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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Redirected from Oxford and Cambridge 2024

637 replies

MirandaWest · 11/01/2024 15:55

Thought I’d start this thread in case anyone else with a DC who didn’t get an offer from Oxford (or Cambridge in a couple of weeks time) wants to say anything - I feel a bit out of place in the Oxbridge thread now but could be good to have somewhere to talk about how they are and what their plans are now.

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Newgirls · 17/04/2024 15:52

I’m not sure how helpful my dd feedback was really - tho it was perhaps revealing. It said she didn’t show enough reading / extra knowledge around the topic. So you might get that sort of general comment.

She was asked about the tutors topics of study rather than hers that were on her ucas form. So she might have done better if she’d looked them up first. But really she wasn’t interested in their subjects so it prob wasn’t the right course for her

Cjdkidj · 17/04/2024 17:11

My son got quite detailed feedback from his Cambridge college. But this was years ago

Lightsabre · 17/04/2024 17:32

That is disappointing @Okayornot. You might be able to look up stats from the freedom of information requests for that subject and compare scores.

DD's feed back was good but they did say his mental maths in interview 1 wasn't as strong as the successful candidates. He felt ok with this as he recognised that part of the interview hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. Second one was good. It's all a bit random really.

Okayornot · 17/04/2024 18:19

That is disappointing @Okayornot. You might be able to look up stats from the freedom of information requests for that subject and compare scores.

Thanks, I have had a look but her course is so small there is really no info out there. It's a humanities course and there seems to be v little info on assessment marks for anything that isn't STEM or law. Problem is, she is thinking of reapplying, and detailed feedback would be so valuable in shaping her next steps.

Pleasealexa · 17/04/2024 18:47

@HappyShoppingBag, no feedback here either, it's been a disappointing process this time around, compared to older DCs experience. I get they are busy but it feels dismissive but I think college choice was a big mistake. ( I won't name the college)

catmomof3 · 18/04/2024 11:37

DD finally got a offer holders day for UCL for next month but idk if I will be able to go with her as annoyingly was diagnosed with cervical cancer 3 weeks ago and my treatment will very likely of started or close to starting and I don't want to go somewhere and potentially get ill so she'll have to go alone (which is fine it's 45 mins by train). Just bummed as I wanted to see the campus. Also means our Japan trip in July has been cancelled.

I have let her school know, do they put these things down for the exam board to know esp as I'll be in treatment during her exams and as much as I have told her I'll be ok I am worried about her exams and how she will perform.

Jaxx · 18/04/2024 12:11

So sorry to hear your news and wishing you a speedy recovery - I wish there was anything I could say that would help. Think positively - perhaps you can go to Japan in the long university Easter holiday next year and get to see the cherry blossom.

It is a shame that you won’t be able to go to open day with your daughter, but you can still get a sense of the place if you go up on a normal day. It is close though and you will get plenty of opportunities to visit her there over the next 3 years.

Take care of yourself.

catmomof3 · 18/04/2024 12:17

Thank you @Jaxx I'm planning on hopefully going next June when they break up for Summer instead as BA will hold my booking if I don't claim via my insurance. Just a very depressing situation to be in all honesty.

Lightsabre · 18/04/2024 13:10

Oh @catmomof3, I'm so sorry to hear this news. Wishing you all the best through your treatment journey. I can't imagine how you must be feeling and also the worry about how your dd will take the news during A levels. Ive been on the 2 week cancer pathway myself recently and my overriding thoughts were for ds and how the news might affect him. (I am clear). Kids are very resilient though. I think it's worth contacting the school and having it noted down.

Sorry to hear your Japan trip has been curtailed too as I know you were looking forward to it. Hopefully it'll be a fantastic post treatment holiday next year. Have you been watching Race Across the World on BBC1? They've been travelling through Japan.

catmomof3 · 18/04/2024 14:07

@Lightsabre I have let the school know who will support my daughter if she needs it. I've had to stop watching Japan content for the time being as it just depresses me 😢. Glad to hear you got all the all clear. Hopefully that will be me in a few months.

Umbilicate · 18/04/2024 14:28

So sorry to hear that @catmomof3 - don't worry about not seeing the campus, it's there for you to walk around any time you feel up to it! Wishing you the very best Flowers

Lightsabre · 18/04/2024 14:49

@catmomof3, sorry you did say about school in your post. I wish you all the best.

Headingto18 · 18/04/2024 14:54

@catmomof3 so sorry to hear your news; for my DD who has had a similar set of news this year, the school wrote to each of her univs (that she applied for) forewarning them in case the results were impacted this summer. I believe that is the route rather than the exam boards but do talk to the school. I think DD’s school will write to her firm and insurance again closer to the time. It hasn’t been treated as contextual for offers but may - only may - be for results if things go wrong esp if you are still in treatment at that point

lifeturnsonadime · 18/04/2024 15:28

@catmomof3

Flowers I am so sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis.

My DS went to the UCL offer holder day on his own and the positive of that was that he met a couple of people who have also firmed his course who he has kept in touch with on social media. I don't think that that would have happened had I been there.

All the best for your treatment plan.

catmomof3 · 18/04/2024 16:38

Thank you everyone for your kind words 💜, I think if I can't go with DD she might ask her friend who is already at UCL if he'll tag along with her instead.

Ragdollcharlie · 18/04/2024 17:02

Very sorry to hear your news @catmomof3 . Hope the pathway goes smoothly for you.

PotentialUCLmum · 19/04/2024 05:22

Sorry to hear of your news @catmomof3 i do wish you well. I’m not planning on going to the offer holders day either - DD tells me ‘it’s not really for parents’ so please don’t worry. As a side note, UCL have switched to accommodation on a first come, first served basis and are already allocating so your DD does need to consider firming sooner rather than later which is annoying as the offer holders day is quite late.

catmomof3 · 19/04/2024 06:35

@PotentialUCLmum My daughter already firmed back in January and applied the day accommodation bookings opened, we are just waiting now to see what she gets. Hopefully somewhere she wanted as we spent ages figuring out costs etc

PotentialUCLmum · 19/04/2024 07:35

That’s great, she’s doing way better than mine who only just firmed…😩

Newgirls · 19/04/2024 07:50

Cat sorry to hear your news jeez our age really is the gift that keeps giving

i agree offer holders is for the students really but if you do feel up for it maybe go and take her out for a dinner after x

space99 · 19/04/2024 09:30

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis @catmomof3 I wish you all the best with your treatment. My DS went to the offer holder day on his own so I also haven’t had a chance to look around the campus.
@PotentialUCLmum have you heard of anyone actually receiving their accommodation offer from UCL yet? Being on guard for an email from April to August is going to be rather stressful.

PotentialUCLmum · 19/04/2024 10:18

@space99 no i haven’t. One of DD’s friends received a rejection from UCL yesterday so I don’t think they’ve finalised the student list yet. I’ll post when she hears.

Pleasealexa · 19/04/2024 12:05

@catmomof3 So sorry to hear your news. Wishing you and your family strength

Lightsabre · 19/04/2024 15:02

Ds has the Imperial offer holders day next week and Warwick next weekend. He'll make the final decision then we can look at accommodation options and start the student finance.

PotentialUCLmum · 19/04/2024 17:01

I do think there should be a national offer day and that the firming/insurance options should be after all of the offer holder days have finished. It seems ludicrous that accommodation is on a first come, first basis for any Uni that is still sending offers/rejections or yet to hold an offer holders day. It is stressful enough for the young people who are in the middle of exams/revision without all of the admin that is associated with the applications and in some cases trying to decide between places that might be at the opposite ends of the country…!