Oxbridge 2024 Entry Part 5

[YouOKHun]

Good Luck everyone whatever the outcome!

Thank you, I think we were discussing the in person interview impact on number of applications. Do wonder if a lot applied to her first choice college. Will be interesting to see when the stats come out. Still, it's an offer and lovely to have whatever she decides. Would definitely like to see it at an offer holder day if that's possible.

@Leemum17 DD1 got pooled to ME last year. She didn’t realise immediately when she checked on UCAS (ignored the college code bit) so it was a bit of a shock at first. She’s doing a subject that’s mainly girls, so didn’t really want a women’s college. She’s quite happy there now though, and has made some nice friends and she has a lovely big room. (The kitchen facilities not so great though!).

They definitely have an offer-holder day - I think DD’s was mid-Mar - to which parents are not invited, so I had a pleasant day shopping in Cambridge. They were told something like 90% of the offer-holders were pooled there, so they’re all in the same boat.

Two of DD’s friends were pooled to Medwards (MML). Both a bit uncertain at first but went on to have a fab time.

Congratulations to your DD @Leemum17.

My DD was rejected after pooling but had made a deferred application. Does anyone know why they would pool someone in this circumstance? We are wondering if although her college say they are ok with deferred entry for this course in practice they don't make deferred offers (as it is a v small course). Obvs will get the feedback but it seems kind of odd and she's wondering about reapplying.

Thanks guys, really helpful. BiancaBlank did you get to see the college at all yourself on the offer day? I know my daughter will want to discuss the decision so would be helpful to have at least seen some of it though obviously have no interest in getting in the way and fully understand why they wouldn't want us hanging around! Will your daughter stay in college after her first year? Maybe too soon to say....

@Leemum17 Literally all I saw of it was the section between the car park and the porter’s lodge (though the kids got a full tour!). Maybe I could have had a look round, but have to admit I didn’t ask. Since then DD has shown me other bits, like the library, dining hall etc. They have some pretty funky illuminations after dark!

DD hasn’t given any thought to next year’s accommodation yet, but I assume she will stay in college, as most of them do. Like virtually all Oxbridge colleges, they get accommodation for three years.

Yep no parents on offer day here either which I think is understandable. Depending on the college and how far away you live you could probably get in to walk around another day (or even another time that day) if asked nicely at the Plodge.

They presumably need to treat deferring and not-deferring candidates the same.
They can't compare her with people yet to apply, so the fairest thing would be to compare her with this year's applicants. If she performed on a par with another candidate they decided to pool, it would make sense to pool her too.

It's worth talking to the college about whether to reapply. Someone I knew (but a long time ago) was told that they had had an exceptional set of applicants, and normally she would have got in, so they did recommend reapplying (and it worked). On the other hand, presumably stronger colleges may pool people who would not usually make it at that college, but might still be strong enough for another college to consider.

DD's Oxford large college encouraged parents to attend the offer holder's day held in April 2022. They separated parents from applicants apart from a nice lunch together in Hall. They also hosted a nice parents' afternoon in the first year with afternoon tea and evensong.

All the colleges are different though, DS1's small O college never offered anything. He was a 2020 starter though.

Thanks Ianthanum. It's a good idea to talk to the college and I'll get her to do so. Much of this stuff seems quite shrouded in mystery! But I've noted that feedback people have received in prior years has been very candid so that should really help as well.

@Itsachange Both my DC applied for deferred entry though at O. They were told in advance that O only provide deferred offers to those in the top quartile of successful candidates. This website seems to reinforce that approach.

https://uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/456/~/can-i-apply-for-deferred-entry-for-a-place-on-an-undergraduate-degree-course%3F

As PP has said they can't compare to next year's candidates but this way they can be sure they are someone they would definitely take the following year. This makes it really hard with small cohort subjects or colleges that only take small numbers. C may well do it differently but it does mean that it may well be worth trying again.

Thanks @Juja, would be good if C did take a similar approach as would mean DD performed rather well! She's pretty set on reapplying now so we shall see....

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13009157/The-state-sixth-getting-Oxbridge-offers-Eton-Free-school-set-help-disadvantaged-students-universities-beats-historic-50-000-year-college.html

Westminister has 96 Oxbridge this year, QE boys 62. Cambridge has increased its intake for state again (not sure if this applied to Grammar too).

Wow, that must be practically most of the Westminster 6th form? Although there might be re-applicants in that figure.

Reapplications could be in any schools tally.

It will include re-applicants and people who took a gap year and applied for the first time after leaving. But still, imo, it’s obsence. Obviously the students have to work hard and be intelligent, but going there is essentially a way of buying your child a much better than average chance of getting into Oxbridge.

Of course Westminster Harris is connected to Westminster School, and some of the pupils will have lessons at Westminster.

I never thought I’d feel slightly sorry for Eton but it is odd. They offer AFIK many more bursaries and scholarships than Westminster does. And while Eton has always been associated with an air of entitlement, there’s definitely that too at Westminster.

Westminster has a large number of applicants with grade in hand(70) this year.

Is it a developing trends for these schools with high expectations then? I know some Grammar schools with with high number of reapplications this year too. Image the pressure add on to the students year below.

Westminster advocate a “two-year approach” to university applications, ie taking a gap year and re-applying.

Which is something that is going to be more possible for those from affluent or even middle-class families.

Doesn't necessary for affluent or even middle-class families. Many able students like scholar level would reapply as it won't cost any. Even can earn a lot in gap year.

I suspect the ratio of applicants to places at many entry points into Westminster will be at least as higher if not higher than the ratio of Oxbridge applicants to places. So it is already a very select group, who then get the benefit of excellent teaching in a very strong cohort. I do think their (and SPGS’s) very high Oxbridge offer rates reflect this ultra super selective status as much as anything else.

Another way of putting it: Westminster and SPGS are effectively the Oxbridge of London private secondary schools - the ones the most academic students all aspire to get into, and which, if they get an offer, they are unlikely to turn down - and it’s not therefore surprising that those that get in are also very successful when applying to Oxbridge.

Yes of course many can who aren't from affluent or even middle-class families can reapply as it won't cost any.

But it's ignorant to think of it in terms of just cost of applying (nowt) or earning. There are much more deeper socio-economic reasons.

Many students won't want to stay an extra year at home for reasons that don't relate directly to money, but which are indirectly affected by their parents' wealth or lack of.

Some students will have abusive parents or unhappy households and will be desperate to leave home. This applies to all socio-economic backgrounds but statistically it's more likely to be the case in poor(er) families.

Students may also be desperate to leave home because although they have a happy family, they are in cramped accommodation where they don't get their own room or space to study, or have to help look after younger siblings. The former came up a lot in the pandemic. Many students didn't have their own laptops to do their A level work on. They'd be keen to get to university where there's resources in the library.

@WriterOfWrongs There are much more deeper socio-economic reasons.

We can look the majority of the applicants that applies Oxbridge. Vast majority are middle classes regardless private or state educated.

@Winning11 I was talking specifically about reasons for not taking a gap year. But yes, that's true.