Oxbridge 2025

[SnowFairy2000]

Let's start the journey here !!!

Or possibly making sure they have finished all the reading they said they had done in the personal statement... Hypothetically

It’s philosophy

the website says -

It should demonstrate your ability to:

• think clearly and to reason coherently
• structure work and arguments in a logical way
• write clearly (and grammatically), with clear expression of thought
• provide evidence of independence of thought.

‘There is no restriction as to the kind of work you may submit, providing it is your own work. You might choose to submit, for example, a mock A Level essay completed under examination conditions or a homework essay from your IB course. You should submit the work that you think best demonstrates the qualities outlined above.’

So not quite as clear cut as history maybe?

My dc has been offered interview support as part of a widening access programme and they're having weekly interview prep sessions online which started last week. I guess it's good to be prepared but I think they'll be gutted if they're not called to interview after all this!

Mine is lying on her bed and reading Northanger Abbey and claiming to be revising for her interview! I think the truth is the panic won't set in until she hears if she's got an interview, then she'll burn like a firework.

Well, very similar in terms of the criteria of what the tutors want evidence of tbh but certainly suggests a liberal approach to what's submitted. Your DS has to submit what he chooses to but I can see that a mock aptitude test marked by a teacher might well not go down brilliantly with the tutors, so it's a risk but not a massive one. If the tutors have any issue with his choice then he can show his merit at interview and any slight mis-step with the submitted work will be put aside.

Why is having a practice paper that they found on line and did under their own steam then asked to be marked by a school teacher an unusual amount of help that would flag concern?
Surely all kids applying will have the sense to practice the admission tests before they sit them?

DC is at a school who have tbh been pretty hands off for the whole process and certainly given minimal support or guidance.

My take on this is that the tutors just want to see some writing which the candidate thinks is good. That's about it. The format and timing doesn't really matter that much. The fact that it's been marked by a teacher is, as far as I know, just a check that it hasn't been written specially.

As a teacher of an essay subject, I have in the past had a student asking whether I would re-mark an essay, re-written particularly for Oxbridge after my original comments. I said "no" and the student went off to bother a different teacher.

When I myself applied to Oxbridge a very long time ago, I submitted what I thought was an amazing essay. I can still recall, to this day, the admissions tutor asking me what a particularly high-falutin' phrase which I'd quoted from a scholarly source actually meant. It was a terrifying two or three minutes. (He ended up as my main tutor for the course and we joked about it later. He passed away a couple of years ago, at a ripe old age.)

Is your DC at a state school Gocompared?

Of course all applicants should go through the practice tests yes. A teacher marking a practice test would be more unusual.

As I say, entirely up to your DC. But I certainly would warn my DC against using a mock aptitude test. I don't think it's make or break, I just think it could look gauche - and possibly suggest more help with prepping than the average applicant.

State. They asked the philosophy teacher to mark it as they don’t do philosophy A level. They marked two of the essay style questions for DC ie they wrote some comments.

They were overseeing a free period during which DC did the test. So they asked them to mark it. No ides if their marking is particularly correct but DC feels its work that gave them the opportunity to show arguement and style.

They are only doing one essay subject and no coursework so not a lot of examples to choose from.

Anyway will leave them to it.

Gauche: Unsophisticated and socially awkward

bloody hell

well as a 17 year old without any experience, minimal confidence and support and just trying their best if that’s the adjective you best think sums them up then I think that says more about you than them.

Gocompared you asked for people's advice. Of course I'm not saying your DS is gauche. Nothing of the sort. It was a very mild comment indeed suggesting that tutors might construe submitting a mock aptitude test that way. To be honest it doesn't sound as though you wanted any input which took a contrary view. I still wouldn't think it a great idea but I've said several times now, probably not a big deal. You seem clear it is, so tell your DS it's fine. It probably will be.

Is it okay if one of the written submissions is for a different subject to that which the YP is applying to study at uni?

My DD's would have had to be as she didn't take philosophy, politics or economics A levels

What? I think you have me confused with someone else. I did not post any "misinformation" I only commented on you as a bit of an arse and MN generally. And reading the rest of this thread, I think you've definitely proven me correct, TizerorFizz.

Please stop.

We are here to support each other, not to insult each other.

Everyone.

Please take a step back. This thread has turned.

Agreed, please, both of you. Just leave it now it’s deeply unpleasant. You’ve made your respective points.

100% this. The insults are flying in one direction only and are getting zero reaction.

The suggestion that some subjects are not pooled because they are particularly oversubscribed amounts to misinformation. I corrected that, since it could be a concern for a particular group of applicants.

FloralGums the tutors prefer the work to be submitted to be the same as the subject applied for unless that's not possible (as it might well not be for PPE/ Law etc). My youngest was in that position and the tutors have to pass the essays on to colleagues in the submitted work subject to check, so it can get a bit clunky for the purposes of interview.

Not sure if this has already been shared on the thread - dates for Oxford interviews apologies if so:

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews/interview-timetable2

Does anyone know if Cambridge publish something similar? Maybe not as O runs process centrally thru each central academic department whilst C is via each individual college?

I'm not sure if Cambridge publish anything similar but they do seem to give more notice of interviews. DC's friends have started to get invites for interviews in early December. They are in-person interviews though so may require more notice logistically wise.

@ucasdone which subjects, if you don’t mind me saying? STEM?

Deadline for written work submission was only on Monday just gone - so would be surprised to hear from a subject requiring this so soon?

Does anyone know if rejection letters go out before interview invites?

The ones so far are humanities, classics etc.

But DC said the friends that have interviews already are 'off the scale' bright so maybe they were quick definites! Mine would fit more into the 'give it a go and see what happens, you never know' camp!