Oxbridge 2024 Entry Part 4

[Lightsabre]

New thread as our dc start the rollercoaster ride of interviews.

Yes we had one terrible interview and one that was much better. At least C -(stem) don’t seem to call you for interview to another college - or should we be checking emails!

it’s difficult to know whether a dreadful interview is because actually the YP was giving good answers and so they were really stretching them or it was actually dreadful because they couldn’t get basics right. For every successful oxbridge student who said they thought their interview was awful but then went on to get a place, there’s probably a lot more unsuccessful ones unfortunately.
it’s going to be a long wait until 24 Jan, but at least my YP is realistic that their NSAA test scores were ok but not great, and probably can say the same overall for interviews so chances of success are slim.

I don’t know if they go into the Pool would they get another interview in January? And then find out on 24th. Are all places offered on that date? I d better have a look - daren’t risk asking them

good luck to all still awaiting interviews. There are lots of other excellent universities out there but I guess for most of our YP they are used to being successful at everything they do

@Lightsabre DD def had one of three interviews that was much more challenging and less comfortable (in every sense) so agree it’s not unusual.
DD has finished her three interviews and waits to hear today if any more

DS has an interview with a second college next week , so interviews on three days running. I’m worried about our WiFi , it can be temperamental, but school has recommended he does interviews at home as they say it’s likely to be noisy in school! I think all those with interviews are doing them at home. This is such a stressful process for our DC and all of us !!!!!

@Fingersverytightlycrosssed I think I read a stat where those that are pooled only infrequently get asked to interview at another college, I guess they go off the original interview scores. Might be different for some subjects. A fair amount also get fished back to their original college!
My daughter is certainly NOT one of those kids used to doing well in everything. In fact she was lead to believe she was the worst student in History class, so her A star was a shock to her (predicted a B). So she only came up with the idea of applying to Cambridge after her results. But once the seed is planted it takes a firm hold!
She's gone back to college now (Art Foundation course) which she has been neglecting! Was still going over and over her interviews last night - think their brevity is what bothers her most. But she's got a Durham offer and will hopefully get Bath so has good options no matter what.

dd in general interview now. it's her second. hope those fkers arent too blinded by her magnificence. haha

DS had two interviews for his chosen college (STEM) but his offer came from a totally different one, so he didn't know he'd been pooled, it was a surprise - he didn't have to interview again. He's much happier with his allocation than he said he would have been at the one he applied to (which only had a tiny number of students on his course).

I don't know whether that is true for all colleges/subjects but it was how it worked for him.

Good luck everyone!

Am now getting nervous on DDs behalf as her interview will be soon.

She'll find out tomorrow by 2 whether she has another interview next week. Am hoping she doesn’t as I think she’s had enough of interviews! Usefully as it’s the year 11 sixth form taster day tomorrow year 13 don’t have any lessons so she has a day off which she needs

Yes I am nervous about today's one as about 95% of the others are doing the subject at A level and DD isn't. DD optimistically said this could work in her favour as her answers would be original 😎

@Silkiefloof I love your DDs statement! I hope it does work in her favour!

DS will contact the college to let them know we'll have no internet connection on Monday but in case they can't change the date then he can do the interview at various friends houses who have kindly offered

Interview one done. Assessment “it wasn’t awful”. STEM subject and she did get a question on her PS.

My son is not feeling great about the first interview. He struggled with the extract but was also questioned on his personal statement and that went better. He went in with a big dose of imposter syndrome unfortunately. It is what it is. Hopefully he can regroup for his second interview at 3pm.

Well DD came out of her interview saying “oh well that’s that I’m deffo not getting in!” As I’ve said before she does have a tendency to catastrophise. Apparently the poem was awful. They did ask about stuff on her PS. She says she felt like she was either repeating herself or waffling.

Time to forget about it now until January!

I think with teenagers its often everything either went amazingly or was a complete disaster and nothing is ever average. They've all done so well to get interviews and once they are over best thing can do is forget about them, and see what happens in January. They are very intense and I can imagine someone not confident or easily thrown thinking they did a lot worse than that did. Its also hard to know as you don't know the interviewer's style or the other candidates.

Good luck to those still to interview.

Am waiting for DD to get back from school so I can find out how it went. And then she has to wait until 2pm tomorrow to know whether or not she has another interview next week…

Apparently we have to wait until 11am Monday here to see if there is another interview in the offing… Can’t wait until this is over!

Also waiting here for 2nd interview feedback and could also be called back next week for 2 more at another college. DD is at least fairly chilled about interviews but think she'd still rather them be over after today.

Yes says 10am on 11th here for being notified about further interviews and they are on 12th and 13th so not much notice.

All done here (barring any 2nd college interviews). It sounds like they've gone pretty well overall. One she really sounds like she smashed, one not so much - I've found the text she had to discuss in that particular interview and it really was a case of either you got it or you didn't. She hadn't got a clue but came up with decent ideas given there was no context and it wasn't something she'd looked at before, so hoping they'll consider that fairly.
Am also planning to shut off mentally from this malarkey for a month now. Good luck MN offspring, amd hope everyone is able to take an enjoyable break some time between now and decision day.

DD seemed to feel the interview went well 😊 now need to wait and see whether there’s another interview next week or not….

dd wasn’t asked anything about her personal statement, straight into maths questions followed by chemistry questions on her least favourite area….
I don’t think it was too awful as she was quite chatty when she got home from school, but perhaps that’s because it’s now over.
she has an offer from Bath which she is really excited about so whatever happens in January she will be fine.

DS has his first offer, from St Andrews - AAB. Good to have this in the bag!

I think your DC is history like mine?

DS has the added joy of having mocks next week!

11am Monday can't come soon enough as the uncertainty of what is happening next week is adding to the general exam stress!

I think @Silkiefloof's assessment of the way our DC report things back is probably accurate. For DS he seems to think the first was less of a disaster the longer the gap between the interview and now!

Doesn't need saying that they've all done so well to get to this stage. Can't wait for the end of term and a bit of a chill over the Christmas break!

@lifeturnsonadime yes it’s History. I guess another interview means they’re still in the game, just not for the original college and it is not a flat no. However, no comms could also mean either a straightforward yes or a flat no….

100% it is waaay more stressful being the Parent rather than the applicant isn’t it? 😂