For Oxford, our DS can get feedback on the admissions test (received automatically - big caveat at top of email to not read, if you don’t want to know) and can then find out the score for their submitted written work and interviews. I’m not sure if they will see an overall score which covers their full application and includes scoring for contextualised GCSEs or not. These played 50% role in deciding who was shortlisted for interview and I think about 20% role overall.
DS had wondered about getting feedback. His admissions test scores revealed he was well within the scores needed for interview, but wouldn’t have been a top performer. This was worked out by seeing the Faculty reports which detailed average admission test scores for those who applied, were interviewed and were offered. He already knows his interviews were not that good. So he basically knows he wasn’t a marginal candidate and just missed a place. He knows his interviews would have had to be super duper to pull him above those who had already done significantly better in the admissions tests. He decided he doesn’t need to know how low his interview scored. He’d be quite interested to know how they rated his submitted written work, but can live without knowing that and knows it was only worth 10% in the ranking processes anyway. He was never likely to want to re-apply and knowing already that he wasn’t marginal, doesn’t need that data in order to plan improvements for another go. Since the rejection, he got his Durham offer which will be his Firm and has pretty much moved on. The Cambridge offers made it a bit hard this week, but he has essentially moved on and knows the feedback would be more likely to make him feel a bit bad, rather than good and encouraged. So he’s leaving it and feels no need to know. I’ve said before that he feels he can hold his head high for having a go and getting to the point of shortlisting and knowing he didn’t scrape into the interview round, even if he wasn’t a top performer in admissions tests. Those things have boosted his self-belief and confidence and he feels no shame in being an Oxford reject, but pride in the fact he tried and got as far as he did. Seems pretty healthy as an attitude to me, but I know others need the info for closure and to understand if they did just miss the place and especially if they are considering reapplying.
For most, I’d say that if they have another great offer that they are genuinely happy with, moving on is easier and needing the feedback less if a thing. I know for some the Oxbridge dream has been going for years and years and everywhere else seems a major disappointment to them. I think it’s harder to move on from that and the feedback can be useful if indicating they caulked be a serious contender if they reapply…or taking on board that their application didn’t place them in the very top few and it’s now time to let go of the dream.
Best of luck to everyone making those choices and to parents helping their children navigate what is probably still quite raw disappointment for the Cambridge ‘no’ guys. Ultimately, waiting a few days before doing anything and applying for feedback is probably useful as even a few days can bring a new perspective to things and a knee-jerk reaction isn’t always the best thing.