Oxbridge 2024 Entry

[Lightsabre]

Thought I'd start a thread for parents of dc considering Oxbridge applications for entry in Oct 2024 (I don't think there's a current one)? Past threads have been so informative and supportive and hopefully this thread will offer that too. Please feel free to add to the thread if your dc have recently had experience of the process, good, bad or ugly!

@AwayYouGo I don't wish to sound dismissive as even though she has been on a full bursary, your DD has already had all of the advantages of a private education. Presumably she has had the benefit of small class sizes, access to excellent facilities etc & is surrounded by fellow pupils with aspirations. WP schemes are designed to help young people without these advantages to have the courage to apply without thinking that Oxbridge is not for them.

My DD lives in an area where our local school achieves less than 30% with 5 GCSEs, pupils in her class took ecstasy in registration as a dare to get out of maths, put hydrochloric acid in another pupil's water bottle in chemistry and her history class had a majority of pupils who achieved grades 2-4 when she was aiming for a 9. An aspirational degree course was considered to be photography or sports science.

The best thing your DD can do is attend the open days at both universities & consider whether a degree course like PPL or Experimental Pyschology is where her interest lies. Talk to current students and ask lots of questions in the college based open day sessions. Then take advantage of all the support her school will be able to offer in the application process.

Most Oxbridge applicants/ offer holders/ students have neither received free school meals nor had a silver spoon in their mouth. You don't have to have won essay competitions or had work experience with barristers or FTSE 100 CEOs. They are just normal 17 year olds. If she doesn't apply, she'll never be able to get a place.

Ive just read the whole thread (phew)!
My daughter did A levels this past year and was pretty set (so I thought) on going to art school to pursue a creative career, and is starting an Art Foundation course next week, so has not gone through UCAS yet. But she is quite academic (moved to an all girls independent in London for sixth form) and was predicted A star, A, B for Psychology. Art and History respectively. She got A star for all, well above the boundary and an A star EPQ. So this has made her reconsider a rather unstable career in the arts for a more academic degree, and hopefully a broader choice upon graduating.
Though she is coming to it very late in the game, she likes the look of HSPS at Cambridge and is booked on the September 15 open day. Also Sociology at Bath and Bristol, Sociology/Anthropology at Exeter (or their Flexible joint degree). Her travel limit is three hours, and not interested in London as we live there. She has MS and while in a remission phase she does experience fatigue.
She loves the idea of Cambridge, but knows getting in is just the start, and does question the intensity of the course. If she is most likely to go for a masters (in Heritage Studies or similar, which they offer at Cambridge too), is it worth the hard slog? She worked very hard for her A levels, though she found Psychology relatively easy, and art just time consuming. History was difficult, though her teacher was a hard taskmaster (which obviously paid off in the end).
One thing she is wondering is that some colleges have a entrance test, some don't for HSPS. Newnham is her favourite so far, which does. And for all the talk that it doesn't matter which college your chances are the same, it is tempting to apply to one that doesn't require a test. Any thoughts on that? And the thought that a uni would not offer as they know she's applied to Cambridge is worrying, but hopefully having grades in hand is convincing? I had read somewhere (on MN) it was the other way round, and that they'd be quicker to offer if they knew she'd applied to Oxbridge. Another niggle is that the courses she is looking at outside Cambridge require AAB, or ABB, there doesn't seem to be a course as near as aspirational (Durham is also AAB, and is too far anyway). Though maybe putting too much emphasis on grades? I did not go to university in this country, and my older child chose a more vocational route, and as I said up til now Art school was the goal, where it is all about the portfolio, grades not so much, so she is really starting from scratch!

The Oxbridge entrance process in my opinion is about how many opportunities you have to shine (DD never looked at it like a risk if it goes wrong but it is that too) and she enjoyed the test (different arts subject), interview and submitting examples of previous essays.

I don’t know if DD’s subject is different by college in the aspect of whether or not it has a test and if that would have changed her mind or not, it just never occurred to us.

She did apply to Newnham and starts there later this month so I can’t give you much insight other than it does have a special ethos which DD loved and the hybrid catering options are very flexible. They have some very new accommodation which is good for accessibility and some older, all in beautiful grounds and close to the Sidgewick site where a lot of arts faculty lectures take place (I don’t know where HSPS lectures might be, might be worth checking if walking much contributes to your daughter’s fatigue). Yes the terms are short and intense but you can literally roll out of bed and be at a supervision or Sidgewick lecture in five minutes and no stress of far away accommodation as it is 3 years in halls at Newnham. A friend’s sine doing Art at Brighton has decided to commute due to lack of accommodation despite the journey taking an hour and a half plus each way.

@mondaytosunday I don’t have any advice as my teen is STEM all day long but just wanted to say that your DD showed the teachers up a bit in their ability to predict! Well done that girl, especially given the MS.

@mondaytosunday what an amazing achievement for your DD! And especially after the grade boundaries were so much higher this year. Wishing her all the best in her application.

We’ve got a first draft PS here (not that I’ve been permitted to see it, mind) An extended essay written and a decision to apply to O rather than C. Most of the UCAS is apparently completed. School oversees the UCAS application so that they don’t drop a bollock by ticking the ‘I’ve got a criminal record’ box by accident. Seems fair enough I guess!

DD is having a bit of a wobble about applying to Cambridge. Doesn’t think she’s good enough and is worried that DH and I and her teachers will be disappointed if she doesn’t get in. We are telling her that we really couldn’t give a stuff and that she needs to do what is right for her. I think she will apply but she hears of other people that have been doing tons of work and prep over the summer, whereas she hasn’t, and has convinced herself that she doesn’t have what it takes.

Ds is similar @Rollergirl11 but a sure fire way to not get an offer is to not apply. I'm bigging up ds other choices (les intense, perhaps more opportunities to get a top grade etc) too. I think he's lucky in that his subject doesn't seem that popular so it might be a bit easier to get into another very good uni like Warwick or Imperial. His friends who want to do CS or Economics for example, are nervous and need a more cautious spread of universities.

That's a good take on it @PettsWoodParadise. She has taken a couple past tests online and did well at the first part and of course the essay bit is subjective but she thought the sample questions were interesting and doable. She definitely likes the idea of living close to Sidgewick (most of the course is there) - her commmute to school was up to an hour walking/tube. She wants to look at Jesus and possibly Selwyn and whatever else we can fit in. Of course she thinks it's a long shot but it's been fun weighing up the differences between colleges. I really like that accommodation is all sorted for the three years and pretty good value after looking at other unis! And she'd qualify for the bursary too.
@O2HaveALittleHouse yes she did! I was not surprised at her grades, but her history teacher was way off as she got 196/200. Irony that she wouldn't have been able to apply to C at all with her predicted grades.
@Rollergirl11 she doesn't want anyone irl to know she's thinking of applying (other than her teacher) in case she doesn't get an offer. She said she'd feel worse having to tell people she didn't make the cut, so I'm not allowed to tell anyone!
@10ppicnmix she is no longer at school but they have always said they will help out anyone on a gap year with UCAS, so she's outlined a PS and emailed her HofS asking for a meet. She has little by way of supracurriclars as only come to it recently, but has raided the local library and is listening to podcasts while doing her (much procrastinated) art project due Wednesday!

Do check admission restrictions @mondaytosunday as I’ve read somewhere else that Cambridge don’t accept for undergraduate study those already studying another undergraduate course. I don’t know if a Foundation year in art counts and not clear if your daughter still plans to go ahead with that.

My son is planning to concentrate on his personal statement Monday-Wednesday after getting his final EPQ essay and first draft of the main body of his history coursework submitted by the end of the weekend.

He is looking forward to the Cambridge open day next week and has made a mini residential out of it. He has a full day event at one college on Thursday and then is overnighting at another which includes an evening presentation ahead of the main event on Friday. He is going alone by choice and it will be interesting if his preferred college changes having properly looked around more of them.

Has anyone else’s school/college got ridiculously early internal UCAS deadinew? How has been set for Thursday 14th September!

I think he is going to be OK if he doesn’t get in. He has always said he would be happy at Durham (which he knows is also far from a certainty) or Exeter (🤞🏻). It will be a disappointment but one that will pass. At this stage he is definitely not contemplating reapplying with results if he is unsuccessful first time. The worst thing is decision day is on his 18th birthday!

Internal deadline of 25th Sept here. I do know of another London school where the internal deadline was before the summer hols . Ridiculous that anything they do/read/create over the summer holidays is excluded. There’s early and there’s early.

I think DD’s internal deadline is 22nd September.

@mondaytosunday we had a look round Selwyn on the July open day and DD really liked it. A lot of them are pretty close together so you should manage a fair few. I think we looked around 6. DD has managed to narrow it down to Pembroke, St Catharine and Queen’s colleges that she’s most interested in.

@Jaxx i think DD almost feels like the best outcome would be that she applies but doesn’t get an offer and then she can focus on her other choices knowing she tried. Exeter and Durham are on her list also.

@PettsWoodParadise, the UAL level 4 FAD is separate to an art degree (though is the normal, though not essential, route in to one). It is free and does not earn any UCAS points and I would think is irrelevant to Cambridge. On Cambridge website it only refers to their own pre degree academic Foundation courses.

Hello, can I join you?! DS wants to apply for PPE at Oxford.

He's at a sixth form college that has a deadline later this month for personal statements etc (it's earlier than the standard deadline for those applying to Oxbridge). He's pretty motivated and has done a lot of work on it, though I haven't seen the most recent version!

I'm happy he's applying but am very conscious how popular PPE is. I am worried how he'll take it if he doesn't get in but he is fairly level headed about these things.

My slight anxiety is his GCSEs. He got the highest grades in his (inner London state) school but they were a mix of 9/8/7s - by no means a clean slate of 9s. As I understand it that should not be a problem but it is a nagging worry.

In terms of colleges he was very taken by Univ - but this was on the basis of a fairly short tour round. He doesn't want a modern one. Am hoping to go back in a few weeks and have another look.

@Rollergirl11 that's good to hear. Also looking at Selwyn, Corpus Christi (which I keep calling Corpus Crispie), Jesus, and I think Kings.

Welcome @WobblyLondoner! Your ds sounds like he's well on track and I think getting the best results in a state comp will work in his favour? Ds was put off Kings unfortunately as we saw a really dingy room in a kind of sub basement - it was so dark. My nieces boyfriend has been there for many years (medic) though and loves it.

Hah hah @Lightsabre i think DD saw the same room at Kings! She was not impressed. I didn’t go with her as I was desperate for a coffee at that point but I remember thinking it was absolute chaos as right in the midst of the tourist belt.

Hi, I’ve been keeping an eye on this thread as my DD is applying this year. Just wondered if anyone has any experiences of Pembroke or Christs at Cambridge?

Maybe on the same tour @Rollergirl11

Welcome @Velryba23 - Ds was at Pembroke for a masterclass. They were very friendly and go the extra mile to attract state school applicants from what I could tell. Beautiful college and well situated too.

@WobblyLondoner DD has just graduated in PPE with a mix of GCSEs taken in the first year of numerical grades with a combination of 9s, 8s, 7s, 6s and worse. If you would like to PM me I can send you a copy of a book which helped her nail the TSA. She went to a non selective state school (see my post yesterday) like most of the successful applicants.

As others have said, GCSEs are considered in the context of overall performance the applicant's school. So a mix of 7/8/9 is fine if they are one if the highest performers in their school (but not if applying from a school in which a proportion are achieving all 8/9).

Every school has a UCAS profile page with average grades achieved in the school over the last 5 years (GCSE and A-level). Also a description of the type of school it is - ethos, location, catchment / selection process, etc etc. This is visible to unis and enables them to assess candidates in relation to their cohorts and opportunities available.

Later there is a questionnaire about parents' education / professions. In DC experience, a very high proportion of friends who went to 'bog standard' or even 'underperforming' schools are quite open about having parents who attended Oxbridge (or similar) themselves; are academics or uni professors / lecturers etc. The school type is only part of the picture and this is quite evident once at the university.

Thanks all. @catscoffeecrystals yes he's already quizzed me about my occupation, which is not a million miles from what you've listed. And of course you're right - no single measure will give them the whole context for an applicant.

@HewasH2O thank you. Once I've worked out the pm option I will do that (I only use the app and I don't think you can pm on that).

@Lightsabre thanks yes Pembroke seemed friendly at the open day . DD also likes Christ’s but worried it might be frequently overrun with tourists.

All the colleges are great and they all meet people and hang out at other colleges anyway. Some accommodation (inc. for first years) at Kings, G&C and Trinity Hall is not on the college sites.

I'm told Christs is a quite 'serious' college - they are rumoured to close the bar during exams! Churchill is quite STEM-biased in terms of intake. Peterhouse, Corpus Christi and Trinity Hall are the smallest colleges which may or may not appeal. Don't rule out the less central colleges such as Homerton either - they have a lot going on. All the colleges are fine basically.

@WobblyLondoner check for a blue dot on the top right little person menu. I've PMed you from my phone. You should also get an email notification