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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 · 05/12/2022 14:08

DS is now going into his second interview of the day. The first one was 'brutal' and he thinks he def made some mistakes but then I think that's to be expected, having said that he enjoyed the challenge of the conversation overall. Hopefully this one will go well!
Good luck all x

goodbyestranger · 05/12/2022 14:20

DDs first featured a staring match because she wouldn't guess a value needed for a calculation because it was something she'd obviously just look up IRL - she crossed her arms and eventually he sighed and gave her the number (not a recommended tactic!)

Respect!

goodbyestranger · 05/12/2022 14:32

It's so hard treading the line between being supportive and seeming pushy

My DC always wanted to give me a de-brief after their interviews so that was easy for me, I never had to ask how it went. Interview de-briefs do tend to make the things sound more fluent than my DC assured me they were, I see that though. I could usually make vaguely positive noises about at least some of what they said but was completely floored as to why the three tutors interviewing DD3 for Law burst out laughing as she closed the door behind her. It sent her into a very crotchety decline for the two weeks it took to get her offer. I stopped being supportive at about Day #2 in the crotchety house. Later on when she was actually at Oxford the senior tutor said she was their top pick, so.... peals of laughter doesn't always mean you're so utterly stupid the tutors can't work out why you're even there (DD3's explanation, obviously).

juicy0 · 05/12/2022 15:09

Done. Now we wait .........

Letitgoagain · 05/12/2022 15:55

Ds fin8shed his 2 interviews for maths today. First one started easy as he could answer all the questions. But it ended tough as he said he took very long with the last question. The second interview was better as he could answer both the questions.
He is not too fussed about it. He has gotnon with some school homework straight after the interview.
He is done now...its waiting game until he hears the result in January.
Good luck to all the dc waiting for their interviews.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/12/2022 16:08

Finishing the questions isn't the be all and end all with these interviews - they're generally more interested in the journey than the destination, I think.

EmmaStone · 05/12/2022 16:19

DD came out of her first interview pretty upset, sounds as though she was very nervous throughout, and she says she missed some obvious points that she should have known. I can't quite get a handle on whether it really went as badly as she thinks, but I had to pick her up from school early, and she's had a nap and seems a bit happier. I'm hoping she can put it behind her before tomorrow's interview (which she is saying she wants to do at home now).

Thank you for the reassurance that first interviews can feel like a train wreck, I'll pass that on!

BruceIsACake · 05/12/2022 16:23

DD says hers went ok but she can't tell if it was good. They asked lots about topics she hasn't been taught yet but she enjoyed it, which I think is pretty important seeing as it emulates the tutorial approach.

juicy0 · 05/12/2022 16:26

EmmaStone · 05/12/2022 16:19

DD came out of her first interview pretty upset, sounds as though she was very nervous throughout, and she says she missed some obvious points that she should have known. I can't quite get a handle on whether it really went as badly as she thinks, but I had to pick her up from school early, and she's had a nap and seems a bit happier. I'm hoping she can put it behind her before tomorrow's interview (which she is saying she wants to do at home now).

Thank you for the reassurance that first interviews can feel like a train wreck, I'll pass that on!

Hope she's feeling a bit better after some reassurance that very few come out of the interviews thinking it went well

Letitgoagain · 05/12/2022 16:37

Ds appeared quite calm and collected for the interview ,but I guess it is pretty stressful. He found the second interview more relaxing and seems to have enjoyed it well. We had a chat and he feels okay about it. If he doesn't get in, it would be because he would find the course difficult and may struggle. He is equally happy to go to any of his other choice universities as well. He said it was a great experience doing the interviews and he is glad he did them irrespective of the outcome.

Karwomannghia · 05/12/2022 18:52

Ds’s interview (Cambridge) seemed like it was ok in that he was able to answer questions and give examples- obviously might have been gobbledygook! They showed him one question he’d seen before and he told them! Fool! He’s only had an assessment and this one interview so now it’s just waiting. Got another interview for Manchester next week though. Glad this bit is over!

princesdando · 05/12/2022 18:58

DS had technology issues with second interview - interviewers told him connection was choppy and eventually told him to turn off camera. This was in a reserved room at school.

Also prereading which was supposed to arrive 10 minutes before the interview came in over an hour later. So he didn't have the opportunity to have thought through responses before the interview. They said they would make a note of it in his record.

Both of those got him a bit frazzled so he's not quite sure how it went. Anyway it's done now - last one tomorrow and then we wait!

Karwomannghia · 05/12/2022 19:03

Poor thing how stressful!

Thedoglovesmemore · 06/12/2022 10:19

Tough one here this morning. Straight into it no chat and tough from the get go with no let up or feedback at all. I’d have crumbled.
It’s the lack of encouragement that it was going ok that DD found hard. They just kept pushing then moving to something else and pushing again. She said it felt impossible to know if the answer was any good!

Lemonella · 06/12/2022 13:51

Thedoglovesmemore · 06/12/2022 10:19

Tough one here this morning. Straight into it no chat and tough from the get go with no let up or feedback at all. I’d have crumbled.
It’s the lack of encouragement that it was going ok that DD found hard. They just kept pushing then moving to something else and pushing again. She said it felt impossible to know if the answer was any good!

Exactly the same for my DC (Camb interview). No cues from interviewers, no pre reading or warm up questions, just straight in and lots of uncertainty. V tough.

Original poster
Riverpebble · 06/12/2022 14:19

Ds got fortunate yesterday, he got to go to a virtual outreach session and one of the people is on the interview panel.

Still no interview date, I've suggested he email them 🤦‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
Riverpebble · 06/12/2022 14:20

Thedoglovesmemore · 06/12/2022 10:19

Tough one here this morning. Straight into it no chat and tough from the get go with no let up or feedback at all. I’d have crumbled.
It’s the lack of encouragement that it was going ok that DD found hard. They just kept pushing then moving to something else and pushing again. She said it felt impossible to know if the answer was any good!

That sounds really tough,I wonder if they are testing resilience but I think the interview isn't the time or the place

OP posts:
goodbyestranger · 06/12/2022 15:55

That's simply the chosen style of certain tutors.

princesdando · 06/12/2022 17:02

@goodbyestranger or anyone who might know really. Do you know what drives the decision for interview request by another college? DS was told they would be notified 10am on Thursday if they will be interviewed by a second college next week. I am merely curious about the process...

goodbyestranger · 06/12/2022 17:57

It isn't that case that it could mean anything princesdando.

It definitely, at the very least, means that the applicant is not out of the running for an offer. Tutors don't send definite 'noes' around for other tutors to look at. That would be absolutely pointless and a big waste of everyone's time.

In the vast majority of cases it means that the applicant hasn't made the top cut at their college of choice or allocation, but the tutors think that they are good enough for a place if enough places are available. so, 'Oxford standard'.

In a smaller number of cases applicants are sent between colleges so that college #2 can see the standard of applicant that college #1 has in its cohort: 'standardization'. These will tend to be the stronger applicants.

Obviously this is only relevant for the subjects which pool, not for those subjects (sciences) where interviews at two colleges are standard.

juicy0 · 06/12/2022 18:08

Does the same apply at Cambridge @goodbyestranger ?
DS has heard that there will be 'recalls' next week?

ErrolTheDragon · 06/12/2022 18:17

Afaik cambridge typically just has a couple of interviews with the college you applied to. If a candidate is put in the pool, their details go to a departmental meeting for the relevant subject I think. I believe some colleges may then do a later interview, not sure - dd didn't know she'd been pooled till she got the offer from a college she hadn't applied to.

princesdando · 06/12/2022 19:03

goodbyestranger · 06/12/2022 17:57

It isn't that case that it could mean anything princesdando.

It definitely, at the very least, means that the applicant is not out of the running for an offer. Tutors don't send definite 'noes' around for other tutors to look at. That would be absolutely pointless and a big waste of everyone's time.

In the vast majority of cases it means that the applicant hasn't made the top cut at their college of choice or allocation, but the tutors think that they are good enough for a place if enough places are available. so, 'Oxford standard'.

In a smaller number of cases applicants are sent between colleges so that college #2 can see the standard of applicant that college #1 has in its cohort: 'standardization'. These will tend to be the stronger applicants.

Obviously this is only relevant for the subjects which pool, not for those subjects (sciences) where interviews at two colleges are standard.

Thanks!

goodbyestranger · 06/12/2022 19:32

juicy0 no idea about Cambridge undergrad pooling - Errol knows much more.

beachcitygirl · 06/12/2022 19:36

DD had her Cambridge interviews today. She really enjoyed first one & wobbled a bit with second (interviewer much more stern, less eye contact etc) Zero about personal statement. No chat or preamble. Straight into academic discussion

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