Oxbridge 2024 Entry Part 2

[Lightsabre]

Continuation thread (when old one is full) for those supporting dc through Oxbridge applications. All welcome as we enter the next phase.

Well DD loved Warwick at the open day on Saturday and has added it to her form. It's a relief as that's the first one that has been received as favourably as Oxford. No idea whether they might offer any time soon, probably not as it's a small course, the intake is only 40. So now just waiting, waiting... plus one more open day to do next month.

And I guess prepping for an interview just in case. It's a shame they give such little notice, it will be even more annoying to be rejected having done the prep!

Yes - but at the same time it's only giving the uni a couple of weeks to read through everyone's written work (where applicable) and do the shortlisting. It's bad enough sifting CVs for normal jobs, can't imagine the volume to read through for course applications. At least online interviews we haven't got to fret about arranging last minute travel. I think my DD regards the interview prep as an excuse to research her pet subjects and as prep for the course wherever she ends up.

Dd has an offer from Exeter so this was a welcome start to the half term break. She has mocks after half term.
Exeter is her second choice after Cambridge/Bath.

Yes, I understand why the timetable works like it does, I'm just feeling a bit sorry for the many DC who will invest yet more time prepping for interviews, before getting rejected. I suppose at least they are spared the wait for offers

Good to hear your DD loved Warwick @stoneysongs. DD really liked it too. It just has a nice vibe about it.

DD was telling me this morning that she has pretty much written off Cambridge as an option and she thinks she’ll be better off at one of her other choices. I’m not sure if this is her in self preservation mode and not daring to hope or if she genuinely thinks this.

I don’t think she wants to do any interview or test prepping just yet; partly because as mentioned above she doesn’t want to invest the time if it will be a waste. But she also has her mocks week beginning 6th November so justifiably needs to concentrate on revision this week and next. But it does mean that if she is called for interview that she’ll potentially only have around a week to prep for the online test which is on 22nd November.

@Rollergirl11 I get it - I think if both Warwick and Oxford offered tomorrow, DD would have to think pretty hard about where to go. Who knows whether that will last though!

She feels she has too much interview prep to do to leave it until she hears, but I guess this kind of stuff is never entirely wasted, even if she gets rejected. It's quite hard to predict as it depends on her test, and her past paper scores ranged from 'definitely not' to 'most likely yes' 🤦‍♀️

She's lucky to have a family member who can help her, and there's a really useful mock interview on YouTube which is conducted by someone from the college she has applied to. She's on half term next week so will get going with it all then I think. And then it will all be done 🥳

It seems like it has been a very busy half term but hopefully now, UCAS is in, EPQ is finished and first draft of History coursework has been submitted, things will ease up a little.

Fingers crossed my son will get an interview (Cambridge so better odds) as it seems like he is going to be having four mock interviews at local private schools and possibly an internal one as well!

His school have arranged two of them and he has been offered another two by the independent school he is attending weekly extension and admission assessment preparation sessions with. Attending a state school in an area with lots of independents can clearly be very beneficial. I have said it before, at least if he doesn’t get a place it won’t be through lack of support and preparation.

His mocks aren’t until January which is a bit of a relief as it will just be down to the waiting by that stage. It would also appear that decision day is on the day before his 18th birthday now which is a big relief to him.

Does anyone know for sure if you can change a choice on a submitted UCAS form after submitting it? We are getting conflicting information. No offers yet if it matters..

The whole exam fiasco of last week has dented confidence and now want a 2nd backup that would be v pleased with..

Don't expect my DS to do much prep if he is lucky enough to get offered an interview. Surely a quick read of your PS should be enough?
He still hasn't heard anything regarding the essays he needs to submit. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if he didn't have anything ready but I daren't ask as I'll only get a grunt response.

@O2HaveALittleHouse yes DD did this - as long as you are within the 14days time limit its very simple to do on the UCAS page; the on line option disappears when the time limit is reached

You have 2 weeks from submitting to switch out a uni.

My DD isn't doing much prep, she's got covid atm so been in bed resting but she'll continue doing her wider reading and they have a interview night at school after half term so that will be her prep lol. She also spoke to the English tutor at the college she applied for and kinda knows what to expect interview wise. To be honest once she's feeling better she's just focusing on getting her 2 NEA's done.

DS also likes Warwick. But Cambridge is his top choice.

No support in terms of mocks at DS’s state school. I’m afraid he’s on his own for this and STEP preparation.

We are new to the whole Oxbridge thing.

Fingers crossed!

He’s just happy that he scored highly enough on the BPhO last year to be invited to one Cambridge colleges, which gave him some insight into the process.

@spacechimp79 my daughter is continuing to read around the subject and keep up with the news.
I think she'll get one mock interview at her old school, given by someone from outside school, but has been practising talking out loud - there's lists of interview type questions for her subject online and while I can't do the 'pushing for more depth' bit the interviewer would do as I don't know enough, I think it helps make the 'thinking out loud process' more natural. She's submitted her two written examples which are from History A level, but will reread those too at some point just in case they ask about them (she's not applying for History but didn't take any subjects directly related to her degree). I believe her written assessment is around 28 November and she has submitted a couple sample timed essays to the school's Oxbridge guru but they are on a two week half term now so hasn't had feedback.

I think interview prep depends on subject probably. DD has referenced a few books and articles that she wants to reread, especially those that she hasn't looked at since the summer hols. Her PS invites questions on a couple of things, so she needs to think about that. She wants to get her head around what the current big issues are in her subject and practise thinking out loud and in the particular way they are looking for. She needs to show an interest in stuff she hasn't studied at school, so there's extra reading she wants to do around that too. And the bloody EPQ that she was forced to put on the UCAS form - she will have to do at least a bit of research on that in case they ask what it's about.

More media reports; https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/oct/23/oxford-university-online-admissions-tests-were-shambolic

Surprised Oxford still haven't released an official statement.

That letter in the Guardian suggests some kids had been able to start the maths test but were booted off after 30 mins. My DC couldn’t start at all.

That means some kids saw the paper before being given the paper version later in the day while others did not. Is anyone prepared to vouch that their child were able to access the MAT test at all online?

Thanks @Headingto18 and @catmomof3 re advice on swapping unis - I’ll check that now re 14 day limit.

I know they’re probably frustrated they put so much thought into creating the test I’m sure, and they want to be balanced and collate everyone’s feedback experience, etc. But really it’s painfully obvious at this point the exam is FUBAR. Hopefully they can get some clear messaging out this week.

If you go on Student Rooms you can see some kids didn’t have any issues with the MAT online system. It seems to have been a complete lottery of experiences.

My daughter's friend was doing the MAT online when she entered the room to do the ELAT. She told her she got booted off for 30 mins but was able to get back on without losing the work she had done. But it was very stressful.

It’s still fresh but I’d love to know how they are going to deal with the lack of ELAT. Interviewing everyone with predicted grades will be likely involve interviewing an extra 300 applicants.

I don't see how they could interview everyone for english. I imagine they will have to shortlist based on the two elements of ucas score and written work score alone, as opposed to the usual three elements.

All so frustrating.