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.

So my daughter got a reply from
Cambridge admissions about the new HSPS pre interview written assessment (only required at a handful of colleges). Seems like they have axed the reading and the question part and have kept the essay, which is good! Anyway it says the test is an hour and is invigilated- does anyone know how this works in practice? Interviews are online so this will be too.

InvestedButNotOverinvested thank you, your take on that is really interesting, and does make a lot of sense.

DS asked his teacher yesterday if school provide any support for the exams and was told no. Although if he gets an interview they will apparently do interview prep with him which is great, as the interviews sound tricky.

Have your chosen colleges been offering in person interviews? Ds dept confirmed at the open day that interviews would be online. He's quite happy about that but it seems some colleges are now offering a choice of online or in person in some subjects.

6 colleges are in person, rest online. A couple eg Caius I think give you a choice, most don't. I'm concerned as DD is keen on a college that does in person but for other reasons. It's already v popular for her subject and this will probably make it more so!

Right so DS is done, £30 paid.

Phew, now to concentrate on History coursework!

I assume you're talking about Cambridge?
I was told on an online evening for prospective Oxford parents that Oxford have decided to do solely online interviews this year, and I think it was possibly even the next 3-5 years.
It was definitely a decision they'd made in advance for more than one year, I just can't remember the details. It seems a shame in a way, but I can also see that it would be easier for lots of people.
That was in response to lightsabre!

Yes @Mihamiha Cambridge.
My daughter's preferred college interviews online, though she wishes it was in person. You lose a lot of nuance online. You don't connect as well with your interviewer - it's just not the same. But it is what it is, and it will certainly help those who live some distance away!
Well done @lifeturnsonadime! Weight off your shoulders (not to mention your son's)!

@lifeturnsonadime I am very jealous. Despite having a published early application deadline of last week - they have now said they want applications submitted by the 12th October and this in mainly based on nobody wanting to submit on Friday 13th!

Their UCAS forms have all been checked, school references are either written or in progress so it is only their personal statements they are still working on. He is got his 2nd meeting with the Head of History tomorrow and will need to get it signed of my him, the 6th form Academic Head (also a History teacher) and his form tutor before he is good to go.

Had some good news on interview prep today. He is signed up to access additional support from a local private girls school. He will attend their lunchtime extension session (thankfully with one other boy from his school) and have 2 mock interviews - one from that school and another from a different independent school. The interview is likely to be the decider for him and given his ASD, I am very grateful for all the practice he can get.

As I said in another post, prior to the open day he said he wanted an online interview - but is perfectly fine now with in person which is just as well.

DD’s college of choice does interviews in person.

College deadline for early app is 25th September. DD still hasn’t had meeting with UCAS coordinator and deputy head of college to go through her application/PS. PS is signed off. Teachers were doing references last week.

I think my DS is the first in his school (state school) to be done. He's a bit like that though, once he has his mind on something he just wants to get it done.

He's going to have a chat with his tutor because his form tutorials for the next few weeks are focusing on PS's for all applicants not just the early entrants. Not much point in being in them now that his has already gone in.

I think they do practice interviews if they get to that stage but not entirely sure. I've been really impressed with his school though, they seem really proactive.

This makes a lot of sense. I remember doing it years back and it was intimidating meeting the others and definitely gave an advantage to those from backgrounds and schools where Oxbridge is more common and with more developed social skills. There is also the time and cost at a busy time of year - for students and the colleges. DD2 did online interviews last year and went very smoothly and much easier. I think it is also better for those that don't get in, which is of course the vast majority. Many already get too excited/fixated and spending a few days in "their" College just add to this and the eventual disappointment when they don't get in.

Not sure about the nuance being lost. Sometimes that connection in person comes from being coached in how to enter the room, body language when greeting, how to sit in the chair, how to look in the eye when talking, etc. All things that really shouldn't matter that much but helps those from schools or families with lots of Oxbridge experience. I know - I used to coach some of this stuff at my DD1's school :) To some extent that happens online too but nowhere near as much.

I suppose you are right @Hertsessex . Maybe it should be a blanket policy! But not all private school kids are so confident either! But it can be intimidating for anyone sitting waiting with other applicants.
Let's just hope they all get to the interview stage!

Oh yes for sure and agreed on private school kids overall. Actually I wasn't thinking of private schools per se as lots of state schools are Oxbridge machines, good and bad, as well with lots of support and coaching as well as generally doing all the things through education to make kids socially confident.

Think only just seen this second thread and can see so many are busy with PSs. Best of luck to all the kids. Just remind them that everything on there could well come up at interview (my DD got asked about everything last year) so make sure confident about everything and don't BS :)

I think this is good advice - I have just helped DD dig out a study as evidence for one of her more sweeping statements! 😬

She is on draft two of the PS, following feedback from college and a friend. And busy practising for the entrance test. Still dithering about whether to drop an A level as she hasn't had her predicted grades yet.

Absolutely @Hertsessex - almost all the YouTubers posting about their Oxbridge interview say they were asked about stuff.
My daughter did mention a Black Paper in the context of a Thatcher decision, and I said you better know more about it! So she will revisit everything she has mentioned just in case.
She has her PS 90% done, but has two versions of first para and thinks neither are good enough. She's meeting with the Oxbridge guru at school Monday, I think about the written assessment, but will show him the PS. School wants it final final by 29th. She managed to get a bit of politics in there linked back to a sociological issue so hopes she's covered that without alienating the unis she's applying for just Sociology.
To be honest I've seen a few 'successful' but non Oxbridge PSs on YouTube and they are fairly meh - hardly any super curricular stuff and quite a bit of what rather than why.

@mondaytosunday have you seen the example PS’s on TSR. Some of them are reviewed which is really useful.

You can look by subject

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/personal-statements/

Or you can look at all Cambridge PS and then choose your subject.

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/personal-statements/cambridge/

Is there anyone doing early app for Oxbridge that is NOT submitting their other choices for the October deadline and is adding them later? UCAS states that you can do this but DD’s college says she has to do them all now. Just not sure why DD should rush the decision on her other choices if it’s not a UCAS requirement.

I've done mock interviews for many kids over the last 10 years and quite often surprised who gets in based on PSs. It's not easy to tell for Oxbridge especially as so many other factors. Many times I've read PS's before and thought not going to be good and then wonderful at interview and gets in. Also had the reverse where PS looks great and has clearly had a lot of work put into fine tuning but they are not great at interview and don't get in - clearly they don't really understand what they have written or crumble or get aggressive/defended when challenged about their pristine over-engineered PS.

@Rollergirl11 my DS is currently planning to only put down his top three choices and leave the other two until a bit later. Not heard what his college thinks of this approach. I'm not sure there's any major disadvantage other than it's another thing to remember to do before the January deadline when things can be pretty busy with mocks etc. I guess from a school/college point of view it is much easier if students can be considered to be completely done.

Ds showed me good video that he was sent yesterday from Cambridge Asst Director of Admissions re; general interview prep. She advised that it's much more likely PS content will be discussed if you're doing a humanities/arts subject. For sciences and maths the interview will be almost exclusively problem solving but they may pick out a point in the PS as an ice breaker and/or if the student is a bit nervous.

I was just coming on to say that interviewees should also not be fazed if they are not asked about the personal statement. My dc had four interviews (standard for medicine at the time) and was not asked about the personal statement in any of them. The key is don't be surprised by anything - it doesn't mean that they weren't impressed or interested by what you put down - different subjects/colleges/individual tutors do things differently.

Agree at @Hertsessex I know it's a combination of grades/PS/assessment/reference/interview plus some fairy dust!
Her PS is all her work - I just proofread it (she's a terrible speller) and made a couple sentance structure suggestions. Her Head of Sixth wanted her to add some more about politics in (which she has) and another change but she's pushing back on that.
Thank you @Rollergirl11 I'll check out those links. As for putting all five down - DD doesn't have five yet. C, Bath and probably Exeter (going on the 7th), but has ruled out Bristol. School suggests Durham but so far away - I guess she could put it down but doubt she'd go there. Surrey maybe?
I think she might wait, if she gets quick offers from Bath and/or Exeter (she already has grades above standard offer) she won't bother putting anything else on.

Is there anyone doing early app for Oxbridge that is NOT submitting their other choices for the October deadline and is adding them later?

Yes! DD only has Oxford as a definite choice at the moment - hopefully some autumn open days will help. On the current list are Warwick, Birmingham, Liverpool, plus maybe Exeter or Lancaster. Hopefully she will have five choices sorted by mid November but might do a tactical delay just in case she gets an Oxford offer, as her insurance will need to be lower in that case.

Caveat is that I don't know whether that is "allowed" by college, but if not she / I will fight for it. She shouldn't be putting down unis that she hasn't even seen imo. They seem very slapdash relaxed, she hasn't had her predicted grades yet, emailed her tutor about it and he told her to ask her individual teachers, is that normal? I think it's a bit weird that they don't get told their grades unless they ask - like they are expected to apply to uni courses without knowing if they can match the grades required.