Oxbridge 2025

[SnowFairy2000]

Let's start the journey here !!!

@Gocompared if your DC is applying to St Johns, check for an email from "Sarah" rather than a typical Oxford address.

Thank you. Emails have been fully checked including spam and nothing at all

Hi, posting to bookmark, as I was told about this thread on a year 13 thread, although my DS1 feels that his Maths exam didn't go well yesterday, so I don't know whether his Oxford application will progress. He did a lot of work for it but I think the online format etc is so different from what he's used to at A level and GCSE - he and the other students taking Further Maths at his school sixth form have already taken the Maths exam in year 12 and are now working for FM (and in the second year for two other A levels).

@elkiedee From what DS says, the MAT is extremely challenging. Which isn't surprising really as they are trying to distinguish between the top mathematicians. The same with all subject admissions tests I suppose! It's very hard for them if they feel it hasn't gone well. Hopefully he's got another offer already to take some of the stress away.

Thanks @FiveFoxes. Two universities have already said that they are going to make conditional offers - he is very positive about one and has an open day/interview with the other coming up (they will make him an offer but might reduce the needed grades if the interview goes well, and it's obviously also an opportunity for him to see what he thinks).

Just a quick question about the written work submission as ds is having a crisis of confidence! Does anyone have any thoughts or knowledge about a minimum word count? I know there isn't one, but the piece of work ds considers his best is only 1300 words and he's worried that's too short. He's convinced it's his best one though, even though they all have the same mark/1 mark difference!

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Thedogismybaby I mentioned your theory to someone when I was in Oxford on Thursday, as an example of some of the misinformation which gets peddled on MN. The person (authoritative on admissions and a member of the university) said that this isn't a matter of subjective opinion: your theory is simply objectively wrong. Pooling - in whichever of the various forms it takes across the different subjects - always happens, without exception. This isn't something subjective - just a rather mundane fact.

There are definitely areas where things are correct or not correct. It's quite surprising that that isn't a given to everyone.

Yes: tell him not to worry. The tutors might very well appreciate brevity. One of my DC submitted a short piece and it was fine.

My ds got into Oxford to read history and his written work submission was that sort of length. Quality over quantity - and an essay you are willing to discuss at interview, as they may decide to talk about it with you. I would therefore let your ds use his own judgement, not one based on essay length.

My DC is planning on submitting a mock answer they did under timed conditions for one of the Oxford entrance tests (one that has short essay questions).

Is that ok? They think it’s their best piece of academic writing and their teacher has marked it for them.

Would a piece done as part of their A levels be more appropriate? Give the tutors already have an entrance test paper to see I wondered if this was just repeating the what they can already review in effect?

Thanks @Walkaround and @ThatllBeTheDay That's reassuring and I'll pass that on.

Ha! Flattering that you're discussing a total, anonymous stranger with your imaginary friend. What I say about you still holds - you are not and will never be the arbiter of all that is correct and all that is not that is written here. Also what I say about MN still holds - it is largely made up of informed but limited experience, opinion and conjecture. That is simply a fact in itself. This is not a government funded education.org it is a TALK BOARD, ie. social media, made up of mostly parents.

For history, it’s supposed to be an essay on an historical topic written in the candidate’s own time that’s a normal part of their school or college work. I personally don’t think a timed essay for mock Oxford entrance tests is what they have in mind. He can always check with the college admissions tutor, though, and I guess it also depends on the subject being applied for and what they specify for that particular subject.

@Gocompared I would echo what Walkaround said and encourage your DC to send a regular A-level essay in (or at least check with the college that what he’s proposing is OK). My DD applied last year and her email specifically said an essay written for her A-level course - and then they used it at her interview to talk about her American history module (which might be less easy to do if you’ve submitted something about 13th-century nomads in Kazakhstan, say).

Remember the essay doesn’t have to be perfect - in fact areas of improvement could in themselves be good interview fodder - and the essay only counts for 10% of the final decision.

Check the website for the subject because in many cases they explicitly say that they prefer not to get work done in timed conditions.

Better to send an example of essay writing or close reading or whatever that will be closer to what they produce for tutorial work. So an essay written in the normal course of their studies would be ideal - whichever one they think is their strongest.

And I would agree with you that it won’t add anything very different to what they have already produced for the test.

Yes, check for subject: at least one of the pieces mine submitted for Classics was from her history mock, because she felt it was a strong piece and all the more so for have been done under timed conditions.

When do we think we will start to hear about interviews? Are certain colleges 'faster' than others with the invitations?

I think it depends on college and course. There was a spreadsheet showing Oxford dates invited, college, course etc from last year on reddit (I think). Anytime from 15th Nov but we're going with upto day before interview unless ds hears otherwise. It's going to be along few weeks.

@Cubic - thank you.

Mine checked with the college directly - and was reassured that the two essays he has chosen from his actual A level exam this summer were acceptable (History Cambridge).

Website doesn’t give much limitation at all.

Teacher has marked this mock exam question and thinks it’s their best work to date.

Have said to re-discuss if there is a piece of class work they can use instead. They are not doing one essay subject and not yet done mocks so quite hard to find anything suitable or good enough!

Gocompared I'm not sure if this is for History, but I would say that there's a definite risk in submitting the piece your DC is suggesting.

The tutors are not looking for the same sort of essay that they expect in tutorials, if only because they like essays written in the ordinary course of the A level and the A level mark schemes don't really reward brilliant frolics of the intellect. They want an essay as a springboard to see how much further an applicant can go. I would advise my own DC to play safe.

Secondly, a HAT paper (or whichever aptitude test it is) marked by a teacher sends a message that this applicant is getting more help than the average applicant. Better not to reveal that particular hand. I mean, it could be obvious from the school's name, but if it's not, why flag the additional help. It could well be that the help is minimal in reality but the tutors won't know the level of help, so it could come back to bite.

Thedogismybaby this academic ate rather well for an imaginary academic is all I can say. We shared a very nice meal. I'm in Oxford again today but we're not meeting so I can't actually check your theory out about their reality which is a shame. I'm wondering how I would do that anyhow, without sticking a pin in their arm which wouldn't be kind (assuming they're real) and would also be a criminal offence (assuming etc).

There's actually a real point in trying to minimise misinformation even if these are just chat threads, although I don't think anyone is on a mission. It seems that this is why a lot of current or recent parents/ tutors do post. Misinformation can be puff and easily ignored but sometimes it sounds credible and will worry those who don't know it's not correct. So in this case, it could definitely cause additional anxiety for DC who've applied to the most popular subjects, if they thought they weren't going to have a chance at being pooled. I have already pointed out that E&M as opposed to Theology proves your contention wrong but what I didn't bother to say was that all it means is that in those subjects with a 'N/A' next to their name, any pooling is simply done within the days allocated for the original interviews. All subjects have a method for pooling and no-one needs to go into their first interview with additional pressure to perform.

Are your DC now preparing for interview in case they get one, or enjoying the lull and waiting to hear if they have one first?

By preparing, I am thinking of further reading on the subject or rereading things they have talked about in personal statement. Is there anything else? Seems a bit early to practise interview style questions?

@ColouringPencils For STEM types, the Physics Olympiad is this Friday so DS has been busy preparing for that!