Oxbridge 2025

[SnowFairy2000]

Let's start the journey here !!!

"Laminated note boards", yes. My DS only just found out and is mourning the loss of her highlighting pens and the fact that the tests have to be typed.

DD’s friend has just started at Cambridge doing maths. At her interview they gave her problems to solve, but everything she came up with the tutor just sat there going ‘no’. I think he was enjoying himself, but needless to say she afterwards thought it was a disaster and she hadn’t got in, yet there she is!

(I reckon they’re the same with everyone and then select the candidates who persevere!)

This is what they mean by the whiteboards. Instructions, then several pages with pen

Has anyone done tests at the Pearson centres with test breaks? Any idea how that works?

Do you mean stop the clock other than extra time? You ask the invigilator & follow their precise obstructions for whether you have to raise your hand, can leave the room, need supervision etc. Depending upon the test, there might be a button on screen to press to stop the clock and restart of it may be controlled by the invigilator.

Essentially, always follow the instructions given by that test centre on that day. Ignore what anyone else tells you as they are waiting, as they could be sitting language tests, accountancy exams, pharmacy exams...alongside you.

Ds has recieved an offer for Newcastle for physics. I'm so relieved, it's taken the pressure off a little.

well yes…but wondering if there will actually be invigilators in the room - have heard somewhere that invigilator might be remote…at which point it could take a while to be noticed!!!

Thanks so much for clarifying about the whiteboards / pens etc. Neither DS nor I had read that bit yet! We now both have.😂 DS knew it would be online with highlighting facilities etc as he’s done the online practice paper but did think he’d have paper for notes.

@HewasH2O Thank you so much for sharing the pictures of the whiteboards! I will share with DS to help prepare him

Congratulations!! Well done to young Cubic! That’s such a relief, isn’t it?

Newcastle is a great university. I loved it when we visited it, the uni had a real warmth to it, but DS wanted to be more down south for his choices (probably because we’re northern!).

Bristol confirmed to dc they don't read personal statements so it was fine theirs is only indirectly connected to the subject they want to study. It's such a joke!

There are over 200 Pearson test centres around the country. If you are concerned about specific arrangements in a specific location, your DC can contact Pearson to enquire. I did my best to reassure you and I'm only aware of remote proctoring (remote invigilation) for candidates sitting professional exams at home, which I don't believe is an option for uni admissions tests.

They have stop the clock rest breaks, extra time, use of scribes etc day in day out. They know exactly what they are doing, so the best thing for your DC to do is relax and let them explain exactly what they need to do in their specific test centre.

@Coldilocks thank you, we're up North too, near Manchester. Ds has refused to apply to Manchester because he's there so often. 🤷 yes I thought the atmosphere was very welcoming at Newcastle.

DD just got an unconditional offer (she's already done her A Levels) to study English & History at York. That was quick, she only sent in the UCAS form a couple of days ago. A long way from Somerset! Hopefully that'll give her a bit of confidence before the HAT on Monday as she's pretty nervous.

Congratulations to those with offers! We live in Newcastle and love it.

Good luck! My D1 did History & English and graduated last year from Oxford. She didn't really have any prep for the HAT, I think they just looked at one previous paper at school.

So DS has ‘kind of’ got an offer from York to read maths. He’s been invited to interview in November to get a reduced offer if things go well. It’s an optional interview and won’t affect his application I’d he declines. He’s a bit meh about it tbh but thinks it will be good interview experience if anything.
One of his friends wants to study CS at C and took the ESAT (I think) earlier in the week. His was an open application but Peterhouse (sp) has expressed interest. Does that mean he will have an interview ? DS is quite excited for him !

Open applications for Cambridge are assigned by (a computer at) the University not picked out by a college. AFAIK Peterhouse won't even know it's an open application, and it'll certainly be treated the same as a direct application, so your son's friend is in the same position at the moment as every other applicant.

I’m not accustomed with Oxbridge so don’t know the ins and outs I’m afraid. Like a lot of people I assume.

Ds has recieved an offer from Warwick this morning for physics too. Physics PAT a week on Monday so fingers crossed for that.

Hope everyone is coping well with tests and stress around offers etc.

Offers from Birmingham and Southampton here, with an email from Bath to say that they will be looking at all the applicants together next year.

DS friend 1 and 2 both have offers from Manchester.

DC - still trying to work out how to apply for courses similar but different to the very niche course at Ox - last night found the dream course for them - it actually looks more inviting than the Ox course and I am keener they get offered this than Ox, which I have learned not to get excited about. Hadn't spotted it before as they were looking at another, similar course at the same uni and missed this. Luckily two spots still to fill in the UCAS form so this has been added. One more spot to go ... we're going to go to the Edinburgh open day and ask directly there if they read PSes or not, if they don't that's the final spot filled.

DS received an email from his Cambridge college choice saying "You have been accepted!" Then, a few minutes later, a flurry of further emails saying "No you haven't, please ignore previous emails which were sent to everyone by mistake." I am guessing someone in their office is currently very red-faced. 😱

That's awful for your ds and any other yp that recieved those emails. I'd imagine they'd have been over the moon.

Hopefully it's a great sign for your ds.

My DD is taking the TSA on Thursday next week. We just learned about the wipe down white boards and the "pat down" and the no actual time for breaks thing. So if you need a wee, they keep the clock running on your test, regardless, while you go.