Continuation of Oxbridge 2025

[BananasAllofIt]

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

DS got turned down, as expected. He's fine about it though as he was expecting it. Excellent GCSEs and 4 A*s predicted, but just couldn't get to grips with MAT. I'm just glad it was now and not after having to go through an interview. I'm also very glad he chose Oxford over Cambridge for Maths and didn't end up missing out due to the STEP exam.

Good luck to everyone with interviews!

Whether the news is good or bad, I agree that it's good to get some closure rather than waiting.

Thanks for the link, @Coldilocks. My DS took ESAT and there seems to be no or little discussion of that on MN, but that's all fine.

@FiveFoxes I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm sure he'll go on to a fab university and have a great experience.

Thanks! I am sure he will 😁

@FiveFoxes Sorry to hear. My son was also rejected without interview.

Ds has just texted from bowling to say he has an interview - email came through half an hour ago (shows how it's been on his mind, checking while out with friends!). I'm surprised emails are coming through out of office hours.

Congratulations to everyone else with interviews and commiserations for those without, though of course they will be amazing wherever they go and for everyone else there is the small matter of the interview to get through...

Despite what was said on the previous thread I do think it's a gruelling process and the dc are all amazing for putting themselves through it on top of A levels and whatever else they have going on.

My ds has an interview with Oxford for History though he applied for Politics & History. And with a different college than he applied for. Is that usual?

My DS1 has a friend who interviewed at O two years ago for Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics, but afterwards O got in touch to ask whether he would consider Psychology alone instead of PPL, because he didn’t do very well in philosophy interview but the psychology department really liked him.

It's not usual but it does mean that he's not now being considered for HistPol. If he's clear that he only wants to read HistPol then he'll understandably be disappointed but there are so many politics options in the single honours History school that it would be hasty not to consider it. Maybe encourage him to explore the options online? How does he feel about the college he's been moved to for interview?

This has also happened to dd, she applied for history and politics but interview is only for history.

And how does she feel about it?

If he is accepted to Oxford for any course he says he will jump at it! He is a little wary of the college he's interviewing for though. His background is the complete opposite of the college - I'm a bit concerned.

If you apply for one college but get an interview at another does that mean the original college has declined you? You don’t interview at more than one college?

Running At O some colleges will get an excess of applications and a computer reallocates some candidates to other colleges but it doesn't reflect quality of application, it's just evening out numbers to interview at each college and people are chosen at random. Re an interview at second college, each subject has different ways of doing things, in E and M there were 2 interviews at first college and that was it for my DD. Others who were also accepted at her college had 4 interviews, 2 with a second college.

@Opheliaaffrighted sorry to hear that. I'm sure your son will do amazingly well at a brilliant university.

Good luck to those still waiting, E&M is Monday, think it was later in the day when DD got hers.

DC has an interview so that’s nice.

Congratulations to all who been offered interviews and commiserations to those who were unlucky – as everyone says they will go onto having an amazing time at another brilliant university.

"If he is accepted to Oxford for any course he says he will jump at it! He is a little wary of the college he's interviewing for though. His background is the complete opposite of the college - I'm a bit concerned."

@womanwithissues Just guessing here, but if your concern is that the allocated college is "posher" I really wouldn't worry. There is a residual sense that some colleges are posher than others, but it really is out of date. Plus some of the older colleges to whom these assumptions are sometimes applied tend to have lots of money for bursaries etc. apologies though if I have got the wrong end of the stick!

My son found out last night he got an interview at O , was initially happy but then realised it’s for a college he’s not keen on. I’m just wondering if that’s the only college he will be considered for now, or if there is a chance of being invited for interview by another college?

My Son is in his first year at Oxford and he interviewed for History and Politics but got an offer for History only from the same college of choice, he accepted obviously. I think they only had 2 places for H&P at the college he wanted as opposed to 9 for History, so it is a very competitive subject.

I have 2 DC currently at Oxford colleges with very different reputations. In reality both colleges have a wide mix of students and each has found their tribe, so to speak. Almost everyone ends up very happy at whatever colllege they go to, regardless of whether it was their first choice or not.

What matters most once they are there to many students is not the buildings or reputation of the college, but the college tutors the students actually interact with, and then the practical stuff - whether the food in hall is any good, what the laundry facilities are like, whether the college guarantees accommodation for all years of study etc etc. Some of that only becomes clear once you’re actually there.

Buzzy Someone else may know better than me but as I understand it, varies by subject exact way things are done, but could get an offer from another college still. For DDs subject there's an initial reallocation of people made by the computer so colleges all have the right number to interview (random) then you 2 interviews at first choice college as joint subject or one reallocated to. Then a few people get an interview, well 2 more a week later at a second college and after that those people can either be accepted by their first interviewing college, their second interviewing college or rejected. There's also something called an open offer where you have an offer like A star AA (standard offer) and if meet will be allocated a college later. Also you can socialise a lot outside your college if you want to via university wide societies etc.

Woman I also would not worry too much about private / state mix, its best to go open minded and willing to mix with everyone and don't assume through lack of confidence if people are in groups its as they don't like you. DD is the only state one on her course in her college but everyone else has been lovely. When I went from a state comp my college was 80% private school and a third from the one boys public school according to someone at the school and its much more diverse now but even then it was fine.

Me too.

Sorry to hear that Firefoxes. We are waiting to hear about Maths!

Thank you. I worry about the "posh element" but he is more pragmatic about it all. It was more the stories about racism and homophobia (he's gay). And the additional financial support will be great for him because I can't offer it if he does get in.