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.

Is anyone here thinking of applying to Oxford Medicine? Do you think DS will need 3 As predicted? He has two A and one A. Also thinking about Cambridge, but I think he prefers Oxford.

@WhiteCarnation no he won't need 3 A star predictions. He'll need a stonking good BMAT and if Oxford over 90% top grades at GCSE (although they didn't look at these this year and May continue not to do so). Standard Cambs offer is A*AA and Oxford AAA.
Cambs interview about 60% of applicants and Oxford only about 30% so different prospects after interview at both. Make sure he likes the courses as they are currently v different to almost everywhere else with v v little early patient contact. If want pure science for 2 years then that's great.

DC has just got her results (Scotland) and has made her deferred offer - so can now focus on her gap year. She wasn't really expecting to make the offer.

She only applied to Oxbridge, and the test and interview were online, so it was a relatively straightforward process!

@Mirrinpuzzle many congratulations to your DD 👏 Another week to wait here - also for a deferred offer.

For those applying this year is what is certain is you don't get in if you don't apply ... that said in my experience (twice in the last 2 years) the process does require quite a lot of investment and preparation so helps to have a really positive Plan B.

Like @Mirrinpuzzle no travel required - My DD's test was taken in school and interviews on line

For the early entry Oxbridge application do you have to submit all your Uni and course choices at the same time? I've had a Google and can't find any recent information?

@WhiteCarnation @mumsneedwine the standard Oxford offer for medicine is A star AA and for Cambridge medicine is A star, A star A.

@Lostinabba - you can add extra choices in later. Any time up to the January 'normal' UCAS deadline.

@WhiteCarnation - DD is starting Medicine at Oxford this year so feel free to ask questions. As others have said the BMAT is the thing that they really need to focus on. Historically Oxford have placed a lot of weight on GCSEs but they largely disregarded them in the last cycle given the circumstances they were awarded in. I suspect it will be very similar this year.

Thank you @HoneyMobster , that takes some pressure off. Still trying to decide which course to apply for PPE at Oxford or Philosophy at Cambridge. She knows its long shot but wants to give it a go.

Hello all can I join in? My daughter is keen to study English at oxbridge. Currently savouring Oxford as been to open day there but open day at Cambridge in a few weeks may change that. She's scottish and just got 5 A in her highers.
👋🏻

Good to see another Scottish person going for Oxbridge. My DD has just finished S6 and has made her Cambridge offer, deferred to 2023.

Ok - AS level results were good so DS is definitely going to apply for Geog and Cambridge in 2023. He’s just got to keep it up for Y13 next year.
DS has a number of disabilities, including physical ones, does anyone know if there is a central student disability service or is it via each college? We haven’t done official
open days but have visited the town and various colleges.

I should be leaving this thread as ds has decided not to apply to Cambridge now. But I'll hang around in case anyone has any questions because DD did this two years ago and has just finished her first year at Cambridge.

We got the epq grade back the other day, an A* so that's a step in the right direction,

Ds is off to Oxford for a summer school soon.

@HairyMaclary , there’s some information here.

Links to specific information for applicants with disabilities at C can be found here.

This thread is rather quiet… DC applying but not started PS yet.

Oxford seems to have introduced wider Foundation courses for 2023 start. Wonder how they will impact on 2024 entry for the main courses eg will foundation year will form part of the existing course places for 2024.

Looking at the details of the scheme, it's will only be up to 50 transferring into year one the following year, spread across ten colleges snd many disciplines.

Are foundation year 'graduates' of the current LMH scheme counted against the number of places available pre-scheme, or were they added as extras?

Not sure. Website says ‘students have participated in the LMH foundation year before going on to a range of undergraduate courses at both Oxford and other selective universities’ which suggests they may go through UCAS again. But am just surmising, possibly badly.

DS is hoping to complete his first full draft of his personal statement tomorrow. He’s go lots of bits and pieces written here and there, but not fully out together as yet. He needs to have it in place by the time he returns to 6th form so his tutor can help him refine it if required. Otherwise he’s been working through old PAT papers and Isaac physics. He’s not enjoying writing the personal statement at all 🤣

DS has completed his first draft of his PS as his school want to review it when he returns next week. I'm pretty sure he will apply to Oxford but he is also seriously looking at the the US. He's going on an 'Official Visit' to two Ivy Leagues next month (they pay for the trip).

DS has finished his first draft of his PS but it didn't come easy, his tutor is reviewing it with him next week. @HoneyMobster what is your DS planning to study? How do you think the costs of studying in US compare to the UK? My DS was also interested but it looked much more expensive with no academic scholarships, only sporting. That said, I haven't had time to do any in depth research so perhaps I'm wrong? DS asked his school for info and advice but they don't have experience of students going to US for study and couldn't really help.

@juicy0 - DS is planning on an Economics major in a Liberal Arts degree if in the US and PPE if in the UK.

He's represented GB in his chosen sport so his potential route to the US is linked to that ;recruited athlete) but there are no sports scholarships available at the Ivy League (he is considering Harvard, Yale and Princeton). He still has to meet the academic profile though - sat SAT last weekend and has 3 A star and A prediction plus 9 x 9 GCSEs plus an 8.

There is 'need based' financial aid at the Ivies and based on what we've submitted so far it's coming out as more than the UK but considerably less than the advertised price. The financial aid available is seriously high, for many families it could be completely free and cover all associated costs.

Thank you @HoneyMobster, I'll investigate further. Good luck to your DS