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Original poster

Scrapping into Oxford?

202 replies

fakenamefornow · 24/03/2023 21:10

I think my y12 teen should try for Oxford, she thinks she shouldn't because she won't get in and it'll use up one of her Ucas options. I think she has a chance. Honest opinions please.
Context -
From excellent state school, never been on free school meals or other disadvantage indicators. Not tutored.
11 GCSEs - 6 grade 9, 5 grade 8
Doing chemistry, biology and history, A levels plus history related EPC
Want to study History

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
LavenderFields7 · 24/03/2023 21:11

All my friends (3) that got into Oxford had straight 9’s…

SpringBlossomJoy · 24/03/2023 21:13

LavenderFields7 · 24/03/2023 21:11

All my friends (3) that got into Oxford had straight 9’s…

Oxbridge aren’t interested in GCSE results. She should give it a try if SHE wants OP.

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/03/2023 21:14

Ask the school?

That’s more grade 8s than would be typical though.

Unless she’s very academic she won’t enjoy it (and plenty of people who are very academic don’t enjoy it).

FrankandWalters · 24/03/2023 21:16

Why would you want her to apply if she doesn’t want to, though? Unless she’s massively enthused by Oxford’s style of teaching and syllabus, there’s not much point.

Nimbostratus100 · 24/03/2023 21:17

she doesn't want to, so no she shouldn't

aibutohavethisusername · 24/03/2023 21:17

DD got through the exam and was rejected after interview for Oxford.

She didn’t have straight 9s at all for GCSEs.

She is doing really well at UCL now.

Orangetapemeasure · 24/03/2023 21:17

It’s really got nothing to do with your social background…..it’s to do with how much work you need to do to get in. There will be many people at Oxford who have put in very little academic effort to get into Oxbridge because they are naturally very bright and don’t have to try very hard. I heard someone once say ‘it’s one thing to get in and it’s another thing to stay’. I say that as someone who scrapped into medicine…….I’ve had to do easily 3 x as much studying as my peers to stay in medicine and I certainly wouldn’t make the same career choice again.

Cherryblossoms85 · 24/03/2023 21:17

I wouldn't push her. It's also a case of the specific course syllabus and whether it's of interest. Oxbridge can be very different, and indeed Oxford has a very different course structure to Cambridge.

mackthepony · 24/03/2023 21:18

Not much scrapping at Oxford I don't think, more of a Preston thing

Original poster
fakenamefornow · 24/03/2023 21:20

She loves studying, is very conscientious and would dream of Oxford. Lacks confidence though. She also studied hard for those results. She isn't a child who could not lift a finger and still come away with straight 9s.
I've said that, chances are, she won't get in, but it's not completely unrealistic and if she doesn't apply, she absolutely definitely won't get in.

OP posts:
paulpullover · 24/03/2023 21:20

I think to try for Oxford you need to really want to go to Oxford. Your DD sounds very bright, but there are lots of other brilliant universities that she would do just as well at. Leave her be, OP.

mumyes · 24/03/2023 21:20

Please think hard about whether Oxford is right for her. What do you so love about Oxford? Yeah it used to buy get people a network, and it probably still does to an extent. But happiness, fulfilment, a balanced and diverse university experience? Meh! Not so much I suspect.

3WildOnes · 24/03/2023 21:27

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/03/2023 21:14

Ask the school?

That’s more grade 8s than would be typical though.

Unless she’s very academic she won’t enjoy it (and plenty of people who are very academic don’t enjoy it).

I don't think it is lower than the average student.

In 2022 only 3000 odd students got straight 9s and there were 7000 odd students admitted into Oxford and Cambridge. Lots of those with straight 9s woukd have gone to other too Unis studying medicine too.

When oxford release their admissions stats they don't differentiate between 8s and 9s and for the most competitive courses the average number of 8/9 grades is around 9. They release all of this data regularly via foi requests.

Your daughter would be an excellent candidate!

3WildOnes · 24/03/2023 21:29

SpringBlossomJoy · 24/03/2023 21:13

Oxbridge aren’t interested in GCSE results. She should give it a try if SHE wants OP.

Show quote history

That's not true. Cambridge aren't really interested in GCSE results but Oxford do tale them into consideration.

3WildOnes · 24/03/2023 21:30

LavenderFields7 · 24/03/2023 21:11

All my friends (3) that got into Oxford had straight 9’s…

What year did you take your GCSEs?

jgw1 · 24/03/2023 21:31

SpringBlossomJoy · 24/03/2023 21:13

Oxbridge aren’t interested in GCSE results. She should give it a try if SHE wants OP.

Show quote history

Well except for the part in the Oxford selection process that ranks a students best 8 GCSE results, combines that with the entrance test ranking HAT in this case, and they then interview those at the top of the list.

SarahAndQuack · 24/03/2023 21:32

Would she really dream of Oxford? If so, I would gently encourage her to apply. You are perfectly right it is only once choice out of many - no harm if nothing comes of it.

If she really does not want to try, let her alone. It's not what everyone wants.

However, I do think it's nonsense to think that people only get in if they're already 'bright' enough not to work at GCSEs. I've done admissions interviews for the other place; I know lots of admissions interviewers at Oxford, and it's definitely not the case that students only get in if they've been effortlessly successful beforehand. Some people find school a slog, but them blossom at Oxbridge.

I also don't think it is necessary for her to really 'want' to go to Oxford. How about she gives it a go? If she gets to interview, she can always use that to decide - if she likes the experience and the people, well and good - but if she finds she doesn't warm to it, that might help her decide too.

PuttingDownRoots · 24/03/2023 21:34

There are loads of very intelligent teenagers who won't get into their preferred course at/inOxford/Cambridge/Medicine/Veterinary Science etc. Simply because there are more intelligent people than spaces.

Applying and not getting in isn't failure.
Not wanting to go through it isn't failure.

OTOH... lots of teenagers will get their preferred place. You never know unless you try.

littelmadnyness · 24/03/2023 21:34

I wouldn't push her if her heart isn't in it. There's a lot of preparation involved in applying and it can be a distraction from nailing the top grades in the 'A' level subjects.

Also, I think being confident is a big part of being happy at Oxbridge. There'll be lots of highly confident kids there who will have been aiming for Oxbridge since the age of 14. If she doesn't have that confidence or hunger for it, I don't think it's the right place for her. Also the intensity of the workload is something to consider. Perhaps she doesn't want to be in such a high pressured environment. Only she knows what's right for her.

Saying that though she may well change her mind. Has she been to an open day? That could be a way of sussing out whether she wants to go or not...

Plenty of excellent universities out there to choose from...

Also, one poster mentioned kids who don't prepare for admissions tests etc (the geniuses). I think these types of kids would be in the huge minority to be honest.

SarahAndQuack · 24/03/2023 21:37

There's a lot of preparation involved in applying

Is there? Confused I don't think so.

Also, I think being confident is a big part of being happy at Oxbridge. There'll be lots of highly confident kids there who will have been aiming for Oxbridge since the age of 14.

Well, there may be a few students like this - but most other students recognise they're unusual. Aiming at Oxbridge from age 14 is unusual.

Also, I think being confident is a big part of being happy at Oxbridge. There'll be lots of highly confident kids there who will have been aiming for Oxbridge since the age of 14.

Um ... but you can't very helpfully prepare? It's always really obvious when people have 'prepared'. It doesn't help.

jgw1 · 24/03/2023 21:38

SarahAndQuack · 24/03/2023 21:37

There's a lot of preparation involved in applying

Is there? Confused I don't think so.

Also, I think being confident is a big part of being happy at Oxbridge. There'll be lots of highly confident kids there who will have been aiming for Oxbridge since the age of 14.

Well, there may be a few students like this - but most other students recognise they're unusual. Aiming at Oxbridge from age 14 is unusual.

Also, I think being confident is a big part of being happy at Oxbridge. There'll be lots of highly confident kids there who will have been aiming for Oxbridge since the age of 14.

Um ... but you can't very helpfully prepare? It's always really obvious when people have 'prepared'. It doesn't help.

Why wouldn't you prepare for an admissions test, that you will do better in the more practice you have done?

littelmadnyness · 24/03/2023 21:43

Also, my DD felt pressure from her school (and my sister) to apply to Oxford, only to withdraw one week before the admissions test to change her option for another top tier university. She did it just before the deadline too! I asked her why she had left it to the last minute and she said she thought she would regret not applying as it's seen as a 'golden ticket' , even though she knew in her heart of hearts she didn't want to go and wouldn't get to the interview stage. I knew all along she felt this way and did drop hints, but she was swept along with it all. Incidentally my husband went to Cambridge, had a miserable time and always reiterated it wasn't the 'be all and end all'.

She has an offer from the top tier university she replaced Oxford and has no regrets whatever. I'm just glad she realised in time what she wanted! The school were disappointed but they only care about their statistics, not whether a student would be happy or not.

spellingtest · 24/03/2023 21:43

fakenamefornow · 24/03/2023 21:10

I think my y12 teen should try for Oxford, she thinks she shouldn't because she won't get in and it'll use up one of her Ucas options. I think she has a chance. Honest opinions please.
Context -
From excellent state school, never been on free school meals or other disadvantage indicators. Not tutored.
11 GCSEs - 6 grade 9, 5 grade 8
Doing chemistry, biology and history, A levels plus history related EPC
Want to study History

Does Oxford really take into consideration free school meals?

If so I'm shocked at that level of discrimination.

Original poster
fakenamefornow · 24/03/2023 21:44

@3WildOnes
That's a really positive post, I'll pass it on to her, hopefully itll encourage her. She's just been rejected for a job at McDonald's so might cheer her up a bit 😀Shes going to try Tesco though, onwards and upwards!
She would love to go to Oxford, she would also love being surrounded by the history of the place. She doesn't think she's good enough though and itd be a waste of one of her ucas options.

OP posts:
littelmadnyness · 24/03/2023 21:45

For STEM, the admissions tests are tough. Don't forget these kids have had disrupted education during Covid too. You need to have covered a certain amount of topics at year 12 to be able to do the admissions tests. A lot of schools are playing catch up and won't have taught the material so you have to teach it yourself.