Oxbridge 2025

[SnowFairy2000]

Let's start the journey here !!!

Can I have a hand hold, please? DS had his TMUA this morning and has worked so hard. However we encountered unexpected roadworks on the journey to the test centre (despite me doing a trial run last week and there being absolutely no indication/signage that they were going to cone off the road). It delayed us by 15 mins. I always allow plenty of time so we weren’t late for his test time but he went in stressed and he says he made silly mistakes in the first 5 questions before he could settle down. He thinks he’s blown it and is very down. He has good back up choices but the next 6 weeks until he gets his TMUA results are going to be very long.

Oh no @Coldilocks well done for not being late though - my ds is sitting it tomorrow. His friend sat it today and said paper 1 was insane?? So I think a lot of the cohort will find it challenging. It’s good it’s done anyway. Where is your ds applying to and for what subject? I read on here that someone got into camb despite a lower tmua grade - the applicant assumed he’d not get in and so relaxed in the interview!

Thank you Drench - yes, it was Paper 1. He has applied to Cambridge and Imperial for Computer Science. Back up choices are Bath, Birmingham and Southampton. At this stage we’re assuming he won’t get an interview and maybe Imperial is in doubt. Fortunately DH is a cheerful soul and will provide words of reassurance tonight.

@Coldilocks that must have been very stressful as the driver too; hope you have also recovered.

My DD did TMUA today and said paper 1 was terrible. She has had good scores on the past papers but after her performance today has now essentially put Cambridge out of her head, as her score will be way too low. She hasn’t had any offers yet either and I feel terribly sorry for her as all her friends already have (and she says she’s wasted a UCAS slot now, over a long shot at Cambridge). It’s going to be a long six or seven months!

If it helps DS was convinced he'd completely messed up his ENGAA (for C engineering), and was really depressed about how much work he had put in and what a waste it was - but he's now 3rd year at C, so don't despair! I think it's often the ones who think they've acted it who have a shock.....

Good luck to everyone taking entrance exams...and congratulations to this with offers already.

Look on Reddit's 6th Form forum, which is full.of 4A* Oxbridge/Imperial types. They all say the TMUA was a nightmare this year, are all convinced they've failed. Can't all be right... all that means is the grade boundaries will be friendlier this year, so don't worry too much, it might still work out.

If everyone has found the TMUA difficult and struggled in the exam, then that's hopefully a good thing. Fingers crossed for you all. Such a stressful process!

DS checked yesterday lunchtime and his MAT - UCAS number had been checked. Phew!

No offers for him yet, but he has had an 'on hold' from Bristol, which feels like a rejection no matter what their justification. As if they've put him on hold in case they find someone better. It would have been better had they not sent an email at all like other universities!

I might join this thread, DS2 has applied to Oxford for history. HAT on Monday, he’s been working very hard for it. We went through all this 2 years ago with DS1. I’m not look forward to all the waiting again but it has made DS2 more realistic about his chances.

Thanks for the support and if everyone has found the papers hard then at least they’re all in the same boat.

And congratulations to those who have received offers.

My DC had their ESAT today and found it horrendous. They've glided through all exams until now and 'hated every minute' of the esat. Oh well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained....

DD sat the TMUA today too. It was very tough and she does not feel at all confident that she got even a quarter of paper 1 right. Paper 2 was better but not good enough to cancel out the awfulness of paper 1!

How are our kids today? DS is focussing on the questions he got wrong. I’ve told him to sit down with his maths teacher and hopefully he will get a quick pep talk.

Dc did their tmua this morning! They said it went ‘ok’ but ran out of time on paper 2 to answer the last question. So glad it’s over anyway! Long 6 week wait now..

My DC was very quiet last night and didn't want to talk about it. Much brighter today and having a chilled out day. First day off for ages (school holidays here) where they've not had to think about personal statement, studies or esat prep!

Getting ahead of ourselves as they may well not get that far, but DC mentioned last night that a friend had dug out some old interview questions for their (esoteric) subject should they get an interview and they were 'impossible'

What they told me of them, they did sound impossible - my older dc did a subject I understand so while the questions were often very hard I could still see how to approach them.

DC didn't seemed too fazed. more amused. I said the main thing to do was spin various theories rather than find a 'correct answer' as they were more interested to see how you think - does that sound right to others, or am I missing something?

My daughter has applied to Oxford to read History & English and also has her HAT on Monday. She only quite recently decided to give Oxford a go so is probably way behind everybody else in prep for it - but then I've heard there's not an awful lot you can do to prepare. Can't say I envy them Monday! And the white board pages and white board pens. Very odd. Anyway, good luck to them all.

Does everyone with the correct predicted grades get to do the tests?

Everyone who applies gets to do the tests, it's the interviews that aren't (usually) for everyone

@periodiclabel my DS interviewed for a STEM subject so it may be different but he said he felt it was very much about testing his thought processes rather than having to get the right answer.

That's supposed to be the exact point of Oxbridge interviews... to see how you think (and see how teachable you are). If you keep getting the "right" answers, they'll soon move on to questions where you won't.

Everyone who applies gets to do the Oxford tests, correct predictions or not. The sifting comes post-test (although some subjects of course don’t have a test, which baffles me) @5starzz

With the Cambridge SAQ do you add in extracurricular (rather than supra curricular) activities?

What’s that about white board pages and pens???!!!
I haven’t heard anything about that, do they need to bring them?

This came on an email but I think I only got this as I'd signed up as a parent to recieve info.

No, the opposite, can't take anything in! If you go to the Pearson Vue page about Oxford tests it gives a lot of detail:

https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/oat.html

"You will not be permitted to use note paper during your Oxford admissions test. However, you will be provided with a spiral-bound booklet, consisting of 5 laminated sheets (or 5 laminated single noteboards, where booklets are unavailable) and a whiteboard pen. During your test, if you fill up all the useable space on the noteboard, do not attempt to wipe it; instead, raise your hand and the Test Administrator will replace the used noteboard/booklet with a new one.You will not be permitted to have more than the allocated number (i.e., 1 booklet or 5 noteboards) at any one time. You must return these articles to the Test Administrator after completion of the test."