Oxbridge Rejects 2023 - Come this way and commiserate

[Rejects]

As mentioned on the other thread a safe space for those who'd like a bit of support while not dampening others' moods Sorry that I have gone on a lot about this rejection already on here - it's helped me keep outwardly calm and cheerful when my ds has been very upset.

I am acutely aware in the scheme of things a university rejection is not a huge deal and that amazing lives and outcomes no doubt await all our dc wherever they go, it's just getting through the time between now and A levels and/or offers from other unis arriving, keeping dcs' morale up. Good luck everyone

@FriendlyLaundryMonster well done to your DS! Getting an offer from Imperial is an achievement in itself.

It's the standard offer by the sounds of it.

Yep, the standard offer, which we should be grateful for, as at least one boy he knows was given a higher one.

@yoyo1234 Yes, computer science.

Great news @FriendlyLaundryMonster - congrats. Still not a squeak for anyone at ds's school from St Andrews or Edinburgh and mainly not Durham.

@Rejects Thank you! He’s thrilled. Still waiting for Edinburgh and St Andrews too. Rejection from Caltech yesterday too. It was expected (long shot), but still rubbish.

It is really crazy that 3A* students become Oxbridge rejects. Twin story was especially shocking. Has anyone managed to already identify what differentiates those who got in, from those who didn’t?

I think a lot of it is down to any entrance exam performance and interview performance. Too many will be predicted top grades (for places on offer) so they need their own criteria.

@WEEonline
Oxbridge have always wanted a Dc that shines at interview and in tests.A level
predictions (often wrong) are not the only measure. The grades haven’t been entirely reliable these days either! They also look at all exams taken in the past, school attended and they have views on who would suit their style of teaching. So it’s not always possible to judge who gets rejected or not. However any really great student will certainly thrive elsewhere.

Well, my DD is predicted three A stars, already has an A star in epq, and as the feedback from her tests and interviews showed, she also scored higher in all categories (tests, interviews etc) than the average successful candidate- so it’s all a mystery. Others on here have experienced the same thing too. But after a period of real dejection, she seems on great form, helped by coming top of the year in her subjects in mocks so as long as Edinburgh comes through it will all be for the best …. Still not fun to be waiting. Good luck to everyone!

College applied to may make a difference as they will see a candidate up against other candidates for the same course/college. What if one college got all amazing candidates (all far above average) they may pool some of these far above average candidates (but not all). That means some missing out on the pool. Other colleges may have accepted those that were slightly below the ones that were accepted by the other college, ones that were not even as good as those entered into the pool by the other college. There maybe differences in the scoring used by different colleges. Some colleges may get it wrong .

Yup, DD was pooled, but by then it was probably too late… She definitely applied to the wrong college. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and there’s no point dwelling on it now. Just been disillusioning

@yoyo1234 that will not happen, certainly not at Oxford. Sometimes a college will reject every interviewee of their “own” in favour of imports. They employ moderation to avoid one college being unfairly tough or another being an “easy touch.” In the past people did make strategic applications to ugly/remote colleges but all colleges now guard their reputations.

As far as all As goes, you have to realise just how many kids are predicted these - and it’s a lot, especially during and post pandemic. Unfair on the truly genuine A-ers, for whom grade inflation was a blow.

(Not sure where all the bolding came from )

Oh, I see - I tried to put A star and it bolder instead!

@ThighMistress - agreed. For some subjects at Oxford the recruitment is led by the Department rather than by colleges. This was the case for Chemistry (DS1) and Medicine (DD). Both ended up at colleges they hadn't applied for.

Also colleges check decision making against each other via 'standardisation' interviews for candidates. This happened to DS1 (we think) as he was interviewed by a third college at the end of his Oxford stay.

Some biased is inevitable with an interview (and other assesment forms). Scoring eg a multiple choice timed paper I would imagine has less chance of certain biases.Some interviewers may score candidates more highly than others (of course there are statistical tests for this and I totally expect universities look into and try to adjust for this). Some interviewers may be better at putting candidates at ease (the same candidate may do better with one interviewer than another). When it comes to the pool do some colleges interview multiple times and that in itself may alter a candidate's performance (the individual may be more or less nervous as a result of doing more interviews). Most assessments will have biases.

The individual effect of one candidate and an interviewer(s) working really well (or conversely poorly) together maybe hard to take into account.

Well, @yoyo1234 , then you get into the realms of drawing names out of a hat, for all jobs, not just Oxbridge entrance.

Interestingly a "names out of a hat" style scenario is used for certain courses in Holland, the better marks you get and more courses done at school the more "tickets" you get to apply for certain courses so the more chance you get of getting into your chosen course. After first year however the exams are tough and only the top continue. I can only imagine how pressured that system could be, thinking you will get to do something and investing a year and then being told "no" .

Oxbridge admissions have far more to look at and the entrance exams and interviews must be very useful when in some areas grade inflation must make it very hard to pick the best candidates. I'm just saying as with lots of things in life some mistakes can be made, few things are infallible.

Unfortunately, for every candidate with two or three A stars predicted who is accepted (I think the undergrad intake is something like 3,500 every year at C and probably similar at O), a higher number are rejected every year who also have those same predictions. 24,000 apply every year - all with top predicted grades. They know some schools are more generous in their predictions than others , so I think they must put quite a lot of emphasis on the interviews and other things in the PS that may make a candidate stand out.

When someone is told they scored above the average scores for successful candidates, is that this year or several years? What about school attended? What about GCSEs? It is not a science and those interviewing and making decisions must have a reason or two why a candidate doesn’t make the cut? Maybe A level subjects taken? It can surely be a very nuanced decision.

The scores are for this year’s successful applicants and include GCSEs. School attended is almost certainly the reason for not making the cut but I am not interested in going there … just hope dd gets her second choice. I feel long emotionally over this and judging by her recent behaviour she does too …

Good point @TizerorFizz totally forgot that one could get 3A* in less academic subjects too

@WEEonline I can give some insight . I have twins . Both predicted and got 4 A stars at A level . One got into oxbridge one didn’t . Unsuccessful candidate had a great PS , 11 grade 9s at GCSE and an top grade AS in an unrelated subject etc. So both pretty strong candidates . Unsuccessful candidate worked hard for interview - did the prep yet we worried deep down it really wasn’t the right place for him. Whilst he really loves his subject he is nowhere near as passionate, and curious about and probably has a more conventional way of thinking ( still great processing just more mainstream ) - abs I think on the day the interviewers spotted that . I think he would have hated Oxbridge and he now says that himself . He is really happy where he is now. Last year not getting in caused so much upset - this year both are so happy with their unis Which is a great position to be in. So there are lots of good candidates just not enough spaces. I know a lot of 3 and 4 A star young people who didn’t get in but are now very happy with where they are now .

Yes, during the interview they really drill down to uncover the deadly word “passion.”

You can’t imagine the number of A star candidates who have not wavered from the A Level course. Or have been coached in what might impress and come out with the usual wider examples.

Contrary to popular opinion confident candidates do not have an advantage and there are huge numbers of super-quiet geeks at Oxbridge!