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 🙏

Still waiting to hear from Bath, Cambridge and Durham. Offer received a while back from Bristol (no interview). All for Engineering.

Apart from Warwick offer we have not had/heard from others(Oxford, Imperial which TMUA will be sat in Jan, KCL, UCL).
Does your kid mention about sudden panic and went blank for some time starting of the tests lately. My daughter started having exam panic attack right when the tests start, it takes her sometimes to recollect herself. Happened to MAT, SMC and earlier this week on BMO1, she wasted first an hour just to calm herself to continue. I told her(and myself) that might be because of the stress and pressure. It never happened previously to her.

Interview for DS at Cam for HSPS. He is cooking curry for his mates at home tonight. I will be supplying the celebratory beers

Offers from Exeter, York, Birmingham. Waiting to hear from Durham and Oxford. 🤞

Great news, lots of Cambridge interviews.
Oxford interviews have started to come out. Well done to everyone who has one and 🤞we all get to hear soon.

Offer received yesterday for Southampton, just waiting on Bath and Durham now. One slot still to fill on the form, potentially for Sheffield or maybe, knowing DS2, a random one that hasn't been mentioned so far!

My child has applied for economics and management which is not on the list from Magdalen College that someone posted upthread, presumably they don’t offer it.
Does anyone know how to find out when these are decided? (Apart from the obvious which is to wait just a little bit longer!)

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews/interview-timetable2

E&M first interviews are 10th to 12th December and you normally hear a week to a week and a half in advance. Everyone hears at the same time whether good or bad news so no news is neutral. If you get a second round of interviews (roughly person just above and just below border for being offered a place) they can be very short notice even 24 hours but dates are given.

Arc & Anth are 15/16 December I think: so judging by the previous post we could hear later than I thought. Was really hoping it would be this week as she's very on edge but sounds like it could be next week!

Yes, maths interviews will be the week before Christmas @FirstdatesFred so we still have a while to wait. What a last week of term that could be…..

ds seems to be getting more anxious and short tempered which is really unlike him. I’m playing it cool and not mentioning it unless he does but it’s not easy.

We’ve had a conversation this weekend about how the tutors know what type of learner they are looking for - if you’re a good fit then great, but if you’re not then other courses at other institutions are probably going to be a better experience for you. He seemed to agree but as we don’t know what the tutors are looking for if he does get an interview it’s not much (any) practical help!

The waiting is hard. Me and DD are both studiously avoiding the topic but I know she’s thinking about it and I certainly am. I’ll be so relieved when this process is over, whatever the outcome.

I remember the waiting was quite nerve wracking for the later subjects. I just checked and in 2023 for 2024 entry for E&M DD received an email letter dated 24 November from her college saying she would have an interview but they didn't know a date and time yet. It was a Friday that year. I don't have interview date but think it was something like 1.5 weeks notice. You had to confirm accepted interview which I needed to remind DD to read the whole letter as she had just read to you have an interview. Good luck to everyone waiting. Maths from what DD said her friends had was incredibly hard maths problems so just have a go and don't worry about making errors or not knowing all the answer too much, it's probably to see if you can work together to get to the answer. Some subjects it says online what they are looking for if go to subject page or google subject and admissions report Oxford and a past year.

I've just put together a collection of Nrich problems which could be used for proof/Logic/Number theory type Maths interview questions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QVjaBpvaIxtKf8OrQy7NxM1RjYCU3P9MZAEVweOQq_E/edit?usp=sharing

Should be visible to everyone I hope!

DC's email from Cambridge arrived this morning, phew. Interviews for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences on 12 December.

Offers have already come in from York, Exeter, Nottingham and Sussex.

Another Cambridge interview here for history. DD was convinced that she wouldn’t get one so is pleased to finally get the email. She’s conscious though that two of her friends found out that they didn’t get interviews today, and so she’s cautiously happy and trying not to be too smiley.

Well done to those with interviews and good luck with it all!

Have found out today from 2 friends that neither of their DCs got interviews (one O, one C) - both with four A star predictions (and at state schools) - so if your child didn't get interviews, it is probably because the tutors were throwing darts at dartboards to separate candidates 😉. (I'm being a bit facetious, but honestly the calibre of applicants is bonkers ....and even if they do succeed at interview and then achieve their grades and take up their place - they will still have imposter syndrome when they get there....speaking as a mum of a current 4th yr!!)

Dd has a Cambridge interview!

Jumping in here a year early as you guys will have recent experience!

How do they choose what College you apply to?! Will specifically be for Maths. Googled but head is spinning :)

Very well done to all those who have interviews.

@Panicmode1 mind-boggling that those teens with 4A*s didn't get interviews. I think DD will be pretty gutted if she doesn't even get an interview after all the effort she put into the submissions.

I know...it's madness.

I posted to show that it's really not a "failure" if you don't get an interview and not to be downhearted - and even more so if you get to interview and it's a no. There are just way more brilliant young people than there are places.

DS had a friend who was a "dead cert" for Oxbridge - parents and all siblings were at various colleges. He was the only one of their tight knit friendship cohort who didn't get an offer after interview and it was brutal at the time. However, he has gone on to do brilliantly elsewhere, graduated with a first, and has (by his own admission) had "so much more fun in the extra time I had"!

Thanks for the positivity all. DS got a Cambridge refusal today sadly. We’re a bit sad but it was for engineering- one of the hardest to get into…

Sorry to hear that. (If it helps your DC feel better, DS really didn't enjoy his first two years (he's reading engineering)....the pressure and workload is insane.)

I would say that you should think about practicalities.

Does your child want to live in all three years? Do they want the option of doing at least some self-catering? Look at accommodation options for 2nd and 3rd years which will be different for all colleges and at the facilities provided within the college if they are likely to want to make their own lunches etc.

Are they likely to qualify for any extra help (eg some colleges do discounted termly meal passes for those with a household income below a certain threshold or offer travel grants etc)?

Would your child like to be right in the centre of town or OK with being a bit further out?

Has your child got a specific reason for applying to a particular college (eg mine got awards in a competition related to her degree choice run by the one she picked)?

Having said all that, maybe just go and wander around and look at some of the colleges and see if there is one that especially appeals for any reason. They have different architecture and a different feel from one another.

Plus, in fact, there isn't any guarantee of ending up at whichever college you pick since you might be reallocated, and it is perfectly OK to put in an open application if you have no particular feelings in any one direction.

My brother did Maths at Merton in Oxford and picked it mainly for this so absolutely not a rigorous evaluation of all the pros and cons: https://www.thatoxfordgirl.com/post/merton-s-annual-time-ceremony-a-very-oxford-tradition

Best of luck to all with interviews!

Whoops! responded to wrong thread!

@MonGrainDeSel Do you know of anywhere where the different colleagues are explained? What each one offers etc? Having not gone to University, supporting my son is a complete mine field and I'm trying to get my head around everything.