Oxbridge applicants 2026??

[Justlurkingmostly]

Is there a thread for this year’s applicants - I can’t seem to find with a search. Thanks for signposting 🙏

I'd be interested if there was-I can't find one either!

Me too!

MAT this week…

Good luck to your DC (and others) for MAT this week @Nuffalready

DS has applied for history. No HAT admissions test this year so a bit of an unknown.

I don’t think there is. There are lots of us on the main 2026 application thread but I guess as interviews are approaching, it might be better to have a separate thread for all that discussion before we annoy everybody else with it all. DD’s My Cambridge application is now in the next step is the college information and portfolio deadline.

@VentressThank you! He’s been doing practise answers for months, but is very much a glass half full boy and comes out of every exam with a “that was great” so I just hope he does his best and then settles in for interview/ or no interview in November or December. He loved Oxford (almost as much as I did) on open day.

To clarify, I’m NOT an ex-student there, just an over invested mum!

My DD is sitting her TSA on Thursday. She’s done quite a lot of practice papers; I hope she’s done enough. She’s applied for PPE.

My DS is sitting the PAT on Thursday. He’s our only child and neither myself nor DH went to university so this whole application process is new to us. It was a relief to get everything chosen and sent off to UCAS.
Once the PAT is out of the way hopefully DS can finally relax for a while (well apart from his driving test next week ! 🙈)

I've posted some links for those preparing for a Maths interview here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/5430356-support-for-maths-interviews?reply=147953445

Our DS is also doing his PAT on Thursday too, he’s quite chilled about it but has been practicing & is fairly happy he’s done everything he can do.
I’m glad he’s feeling ok because I have major guilt as our house is chaotic at the moment with lots of family visiting as my mum is end of life and is in a care home near me so everyone has to stay at ours. I’m preoccupied with my mum & family but I’ve banned everyone from his space so interactions are on his terms to try to not put too much on him.

My DC isn't applying for a course with an entrance exam, but she had the first of two scheduled practice interviews last week. I think it went fairly well; she said they asked her about some things she never really thought about but she enjoyed that and she thinks she was able to contextualize the questions fairly well within her own experience and interests. She's waiting on feedback now, and then she'll have a second practice in a couple of weeks. Following that, I suppose, we just wait and hope for an interview!

Is anyone else amazed that these young people are able to cope with the stress of this process? I don't think I could have managed it at 17.

Just a quick post, as I’m sure no one wants to hear old timers wanging on. My DC1 successfully went through the application process for MLL at Oxford last year, so if anyone has a DC doing either of those subjects please do DM me if you have any questions. Best of luck to you all 🍀.

MAT later on this week for us too! Cant wait for it to be over.

MAT on Thursday for ds too. He’s been working hard so I hope it goes well for him and everyone else taking entrance exams.

He only got his application in early last week and has had 2 offers already. I like to think that takes a bit of pressure off but as he said ‘they’re not Oxford’.

Hopefully he’ll get the cast off his wrist next week and can get back to driving practice as his test date isn’t too far away!

It’s non-stop!

Not amazed in the slightest. It's been happening for decades...

Good luck to all those who have DC doing MAT this week. Ds2 did his ESAT 10 days ago so just waiting for the results.

And he finally submitted his My Cambridge Application today! Big sigh of relief from me- he's on holiday with his Dad and I was getting a bit stressed 😳

Now all he has to do is submit the rest of his uni choices.

@wonkylegssorry to hear about your mum, it must be hard for you all right now. Hope your DS is managing to focus in-spite of the upset, sounds like you are creating a revision haven for him at least. Best of luck for Thursday.

@Muchtoomuchtodo DS had first offer in today which will first choice choice if nothing comes from the Oxford application so that’s a relief 😅 good luck to your DS for the MAT.

It is non stop right now and I agree with you @temperedolive I don’t know how they do it!

Dd has applied for fine art and needs to pretty much put together her portfolio over half term. For some reason we’re also really busy, but we’ve pinpointed at least a couple of days when she should be able to work on it.

@SparrowTweets Congratulations to him! DC has offers from Bristol and Exeter, though I think her first choice after Oxford might be Leeds. I imagine it's a lovely relief for them to know that if Oxbridge doesn't happen there are still excellent unis that will want them.

My DD has her CLAT on Wednesday and is currently unable to get out of bed with a fever. Think it might be COVID. She’s been doing really well in practice tests so I’m gutted for her. Apparently, they don’t take illness into consideration unless you are actually in hospital. Keeping my fingers crossed for her!!!

Glad to find this thread. DD is applying to Cambridge. I think she's in with a chance of getting the required grades but I'm worried about how she'll cope with an interview (if she gets one).

Does anyone have any advice on the MyCambridge form? She wants to use it to add information that she didn't manage to fit into her UCAS personal statement. I don't have a clue what admissions tutors are looking for with the MyCambridge form.

@JeRevien keeping fingers crossed for your DD that’s miserable

See https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/apply/how/cambridge-application for official advise.

The extra personal statement is optional, but can be used to address specific points. For example you might be applying to do NatSci at Cambridge but Physics elsewhere - you might use the extra personal statement to talk a bit more about the other aspects of science you like in more detail if the main PS is mostly about Physics.

I would not bother using it to list extra curricular activities (though I am connected to maths so it might be different for other subjects!). You are not disadvantaged by not using the extra personal statement.

Thanks @Pallando . DD seems to be approaching it as an opportunity to talk about some geeky, finer points of her subject but I'm not sure that's what the admissions tutors are looking for.