Cambridge/oxford - really don’t know anything

[pastapesto]

DS is going into his 6th year (Scottish school) and has done remarkably well in his Higher year. Top of the school. A couple of folk have suggested applying to Cambridge or Oxford but it’s really not something we know anything about. He is clearly very bright but he is also Autistic and I am not sure he would do well in things like interviews. Possibly it’s just too big of a leap. I don’t know if I should be encouraging him to try at least or not. Feels like there is a lot to learn about how you apply and I don’t know anyone who has ever been. Feels daunting.

Syllabus for the PAT

https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/study/undergraduates/how-apply/physics-aptitude-test-pat/pat-syllabus

Even if he was eligible for entry into second year, it’s a bad move. They learn so much in first year , it’s really not the same as 6th year with AH Maths, AH Physics and whatever else he is doing.

Also first year at say Strathclyde will expose him to all the disciplines in engineering and he may decide that he prefers automotive to electrical and electrical , for example. As a Scottish resident he won’t pay fees at a Scottish uni so these little advantage to skipping first year .

Also most applicants into first year with have AH maths at A , I think some of you are underestimating the grades that most good students will have going into first year Strathclyde Engineering. He will be far from the smartest kid in the class with 3 A at AH ( and AH is harder than A level ).

I'd imagine it's also better socially to do first year entry.

Tbh unless there's some particular reason for wanting to do the Cambridge or Oxford course - and for some there really is - for most if they want to do a good course that'll equip them to be an engineer then its very hard to see why a Scottish student wouldn't stick with the range of good choices available to them with no tuition fees.

Wow, so much great advice. Thank you!

I will take time to read and digest.

He is predicted A1’s but we won’t know until August what his results actually are.

It’s reassuring to hear that people feel he would have just as good an experience here in Scotland. I really don’t know anything about engineering so it’s hard for me to advise him. But it sounds positive either way. Main thing is that he goes somewhere he can both learn and enjoy.

Can’t believe he will be off next year. I’m sure he’s still about 10….

DS doing Eng at Oxford. There is A LOT of work to do! He reckons Engineers have the fullest schedule/work load of all the subjects. But maybe everyone says that about their own subject??
So your DS will have to be good at time management.
4 x A* in Maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.

All his uni friends are from state school or abroad. The ones I've meet are all very nice people.
DS likes all the old traditions like wearing gowns for exams and having formal dinners.
DS liked the Oxbridge Engineering courses because they start out covering all types of engineering for the first two years, then narrow down into projects and fewer topics in the third and fourth years. He preferred that rather than selecting an area straight away. He has ended up being interested in different topics than he put down for at other universities aged 18. Does that make sense?
I think if he wants to he should apply. No harm done. As long as he understands there are more suitable applicants than places.

Oxford is a beautiful city.
Good luck.

Actually, on the other hand, DD is autistic and selected a very small university as we know smaller environments suit her best. She would NOT cope with the deadlines and pressure of Oxbridge. But she is living perfectly well 200 miles away form me. FaceTime is a wonderful invention!!!

My DS said the same about Cambridge engineering. His girlfriend spends a lot of time with him but does a science subject, and agrees that his workload is huge. They've said a couple of times that it seems to be more than (or at least very comparable to) the medics.

OP, you say he's a prefect but doesn't do any other extracurricular stuff. What about supercurricular? Does he do any programming or engineering type stuff in his own time for fun? You really do need to be very dedicated to your subject, I think, for Oxbridge, really passionate about it, and for that to come across at interview. DS had done loads of subject-related stuff of his own accord in his free time at home.

In contrast my younger DS is hoping to do computer science at uni this September. He is bright and hoping for maybe 2 As and an A star at A-level if he's lucky but it doesn't come as naturally to him as DS1. He spends most of his free time online gaming with his mates, going out socialising, playing football etc, he doesn't show much urge to go and ferret around online learning new programming languages, researching his areas of interest or entering competitions, staying up all night for one of them in DS1's case) DS2 just doesn't have the same drive in him as DS1 did, at the moment, and he'd be the first to say it. He works quite hard when has to but he would agree with me that he isn't Oxbridge material, even if he had 3A star predictions (which he doesn't), and he didn't want to take Further Maths. He just wouldn't want to put the required work in if he was able to get there.

Which is fine. And normal! He is young, the drive about pushing himself for careers will come in a couple of years, I'm sure. I would be made up if he gets into the unis he's applied to.

Anyway, your son would need to look at the work ethic needed for Oxbridge if he was to consider it. It really is very different from other unis in England, with the exception of Imperial College maybe, I guess? And to thrive there doing a subject like that it's really not enough to be very bright, you have to be super bright. The pace is REALLY fast. A couple of DS1's friends from school are doing engineering elsewhere at very reputable unis and after speaking with them, DS1 reckons he covered the same material in just his first term at Cambridge that his friends took their whole first year to do. DS1 thinks just about everyone on his course has 4 A stars and most have further maths. Sorry, I'm not sure what the equivalent is in Scotland, but basically you'd probably need top grades in all subjects?

If my DS1 sounds like your son, then I'd tell him to really consider applying. If he sounds more like my DS2 then maybe he'd be better off elsewhere.

Nothing to lose by applying for it unless he'd struggle if rejected.

Quite a lot of engineering courses have crossover in y1. Less as the subjects go forward because they are huge areas of learning. It’s unlikely you could do civil and structural engineering at most unis in 2 years after carrying on with electronics and other areas of engineering for 2 years. It would be skimming what is needed.