Continuation of Oxbridge 2025

[BananasAllofIt]

I for one still have a kid waiting to hear about interviews. Thought I'd carry it over...

@malbefan thank you!! Wonderful to hear that you've had such a great experience. Really lifted my spirits. DD is so enthusiastic and excited about this opportunity. Time for me to get over the imposter syndrome too.

@Marylou2 you are most welcome. Even though part of DD's 3rd and start of her 4th year were impacted by Covid, her college was approachable and flexible, especially because at the time she and we were trying to work on a dire rural broadband connection. They offered her a dongle but there was no mobile phone signal here either - I know this sounds far-fetched but such was life in Devon in 2020.

I think one lovely thing about the college structure is that they are small enough that they know the students, whereas in other institutions they can be too large and therefore impersonal. We don't get over there very much now as DD is a PhD student who is meant to be submitting soon. She lives with her friends nearer to her department, so when we visit, we go there. So my advice is very much to enjoy it. Be incredibly proud of your student and be prepared for the new vocabulary that will soon trip off their tongue: plodge, pidge and bop are 3 that spring to mind.

Has anyone heard anything from Merton College, Oxford regarding an offer holder day? Thanks

@yonderhouse there was nothing about a pool in the letter. Just a 'we regret to inform you'.

From reading this thread I'm not sure that it is the right place for him anyway. He has a genetic condition which means he suffers from fatigue and I would be concerned about his ability to keep pace with the intensity of the work, but I daren't voice it.

Merton didn't have one three years ago when my DD's friend had an offer from there. I remember because DD's college did have an offer day and her friend was a little miffed. But she's having a brilliant time at Merton. Very friendly college. Well done on the offer.

Cambridge offer holder parents - can anyone confirm that the first step in accepting the offer is by setting this on UCAS? My DC is still waiting for the fifth offer to come in and only then will they be able to set firm and insurance choices (unless they withdraw). I wanted to make sure we are not missing anything because this might not come for another month or so (final choice offers quite late). It seems like a long time not to respond!

And then, once UCAS is done, there's all the other documents etc that came with the second admission letter, that need to be filled in and uploaded by certain deadlines given (in my DC's case, June onwards - but earlier for things like choral awards if you are applying). Is our understanding correct?!

@yonderhouse That sounds right to me. DS has "accepted" Cambridge via the link in one of the emails, but can't complete it on UCAS until he's decided on his insurance place. He's going to upload documents later, no immediate deadlines.

Choral awards deadline is tight! He emailed the scheme co-ordinator for clarification, as his offer is for deferred entry and it's unclear whether he should apply this year, or next year. Anyone else thinking of trying for one?

Thanks so much @PhotoDad . You say that ‘your DS has "accepted" Cambridge via the link in one of the emails’ and I can’t see anything like that for us 😖I’ve dropped you a PM - thanks again

Didn't mean to spook anyone! It was a college thing ("Will you be accepting via UCAS in due course?") rather than a university thing. (More detail via PM.)

@PhotoDad sorry for seeming dozy but I've been off-colour all day and opted for DF's "alcohol in your system kills all germs" cure! Your DC has an offer but the choral scholarship is for deferred entry? In that case the DC should email the choral college to ask what would happen if he started in 2025.

Very proud teacher here as we had lots of y13s getting Oxbridge offers. I mostly teach Music and am delighted that we have 2 choral scholarships and an organ scholarship, but as seems usual with C, the organ one is for 2026 entry. Getting a suitable posting for the 2025-6 year has proved tricky but our wonderful student has got one abroad which sounds fantastic. I already have first dibs on visiting them (just need someone to care for DF whilst I'm on my jollies!)

Congratulations - Last year there was an offer holders day at Merton but it was quite late in the day when they were told and think it was around Easter time so some couldn't make it. My DC went and said it was similar to the previous visit but enjoyed going and loves it there.

Hey @Malbecfan, no problem! DS's offer for academic entry is for 2026 after a gap year, so he's emailed the scheme's co-ordinator to ask whether he should apply now for a choral award, or this time next year. If no reply, he'll put the form in anyway and add the detail in the notes section!

Hi everyone - invitations have just been emailed out to all UK State School Cambridge STEP offer holders inviting them to join the STEP Support Programme's webinar series.

These will be Wednesday evenings 7pm-8:30pm. We would encourage everyone eligible to sign up even if they cannot make the sessions live so that we can email recording links and any other resources to them.

Any questions please contact me or email the STEP Support Programme.

Good luck to everyone with an offer!

Hi again!

Another STEP prep opportunity (Nothing to do with me this one!). Exeter Maths school is running some in person events, so only really practical for those in the South West. These are free to attend for State School students. For more info see the flyers, also https://exetermathematicsschool.ac.uk/for-students/secondary-maths/#1737563193066-3802f8b0-2575

Hello, does anyone know anything about Regents Park College at Oxford?

Small, out of the way, quite niche courses as they don't have the full caboodle of STEM, languages etc, good rowing club. Friendly, but you have to live out in year 2.

I know that if DD had received an offer from RP instead of the college she went to, she would have happily gone there for PPE rather than going elsewhere. As it is dinky, a lot of your tutorials may be within other colleges which broadens your network, rather just being within a specific college bubble.

Has your DC had the chance to look around? It's normal to have a bit of a wobble at this point, especially if an offer has come from an unexpected direction.

RP isn’t it all out of the way! It’s one of the most centrally located colleges in Oxford just off St Giles. It is small and apparently very friendly. But I also think people put too much thought into colleges – it’s not as if you are locked into your college for your entire course and can only socialise with people there, you’re free to go out and mix with anyone in any college across the university and all the facilities of the university are yours to enjoy

Out of the way in that you have to look to see it. There are hardly queues of tourists beating a path to its doors.

Yes we had an open day there - everyone seemed very friendly and it is a great location but not a typical Oxford college (good/bad) and v v small cohort per subject. DC wondering if better to stick to original plan of Edinburgh or Durham, though as said appreciates v fortunate to get Oxbridge offer when not originally expected.

Have they got their offers from E & D already?

There always used to be an alternative prospectus produced by Ox SU which had dome good insights. I assume it's quite a contrast to the college they applied to. Were they interviewed by Regents Park?

Yes, interviewed (online obvs) by RP and really loved the interviews, so looking forward to academic aspect, but now starting to talk to others who are also going to Oxford and their college experiences seem really different - worried they might be missing out. Offer from Durham but hasn’t heard from Edinburgh yet. Thank you!

If they really loved the interviews, I would roll with it. Those are the people they will be hsving tutorials with. If there's any scope for a day trip though, try to take it. It's very different seeing the university when you know you only have to get AAA to get there and at an open day when it's still a remote prospect.

Thank you!

DD finally firmed Cambridge and insured Sheffield. She had to withdraw from Bristol- I wonder if they ever would have eventually accepted given her the curtesy of a rejection?

She was tempted to firm Bath, but Sheffield seemed better for housing and their facilities fir engineering are incredible.

Good luck to everyone’s DC studying for a-levels.