Oxbridge 2024 Entry Part 5

[YouOKHun]

Good Luck everyone whatever the outcome!

It won't seem like it today, but being pooled means that their overall application was considered 'Cambridge standard.' Of all the direct offers made, that number again are pooled. The odds of being selected from the pool (in recent years) are roughly 1 in 5 (state school) or 1 in 10 (independent), but obviously it will vary by subject.

Looks like quite a lot of 'redirection' today on this thread. I'm very sorry but they'll bounce back and when one door closes, other better things will be waiting through other doors - they just haven't seen them yet! They will be absolutely fine and this is just a point in time and just one uni in the entire world. Best wishes to everyone.

@tryingtoenergise - hopefully at some point she’ll take comfort from that.
At the moment it seems being so close is what stings the most.

My DS (and DD 2 years ago) took comfort from being told they’d been pooled - the emails were clear that their colleges thought they were good enough and that meant a lot at the time.
Try not to think of it as ‘no-one else wanted me’ but that they are Cambridge material and just a victim of the numbers game. Our school sees being pooled as an achievement they should be proud of.

Turns out my DD was pooled too. She was encouraged that at least she knew she was the right standard. She has come home from school and is in a good frame of mind, we have had a laugh. She spent the day comforting other girls who did not get in and was genuinely thrilled for the ones that did.

She is a bit relieved today is done and she can move on mentally.

Offer for DS from King's. We were all completely shocked apart from DD who was absolutely sure apparently. Zero support from school - in fact they tried to persuade him not to apply as apparently "you are not really up to it"!. Wasn't invited to attend any of the Oxbridge visits/prep sessions. Makes me cross as someone with less supportive family/ didn't have friends at Oxbridge may have given up at that point. Will be having words with Head to that effect - some schools really need to get better at being more open-minded and focus on genuine intellect and passion not just tick-box, good at exams-type students.

@StElwicks what will be your DD’s favourite now C isn’t in the running? Do I remember rightly and she also applied to Durham and Exeter for English?

@Nonamenoplacetogo @StElwicks can I just ask how you know your dc we’re pooled? DD’s email says ‘after careful consideration no other college decided to make you an offer’- that sounds like pooling to me but she says no?

Ours said ‘we had sufficient confidence in your abilities and potential to recommend you to the Inter-Collegiate Winter Pool…. No other college wishes to take your application further….’

Ah ok. Hers def didn’t mention the pool. Maybe she was right……

@ChnandlerBong the letter said ‘we had sufficient confidence in your ability to enter you into the Inter Collegiate winter pool’. I wonder if the letters are different college depending.

@Rollergirl11 hi - she has not heard from Durham (and is unsure of there anyway as her brother is there). Exeter is an option and York too - so she is now planning her offer holder visits.

@Rollergirl11 turns out the English A level system isn't that compatible with the Irish system as they take more subjects. For the course she looked at, even with three A stars and an A star EPQ (scored the same as an AS level), she doesn't have enough points. No PS, no reference, no contextuals/extenuating circumstances, not even your name but a number goes with your application as far as I understand.
She wants beautiful old buildings, excellent reputation, not too far from home.... where does that sound like? She's shed a few tears now.

@mondaytosunday Durham with a masters at Oxford or Cambridge or Trinity.

@mondaytosunday - have you been up yet to visit Durham? It really is a beautiful place - quite unique. The train is high speed from London. Also the city of Bath (I think you said your DD applied there, sorry if I'm confusing you with someone else) is obviously just as beautiful as Oxford or Cambridge. I know the campus is a bit 60s / 70s architecture or whatever, but so are some colleges at C. Also, old colleges often mean tiny rooms. Great to look at but maybe not so great to be inside.

@mondaytosunday what subject is your DD looking to read?
My DD applied to Trinity CD two years ago for MFL and was offered a place. As you say the points are tough to get given in the UK do fewer subjects. Would she consider a different subject. In the end DD didn’t go but it was her insurance choice - she’s a huge Sally Rooney fan.
Coincidentally DH and I ended up in Dublin during TCD freshers week and mooched around the campus. It had a great vibe.

@ealingmum I believe had a DC there and can comment more.

@mondaytosunday im so sorry your dd was unsuccessful today (and also any other dc who did not receive the news they were hoping for today). I know I sound like a stuck record but as you know my dd is at Durham studying the subject your dd is looking to do. It genuinely provides all she is looking for - the course is superb and your dd’s cohort will have very similar grades to her. It has the buildings and then some - my dd lives in a 17th century listed buildings with original features in the rooms etc. the city is quite unique. The train link is really good which makes the distance seem much less. I know it is sometimes referred to as the place you go to if you don’t get Oxbridge but for the vast majority (my dd included) it was their first choice Uni so there really isn’t that vibe to it.

I hope you and your dd can be gentle with yourselves and take time to process the disappointment - rejection is always horrid but as I’ve said before do visit Durham it really is great!

@ChnandlerBong I haven't read the email but ds says it said 'we put you in the pool but nobody picked you up' or words to that effect

DD’s friend hasn’t had an email from Cambridge at all (yet) - just rejected on UCAS. I think that’s a bit rude.

Been lurking on this thread, another no from Cambridge for physical nat sci but a couple of hours later DD got an offer from St Andrew's which we weren't expecting at all.
DD was baffled, she reckoned her chances of a St Andrew's offer were even slimmer than Cambridge and we had a good laugh about it.

Congratulations to all the successful applicants, not only they must be very bright but also very hard working and resilient.

@tryingtoenergise - not yet! Will be the March offer day. Yes Bath too, no offer yet but she loves the city. Missed the open day as went to the Bristol one on the same day (which she didn't like). Another offer holder day (assuming she gets an offer).
@juja Sociology, which they don't offer on its own at TCD, but do as a JH. I don't think she's seriously considering it to be honest. I know it's lovely - my mother attended Trinity in the 1940s!!!
@KittyMcKitty yes. I Know - I think it's a bit raw now and she'll come around. She's a bit hung up on that rep though.
@Lovecatsanddogs yep I've suggested that! Many do her subject as a Masters degree and it would fulfill her ivory tower fantasy...
She really loved the supervision system, and the idea of spending her days in those beautiful libraries...

Just coming to offer commiserations to those feeling disappointed as DS was 2 years ago (pooled but not picked). I just wished him a happy/ Cambridge’s loss day. To which he replied that he’s happy he didn’t get in. He’s in St A, about to have a year in America and has had a very rich experience so far. Lots of paths to happiness and success.

Has she checked her junk? My dc heard thro ucas a no but early email from their college in junk

I’m sure a lack of email will be an administrative glitch, not rudeness and something deliberate. If not in junk, it could be there this morning and if not, DC can email the college to confirm. However if UCAS says ‘no’ it will he no. Totally get that they want the email confirming that though.

Of course she knows it’s a no, it just felt so offhand to have only the stark message on UCAS that this application is no longer under consideration. I just think with the sting of rejection that felt like the last straw.

Hi everyone, my daughter got a pool offer to Murray Edwards yesterday. She's not sure how to feel as we didn't look at the college at open days and ruled out the all women and 'further out' colleges without much research. Anyone have any experience of this college? Thanks

@Leemum17 Medwards is a more modern college (70 years old this year). It's friendly and welcoming, relaxed and informal (you can walk on the grass and it has lovely gardens.) It also has enough accommodation to house students on site for all three years. A little way out of town (up the "hill") but it's an easy walk or very quick on a bike. They take quite a number from the pool so they will probably have an offer holder day.