Oxbridge 2024 Entry Part 3

[Lightsabre]

New thread as Part 2 about to fill.

Congratulations to all those getting interviews 😊

History, which his maths teachers considers a “waste of a good mind”

Suitably blinkered maths teachers there.

Sounds like the sort of thing my dad (retired maths teacher) would have said, although 95% in jest (he always said in an alternative world he would have studied history instead of maths and I think his history teacher tried very hard to persuade him).

Mine only checked because I reminded him via text to check UCAS lol.

Can you see an invitation to interview on UCAS then, or does it only appear in an email?

It's really hit me today that by next week my DD will know if she's got an interview. She did mock interviews this week with previous Oxbridge students which went really well.

@catmomof3 me too! I was looking at films to watch this weekend, thinking of Saltburn but it's set in Oxford so wondering if that will jinx it!

DD got email with details about her written assessment and that her interview will be early December but no exact date yet.
She has a mock interview next week, plus an interview for a month long Turing scheme work experience in Lisbon with her current Art Foundation course. She's thrilled that she's been shortlisted for that - all go go go!

That sounds very exciting @mondaytosunday - fingers crossed she gets it. Great news about the other interview invitations too. Think we will get the redirected or interview this coming week too.

@stoneysongs interview not appeared on UCAS. Only as an email from the college.

Definitely said in jest - they have a great relationship. He started teaching my son in Y8 when he was training. He is a bit of a polymath, did a maths degree and started teaching as he was bored in retirement. History is something you do in your spare time for fun according to him.

Congratulations @Bleepbloopbluurp and @mondaytosunday. Fingers crossed for those still waiting to hear.

Hi, I’m a bit late joining the thread, but have just read through all the messages. My DS has applied to Cambridge to do history, and has an interview. He got the email last Friday, but didn't notice it til Sunday, sigh. He's pretty nervous about it, so not sure how well he'll do. If he doesn't do well because of nerves, then Cambridge probably isn't right for him, as it's quite intense, but I do think there is lots about it that he would enjoy, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him. He's at a state comprehensive, and has offers from Manchester and Royal Holloway, applied to Durham and still thinking about his fifth, possibly a London one if he thinks he can afford to live there.

My DD is at Oxford doing physics (let me know if anyone has any questions about that process), so added pressure on my DS.

Oooo I know what it's like following a successful sibling @Ragdollcharlie! I purposefully chose a different route than my sister but I also didn't have her blinkered drive, so she deserved her achievements more than me. I'm sure your DS will do great and nerves are normal and he has good offers already! I too worry about the intensity of Oxbridge, but my DD has the focus and drive I lacked. I also think the supervisory system will suit her well.
Meanwhile all us parents have second hand stress about the whole process but must try to put an optimistic yet realistic face on.

Hi all. I somehow managed to fall off the thread. Congratulations to all those through to interview.

DD is still waiting to hear (Physics at O). I expect given their process - where they reallocate students pre-interview to get the same ratio of interviewees to places at each college - they will be fairly late on.

She does have two other offers now, both of which she really liked at open days, so that takes the pressure off just a little.

Congrats to all this DC with interviews so far and commiserations to all those without, sounds like they've got fantastic alternatives though. We're still waiting to hear about engineering interview at C, not heard of anyone else who has heard yet, probably because of colleges waiting for ENGAA results.

Congratulations to @Redhotchillipeppers @Jaxx and @Bleepbloopbluurp on interviews!! Sorry if I’ve missed others; this thread is starting to move quickly now.

For those of you with in person interviews what are your DC intending to wear? DD’s college says there is no dress code and to wear whatever you feel comfortable in. DD has to wear business wear to college so I think she should just go with a jumper/top and smart trousers. I don’t think it hurts to look smart.

@ffalafel 2 friends have their boys applying to C for engineering and one I've known since he was very young and I feel invested for him. I imagine C have the results earlier

@Rollergirl11 I agree with you totally. He is going to wear collared shirt, plain jumper, dark jeans or grey chinos and boots. Still casual but smarter than the hoodies and trainers he seems to be living in atm. At a mock interview with his head he was I instructed to wear a shirt. I know they say it doesn’t matter but I think it is good practice to dress up, even if only a little bit, for an interview.

@Pleasealexa yes I imagine the college will have the results by now and DC could hear anytime. Have the one you know heard either way yet?

Colleague of my DH whose DD received interview for Nat Sci at Churchill yesterday. So looks like courses requiring assessment results are starting to come through.
We are in panic here as DS is concerned that he has missed submitting a form about his disability (AADF??). Some reference to it in a section entitled submitting written work so he discounted it at the time but now thinks he should have completed it. He has been very determined to do as much of the application stuff himself so I think he's kicking himself that he didn't share the email with us. Drafting an email to the college admissions team to see what can be done 😟

@ffalafel no, nothing and they are applying to different colleges. One is at state and the other private and both similar abilities so not sure if one/both or none will get an interview.

My son's friend who was not selected for interview hasn't taken it that well - he is a lovely lad so I think he has felt pressure from parents & school. He goes to a selective school where many apply (unlike my son's school) so the expectation is to make the interview stage. I'm very glad my son is genuinely excited about his alternative offers and so glad he has those.

@Pleasealexa good luck to them all, yes agree, my DC has a couple of offers from choices they are very happy with which takes the pressure off a lot

Hi I’ve been lurking on here a while. Some really helpful posts and so I wanted to ask about interview attire. DD has an in person interview at Pembroke. I know it says wear what you feel comfortable in but in reality does that mean smart casual or are jeans really ok?

Best of luck to everyone’s DC - such a stressful business!

@ladsmum yes the deadline for that form was the same as deadline for submitting written work. DD initially didn’t fill it out as she doesn’t have any additional access arrangements but the Cambridge college emailed her saying that they could see from her UCAS application that she had declared something and that she still needed to submit the form even if she didn’t require access arrangements for the assessment and interview. Is your DS requiring special arrangements for interview?

@Cremebrulee45 i mean they don’t stipulate that you can’t wear jeans so I would say they are okay. But DD is erring on the side of caution and is just going to wear a pair of her smart casual black trousers that she wears to college anyway. She won’t wear her blazer but just go with a jumper or something.

Thanks Rollergirl - that sounds like the way to go…