Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

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

Original poster

Oxbridge applications 2023 mutual support thread

889 replies

Riverpebble · 02/11/2022 22:05

A new, friendly thread.

OP posts:
juicy0 · 30/11/2022 19:11

Sorry it wasn't the news your DD hoped for @CeciCC but it sounds as though she has other options she's keen on which is great. DS and I went to Exeter's open day and he loved it, it's a strong contender for him too

Physing · 30/11/2022 20:27

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

balzamico · 02/12/2022 17:49

Practice interview with a current student today went really well and left dd buzzing as she enjoyed it so much - maybe she is O material after all!!
Still don't know which day next week actual interview will be

Original poster
Riverpebble · 02/12/2022 18:16

balzamico · 02/12/2022 17:49

Practice interview with a current student today went really well and left dd buzzing as she enjoyed it so much - maybe she is O material after all!!
Still don't know which day next week actual interview will be

We don't know either. Practice interview on Tuesday and a zoom call with a different college tonight about interview techniques.

OP posts:
OnePlusOneEquals · 02/12/2022 19:07

Offer of interview was received on Tuesday…..but still no allocated time given! They are supposed to start interviewing from Wed 7th, so think we’ll wait till Monday and if no further info then email.

Thedoglovesmemore · 02/12/2022 20:03

Turmerictolly · 30/11/2022 17:17

I think Ds school has around 70 applicants but I'd need to check that (out of approx 250 in the sixth form). They usually end up with circa 25 offers. This has decreased - possibly due to wider outreach targeting less selective schools?

Wow at 70 out of 250 students apply to oxbridge. Our school has nothing like that percentage apply

interviews here next week. Interesting how different colleges are running interviews for the same subject. Different number of interviews, length and interviewers!

Karmacat · 03/12/2022 10:10

OnePlusOneEquals · 02/12/2022 19:07

Offer of interview was received on Tuesday…..but still no allocated time given! They are supposed to start interviewing from Wed 7th, so think we’ll wait till Monday and if no further info then email.

We waited over two weeks for actual interview date at Queens, eventually did email and finally got time and date yesterday for next week.

Revengeofthepangolins · 03/12/2022 10:13

Asking for a friend - does anyone know if any Oxford compsci invitations have come out?

multivac · 03/12/2022 10:18

We don't know either. Practice interview on Tuesday and a zoom call with a different college tonight about interview techniques.

Can I ask how people are accessing this level of pre interview support? Is it through a personal network? Thanks Smile

BruceIsACake · 03/12/2022 11:18

Our school arranged a mock interview with an oxbridge grad in same subject using their network of parents (state).

DahliaMacNamara · 03/12/2022 11:28

Revengeofthepangolins · 03/12/2022 10:13

Asking for a friend - does anyone know if any Oxford compsci invitations have come out?

They can be very late, but looking at the timetable I think they should hear either way by early next week.

multivac · 03/12/2022 12:04

BruceIsACake · 03/12/2022 11:18

Our school arranged a mock interview with an oxbridge grad in same subject using their network of parents (state).

Thanks - ds's school (also state) is doing mock interviews with him, and have given him some signposts; but it would be great for him to have time with someone who's been through the process, too. I might ask if they have any former students at Cambridge for comp sci...

EmmaStone · 03/12/2022 12:31

Slight panic here - DD got her interview times at 4:30pm yesterday, first one is at 08:55 on Monday morning - too late to arrange a room at school, as the Head of Careers had left for the weekend! She's been very resourceful, however, and one of her subject teachers has basically blocked out his subject's rooms for all of Monday and Tuesday for her so that she'd be covered. Her second course interview is the same time on Tuesday - at least she gets them out of the way. I did say to her that she's probably the first interviewee, I don't know if that's a good thing or not! Will they have forgotten her by the time they get through all their candidates?!?

She's had 2 practice interviews arranged by her school, and she asked me to pose some questions based on her personal statement this morning. She can certainly talk about her subject, whether it's all nonsense, I've no idea!

Good luck for next week everyone, the penultimate hurdle...

Original poster
Riverpebble · 03/12/2022 14:44

multivac · 03/12/2022 10:18

We don't know either. Practice interview on Tuesday and a zoom call with a different college tonight about interview techniques.

Can I ask how people are accessing this level of pre interview support? Is it through a personal network? Thanks Smile

We just found them online or got told, we have no personal network

OP posts:
mumofthree22 · 03/12/2022 15:13

@EmmaStone great news your DD has her interview times. My DS also has his interview next week but his school prefers them all to interview from home - is that possible for your DD as avoids many factors such as traffic, class availability, noice etc.

juicy0 · 03/12/2022 18:13

EmmaStone · 03/12/2022 12:31

Slight panic here - DD got her interview times at 4:30pm yesterday, first one is at 08:55 on Monday morning - too late to arrange a room at school, as the Head of Careers had left for the weekend! She's been very resourceful, however, and one of her subject teachers has basically blocked out his subject's rooms for all of Monday and Tuesday for her so that she'd be covered. Her second course interview is the same time on Tuesday - at least she gets them out of the way. I did say to her that she's probably the first interviewee, I don't know if that's a good thing or not! Will they have forgotten her by the time they get through all their candidates?!?

She's had 2 practice interviews arranged by her school, and she asked me to pose some questions based on her personal statement this morning. She can certainly talk about her subject, whether it's all nonsense, I've no idea!

Good luck for next week everyone, the penultimate hurdle...

DS also has two interviews on Monday and I'd had the same thoughts about him being very early in the process. He's had two practice interviews organised by school and has blocked this weekend out to prep as much as he can. Good luck to everyone for the interviews x

HewasH20 · 03/12/2022 18:47

Multivac don't worry. Dd's school thought they were being helpful when they arranged a practice interview for her. It was with an alumni of Oxford Brookes and he ran through a classic "Why do you want to study PPE" & "Tell me about the sports you play" interview. She's a finalist now. She was the first from her secondary school to get a place at Oxbridge in 10 years.

EmmaStone · 03/12/2022 19:10

mumofthree22 · 03/12/2022 15:13

@EmmaStone great news your DD has her interview times. My DS also has his interview next week but his school prefers them all to interview from home - is that possible for your DD as avoids many factors such as traffic, class availability, noice etc.

Thanks! We'd all prefer her to do them in school - we don't live near school, so she'd have to miss 2 days of lessons to stay at home, plus I think good for her to have her support network around her. My office is next door to her school, so I can always offer hot chocolate and sympathy after she's done.

Original poster
Riverpebble · 03/12/2022 23:27

I haven't seen DS all weekend, he's been doing interview preparation. What it involves is beyond me as all I know is that it has some connection with length of time internet downloads take and an increase in sweet wrappers in his room.

Whatever it takes.

OP posts:
PettsWoodParadise · 04/12/2022 00:12

I have a milestone birthday this weekend and DD took leave from her Saturday job to help me out and has cited her classics teacher when I try to query if she has enough capacity- “ to succeed at Oxbridge you need to know how to juggle.”

just wish she wasn’t juggling quite so much and her interview wasn’t a couple of days after 70 people descend on our house - all planned many months ago.

multivac · 04/12/2022 08:46

HewasH20 · 03/12/2022 18:47

Multivac don't worry. Dd's school thought they were being helpful when they arranged a practice interview for her. It was with an alumni of Oxford Brookes and he ran through a classic "Why do you want to study PPE" & "Tell me about the sports you play" interview. She's a finalist now. She was the first from her secondary school to get a place at Oxbridge in 10 years.

Thanks - and congratulation to your dd!

Karwomannghia · 04/12/2022 08:50

Ds had his own landmark birthday this weekend and an interview tomorrow, not the best timing!

Thedoglovesmemore · 04/12/2022 08:59

I don’t think mine knows how to prepare really other than reviewing PS and watching a few mock interviews and we are also first thing tomorrow morning so I’ve now realised that’s likely the first one interviewed which I’m not sure is a good thing!

beachcitygirl · 04/12/2022 09:19

My DD has her Cambridge interview on Tuesday. 2 seperate interviews both same college & both involve Pre-reading ! Exciting stuff. Her school doesn't have anyone else applying to Oxbridge & has been no help. So she's scouring YouTube for practice stuff - and I'm
Helping with flash cards etc. Nerve wracking stuff

somethinglikethat · 04/12/2022 09:34

For the Cambridge applicants - don't worry about the order of interviews because each interviewer gives a score out of 10 after the interview. So if they have two interviews, each with two interviewers, they will be awarded four marks out of ten. On TSR last year, someone posted the form they use. There was a contextualised score for the GCSEs at the top; the predicted A-levels are listed, as are the results of aptitude texts (where applicable). Then there is a question about whether ID has been seen, references, etc and then 4 boxes for the interview scores. Never understood how it works for some students who only have 1 interview, but still... There was a scale for the interviews with 10 being 'definitely take' etc. I think 7 was 'possibly worth a place' and under that it got more iffy. I also saw FOI requests once for DC subject and students were being offered places with very low or variable scores in the aptitude tests, but all had scored 7s and above in the different interview scores.