Oxbridge 2023 support; it's offer month. Good luck all.

[Riverpebble]

New thread for the start of the Oxbridge offers.

Mistakes are definitely made @ForeverbyJudyBlume and it definitely causes genuine upset (I was that kid myself 30 years ago - upset I mean, who knows whether they made a mistake rejecting me). I only mean that the explicit measurable factors that they state they are looking for are often (maybe always?) available if you know where to look, and it's not always evidence of passion or lots of reading or learning beyond the curriculum. I suspect every year there are people who think their deep love of the subject or genuinely impressive supracurriculars will be important factors in themselves (as opposed to helping them to deliver impressive performances in tests and interviews), and it's a shame if candidates are aiming off for that reason.

I have to say I think it's a shame too.

I'm not planning to make another thread if this is how it's going to be moving forward.

I

I agree and hear you. It’s comments like - say - they’re looking for passion that are well-meaning when Obviously they’re looking for a number of things and those things vary between courses, colleges and individual dons. There've been a couple of unpleasant comments, now happily deleted, clearly the vast majority of successful applicants are deserving, some are not - I witnessed this at C way back when. Kids who succeeded on Tuesday did brilliantly and should be very proud and pleased, kids who are now very upset have to come to terms with what I earlier described as the cognitive dissonance of hearing student that oxbridge isn’t really all that, that they’ll have a better time elsewhere, that the university itself admits it is fallible. That’s a tough one for anyone to get their head round, let alone a 17 year old.

I asked MN to delete it, which they did quickly.

Yes I saw, it's a shame. It's been a long and stressful week. Hope everyone has a chance to decompress a bit this weekend.

Well to change the tone a bit, my DD was reallocated and is now dithering about accepting the offer and I'm finding it really hard not to just tell her to accept! I know it's her choice but I honestly can't comprehend putting yourself through that process and then rejecting the offer. She won't even say what her concerns are so I'm not sure if it's Oxford generally or the college.

On the open day we visited a few but not the one her offer is from but it looks great, has everything she wanted: accom all years, kitchens, large cohort, seems pretty social. There was one we looked around that she didn't like so I'm not sure if of it's because of that. I've contacted them to see if we can do a visit but it's bloody hours away. Bristol is the other candidate.

@Riverpebble please continue the thread, all of us waiting on C offers will appreciate it when the time comes I'm sure. Obviously tensions are running high but hopefully the supportive spirit will continue amongst us.
Three of my DC classmates who applied for O in the same subject were all made offers this week so the pressure is mounting. The thought of being the only 'no' for the subject isn't a pleasant one! I'm trying to remain supportive and reminding him that whatever the outcome, which as we have seen can depend on so many things and isn't always predictable, I'm incredibly proud. He has excellent offers from other units already which I think is helping.

@newyearolder your dd’s experience sounds pretty similar to my DS’s. He’s been relocated to one with all years accommodation and kitchens, he didn’t view it on the open days either. And there was one college he looked at that he really didn’t like either 🤣 I did wonder when he told me if he would dither about it, but he does seem more than happy to accept. We looked at his subjects tutors too and he was happy there too.

@OnePlusOneEquals how funny! I think my DD is maybe getting hung up on how grand the buildings are. Her first ques on getting her offer was 'is it a good college', they are all good. She applied to Christ Church which is beautiful and very old and her offer college is much newer, a mere 150 years old, still beautiful but in a different way. The one she didn't like was partly housed in new 60s buildings which is why I think she disliked it.

@juicy0 I will continue it, absolutely. I was feeling stressed after a difficult week at work be the other stuff of course.

It's my intention to keep these going through to graduation and then who knows.

@newyearolder yes, funny isn’t it! Also, my DS looked at one that I thought he’d really like - St Catz - as he’s really not into all the traditions and so forth, but he wasn’t so taken with it as I’d thought he’d be. The one he really didn’t particularly like was Queen’s for some reason. His initial choice was one that he was really happy with - good food (free on the open day!) and good sized bedrooms.
I know the Norrington Table isn’t really something to be basing choices on - but does her allocation land fairly high on there?

@OnePlusOneEquals what didn’t he like about Queens? It’s a beautiful college and known for being very friendly.

@newyearolder can you say which college the offer is at? Those of us with kids who have been to O might be able to give some insight into it.

Who knows @Pinkyandtwerky I was surprised too, I thought it impressive from what I’ve seen - but we’re all different!

What's the norrington table?

She's allocated to LMH.

Oh! Just googled it and it's last. No idea what that means but I did read somewhere it had a reputation as the party college and given her main concern is having a good time I thought that would fit.

Can I ask @PacificState and anyone else how O whittle down applicants when there isn't an exam. Ds is considering applying for Chemistry.

@newyearolder I’m a lurker on this thread who has name changed to say that DS got pooled to LMH (now in 2nd year) and he absolutely loves his college.

It is a good size - big enough to have a decent sized cohort but not so large you get lost in it. DS has made a wonderful group of friends (he is from a state comprehensive and has never felt at all out of place). Accommodation for three years is a real boon.

LMH is in a beautiful part of Oxford - the neighbourhood is so much more peaceful than the city centre colleges. The college grounds are lovely (they back onto the river) and it is right next door to University Parks. The walk into the centre is only about 20 minutes, and takes even less time if you cycle.
Driving to LMH is easy, which we very much appreciate.

DS is so glad that he ended up there and not at the central college that he applied to.

@Lightsabre Have been lurking here for a while. DD has just had an offer for Chemistry.

My understanding is that they interview a higher percentage of candidates than some subjects (for admissions in 2022 they had between 800 and 900 applications and interviewed around 600). They give the criteria for shortlisting on the website - link below (hopefully it will work!).

www.chem.ox.ac.uk/admissions#collapse2607161

@newyearolder 30 years ago I was reallocated from a ‘beautiful’ wealthy old college to another 150 year old college. I had a brilliant time. Last year my DC2 had exactly the same experience- bizarrely reallocated to my college. They felt a bit like your daughter but went to an offer holders day a few weeks later and was immediately won over. Oxford is a very small city and even ‘far’ out colleges are just around the corner compared with other Uni cities. DC2 is at a central college but the accommodation blocks for Yr2 & 3 are quite a way out.
LMH is a gorgeous college - amazing grounds for summer parties and relaxing - do go and visit if you can
PS Attendance at a Norrington Table top ranking college is no success for later life - just causes tutors to stress undergraduates to maintain rankings

Typo: Sorry meant to say DC1 is at a central college

NB I’m also aware this conversation may seem like angels dancing on a pin head for those who haven’t had the news they’d like this week but I did want @newyearolder to know her daughter isn’t alone with these thoughts

Rewriting poorly worded sentence:
PS Attendance at a Norrington Table top ranking college has no correlation with success in later life -can cause tutors to stress undergraduates to maintain rankings - rather like school league tables (DC1 for instance is under pressure to target a 1st grade which is probably not right for them)

DD has accepted a conditional offer from Christ Church, all very excited.

What happens next?

We're borderline for contextual help schemes.

I assume Opportunity Oxford offers would have been sent on the 10th with the grades required or does this filter through separately.

Offer holder days - which colleges send these and when ?
Do Departments ever organise offer holder events?

We're so excited here, reaction from other people has been mixed. So it's a little bit treading on egg shells when sharing the news.

Ongeatulations to your DS!

Some colleges do, some colleges don't. The 2020 &2021 intakes obviously didn't have them, but some colleges ran them in the Easter holidays for 2022 intake. DD's college did

As a point forward, helping at open days and offer holder days is a nice little earner for current students if they are still around in the holidays.

Congratulations even!

Smoke

I assume Opportunity Oxford offers would have been sent on the 10th with the grades required or does this filter through separately.

That's what happened last year. The offer was made under 'Opportunity Oxford' and all the information on the scheme came with the offer.