The feedback does sound hard. I suppose the thing is, it has to highlight a weakness to explain why they weren’t chosen. It might not always be put very diplomatically, but might be rather matter-of-fact and brutal.
My DS received his admissions test results. That was interesting to see, and then we were able to see the College applicant feedback and some more detailed feedback from that Dept about average scores of the whole cohort, at interview and at offer stage. That was quite interesting and we could see he hadn’t scraped into interview, but wouldn’t have been one of the highest ranked based on that. He’d have had to do an awful lot in the interview. He knew after the interview, that it hadn’t gone well at all. So not getting an offer was no surprise at all really.
We contemplated asking for feedback, but felt the test scores were enough. We know his GCSEs and A Levels predictions were excellent, have the info about his admissions test and know altogether he wasn’t strong enough. We don’t know how good his submitted written work was, but don’t really need to know and we know his interview wasn’t good. Knowing quite how poor it was won’t really achieve anything.
I suppose for those who can see they did really well in the admissions test and woukd have been highly ranked going into the interview stage, it could be useful, especially if they are considering re-applying. In fact, if you’re considering re-applying it’s probably vital to get the feedback, even if it actually doesn’t tell you a huge amount.
Since the Oxford ‘no’ fortunately, he has had an offer from his top choice of Durham. With that to focus on, getting more feedback doesn’t seem relevant and could be upsetting. On that basis we won’t bother. Perhaps we would have if his admissions test placed him in the top few, or if he had thought the interview had actually been excellent, but these weren’t the case.
He goes away from it with a sense of achievement. He had excellent grades from GCSEs and A Level predictions in relation to the cohort. His admissions test placed him well-within the interview cohort, if not being enough to mean he would have been ranked very highly going into interview - all of it, no mean feat and things that make him feel he wasn’t a no-hoper and can hold his head up high about. He got a lot from the admissions test prep he did and from the interview practice. He’s not sorry he was brave enough to try and will never be sorry to admit he was an Oxford reject. Personally, we don’t need to dwell on it further or probe the data and feedback and can move on. I do understand thought that others need more information to get some kind of closure on it and also to inform possible reapplication etc. Some need the info and will be robust enough to take the feedback and not be hurt by it. For some, it might not be a good idea. I think it’s good they give you until mid-Feb to apply for it. I’d suspect many apply quickly in the day or two after rejection and later don’t feel they need it. Others too might think they will apply for it, but within a couple of weeks have moved on. Others, decide they will or won’t in light of admissions test info and perhaos other offers appearing or not appearing. Having a month to reflect and decide is a good thing in my view.
All the best for the Cambridge people tomorrow, especially if it drags on and you don’t get the result tomorrow. They’ve all done so well to get to interview.