water.

Both were fortunate to get offers, both state school candidates but from a school with a good track record of applications and parents who were at O/C. For others without that experience I'd have thought on balance going to an open day, having online interviews then face to face offers holders day is best combination.

DC2 went to an offer holders day 4 weeks after they received their offer, not their first choice college but as they'd never visited that one the first place they went to was where their offer was from. Came back really excited - now almost at the end of A levels and 2 months till results....

@Codfishermen I think it’s definitely worth applying to Scottish universities. My DS got early offers from Edinburgh and St Andrews this year.

He has been educated in the English state system.

@OnePlusOneEquals the whole interactive whiteboard challenge didn’t apply to my DS - I totally understand that that would be another worry.
It’s great that your DS has his whole list sorted out. I keep talking up my DS’ insurance choice in case that’s where he ends up on results day!

Cambridge have been sending out summer school offers this week.

Good to hear all these experiences! Yes, there are pros and cons to both set ups - but (unless you’re going for Trinity at Cambridge) then they’re all in the same boat if they reach that 1st step in the application. I know we’re all talking on an Oxbridge thread, but I’m sure we’re all pretty much of the same mind that what will be will be, enjoy the journey of applying to all universities, hopefully have the luxury of a few to whittle down come next year and fingers crossed they all get earlyish offers and aren’t kept holding on to the bitter end.
The Oxbridge application is fun and exciting because it is probably completely different to anything most of our kids have experienced. Not many of us have the educational experience in a place with such history and traditions, it’s just so different. We’ve got hard working, bright and engaged kids who will do well at whatever uni they choose.

I was saying exactly that to a colleague today. My other dc turned down an Oxbridge place as they didn't think it was right for them,

I think that’s the perfect attitude @OnePlusOneEquals . I also think the process can be beneficial: early application means they have to be organised; it’s very brave to have a go and even if they don’t ultimately go there, they learn resilience.

what open days have people been at and what have your thoughts been on them? Curious to hear all viewpoints!

@OnePlusOneEquals I'm a bit worried about this. DD will likely put Durham and St Andrews as her 2nd and 3rd choices. We're way down in the South East and getting to them will be painful. I'm not sure if we will get up to see them for open days. I was thinking that we would find out if Oxford bid was successful by January and that would give us time to then view where other offers had come from but if we haven't seen the alternative, will a no from O be extra crushing?? She has been to Oxford 3 times in the past few months, so her view is already skewed!

@DTJ my DS has discounted St Andrews due to the accommodation issues and the likelihood of having to travel in daily from Dundee. He’s thinking about Durham, but isn’t really viewing any open days other than those organised through school. He said he’ll just wait for offer holder days when/if they are available. He’ll be at Oxford next week with school and knows he wants a college/campus system with access to the great outdoors. So he doesn’t need to view city unis and has whittled down his top 3/4 for applications…..just needs to decide either Bath or Warwick as his 5th.

DD visited Durham on Saturday and liked it, we went to Leicester autumn last year and she has York and Cambridge coming up. She visited QMU on Friday and felt a bit lukewarm about it, she preferred Leicester over QMU. Hasn’t been able to visit UCL as it clashed with others she wanted to see and as we are in London thought we could at least do some outside self tour if it became an option. I haven’t been to any of them except one with her as I just can’t seem to get the time off but she seems happy and capable enough going on her own. She has arranged all her own bookings and train fares and my only involvement in the most part is stumping up the money for the fares.

School doesn’t arrange any visits but does provide access grants to those who can’t afford the transport costs and it is part of the careers service to help them consider where to look and apply.

I'm sure you know but if not the head of admissions for Cambridge is on WIWIKAU and seems happy to answer questions. I had a question on Oxford and she helped with the answer to that too.

Can I join? DS is planning to apply for Cambridge Medicine 2023. We absolutely love Cambridge (his sister is there). But he would also be very happy at Imperial, UCL, Kings, and probably some more I have forgotten. There are no doctors in our family so I was very surprised when he announced this ambition. But, I'm so pleased. Any of the above schools would be absolutely amazing.

DD didn't really include me in the application process, so I nearly fell over when she sent me a text to say she'd got an offer to Cambridge and I didn't even know it was offer day.

These upcoming Open Days at Oxford might be useful for some of you www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/open-days-and-visits

@Codfishermen we've been told the same thing. Such a shame.

@Codfishermen - I'd concur. Not impossible but the odds aren't great if coming from England. If putting down a Scottish university maybe go for one but not two. It's a shame as I like the idea of Edinburgh for one of my DC as DH and I met there.

Have people had predicted grades yet?

www.ed.ac.uk/student-recruitment/admissions-advice/admissions-statistics

You can select RUK admissions stats here for Edinburgh.